Heterogeneity in Primary School. An Overview

Hausarbeit , 2008 , 11 Seiten , Note: 1,0

Pädagogik - Schulpädagogik

This paper deals with the topic of heterogeneity among primary school children. The quote from Günther Schorch shows the problems and the topicality of the subject:

"The primary school is the type of school with the greatest heterogeneity and must cope with the special burden of a still unselected student body: From highly gifted to special needs pupils, from "high achievers" to slow learners, from socio-economically privileged to socially disadvantaged. This means that primary schools are already confronted with the perennial problem of how to deal with heterogeneity, which is difficult to solve."

The idea that children form a homogeneous learning group with the same starting conditions when they enter school has long since disappeared. So primary schools are faced with the task of providing equal education to unequal children. But what exactly is meant by the terms heterogeneity and homogeneity? In order to provide an accurate overview, I will explain the terms heterogeneity and homogeneity as an introduction. This is followed by an explanation of the many different categories of heterogeneity that can be found among primary school children. In this section, I will focus on the three largest sub-areas: Intercultural Pedagogy, Integrative Pedagogy and Feminist Pedagogy. Another part of my work deals with the different ways of dealing with heterogeneity among primary school children. Finally, the question arises as to whether heterogeneity in the classroom presents itself to the children as an opportunity or an obstacle. I would like to comment on this personally and draw on opinions from the literature.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. On the concept of heterogeneity and homogeneity
2.1 Categories of heterogeneity
2.2 Performance-related heterogeneity
2.3 Age heterogenicity
2.4 Sociocultural heterogeneity
2.5 Linguistic heterogeneity
2.6 Health and body heterogeneity
2.7 Gender-related heterogeneity
2.8 Heterogeneity of family forms

3. Ways of dealing with heterogeneity

4. Conclusion / Open teaching as a response to heterogeneity?

Bibliography

1. Introduction

The present work deals with the topic of heterogeneity in primary school children. The quote from Günther Schorch shows the problem or the topicality of the topic:

"Primary school is the type of school with the greatest heterogeneity and has to cope with the special burden of an as yet unread student body: From highly gifted to needy pupils, from "high-flyers" to slow-learners, from socio-economically privileged to socially disadvantaged. Thus, the primary school is the difficult to solve permanent problem of the pedagogical handling of heterogeneity already written in the family book."¹

The idea that children form a homogeneous learning group with the same starting conditions at school has long since disappeared.² Primary school is therefore faced with the task of providing equal education to unequal children.³ But what exactly is meant by the term heterogeneity and homogeneity? In order to provide a precise overview, I will explain the concepts of heterogeneity and homogeneity as an introduction. This is followed by an explanation of the many different categories of heterogeneity found in primary school children. In this section, I pay the greatest attention to the three largest sub-areas: Intercultural Pedagogy, Integrative Pedagogy and Feminist Pedagogy. Another part of my work deals with the different ways of dealing with which one can react to heterogeneity in primary school children. Finally, the question arises as to whether the heterogeneity in the classroom presents itself to the children as an opportunity or as an obstacle. I would like to comment on this personally and refer to opinions from the literature.

2. On the concept of heterogeneity and homogeneity

As described in the introduction, I will make brief explanations of terms as an introduction. The term heterogeneity is not only now appearing in the literature. Maria Montessori and Peter Petersen already dealt with the topic of heterogeneous learning groups.⁴ But what exactly is meant by heterogeneity and homogeneity? In order to explain the concept of heterogeneity, it makes sense to take a closer look at the concept of homogeneity. The terms heterogeneity and homogeneity result from a direct comparison, which, however, refers to a fixed scale. Heterogeneity is therefore the result of a comparison where inequality is found. In contrast, the concept of homogeneity is used when comparing established criteria produces equality.⁵ The terms heterogeneity and homogeneity are interdependent, because "it can do not give heterogeneity without homogeneity; it is always of heterogeneity and Homogeneity to speak."⁶

