In Simple Words
When instructors view teaching disadvantaged students as a charitable gesture rather than a core professional duty, communication breaks down, resembling a coach who ignores struggling beginners because they expect only natural athletes to succeed.
Pupils in grades with a remedial tutor
- No direct tutoring
- Model comparison group
- Direct remedial tutoring
- Direct increment about 0.60 standard deviations
Instrumental-variable model in two cities: direct increment beyond the indirect grade effect. Shared background was not separately tested.
See source →Research question
Formal teachers in developing countries often belong to higher social classes than disadvantaged primary students, resulting in social prejudice, low empathy, and reduced teaching motivation for struggling learners.
Participants
Primary school teachers and marginalized urban primary students (including lower-caste and migrant children) in municipal schools in India.
Study Design
Qualitative teacher motivation surveys integrated with randomized field trial evaluations.
Results
Paraprofessionals sharing community backgrounds with students achieved 0.60 standard deviation learning gains, whereas formal teachers expressed social biases viewing instruction as doing a favor for disadvantaged groups.
Takeaway
Recruit local educational aides or paraprofessionals who share community and social backgrounds with students to eliminate social distance in foundational learning.