Examines community forces underlying the educational problems of African Americans and other voluntary and involuntary minorities. Community forces differentiate minority groups facing similar barriers in society and in schools. Options created by community forces allow choices of action that result in individual differences in schooling outcome.…

Article investigates why process teaching fails to provide African-American students with access to literacy, delineating assumptions in process theory to explain some African-American students' failure to respond to process methods. Process discussions need to include the affective domain of teaching, particularly as it impedes African-American…

Examines academic performance in American Indian children, discussing elementary-age developmental tasks and students' conflicts with school, cultural identity development, weakened self-concept, and academic performance which easily lead to failure in a traditional Anglo educational setting with non-Indian teachers. Eight recommendations for…

A survey of 417 high-achieving high schoolers, 103 young prison inmates, and 105 dropouts enrolled in a GED program disclosed significant differences between high-achieving and less-successful adolescents regarding family background, interactions with parents, religious versus material orientation, self-motivation, and interest in school…

Describes a successful project in which seventh-grade English-as-a-Second-Language teachers in Jerusalem kept nonreaders in the classroom, thus laying a positive foundation for high school, motivating all students to study English, and reducing the gap in English abilities. By teaming and collaborating, teachers and student teachers created a…

Studied 21 students labeled "at risk" by their schools who participated in an after-school compensatory program. These students partially accepted, and ultimately rejected, the status-attainment ideology promulgated within the program. Suggests ways in which adults could better represent the interests of these students. (SLD)

Focuses on the issue of Black native languages in the educational system in the context of curricular reforms emanating from the multicultural education movement. Examines how multicultural education has dealt with the needs and concerns of African Americans and Haitians. Looks at well-publicized African American and Haitian educational events in…

Bernard Weiner and other motivation researchers have explored what happens to students when they try to explain why they succeed or fail. Causal attributions directly affect motivation and make the difference between helpless and mastery-oriented students. Suggestions are offered to educators to help change the attributions of helpless students…

Interviews 20 vocational high school students about school and family histories, present school experiences, and reflections about their literacy histories. Discusses three themes that emerged: connections and disconnections between home and school literacy practices (and resulting frustrations and failures); difficulties meeting standards set by…

A youngster failing to thrive in one environment needs an alternative learning situation. Research shows that small, personalized schools offering authentic, engaging curricula are essential for reaching unsuccessful learners. The test-score craze can be contained by publicizing other numbers regarding consequences: absence rates, dropouts,…

A study with 288 college psychology students investigated the relationship between students' perceptions of the reasons for their academic success or failure (explanatory schemas) and the quality of instruction. Results are discussed in terms of the role of explanatory schemas as buffers or compensations for ineffective instruction. (Author/MSE)

A study of student failure or withdrawal from higher education in six institutions in northwestern England investigates the relative influence of 36 possible reasons for withdrawal. Respondents were 1083 full- and part-time students. Results for noncompletion, including institutional and student variables, and their cost to the public purse are…

Describes the lack of educational success experienced by boys in some countries and girls in other countries, and lists possible reasons for these inequalities. Presents certain contributory factors: employment prospects related to levels of education; composition and attitudes of the teaching staff; attitudes of parents and society; and attitudes…

This paper explores the presence of African American Vernacular English patterns in the reading of one child over a 20-week period. In this paper, I present insights from linguists about African American Vernacular English, list linguistic patterns characteristic of African American Vernacular English speakers, examine the relationship between the…

This study explored the results of aligning functional behavioral assessment (FBA) information with positive behavior support plans (PBS plans) designed with consideration for teacher acceptability. The independent variable had the three major components of a package, including assessment and planning (FBA), training (teachers, students, and…