Class structures, implicit theories, goal orientations and marks

The geopolitical events of recent decades are shaping the school landscape more than ever before. Pupils are increasingly coming from a variety of socio-cultural and economic backgrounds, resulting in a very heterogeneous class composition from multiple perspectives. Depending on their pre-school upbringing, pupils enter the school environment with different expectations, thoughts and feelings about themselves and others, leading to a diversity of perceptions regarding the learning context. The fact that, for some pupils, school is a place where they can develop successfully in terms of their education, whilst others fail due to a lack of support or challenge, is linked to the fact that too little attention is paid to the diversity of learners. Effective teaching must not be separated from effective learners. In this context, particular attention should be paid to the conditions prevailing in classrooms, as the specific needs of learners cannot be adequately addressed at school level.