Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Underachievement of Roma Children in Greece

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Language Diversity in Greece

Part of the book series: Multilingual Education ((MULT,volume 36))

Abstract

This chapter aims at focusing on the current pedagogical issues which constitute pressing factors for the availability of primary education for Roma travelling children in Greece. Even though the failure of Roma students to meet the educational criteria and standards set by the official policy-making has frequently been the subject of various speculations and formulations, it has mostly been discussed on the basis of their low performance.

The first part of the chapter will describe the actual educational approaches and policy-making which have been adopted by the Greek state. The second part of the chapter places emphasis on possible interpretations of frequent school failure of Roma children and the necessary and constant role-taking of language teachers as reflective practitioners in order to adapt to their students’ continuous educational needs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Ada, A. F. (1995). Fostering the home-school connection. In J. Frederickson (Ed.), Reclaiming our voices. Bilingual education, critical pedagogy and praxis. Los Angeles: California Association for Bilingual Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolton, G. (2005). Reflective practice. London: SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Britto, P. R., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (2001). The role of family literacy environments in promoting young children’s emerging literacy skills. Concluding comments. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 92, 91–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cahn, C., & Chirico, D. (1999). A special remedy: Roma and schools for the mentally handicapped in the Czech Republic (Country report series). Budapest: European Roma Rights Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Costello, P. J. M. (2003). Action research. London: Continuum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cullingford, C., & Daniels, S. (1999). Effects of Ofsted inspections on school performance. In C. Cullingford (Ed.), An inspector calls. London: Kogan Page.

    Google Scholar 

  • Desforges, C., & Abouchaar, A. (2003). The impact of parental involvement, parental support and family education on pupil achievement and adjustment: A literature review. DfES Research Report RR433. London: DfES.

    Google Scholar 

  • Devon School Childcare. (2007). Quality childcare. www.devon.gov.uk/extended-prospectus-section6a

  • Dewey, J. (1933). How we think: A restatement of the relation of reflective thinking to the educative process. Chicago: Henry Regnery.

    Google Scholar 

  • DfEE. (1997). Excellence for all children: Meeting special educational needs. London: DfEE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dillon, J. (2007). Becoming a teacher: Issues in secondary teaching. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • General Secretariat of Lifelong Learning. (2009). European Agenda of Adult Learning. Athens: Metadrasi.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gewirtz, S., & Cribb, A. (2009). Understanding education: A sociological perspective. Cambridge: Polity Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gregg, N. (2007). Underserved and unprepared: Postsecondary learning disabilities. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 22(4), 219–228.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hegedus, A. T. (1998) The tasks concerning Gypsy children’s socialisation at school. Social Cohesion. London: Penguin.

    Google Scholar 

  • James, S., & Freeze, R. (2006). One step forward, two steps back: Immanent critique of the practice of zero tolerance in inclusive schools. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 10(6), 581–594.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Juggins, M. (2001). Dyslexics: Drowning in the mainstream. Dyslexia Online Journal. www.dyslexia-adults.com/mainstream.html

  • Klaus, S., & Marsh, A. (2014). A special challenge for Europe: The inclusion of Roma children in early years education and care. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 22(3), 336–346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kugelmass, J. W. (2001). Collaboration and compromise in creating and sustaining an inclusive school. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 5(1), 47–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd, C. (2000). Excellence for all children – false promises! The failure of current policy for inclusive education and implications for schooling in the 21st century. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 4(2), 133–151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McVeigh, R. (1997). Theorising sedentarism: The roots of anti-nomadism. In T. Acton (Ed.), Gypsy politics and traveller identity (pp. 7–25). Hatfield: University of Hertfordshire Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nayler, J. M., & Keddie, A. (2007). Focusing the gaze: Teacher interrogation of practice. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 11(2), 199–214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pollard, A. (2005). Reflective teaching. London: Continuum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Powell, R. (2007). Civilising offensives and ambivalence: The case of British Gypsies. People, Place & Policy Online, 1(3), 112–123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Réger, Z. (1995). The language of Gypsies in Hungary: An overview of research. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 111, 79–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rogojinaru, A. (1997). School development and individualised education. Bucharest: Educational Science Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schön, D. A. (1991). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. London: Ashgate.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skrtic, T. (1995). Disability and democracy: Reconstructing special education for post modernity. New York: Teacher’s College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, T. (1997). Recognising difference: The Romani ‘Gypsy’ child socialisation and education process. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 18(2), 243–256.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UNESCO. (2008). Every learner counts: 10 questions on inclusive quality education. http://portal.UNESCO.org/education/en/ev.Php-URL_ID=56313&URL_DO=DO

  • Vanderbeck, R. (2005). Anti-nomadism, institutions and the geographies of childhood. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, 23, 71–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright, N. (2001). Leadership. Bastard leadership and managerialism. Educational Management and Administration, 29(3), 275–290.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Dimitrios Kassis

  2. Greek Ministry of Education, Athens, Greece

    Dimitrios Kassis

Authors
  1. Dimitrios Kassis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Primary Education, University of the Aegean, Rhodes, Greece

    Eleni Skourtou

  2. Department of Primary Education, University of the Aegean, Rhodes, Greece

    Vasilia Kourtis-Kazoullis

  3. Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Themistoklis Aravossitas

  4. Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Peter Pericles Trifonas

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Kassis, D. (2020). Underachievement of Roma Children in Greece. In: Skourtou, E., Kourtis-Kazoullis, V., Aravossitas, T., Trifonas, P. (eds) Language Diversity in Greece. Multilingual Education, vol 36. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28396-4_14

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28396-4_14

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-28395-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-28396-4

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation