Meeting Students' Academic Needs: Deficit Attitudes and High Expectations by Rui Guan https://padlet.com/rguan1/9i3dcdw2p8c5 Eliminate deficit thinking and create the high-expectation classrooms for all students en-us 2018-10-18 08:28:39 UTC 2025-11-19 20:56:38 UTC hello@padlet.com Deficit Attitudes in Education rguan1 https://padlet.com/rguan1/9i3dcdw2p8c5/wish/294228742 An inclusion education refers to providing the equal opportunity to learn and access the curriculum for each student in a classroom (Smith et al., 2015). This means inclusive education target to all students needs to provide a high-quality educational response (Ainscow 2015; Messiou et al. 2016). Studies have shown that students coming from a difficult background or with a low socioeconomic status often face difficulty in inclusion in school (Veland, Midthassel, and Idsoe 2009). Therefore, it is critical for us as the teachers to create positive inclusive environment for the students to participate and enjoy the learning process.

However,  some educators possess a deficit attitude towards the under-served students where teachers would have low expectations towards the students of color or from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Researches have suggests that teachers' expectations impact student success more than a student's own motivation. This deficit mindset results in a disadvantage in students' achievement and learning outcome. Furthermore, low expectations from the teachers exclude the students without the advantages of the middle class. For example, some teacher may focus more on the students from middle class or high socioeconomic backgrounds where they are most likely end up going to the university while neglect the minority group of students who may not end up in professional roles. It is important to keep in mind that students' capability of learning, their level and ability is irrelevant to their socioeconomic status.

Social justice theory suggests that everyone in the society should have equal opportunity to participate. According to Fraser's theory, social justice could be divided into recognitive , representation and redistribution. People can be prevented from interacting as peers by the institutionalized hierarchies of cultural value and suffer from status inequality (Fraser, 1996). The injustice of recognition is demonstrated by the deficit model of teaching which have close relationship to the level of inclusion and achievement of the students. Therefore, implementation of inclusion practice and eliminate this deficit thinking is critical in providing students with equity in education experience and achieving social justice leading to better outcome in students' social and community life in the future and promotes educational and social gains (Cosier et al. 2013).

To put this in practice, the teachers should move outside of the deficit discourses. Teachers should aim for possessing high expectations for all students while differentiate the achievable learning outcomes and goals for individual students (Comber & Kamler, 2004). These expectations and goals should be set based on students ZAD and ZPD.  Moreover, it is very important to mitigate students' fear of failure and encourage them to keep moving forward rather than focus on students deficit. Another useful strategy on a school level is to provide a wide ranged of courses for the students to choose such as VACL and VET Courses policy stated by Education and Training Department of Victoria. 

Even with different programs and policies which provide various opportunity for the students to access the curriculum and achieve their goals, there are still some shortcomings present. For example, there is still a gap between the policy and practice that needed attention for students with low socioeconomic backgrounds. Students participate these program could still feel that they are not being included. Also, accessibility of materials for these programs could be reduced by the teachers who don't consider these as part of the educational system. Therefore,  a more effective transformative program is also important to introduce (Gale, 2011). 

]]> 2018-10-18 08:38:19 UTC https://padlet.com/rguan1/9i3dcdw2p8c5/wish/294228742 References rguan1 https://padlet.com/rguan1/9i3dcdw2p8c5/wish/294270321 Ainscow, M. (2015). Towards Self-Improving School Systems: Lessons from a City Challenge. London: Routledge.

Comber, B & Kamler, B. (2004). Getting Out of Deficit: Pedagogies of reconnection. Teaching Education, 15:3, 293-310.

Cosier, M., Causton-Theoharis, J., & Theoharis, G. (2013). Does access matter? Time in general education and achievement for students with disabilities. Remedial and Special Education, 34(6), 323–332.

Fraser, N. (1996). Social Justice in the Age of Identity Politics: Redistribution, Recognition, and Participation. The Tanner Lectures on Human Values.

Gale, T. (2011). Expansion and equity in Australian higher education: Three propositions for new relations. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 32(5),669-685

Messiou, K., M.  Ainscow, G.  Echeita, S.  Goldrick, Max, Hope, I.  Paes, M. Sandoval, C.  Simon, and T. Vitorino. (2016). Learning from Differences: A Strategy for Teacher Development in Respect to Student Diversity. School Effectiveness and School Improvement. Vol.27, No.1, pp. 45–61.

Smith, T.E., Polloway, E.A., Patton, J.R., Dowdy, C.A. & Doughty, T.T. (2015). Teaching Students with Special Needs in Inclusive Settings. Toronto: Pearson, Canada, Inc.

Veland, J., Midthasse U. V. l, and Idsoe, T. (2009). Perceived Socio-Economic Status and Social Inclusion in School: Interactions of Disadvantages. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research. Vol. 53, No. 6, pp. 515–531.]]> 2018-10-18 11:07:40 UTC https://padlet.com/rguan1/9i3dcdw2p8c5/wish/294270321 High-Expectations Relationships rguan1 https://padlet.com/rguan1/9i3dcdw2p8c5/wish/294334447 2018-10-18 13:36:04 UTC https://padlet.com/rguan1/9i3dcdw2p8c5/wish/294334447 rguan1 https://padlet.com/rguan1/9i3dcdw2p8c5/wish/294336075 2018-10-18 13:38:33 UTC https://padlet.com/rguan1/9i3dcdw2p8c5/wish/294336075 rguan1 https://padlet.com/rguan1/9i3dcdw2p8c5/wish/294336521 2018-10-18 13:39:11 UTC https://padlet.com/rguan1/9i3dcdw2p8c5/wish/294336521 rguan1 https://padlet.com/rguan1/9i3dcdw2p8c5/wish/294348823 2018-10-18 13:58:01 UTC https://padlet.com/rguan1/9i3dcdw2p8c5/wish/294348823 Navigating the Resource rguan1 https://padlet.com/rguan1/9i3dcdw2p8c5/wish/295133672
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  • Managing diversity of socioeconomic backgrounds within schools
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  • Representation:  Student Voice -how students' feedback and evaluation achieve a more effective learning

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