Compared heavy and light-moderate drinking female college students along personality dimensions. Although no differences were found in social desirabiliy or locus of control, heavy drinkers possessed greater fear of failure and greater sensation seeking than did light-moderate drinkers. Results have implications for causes of problem drinking…

Examines an unsuccessful student teaching experience that became a successful learning experience through a reflection and debriefing process. Relates this experience to the stages of a conceptual model of experiential education and emphasizes the need for structured debriefing in preservice teacher education. (SV)

Discusses ways to help motivate reluctant readers. Topics include early reading experiences of aliterate readers; the value of reading-related activities like book clubs and reading clubs; other activities that motivate and/or discourage readers; the role of parents, teachers, and librarians; and narrowing choices to make book selection easier.…

The "Ziegarnik effect," a learner's tendency to recall uncompleted tasks longer than completed ones and to remember failures more easily than successes, is applied to improving programs for the subgroup of students with emotional/behavioral disorders who show little benefit from special education interventions, and to teacher…

Persistent low levels of school literacy among Canadian Natives is discussed in terms of language, script, culture, and pedagogy. Low literacy level is only a problem when defined by the narrow Western conception of literacy. When writing is taken as a graphic means of preserving and communicating information, then native cultures have always been…

Presents observations on the negative behavior of school children, offers a rationale for the development of a failure identity, and provides practical ideas for helping children move to feelings of success and positive identity. Empathy and a willingness to realign adult expectations are suggested. (Author/LKS)

Discusses the recent trend of blaming parents for the academic failure of their children, and describes how some programs are attempting to make parents more responsible for their child's performance, a practice that in one case provoked a negative reaction from parents. The author discusses criticism of this new trend and explains why its…

Explores the findings from a two-year participant observation study of educational reform in an inner-city setting. The author deconstructs a major sociological/educational assumption instantiated in the reforms and attempts to delineate an alternative theoretical framework for understanding educational reform failure in inner-city situations. (GR)

Describes promising assessment practices for enhancing the education of students at risk for school failure, viewing assessment as the practice of collecting qualitative and quantitative data that are helpful in planning instructional programs. Teaming is recommended to help improve assessment procedures. (SM)

Diagnosis of cognitive learning skills could be the first step to reducing painful learning environments. Every student has an individual learning style and different cognitive learning abilities. Teachers need to be aware of these differences and modify instruction based on the student needs. (MLF)

Examined factors relating to student success or failure after transfer from programs for underprepared students at four-year colleges and from two-year community colleges to senior college. Findings from 143 transfer students revealed that large numbers of students did not graduate. Academically successful first semester and number of credits…

Four case studies of failed efforts to increase diversity on college campuses are explored. Examples demonstrate the need to gain commitment of faculty and staff, the need for administrative leadership to take risks, the need to find constructive ways to resolve differences, and the need to anticipate consequences of minority recruitment policies.…

This article synthesizes the research defining social problems of some children with learning disabilities, especially the role of communication skills deficits. Traditional emphases on family dysfunction, school failure, or personality disturbances are seen to be negated by research which suggests that neural aberrations trigger deficient…

Examined age differences in attributions for self-reported successes and failures in important and daily situations. Attributions and affects were collected from 61 young, 21 middle-aged, and 15 older adults. Middle-aged and older adults were more likely than young adults to attribute failure to external causes and to describe more social than…

Studied sexual activity, substance use, and assault among Black children from first grade through age 17. Adolescents with multiple problems differed from others in behavior and parental supervision. Males who only engaged in sexual activity or who had no problems were similar; but females in the same categories differed in family origins. (BC)