Going In A Year: Can It Help Students?

It is relatively common to have to go in a year, and there are many theories about it. The results of the study To Repeat or Not to Repeat by Dr. Helen McGrath-Deakin from the University of Melbourne is very enlightening.

The study was published in the Western Australian Primary Principals’ Association (WAPPA) and describes the results of a number of studies conducted by experts in the field.

With the help of the study, we can draw clear conclusions whether it is really necessary and useful for students to go in a year or not.

To go in a year: The current situation

In recent decades, much research has been done on the subject. The majority of these studies clearly indicate that there are no academic or social benefits for most students who have to go in a school year.

There is probably no other pedagogical issue where the conclusions from research have been so unambiguous. However, there is a significant difference between what the studies say and what schools actually do.

The fact that some children are allowed to go in a school year is generally accepted in the majority of schools around the world. However, many of the professionals behind Pisa’s knowledge evaluation have confirmed the following statement:

For several years, it has been recommended that countries that use this measure should instead focus more on individualized teaching.

Concrete information about going in a year and their consequences

Going for a school year does not improve academic results

In the vast majority of cases, when a student leaves in a year, he or she will never succeed in catching up academically. The academic improvements for students who go in one year are minimal and short-lived.

In addition, going about a school year is often considered a failure, something that can negatively affect teachers’ perceptions of and expectations of the student.

Walking in a year affects mental stability

Even when handled with sensitivity and confidentiality, students who have to leave in a year may think they have “failed.” It also separates them from their peers of the same age. Studies from the University of Cambridge conclude that for most students, this creates feelings of shame, stigma and a lack of self-esteem.

Most students are afraid of having to repeat a year and may become stressed by the thought. A study conducted by Professors Shane R. Jimerson, Gabrielle E. Anderson and Angela D. Whipple at the University of California showed some clarifying conclusions, including the following:

Being older, and therefore bigger and more physically mature than your classmates, is also a source of stress for many students who have to go in a year.

In many cases, this affects their social behavior. They also have to start over socially and make new friends, almost as if they changed schools.

Creates negative attitudes towards school and learning

Students who have to go in a year have a 20 to 50 percent higher risk of dropping out of high school compared to students with similar grades or behavior who have not been allowed to go in a year. Several studies support this claim, including one by Temple and Reynolds at the University of Minnesota.

Behavioral problem

Having to leave in a year can lead to increased aggression and bad behavior. This is more pronounced in students who have already shown early signs of antisocial behavior.

In other words, the frustration, disappointment, and anger that result from this seemingly academic failure contribute to many students becoming antisocial.

Alternative to go in a school year

Going in a year does not meet the needs of most students with poor grades. It also does not work well for students with social problems or behavioral problems. However, just letting the student stay in class with their peers without a structured plan is not the answer.

Ideally, the school should intervene. Above all, the efforts should be focused on meeting each student’s needs.

They should:

• Teach students to develop and use memory strategies to help them remember key concepts and information.
• Use self-evaluation.
• Relate the classroom activities and the curriculum to the students’ background, life and current knowledge.

In summary, the results from studies do not support whether a school year is an adequate academic measure. Although there may be individual students who could benefit from going in a year, it is a solution that for most people does not work and is helplessly ineffective.