Academic Achievement and Students

¶ … Teachers' Perceptions on the Effects of Social Promotion on Students

The problem in an urban elementary school in Eastern New York specifically, is the social promotion of fourth grade students. Currently, nothing is being done to address the issue of social promotion, which is supported by state education policies that allow children to be passed to the next grade level (Vallett & Annetta, 2014). This policy places at risk students with a learning disability with students who are working on grade level, which causes misunderstanding between students and teachers and among students themselves as they develop negative perceptions of one another (Trussell, Lewis, & Raynor, 2016). The problem that arises from this situation is that teachers do not know how to address these issues, as there is a lack of training for educators of students who are at risk students with some form of disability (Trussell et al., 2016).

Social promotion is the practice of passing students to the next grade level so that they may remain among their peer or age group even though the students have not mastered their learning assessments and state mandated testing. This practice has the potential to jeopardize the students' academic and lifetime goals. It also has the potential to make the teacher's job more challenging; as the teacher will find him or herself engaging with students who are not all on the same grade level (Trussell et al., 2016). Perhaps researchers should examine social promotion to see how it actually affects both students and teachers (Lynch, 2014; Vallett & Annetta, 2014).

This study will contribute to the body of knowledge needed to address this problem by producing a phenomenological study of fourth grade teachers in one district located in Eastern New York. Teachers will be asked their perceptions about the effect of social promotion on students (Vallett & Annetta, 2014).

Purpose

The purpose of this case study is to identify the impact of social promotion on at risk students with a disability. To use a phenomenological case study, the researcher will seek knowledge on teachers' perceptions regarding socially promoting at risk students and their lived experiences throughout the school year. By using the phenome study it might lead to better decisions on behalf of teachers' and students' academic achievement. The phenomenological case study will provide insights on the perceptions of teachers regarding how social promotion affects the academic achievements of students with a disability. In this regard, conducting a phenomenological study will help in exploring the perspectives and experiences of teachers and students in relation to social promotion. This implies that the research approach will help in understanding the issues facing at risk students and their lived experiences throughout the school because of social promotion based on the perspectives of their teachers. According to Creswell (2007), a phenomenological research helps in determining the meaning for several individuals based on their lived experiences of the phenomenon under investigation. Therefore, this research methodology will enable the researcher to make sense of the experiences of at-risk students on social promotion.

Significance

This study is significant because it might offer insights on strategies and pedagogical practices that teachers need in order to manage at risk students with a disability. A better understanding of how promotions are impactful could result in a more effective solution for both students and teachers (Mawhinney, Irby, & Roberts, 2016).

Background Literature

1. Ciullo, S., Falcomata, T., & Vaughn, S. (2015). Teaching social studies to upper elementary students with learning disabilities: Graphic organizers and explicit instruction. Learning Disability Quarterly, 38(1), 15-26.

The researchers stated that students with learning disabilities are those who do not understand what is being taught or the learning standards such as "Common Core," which is quite rigorous (Ciullo, Falcomata, & Vaughn, 2015).

Framework

The theoretical framework that supports this research is Critical Theory, which examines how the current educational system can best provide education to all students (Bohman, 2015). This theory postulates that the effectiveness of the education system in providing the best education to all children is dependent on meeting three requirements i.e. explanation, normative, and practicality. Additionally, the theory is centered on being critical of societal views and explaining what is wrong with the existing social reality. Therefore, critical theory is suitable for this study because it will help in examining the effectiveness of social promotion in generating optimal academic achievement of at-risk students. The theory will help to evaluate how this phenomenon is explanatory, practical, and normative in enhancing the academic achievement and learning experiences of students with a disability. In essence, this study will utilize elements of Critical Theory to help determine whether social promotion is perceived by teachers as developmentally appropriate for enhancing the academic achievement and lived experiences of at-risk students.