OECD Education Working Papers

ISSN :
1993-9019 (online)
DOI :
10.1787/19939019
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This series is designed to make available to a wider readership selected studies drawing on the work of the OECD Directorate for Education. Authorship is usually collective, but principal writers are named. The papers are generally available only in their original language (English or French) with a short summary available in the other.
 

Immigrant Children's Age at Arrival and Assessment Results You or your institution have access to this content

Authors:
Anthony Heath1, Elina Kilpi-Jakonen2
Author Affiliations
  • 1: University of Oxford, United Kingdom

  • 2: Otto-Friedrich-University, Germany

Publication Date
02 May 2012
Bibliographic information
No.:
75
Pages
31
DOI
10.1787/5k993zsz6g7h-en

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While a number of single-country studies have been done to explore whether or not there is a "critical age" at which the arrival in a new country becomes a steep disadvantage to the immigrant student, this study aims to determine whether the steepness of the age-at-arrival/test score profile varies across origin or destination countries. As expected, the later the arrival, the greater the penalty. However results vary according to several factors, including language differences and whether the country of origin had higher or lower educational standards. Evidence shows the importance of helping young migrants with language difficulties, as well as with the subsequent adverse effects of these difficulties.