Black and Immigrant Children in Montreal: A Curricula Comparison

Several underlying curriculum variables influencing the course of study as it is implemented in the inner city, such as class size and personnel policies, were examined by the authors in this investigation (circa 1976), which sought to determine the relationship between the curriculum variables and standardized academic tests on Black and immigrant (Greek, Chinese and Portuguese) children in Montreal. Information and data was obtained from ten English-speaking elementary schools within the Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal. The authors' findings indicate that school board data on class size was discrepant with actual class size; that the personnel in inner city schools seemed to be less experienced than non-inner city schools; that both Black and immigrant groups performed equally poorly on standardized reading tests; and that Black children had more difficulty than immigrant children on standardized math tests. The authors point out that the results did not seem discrepant from other studies of lower socio-economic status schools. Once again, they argue, the problem in the skill areas was reaffirmed. The issues that remain were the following: (1) whether communities are going to make the necessary commitments of time, energy, and money to make successful intervention in schools; (2) whether this intervention will try to match the child, his culture, and instructional task; and, (3) whether learning will take place from past mistakes, or whether mistakes will be made again.

April 1976

San Francisco, California

Annual Meeting of the American Research Association

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