2.1 Categories of heterogeneity

When one speaks of heterogeneity or diversity in children, then one must distinguish between many different categories. So you have to define exactly "in which respect a difference is determined."⁷ There are three major sub-areas that deal with heterogeneity: Intercultural Pedagogy, Integrative Pedagogy and Feminist Pedagogy. In this context, Annedore Prengel coined the term 'pedagogy of diversity'.⁸ However, there are many more categories of heterogeneity that are relevant to education. The various categories are intended to help "perceive the lively complexity of children's personalities."⁹ In the following, the most important heterogeneity categories in my opinion are listed and briefly explained.

2.2 Performance-related heterogeneity

Empirical studies show that at the beginning of school in primary school classes "children with significant differences in performance, which can correspond to the curricula as regularly described performance levels of several grade levels"¹⁰ condition. The children learn at different speeds and show differences in their willingness.¹¹ Performance-related heterogeneity is regarded by the German school system as unreasonable if children have too little talent or poor performance. These children are disadvantaged by being singled out in primary school, e.g. postponed from attending school.¹² The SCHOLASTIK study also shows that there are considerable differences in performance between the children, for example in spelling and reading comprehension.¹³

2.3 Age heterogenicity

Most primary schools often still choose the classical way and are designed as year classes. "Accordingly, school classes function according to the order pattern of the learning of the children of the same age, which progresses in step."¹⁴ Normally, there is an age difference of about one year for primary school children.¹⁵ The primary school training regulations in NRW allow the possibility of setting up year-old-year-old groups through a flexible school entrance phase.¹⁶ This means that the age differences of the children differ even more drastically than in the previously mentioned age classes. However, the large age differences between the children do not have to be a disadvantage. Children who come from families with few children grow up with larger and smaller classmates and can also stay in the age-related group if they have a weak learning experience. They learn to respect each other and can learn from each other.¹⁷ The model of the year-heterogenic classes is used intentionally, since the different dimensions of heterogeneity form into a construct of overlapping axes, so that each child belongs to several groups.¹⁸

2.4 Sociocultural heterogeneity

According to the Federal Statistical Office, 3,156,524 pupils attended German primary schools in the 2006/07 school year. This is about 0.8 percent fewer students than in the school year 2005/06.¹⁹ The number of students of 3,156,524 includes 333,770 foreign students. This is about 5.8 percent less than in the 2005/06 school year.²⁰ Foreign children thus made up more than 10 percent of primary school pupils in the 2006/07 school year. In primary schools, for example, many cultures with different mother tongues meet. These new challenges can be met with intercultural pedagogy.

"In doing so, it addresses the relationship between the German majority culture and the members of groups as diverse as the migrant workers from Mediterranean countries, the asylum-seeking refugees from predominantly overseas countries, the Eastern European resettlers as well as the long-established ethnic groups of the Sinti and Roma and the Jewish community persecuted and destroyed in fascism."²¹

German classmates should react to the children and families of foreign origin with understanding, because studies show that this is beneficial for everyone. Everyday social interaction even weakens xenophobia.²² But not only the interculturality of the children has to be taken into account, but also their socio-economic life situations. The Federal Government's 3rd Poverty and Wealth Report shows a poverty risk rate of 12 percent for children aged 0 to 15 in 2005.²³ In a European comparison, this is a fairly low level, but the gap between rich and poor is wide. The 3rd Poverty and Wealth Report 2008 assumes that every 4th family in Germany falls below the poverty line.²⁴

2.5 Linguistic heterogeneity

Linguistic heterogeneity can be called a "dialectal or sociocultural deviation from the standard language"²⁵ indicate. In Germany, the school language is German. But as already mentioned in the section of sociocultural heterogeneity, many different cultures meet in primary school and thus also the corresponding languages.

