Toward Identifying a Typology of Deficit-Laden Educational Practice: A Systematic Literature Review

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Friday 3:45pm
  In Poster Session: Critical Literacies and Educational Transformation

Abstract

Literature has overwhelmingly focused on deficit thinking rather than on deficit-laden practice, and few systematic reviews addressed deficit practice as their focus. This systematic review of literature on deficit-laden practices examines how scholars connect deficit thinking to deficit practices and reveals through what mechanisms these problematic practices take shape in K-12 schools. Findings first present the six types of deficit-laden educational practices (e.g., course and program placement). Findings also identify seven underlying mechanisms that bridge deficit thinking and practices (e.g., accountability). This study bears significance as it identifies a typology of deficit-laden educational practices and reveals the connection between deficit thinking and practice, directly challenging the unchallenged paradigm that has often been used to explain the failure of marginalized students.

Authors

• Joonkil Ahn, University of Arizona

• Osly J. Flores, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign