The relevance of self-esteem to a group of year 7 mainstream pupils

Abstract

This study examines the attitudes that a sample of secondary school 'special needs' children held about themselves. The aim of the research was to explore the possible relationships between the children's self-concepts and their performance in school.
The research was conducted in one secondary comprehensive school in which the researcher was employed as a SpLD teacher for 0.5 of her timetable with responsibility for five Year 7 children who were the subject of statutory Statements of Educational Need. These children experienced both individual / small group withdrawal teaching and in-class support. The research focus was, therefore, on the whole of this year group with special reference to those children who may be regarded as Wamock's '20 per cent' that is to say, those pupils who at some time would be expected to have Special Educational
Needs. Within this latter group there were ten children the responses of whom merited more detailed investigation. This final group included all those children in Year 7 who were the subject of a current Statement of Educational Need.
The following research indicated that there was less correlation between self-esteem and academic performance than many existing studies would suggest and that this was true across the academic spectrum as determined by the children's CAT scores and end of year reports.