Dalarna University's logo and link to the university's website

The overarching aim of the thesis is to deepen knowledge of how pupils’ differences are socially represented in both historical and contemporary contexts. More specifically, the thesis examines how notions of pupils’ differences are represented and classified through the talk about pupils as ‘weak’ and ‘strong’. Through the lens of social representations theory, four studies were conducted in which different methods for data collection were used. In the first study, six focus group discussions were conducted with 29 compulsory school teachers. In the second and third studies, text studies were conducted on government inquiries published between 1923 and 2019 (Study 2) and opinion pieces published in Swedish news media (Study 3). In the fourth study, interviews with visual elicitation were conducted with 12 compulsory school teachers.

The findings underscore the role of language in how pupils and differences are constructed. Representations and classifications of pupils as ‘weak’ and ‘strong’ are prevalent among teachers, in the news media and in education policy. These classifications are linked to perceptions of normality and a tripartite hierarchy, reflecting bell-curve thinking. While teachers in this study often (re)produce such hierarchies, they also challenge and resist classifications of pupils as ‘weak’. 

The findings indicate that differences are not inherent to the individual pupil but are instead socially constructed, negotiated and transformed over time. However, there are also elements of stability over time in how differences are classified and represented. The results show that ‘weak pupil’ seem to be a stable construction over the last century. However, as a social representation, it appears to be highly changeable, with the ability to accommodate various perceived problems.

In contrast to global policy frameworks, differences are largely ascribed to the individual pupil through a deficiency perspective. This thesis expands on this by introducing the concept of an “extended deficiency perspective” that not only situates perceived problems with the individual pupil but also attributes them to the perceived problems of other pupils. 

The findings of the thesis carry significant implications for educational practice, as classifying pupils as ‘weak’ places the perceived problems on the individual pupil rather than encouraging a critical examination of the structures and organisation of teaching in the school. The findings highlight the need for education practitioners and education policymakers to critically engage with the values embedded in representations and classifications that are (re)produced in daily practices within education and education-oriented institutions.

This thesis underscores that differences are not fixed or predetermined but rather acquire meaning within specific contexts, such as the school, education policy and the news media. This insight has significant implications for practice, policy and teacher education.