Funds of identity: Applying a Vygotskian perspective on identity to enhance social justice in education

This paper provides an overview of the funds of identity (FoI) concept, theoretical framework, and applications, with a focus on its theoretical origins and application in education. Funds of identity (FoI) theory aims to complement the funds of knowledge (FoK) conceptual framework that draws attention to knowledge and competencies of minoritised students. Funds of identity theory is distinctive because of its focus on funds that are defined as significant by students themselves. Grounded in Vygotskian perspectives on identity, funds of identity scholarship offers a conceptual framework and concrete methods for the enactment of education that is personally meaningful. The paper concludes by exploring the relevance of FoI theory within the New Zealand setting, especially to support social justice for Māori learners

Funds of identity: Applying a Vygotskian perspective on identity to enhance social justice in education

This paper provides an overview of the funds of identity (FoI) concept, theoretical framework, and applications, with a focus on its theoretical origins and application in education. Funds of identity (FoI) theory aims to complement the funds of knowledge (FoK) conceptual framework that draws attention to knowledge and competencies of minoritised students. Funds of identity theory is distinctive because of its focus on funds that are defined as significant by students themselves. Grounded in Vygotskian perspectives on identity, funds of identity scholarship offers a conceptual framework and concrete methods for the enactment of education that is personally meaningful. The paper concludes by exploring the relevance of FoI theory within the New Zealand setting, especially to support social justice for Māori learners

Effects of a Scaffolding Model for small groups in mathematics

International audienceWe investigated whether teachers’ use of the Small-Group Scaffolding model (SGS model), when supporting heterogeneous student-groups in a collaborative setting in math lessons, raised students’ mathematical level more than teacher support without use of the model. Participants were eight teachers and 266 students of two schools working collaboratively in 73 small heterogeneous student-groups on the topic of Early Algebra. The five teachers in the experimental condition were taught to scaffold the groups in their classes according to the SGS model (give support adapted to student-groups’ needs). The three teachers in the control condition were not given prior instruction of how to support the students. Analysis of a pre- and post-test on mathematical level raising showed that more mathematical level raising occurred in the Scaffolding condition than in the control condition. We concluded that using the SGS model can lead to more mathematical level raising

Turkish-Dutch mosque students negotiating identities and belonging in The Netherlands

For Muslim communities in the West, teaching Islam to children in mosques is an important part of the intergenerational maintenance of young people’s heritage, identity, and communal ties. However, children with a migrant background benefit from fostering identification and feelings of belonging both to their heritage community and to the majority society. This study seeks to understand the negotiation of sense of belonging and self-identification as Turkish, Dutch, and Muslim, in a sample of mosque students in The Netherlands (N = 29). It is based on interviews conducted with Turkish-Dutch students (ages 6–16) during fieldwork in the mosques between March and December 2017. The study reveals that most respondents identify as Dutch-Turkish and have a stronger sense of belonging to The Netherlands than to Turkey. Nevertheless, there is also a group of mosque students who struggle with growing up between two cultures. Furthermore, the analyses of the mosque students' perspectives show that they are negotiating a space for the possibility of identifying as Muslim and feeling a sense of belonging to The Netherlands without feeling Dutch. The study concludes by discussing a number of key issues arising from the findings, namely the role of the mosque context, the development of reactive identity, and the meaning attribution by the students

The relationship between ethnic school composition, school diversity climate and students’ competences in dealing with differences

In societies that are characterised by diversity, citizens are required to have the competences to handle differences. Schools differ in their degree of ethnic diversity which means that they provide different contexts for learning to deal with differences (DD). This study investigated the association between ethnic school composition, the diversity climate (the importance that teachers collectively attach to diversity and the attention they pay to teaching diversity) and students’ competences in DD. Multilevel analyses were performed on data from 4,402 students and 535 teachers across 62 secondary education schools in The Netherlands. The results showed a positive relationship between ethnic school diversity and DD-reflection and DD-attitudes. In addition, the degree of ethnic school diversity was associated with more diversity-related practices. However, no relationship was found between ethnic school diversity and teachers’ diversity-related educational goals. Moreover, diversity climate was not related to students’ DD competences. Lastly, the diversity climate did not mediate nor moderate the relationship between school composition and DD. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed

Diversity among Bi-ethnic students and differences in educational outcomes and social functioning

The number of bi-ethnic children is increasing. The focus of this study is on bi-ethnic students in the Netherlands with one parent with an ethnic majority background and one parent with an ethnic minority background. Most studies that have investigated educational outcomes and social functioning in school for bi-ethnic students have not focused on the diversity within this group. In this study, we described the demographic, social and cultural diversity among bi-ethnic students and examined whether, in particular, ethnic background and gender of the migrant parent were related to the educational outcomes and social functioning of bi-ethnic students. Data on a total of 653 sixth grade bi-ethnic students (age 11–12) in primary education of the national Dutch cohort study (COOL5−18) were used in this study. To analyse the relationship between the ethnic background and gender of the migrant parent and the educational outcomes and social functioning among bi-ethnic students, multivariate multilevel analyses were performed. The research findings indicate that bi-ethnic students differ demographically, socially and culturally in a manner dependent on ethnic background and gender of the migrant parent. We also found that the ethnic background and the gender of the migrant parent were related to cognitive outcomes, social-emotional functioning and citizenship competences. When trying to understand and support bi-ethnic students, we must consider the diversity among them