Social and academic treatments in mixed-ethnic classes and change in student self-concept

The efficacy of three pedagogical strategies for the enhancement of student academic and social self-concept in mixed-ethnic classes was examined among 594 Israeli children of varying status levels in their first year of junior high school. One treatment approach involved cooperative learning in small groups; a second approach employed a specially designed social relations programme; and the third approach presented the social relations programme and cooperative learning. A comparison group using traditional pedagogical approaches was also investigated. Status level was defined according to student sociometric standing and academic standing. Results indicated that low-achieving students of Middle Eastern background only in the comparison group sustained a significant negative change in their social and academic self-concepts. All three treatment strategies succeeded in curbing this decline. Findings were in the same direction when status was defined by sociometric standing. These results suggest that under proper pedagogical conditions minority children in mixed-ethnic classes need not suffer any decline in their self-concept.