Behaviour in schools - Worksheet 3

C1 Advanced · Cross Text Multiple Matching · Cambridge Exam Booster for Advanced, Cambridge University Press

You are going to read four extracts from articles in which academics give their views on behaviour in schools. For questions 1–4, choose from the academics A-D. The academics may be chosen more than once.

Dorota Ignatieff

Student behaviour in schools is a topic that many people are anxious about these days, and rightly so. Recent surveys amongst teachers have given me most cause for concern, especially the reflections of those who have been teaching ten years or more who report a deterioration in standards of behaviour. Although there's no evidence as yet of a concurrent increase in antisocial activities outside of school among the age group, I suspect we may see this emerge in years to come. Despite this, concern about pupils' results seems to be largely unfounded, as there has been a gradual improvement in academic results over the last 20 years or so. This is quite some attainment given that, over the same period, funding for schools has fallen in real terms. This shortfall is the underlying cause of poor conduct, as support for more disruptive students has been eroded, and therefore is what those in power need to rectify.

Sunil Kumble

Student behaviour has been an issue for as long as schools have been in existence. Teachers have more influence over their students than anyone, so clearly filling the apparent gap in their training would achieve more than any government minister could. The usual hysterical media coverage has made it more or less impossible to ascertain the actual extent of any fluctuation in standards of student conduct, and indeed even to know which direction it has taken over time. What we can be sure of is that, in schools where behaviour is an issue, levels of attainment for learners from better-off families have fared well, while their poorer counterparts have once again lost out. It remains to be seen whether this will lead to problems in the wider world. Indicators such as petty crime levels are currently stable, but I'd anticipate a sharp rise if this is as big an issue as many suggest.

Ruth Iveson

Some of the means by which it used to be achieved in the past may not be particularly palatable today, but there's little doubt that over two generations, respect for authority in schools and associated standards of behaviour has suffered a steep decline. The root of the problem sits squarely on the shoulders of those who deal with students on a day-to-day basis. Qualifications for educators clearly haven't kept pace with the speed at which life in schools is changing, so this needs addressing. Although official figures show a steady fall in problems such as graffiti and vandalism, I believe the reverse to be true. They've become such commonplace occurrences now that they're seldom reported, and I can't help but feel that this is not unconnected to people becoming increasingly tolerant of disrespect in schools. Clearly this would also explain the decline in success rates that's starting to emerge. Students appear to have lost their focus on learning.

Joao Rodrigues

When one analyses school results these days, it's always a good idea to dig a little deeper than perhaps schools or the government would want. On the surface, all appears to be well, as overall pass rates continue to rise. Nevertheless, the breakdown for how different social classes perform shows the opposite to be true for less affluent students. Behavioural difficulties in schools are evident in students from every strata of society, but clearly they affect this group more than others. Therefore, financial assistance needs to be made available for schools to better support these vulnerable learners and to help them eradicate the underlying problem. Schools simply don't have the resources to do this these days. I think it's no coincidence that, as government provision has declined, levels of misconduct have done the contrary. Teachers are generally devoted to their students yet unfairly receive much of the blame when their charges misbehave.

Which academic has a different view to the others about the historical trends in student behaviour?

Which academic expresses a similar view to B about what should be done to improve student behaviour?

Which academic expresses a different view to A on the broader social consequences of poor student behaviour?

Which academic has a similar view to B about the effect of behavioural issues on student achievement?

Behaviour in schools

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