A study was made to determine whether there exists a group of overpersisting children who are considered mastery-oriented because of their persistence but who actually demonstrate characteristics of learned helplessness. Subjects were 71 females and 84 males from fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade classrooms. Children's scores on the Intellectual…

A reading teacher advises parents to insist that teachers work to prevent initial reading failure at the beginning of first grade. (RC)

Short films are a valuable resource for the teaching of reading to secondary students. (JH)

The report on a U. S. Civil Service Commission study of disincentives to effective training offers a summary of the disincentives process, a training climate check list, and practical suggestions for minimizing impediments. (MW)

Larry arrived from California and was put in a fifth grade class's lowest reading group which was reading third-grade-level basals. Larry was often disruptive during reading instruction and claimed he could only read when the book was upside down. Tests indicated that Larry had normal vision but that he was learning disabled and reading at only a…

Representing a school-based intervention strategy, the plan presented within this document was designed to help build a student's self-concept and to provide positive interactions between a student having difficulty succeeding at school and school personnel. While the plan is not intended to be a recipe for success with at risk students, it does…

This document contains the final report of a California Task Force created to promote self-esteem and personal responsibility. It begins with an executive summary listing key principles of the task force and providing recommendations and discussions in each of six major areas upon which the report focuses. The next section presents the task…

This study compared academic achievement and self-concept of kindergarten and first grade students who had been retained with first graders who had not been retained. The academic achievement of kindergarten children who were retained was also compared with that of children socially promoted to first grade. Results indicated that both kindergarten…

The author reviews her work in attempting to prevent learning failure and resulting emotional problems in young children. She considers the difficulties involved in prevention of a multiply determined and multiply defined condition such as learning failure. The benefits of prevention (including lower cost than later treatment) are pointed out as…

This paper reports on a study conducted to determine the extent to which failing secondary school students can be identified in advance through analysis of student records. The research, conducted in an urban school district, utilized data such as achievement test results, school attendance, and course grades, as well as a survey of sample…

A study was conducted at Miami-Dade Community College (MDCC) to assess the differences in the characteristics of students who failed two or more sections of the College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) compared to students who passed all four sections of the test. A total of 302 students failed two or more sections of the June 1984 CLAST and…

This paper describes a research study on promotion with reservation, in which students are accountable for their course work and must repeat courses they have failed. Subjects of the study were seventh and eighth grade students at Scenic Junior High School, Oregon. These students failed required courses during the school year 1983-84 and chose…

Principals of elementary and secondary schools in Idaho (N=246) responded to a questionnaire that asked them to identify some causes of teacher failure. The major problems leading to teachers being placed on probation or not having contracts renewed appeared to be in the areas of: (1) behavior management and student motivation; (2) personality and…

The nine conference presentations in these proceedings focus on educational technology and students at risk of school failure and include: (1) "Getting Underway" (Stephen S. Kaagan), which provides an overview of technology in society and the purposes of the conference; (2) "Technology Can Help Children Who Are at Risk of Student…