de difícil desempeño

English translation: challenging

20:12 Mar 4, 2023
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Mathematics & Statistics / Education/student survey
Spanish term or phrase: de difícil desempeño
SPAIN. The phrase appears in an article about dropout risk and leaving school early. I understand what it means, but (given the current penchant for politically correct expressions or euphemism) I need to know the current term used in the English-speaking education sphere.

Here are some usage examples (only one of them is from the document I'm translating:

"16 centros de ESO de difícil desempeño"
"Un centro catalogado como de difícil desempeño y al que nos hemos propuesto darle visibilidad "
"Relación de centros clasificados como de especial dificultad 22-23..."
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 18:16
English translation:challenging
Explanation:
The DfE’s recruitment and retention strategy1acknowledged that there are too few career incentives encouraging good teachers to work where they are most needed (p.25). One key approach to address recruitment challenges in schools in challenging circumstances could be the incentivising of teachers with excellent track records to move to such schools. However, there is a need to generate robust evidence on the factors that might encourage good teachers, including NQTs, to move to challenging schools and what influences headteachers’ decisions to support this approach.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/...

Teaching in challenging schools and situations

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teaching-in-chall...

However, little is known about why teachers stay, particularly in challenging schools. This seems an important gap in current understanding about teacher retention. Improved knowledge about the reasons why teachers stay could help school leaders to develop strategies to keep good staff and could also influence education policymakers when making changes to legislation affecting schools.

https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/blog/summer-showcase-202...


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2023-03-04 21:37:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Before setting up his own training and consultancy business Jason was a highly successful classroom teacher and Senior Manager in Secondary Education. His teaching experience has been based on working in challenging areas, challenging schools and with challenging pupils.

https://jasonbangbala.co.uk/

We [plan to] ensure teachers' pay is competitive and reward those who choose to teach in the most challenging schools.

https://blog.optimus-education.com/david-laws-workload-ofste...
Selected response from:

Helena Chavarria
Spain
Local time: 18:16
Grading comment
I ended up using this, and some of the other suggestions will come in handy for future use. Thanks to everyone who contributed on this query, I really appreciate it.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5Underperforming or struggling
Diego Lopez
4Failing/inadequate
Andrew Bramhall
3struggling
Robert Carter
2 +1challenging
Helena Chavarria
3with a fraught track record (of underperforming / underachievement)
Adrian MM.
3specially difficult to achieve
Alberto de Antonio Rivera


  

Answers


25 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
struggling


Explanation:
I imagine this is what is meant by "de difícil desempeño"; take a look and see if it fits, Neil.

"Struggling schools fail to teach students basic academic skills or to provide the training necessary to do well in college. Education advocates sometimes promote solving school problems with federal and state improvement grants, but other reform proponents note that money isn't a panacea for troubled schools. Struggling institutions typically have problems with attendance, academic planning and student behavior, and they also lack student after-school academic and sports programs."
https://classroom.synonym.com/problems-struggling-schools-12...

Robert Carter
Mexico
Local time: 10:16
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Notes to answerer
Asker: The problem is, there are several words like this (hard to handle, troubled, difficult struggling…). I need to know the "politically correct" term they are using nowadays.

Asker: I just realised I have some friends who are teachers, I should ask them...

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +1
challenging


Explanation:
The DfE’s recruitment and retention strategy1acknowledged that there are too few career incentives encouraging good teachers to work where they are most needed (p.25). One key approach to address recruitment challenges in schools in challenging circumstances could be the incentivising of teachers with excellent track records to move to such schools. However, there is a need to generate robust evidence on the factors that might encourage good teachers, including NQTs, to move to challenging schools and what influences headteachers’ decisions to support this approach.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/...

Teaching in challenging schools and situations

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teaching-in-chall...

However, little is known about why teachers stay, particularly in challenging schools. This seems an important gap in current understanding about teacher retention. Improved knowledge about the reasons why teachers stay could help school leaders to develop strategies to keep good staff and could also influence education policymakers when making changes to legislation affecting schools.

https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/blog/summer-showcase-202...


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2023-03-04 21:37:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Before setting up his own training and consultancy business Jason was a highly successful classroom teacher and Senior Manager in Secondary Education. His teaching experience has been based on working in challenging areas, challenging schools and with challenging pupils.

https://jasonbangbala.co.uk/

We [plan to] ensure teachers' pay is competitive and reward those who choose to teach in the most challenging schools.

https://blog.optimus-education.com/david-laws-workload-ofste...

Helena Chavarria
Spain
Local time: 18:16
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
I ended up using this, and some of the other suggestions will come in handy for future use. Thanks to everyone who contributed on this query, I really appreciate it.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Ooh! That sounds very up-to-date. Tx :-)


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  peter jackson: schools in challenging circumstances
10 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
with a fraught track record (of underperforming / underachievement)


Explanation:
clasificados como de especial dificultad : classifed as being *exceptionally troubled* (the asker's own middle suggestion) refers to the school as well as the students - see the second weblink).

BTW, 'fraught track record' calls up g/hit images only.

I'd have thought the pupils, rather than the school was underachieving.

Anyway, the definition of 'no comporta ningún beneficio palpable' reminded me of the 'point noir' French school markdown of old 'awarded' for low educational standards as well as violent or scandalous incidents.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2023-03-04 21:59:17 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Quote from the second weblink - ProZ regulars, please read *carefully* ->

'Whether categorised as schools in difficulty, schools facing challenging circumstances, failing schools, turnaround schools, and schools in special measures, the fact remain that there is no uniformity about underperformance and no silver bullet to address it.'

Example sentence(s):
  • Estar catalogado como “centro de difícil desempeño” -denominación de carácter estatal- no comporta ningún beneficio palpable.
  • The *Underachieving* School is brimming with inspiration and ideas on how to teach children, with respect and attention to how they actually learn.

    Reference: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13632434.2022.20...
    Reference: http://feweek.co.uk/another-bailout-for-troubled-college-wit...
Adrian MM.
Austria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: A bit too long, but cheers anyway :-)

Asker: "Underperforming" is my favourite so far.

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Underperforming or struggling


Explanation:
Underperforming schools are the state's most struggling schools based on an analysis of four-year trends in absolute achievement, student growth, and academic improvement trends.

Struggling schools refer to schools that face academic, financial, or organizational challenges that affect their performance and outcomes.

Both of my references are from official ".edu" sites.

Have a good one!


    https://www.doe.mass.edu/turnaround/level4/about.html
    https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2016/08/11/turning-around-struggling-schools-is-not-easy-but-can-be-taught/
Diego Lopez
Mexico
Local time: 10:16
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: I do like "underperforming". (For me) it has the right amount of euphemism and doesn't sound too judgemental. A strong contender.

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
specially difficult to achieve


Explanation:
Just a simple alternative. Cheers.

Alberto de Antonio Rivera
Spain
Local time: 18:16
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Failing/inadequate


Explanation:
https://www.bing.com/search?q=ofsted failing schools&pc=0AGL...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 18 hrs (2023-03-05 14:53:24 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Where does Asrian MM read " fraught" anywhere?

Andrew Bramhall
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:16
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: True, but such harshly judgemental adjectives might trigger some of our younger viewers... (sarcasm alert)...

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search