Vera Freundl

Immigrant children’s academic performance suffers particularly when their class at school has a large number of low performers. This applies to pupils who come from a disadvantaged background, have a lower level of academic achievement, do not speak the local language at home, or whose parents were both born abroad. These are findings of researchers from the ifo Institute and the University of Milano-Bicocca based on data from Italy.

Les enfants d’immigrés obtiennent de moins bons résultats lorsqu’ils sont dans une classe comprenant de nombreux élèves en difficulté. Ce constat est observé chez les élèves issus de milieux défavorisés, ceux qui ont un faible niveau sco-laire, qui ne parlent pas la langue du pays d’accueil à la maison ou dont les deux parents sont nés à l’étranger. En revanche, la proportion d’élèves en difficulté n’a pas d’effet négatif sur les enfants de migrants plus favorisés. C’est le résultat de l’étude réalisée par les chercheuses de l’Institut ifo et de l’université de Milan-Bicocca sur la base de données provenant d’Italie.

Schoolchildren achieve better science grades when their teacher has specialist training in the subject they teach. This has been shown in an evaluation of international student data by Pietro Sancassani of the ifo Center for the Economics of Education. Germany was not included in the study because all science teachers there already have specialist training. Around one-fifth of the effect qualified teachers have on student performance can be ascribed to the fact that teachers feel more confident delivering the course material. The remaining causes have yet to be established.