Classroom research and child and adolescent development in South America

The article reviews recent classroom research developed in South America related to child and adolescent development. We review work about three themes: ethnicity, school climate and violence, and the learning process. The few studies found on ethnicity and classroom experiences told a story of invisibility, if not exclusion and discrimination. Research on violence suggests that, although there are variations within countries, school climate is an area of concern. Intervention work, still limited, is necessary considering the incidence of violence in the classrooms. Research on learning showed that most classrooms adhere to a very conventional pedagogy. There is a need to advance on international comparisons across all themes. Similarly, there is a need to go beyond the description of classroom dynamics to test educational interventions that may shed light on ways to improve educational performance, to decrease school violence, and to promote diversity within the classroom. Notwithstanding its limitations, the research here reviewed provides clear evidence of the relevant role that classroom experiences play in human development. In addition to their essential role in schooling, classrooms are the settings where processes related to peer relations, identity formation, and socioemotional development unfold.