2.6 Health and body heterogeneity

Integration pedagogy is the answer to health- and body-related heterogeneity. The goal of integrative pedagogy is a "school and social non-segregation of people with disabilities."²⁶ "integration is called restoration of a whole or sociologically explained: "Connecting a diversity of individuals or groups into a social unit"."²⁷ The term segregation can be defined as a counter-term, because it refers to the separation from a whole or the separation of individual persons for social reasons.²⁸ The health- and body-related heterogeneity is put into an educational institution from the outside. Through a special organization of learning processes in schools and through structural conditions, this heterogeneity of children gains in importance.²⁹ A disability is not understood as a fundamental personality trait, but the expectations or the school learning requirements make a differentness of the child only a disability.³⁰

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¹ Schorch, G.: Studienbuch Grundschulpädagogik. Die Grundschule als Bildungsinstitution und pädagogisches Handlungsfeld. Bad Heilbrunn 2007, p. 81.

² cf. Knörzer, W./ Grass, K./ Schuhmacher, E.: Den Anfang der Schulzeit pädagogisch gestalten. Studien- und Arbeitsbuch für den Anfangsunterricht. Weinheim 2007, p. 154.

³ cf. Schorch, G.: Studienbuch Grundschulpädagogik. Die Grundschule als Bildungsinstitution und pädagogisches Handlungsfeld. Bad Heilbrunn 2007, p. 81.

⁴ cf. Wenning, N.: Heterogenität als Dilemma für Bildungseinrichtungen. In: Boller, S./ Rosowski, E./ Stroot, T. (Eds.): Heterogenität in Schule und Unterricht. Handlungsansätze zum pädagogischen Umgang mit Vielfalt. Weinheim und Basel 2007, p. 22.

⁵ cf., ibid., p. 23.

⁶ ibid., p. 23.

⁷ Prengel, A.: Heterogenität als Chance. In: De Boer, H./ Burk, K./ Heinzel, F.: Lehren und Lernen in jahrgangsgemischten Klassen. Frankfurt am Main 2007, p. 71.

⁸ cf. Prengel, A.: Pädagogik der Vielfalt. Verschiedenheit und Gleichberechtigung in Interkultureller, Feministischer und Integrativer Pädagogik. Wiesbaden 2006, p. 12.

⁹ Prengel, A.: Heterogenität als Chance. In: De Boer, H./ Burk, K./ Heinzel, F.: Lehren und Lernen in jahrgangsgemischten Klassen. Frankfurt am Main 2007, p. 72.

¹⁰ Prengel, A.:Vielfalt durch gute Ordnung im Anfangsunterricht. Opladen 1999, p. 21.

¹¹ cf. Wenning, N.: Heterogenität als Dilemma für Bildungseinrichtungen. In: Boller, S./ Rosowski, E./ Stroot, T. (Eds.): Heterogenität in Schule und Unterricht. Handlungsansätze zum pädagogischen Umgang mit Vielfalt. Weinheim und Basel 2007, p. 25.

¹² cf. Tillmann, K.-J.: System jagt Fiktion. Die homogene Lerngruppe. In: Friedrich Jahresheft 2004. Heterogenität. Unterschiede nutzen – Gemeinsamkeiten stärken. Seelze 2004, p. 8.

¹³ cf. Roßbach, H.-G.: Heterogene Lerngruppen in der Grundschule. In: Einsiedler, W. et al.: Handbuch Grundschulpädagogik und Grundschuldidaktik. Bad Heilbrunn 2005, p. 177.

¹⁴ Prengel, A.: Heterogenität al Chance. In: De Boer, H./ Burk, K./ Heinzel, F.: Lehren und Lernen in jahrgangsgemischten Klassen. Frankfurt am Main 2007, p. 66.

¹⁵ cf. Roßbach, H.-G.: Heterogene Lerngruppen in der Grundschule. In: Einsiedler, W. et al.: Handbuch Grundschulpädagogik und Grundschuldidaktik. Bad Heilbrunn 2005, p. 178.

