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Abstract

Using the Canadian sample from the Programme for International Student Assessment, this study examined the effects of student and school characteristics on academic achievement of immigrant and non-immigrant students. No differences were found in mathematics achievement, but non-immigrant students outperformed immigrant students in both reading and science achievement. At the student level, there was more gender equity in academic achievement among immigrant than non-immigrant students. Socioeconomic inequity was related to fathers among immigrant students but to both mothers and fathers among non-immigrant students. Home language had weaker effects among immigrant than non-immigrant students. At the school level, teacher-student ratio, teacher morale, and academic pressure were predictors for immigrant students, whereas disciplinary climate for non-immigrant students. Non-immigrant students demonstrated tremendous regional differences that were absent among immigrant students.

Résumé

S'appuyant sur l'échantillon canadien tiré du Programme international pour le suivi des acquis des élèves, cette étude s'est penchée sur les effets qu'ont les caractéristiques de l'élève et de l'école sur les réalisations académiques des élèves immigrants et non immigrants. Aucune différence n'a été notée quant aux réalisations en mathématiques, mais en ce qui concerne les réalisation en lecture et en sciences, les élèves non immigrants ont affiché un rendement supérieur à celui des élèves immigrants. Chez les élèves immigrants, l'équité entre les sexes telle que reflétée par les réalisations académiques était plus marquée que chez les élèves non immigrants. Alors que l'inéquité socioéconomique relevait du père chez les élèves immigrants, chez les élèves non immigrants, elle relevait de la mère et du père. L'influence de la langue parlée à la maison était plus faible chez les élèves immigrants que chez les élèves non immigrants. Au niveau de l'école, le rapport d'ensaignant à élève, le moral de l'enseignant et les exigences académiques constituaient des variables explicatives pour les élèves immigrants, alors que pour les élèves non immigrants, c'était le climat disciplinaire qui jouait ce rôle. Les élèves non immigrants manifestaient de très grandes différences régionales, écarts qui étaient absents chez les élèves immigrants.

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Ma, X. Measuring up: Academic performance of Canadian immigrant children in reading, mathematics, and science. Int. Migration & Integration 4, 541–576 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-003-1014-2

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