Exploring Integrated Teaching for Struggling Students: A Qualitative study in the Remedial Track

• In Event: Advancing Equity and Excellence: Unlocking the Potential of Struggling Students in Flanders Through Powerful Learning Environments

Abstract

Basic literacy as well as high literacy (e.g., problem solving, critical thinking, transfer) are challenging learning goals for students who have not met primary education goals, many of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds (Carpentier et al., 2020). The learning environment is crucial, especially for struggling students (Nye et al., 2004). The educational effectiveness framework, Teaching Principles for Powerful Education for Struggling Students (ToPPERS), encompasses the teaching principles for designing powerful learning environments for struggling middle school students, such as challenging learning activities in authentic contexts and developing higher-order thinking and complex skills (Arnou et al., 2024b). Teachers and school leaders in middle school tracks for struggling students indicate that they deliberately choose integrated teaching to create powerful learning environments for these struggling students (Arnou et al., 2024a). Integrated teaching connects content and goals from different disciplines as a whole, distinguishing it from conventional disciplinary approaches. Various studies suggest that integrated teaching can indeed positively affect cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes (e.g. MacMath et al., 2010).

Authors

• Charlotte Arnou, KU Leuven

• Ingeborg Plackle, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

• Machteld Vandecandelaere, University of Leuven