¹⁶ cf. Dockhorn, D./ Eikmanns-Rote, K./ Godejohann, S./ Lenzen, K.-D.: Altersmischung. Lernen in jahrgangsheterogenen Gruppen. In: Friedrich Jahresheft 2004. Heterogenität. Unterschiede nutzen – Gemeinsamkeiten stärken. Seelze 2004, p. 59.

¹⁷ cf. Prengel, A.: Heterogenität als Chance. In: De Boer, H./ Burk, K./ Heinzel, F.: Lehren und Lernen in jahrgangsgemischten Klassen. Frankfurt am Main 2007, p. 74.

¹⁸ cf., ibid., p. 71.

¹⁹ cf. Statistisches Bundesamt: Schüler/innen nach Schularten: http://www.destatis.de/jetspeed/portal/cms/Sites/destatis/Internet/DE/Content/Statistiken/BildungForschungKultur/Schulen/Tabellen/Content75/AllgemeinbildendeSchulenSchulartenSchueler,templateId=renderPrint.psml (Date of download: 22.08.2008)

²⁰ cf. Statistisches Bundesamt: Ausländische Schüler/innen nach Schularten: http://www.destatis.de/jetspeed/portal/cms/Sites/destatis/Internet/DE/Content/Statistiken/BildungForschungKultur/Schulen/Tabellen/Content75/AllgemeinbildendeSchulenSchulartAuslaendischeSchueler.psml (Date of download: 22.08.2008)

²¹ Prengel, A.: Pädagogik der Vielfalt. Verschiedenheit und Gleichberechtigung in Interkultureller, Feministischer und Integrativer Pädagogik. Wiesbaden 2006, p. 64.

²² cf. Knörzer, W./ Grass, K./ Schuhmacher, E.: Den Anfang der Schulzeit pädagogisch gestalten. Studien- und Arbeitsbuch für den Anfangsunterricht.Weinheim 2007, p. 160.

²³ cf. Lebenslagen in Deutschland. 3. Armuts- und Reichtumsbericht. http://www.bmas.de/coremedia/generator/26742/property=pdf/dritter__armuts__und__reichtumsbericht.pdf (Date of download: 26.08.2008)

²⁴ cf. Armut in Deutschland wächst: http://www.kinder-armut.de/news/3-news/25-armut-in-deutschland-waechst.html (Date of download: 22.08.2008)

²⁵ Wenning, N.: Heterogenität als Dilemma für Bildungseinrichtungen In: Boller, S./ Rosowski, E./ Stroot, T. (Eds.): Heterogenität in Schule und Unterricht. Handlungsansätze zum pädagogischen Umgang mit Vielfalt.Weinheim und Basel 2007, p. 25.

²⁶ Prengel, A.: Pädagogik der Vielfalt. Verschiedenheit und Gleichberechtigung in Interkultureller, Feministischer und Integrativer Pädagogik. Wiesbaden 2006, p. 139.

²⁷ Graumann, O.: Gemeinsamer Unterricht in heterogenen Gruppen. Von lernbehindert bis hochbegabt. Bad Heilbrunn/Obb. 2002, p. 83.

²⁸ cf., ibid., p. 83.

²⁹ cf. Wenning, N.: Heterogenität als Dilemma für Bildungseinrichtungen. In: Boller, S./ Rosowski, E./ Stroot, T. (Eds.): Heterogenität in Schule und Unterricht. Handlungsansätze zum pädagogischen Umgang mit Vielfalt. Weinheim und Basel 2007, p. 26.

³⁰ cf. Knörzer, W./ Grass, K./ Schuhmacher, E.: Den Anfang der Schulzeit pädagogisch gestalten. Studien- und Arbeitsbuch für den Anfangsunterricht. Weinheim 2007, p. 161.

• Hochschule: Universität zu Köln
• Note: 1,0
• Autor: Isabel Grewe (Autor:in)
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2008
• Seiten: 11
• Katalognummer: V1151628
• ISBN (eBook): 9783346534958
• Sprache: Englisch
• Schlagworte: heterogeneity, primary, school, overview