Ethnic background, classroom instruction and child behaviour in kindergarten: the role of the teacher to stimulate children in the classroom by giving individual attention

Abstract

SUMMARY In 45 classes of 29 schools for Dutch primary education 273 4-year old children (6 per class) with different ethnic background and their teachers were observed during their classroom activities in both whole-class and individual setting. A 10 category observation system was used to describe l the level of pupil involvement and the verbal interaction; a 19 category observation system was designed to describe teacher behaviour on two aspects: what is the object of teacher behaviour (whole class versus individual pupil; and yes/no target pupil) and what kind of behaviour is shown by the teacher (academic or management behaviour). Data will be presented to test the following hypotheses: 1. (1) there is no difference in pupil involvement due to background; 2. (2) ethnic background is related to level of verbal interaction; 3. (3) individual teacher attention is related to pupil involvement; 4. (4) the teacher attention (general stimulating versus direct steering; verbal versus nonverbal) is related to pupil involvement; 5. (5) teachers compensate for ethnicity by differentiating individual attention.