A survey of children’s learning and non-cognitive attitudes in England and Pakistan

Abstract

ABSTRACT Children’s learning attitudes and social emotional skills can be shaped by their family background and school experiences. This study compares 832 children aged 10–11 years old attending primary and middle schools in England and Pakistan, who completed a survey of non-cognitive skills and learning attitudes. Any comparison is cross-sectional and does not necessarily imply a causal relationship. The findings suggest that children in the sample from England were more developed than their counterpart sample in Pakistan in teamwork, social engagement, adaptability, problem solving and empathy. However, the children from Pakistan showed higher resilience and reported more happiness with general life than their counterparts in England. Policy level changes are suggested for Pakistan to give schools more mixed intakes of children and environments where they feel safe, cared for, and are fairly treated by teachers. Improving children’s resilience in academic activities can be useful for schools in England.