SME 3023 Trends and Issues in Education For

Mathematics and Science

Discussion issues on the disparities in
achievement of students
Lecturer : Dr. Mohd Faizal Nizam Lee Bin Abdullah

Group Members:

1.
2.

Sim Wei Na D20121058475

Siva Shangary Balasubramaniam D20101058479

Introduction
Academic performance serves as the fundamental criterion for passing
from one academic level to another or from a lower level to a higher level
(Al-Rofo,2010,p.53)

However, many variables affect student achievement.

Parents
Attitude

Family
Size

Role of
Parents

Parenting
Approach
/Style

SocioEconomic
Status
(SES)

Parents
1. Attitude
Students whose parents are more involved with their schooling are more
likely to be motivated to achieve excellence in school, have higher
educational expectations and do better academically and go on to higher
levels of educational than their peers whose parents are not involved.

Parents
2. Socio-Economic Status (SES) the Socio-Economic status(SES) of a
child is identified by combining parents educational level, income level
and occupational status.

2. Socio-Economic Status (cont..)

Both rich and poor families can create a climate that foster learning.
Even though family background does have a strong relationship to
achievement, it may be how parents rear their children and not the
parents occupation, income, or education that really make the difference
(K.R.White, 1982,p.471)

Parents
3. Parenting Approach/Style

Students whose parents are supportive yet provide rules and consequences
tend to be more engaged in school and have higher educational
expectations than those students whose parents are permissive or
neglectful.

Four types of parents:

Authoritarian Parents

Authoritative Parents

Permissive Parents

Uninvolved Parents

Good grade bring

admonition to do
better and poor grade
upset parents, who
then punish by
reducing pocket
money or
curfew.

Students receive praise

and freedom if they get
good grades. While,
poor grade bring
encouragement to try
harder, offers for help and
loss of
freedom.

Do not care about

Do not place any
grades, make no rules demands on their
about watching
children.
television, do not
attend school program
and neither help nor
check their children
homework.

Parents
4. Family Size

Students who come from larger families tend to have lower levels of
achievement and lower levels of secondary graduation, on average than
children who come from smaller families.

On the other hand, parents with two to three kids can afford the time to
develop their children academic capabilities because their time is only
shared with less number of children.

Teachers

Teachers have a direct responsibility to shape a students

academic achievement, and are the most important schoolbased factor in their education (Rockoff 2004; Rivkin, Hanushek
and Kain 2005; Aaronson, Barrow and Sander 2007)

Teachers
Content
knowledge

Overall
academic ability

Effective
Teachers

Professional
certification

Teaching
experience

Teachers (cont..)

Professional teachers : (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Azizi Hj. Yahaya)

o Creating effective learning zones
conduct in comfortable and conducive ways / styles
Freedom to choose the ways to study
Grouping students based on academic performance

Teachers (cont..)

oPromoting success

Mclnerney(2000) nine steps core steps for teachers in promoting

success in students work.
a. Begin lesson with quick review of previous learning and outline goals
b. Present material in small steps and allow application after each step
c. Provide clear and detailed instructions and explanations
d. Ask a large number of questions and check for student understanding
e. Guide students in initial phases of learning and application
f. Provide systematic feedback that is task-based
g. Monitor students as they work
h. Provide ample time for completing tasks
i. Identify in advance what material/concept might be difficult

Teachers (cont..)
o

Developing good relationships

Student interest on a particular subject can be influence by the teaching

style of teachers.

If the teaching style is liked and enjoyed by students, they tend to

become good in the subject taught.

Teachers should be approachable, firm, and assertive and discuss with

students on their wants and needs to develop good, cordial and
conducive student-teacher relationship for the benefit of students like
excelling in their examinations.

Conclusion
There are various factors that influence the outcome of top academic
performers. The students achievement mostly affected by parents and
teachers.

However, students themselves must appreciate what have been done by

parents and teachers by achieve the best result.