Annotated Bibliography (Source Two)

(ED) Regional Educational Laboratory Southeast, et al. "Reducing Stereotype Threat In Classrooms: A Review Of Social-Psychological Intervention Studies On Improving The Achievement Of Black Students. Issues & Answers. REL 2009-076." Regional Educational Laboratory Southeast (2009): ERIC. Web. 24 Mar. 2013.

In this report, the authors discuss the threat that stereotypes have on Black students and how these stereotypes affect their intellectual ability in school. They have conducted research and have come up with strategies to reduce this threat as well as narrow the achievement gap between White and Black students. Some students feel that because a stereotype says that they perform lower than the nonminority students, they have a fear of failing and living up to that stereotype. This report is trying to fix this issue by introducing social psychological interventions to reduce stereotype threat while increasing Black students’ academic ability.

Most minority students, especially Black students are aware of the stereotypes of their culture, so in knowing that they may not be able perform to the best of their ability because they will have that pressure on them not to support that stereotype. With all this pressure on the students, it can take a toll on their performance in the classroom. The authors and researchers are conducting studies that will find ways to reduce the stress of negatively reinforced stereotypes. Since the Black racial group faces many negative stereotypes already, it is hard to not focus on those while trying to perform at the best of their ability along side of the rest of society reinforcing them as well.

I chose this report because this tells about stereotypes presented in the classroom of Black students. I need to know how these minority students are viewed before I can assess how other factors play into why they are viewed this way. There are charts and other forms of data that will help support my claim or answer my question.

·       “Stereotype threat arises from a fear among members of a group of reinforcing negative stereotypes about the intellectual ability of the group” (1).

·       “In a society where economic opportunity depends heavily on scholastic success, even a partial narrowing of the achievement gap would lead to a positive change in the lives of academically at-risk children” (1).

·       “It was hypothesized that Black students in this condition would worry that performing poorly could confirm a stereotype about their racial group’s intellectual ability” (2).