2006 - Ethnic and Socioeconomic Class Composition and Language Proficiency: A Longitudinal Multilevel Examination in Dutch Elementary Schools

Attribution: Van der Slik, Frans W. P., Driessen, Geert W. J. M., & De Bot, Kees L. J.
Researchers: Frans W. P. Van der SlikGeert W. J. M. DriessenKees L. J. De Bot
University Affiliation: Radboud University Nijmegen, University of Gronigen
Email: f.v.d.slik@let.ru.nl; g.driessen@its.ru.nl; c.l.j.de.bot@rug.nl
Research Question:
Ascertains the impact of ethnic and socioeconomic composition of pupils’ school classes on language proficiency.
Published: 1
Journal Name or Institutional Affiliation: European Sociological Review
Journal Entry: Vol. 22, No. 3, Pp. 293-308
Year: 2006
Findings:
  • Ethnic minority concentration (measured by home language) had a negative effect on proficiency in the national language
  • When the heterogeneity of school classes in terms of parental income was accounted for, the initial effect of ethnic concentration was reduced to non-significance in grade 4 and mitigated in grade 6.
  • The purported problem of ethnic minority concentration in classrooms is socioeconomic in nature rather than ethnic.
Keywords: Elementary SchoolImmigrantsRacial CompositionSES CompositionRegions: InternationalMethodologies: QuantitativeAnalysis Methods: Multilevel Models Sampling Frame:Dutch students in fourth and sixth grade
Sampling Types: RandomData Types: Quantitative-Panel Data
Data Description:
  • Data come from a Dutch national cohort study Primair Onderwijs (PRIMA), which surveys about 10% of elementary schools in the Netherlands. It contains information about pupils, their parents, schools, school managers, and teachers. The data set had two waves, the first when the students were in grade 4 (in 1994-1995) and the second when the students were in grade 6 (in 1996-1997).
  • Dataset includes about 60,000 pupils in more than 600 elementary schools.
  • DV: Language proficiency in Dutch
  • IV: Home language in the family (Dutch, Dutch from former colonies, Turkish, Moroccan, or other); Fathers and mothers employment (binary variable, coded as employed or unemployed); Fathers and mothers educational level (elementary or lower, lower vocational, intermediate secondary, intermediate vocational, upper secondary, higher vocational, university); Fathers and mothers income; gender of pupil; percentage of children from families in which the home language is not Dutch; percentage of employed fathers and mothers; average of fathers and mothers educational level; average of fathers and mothers income; variation of fathers and mothers income
Theoretical Framework:
Relevance:
Archives: K-12 Integration, Desegregation, and Segregation Abstracts