The scholastic achievement of Dutch and Greek children in certain Wellington schools

Abstract

The study of the progress and attainment of children from non-English-speaking homes, on which this thesis is based, arose from the writer's interest in the difficulties these children were observed to have in mastering English and using it in school situations. Several ethnic groups are represented by children in our schools and there are wide differences in overcoming the handicaps of a foreign language. Factors such as home background, intelligence, and teaching techniques, were suspected as influences which could hamper progress in this fundamental area of a child's experience if he is to profit from education when the language of instruction differs from his native language. It was also thought that there are differences between ethnic groups. Two differing groups were chosen for this study. Dutch children were selected because of their apparent ease in learning English and so in making relatively good progress at school, while Greek children were selected as a contrasting group because of their difficulties with English and their poor school progress. Matched New Zealand control subjects were also used.