Soziale Kompetenz und soziale Integration von Grundschulkindern

Description

The educational mandate of primary schools is to foster the learning and personal development of all students. However, particularly with regard to social development, it remains insufficiently understood which dimensions of student diversity are associated with educational disadvantage and which aspects of instructional quality are conducive to positive outcomes. The present study addresses these questions by focusing on social competence and social inclusion in Grade 3. Drawing on a multi-informant longitudinal design, it examines the effects of selected indicators of student diversity and instructional quality on the development of students’ social competence and social inclusion. The findings indicate that among the diversity indicators considered, low parental education and – most notably – teacher-rated special educational needs may hinder social development, whereas an immigrant background is not associated with developmental disadvantages. At the instructional level, support for students’ experiences of autonomy and, in particular, relatedness emerges as a key promotive factor. In contrast, support for students’ sense of competence appears to presuppose positive social relationships. These findings provide important implications for the development of inclusive teaching practices and for teacher preparation in inclusive education.