Tackling Social Disadvantage Through Teacher Education

Research has consistently shown that the most economically disadvantaged pupils have the poorest educational outcomes. Austerity government policies and pressures of performativity on schools may have exacerbated this inequality. Yet many teachers remain ill-informed about the effects of social disadvantage on students' learning and consequently are ill-prepared in appropriate teaching methods. "Tackling Social Disadvantage Through Teacher Education" addresses key issues related to teaching pupils from disadvantaged and impoverished backgrounds. It provides a valuable reference and pedagogical tool for teachers and teacher educators. The text critically examines the lessons from previous policy and practice, discusses cognitive and affective aspects of school learning for disadvantaged children, and explores the pedagogic implications of research evidence. Using insights from existing research, the book examines the reasons why some trainees and teachers lack a critical perspective on the contexts of poverty, and may hold deficit views of students in poverty that suggests they are unable to learn and need to be controlled. It explains some of the links between poverty, special needs, literacy, and educational achievement, with a focus on strategies for improvement. (Series: Critical Guides for Teacher Educators) [Subject: Education]