This book provides an opportunity for researchers, professionals, and practitioners working directly with gifted individuals to engage with and examine the concept of underachievement of highly capable and talented individuals from different perspectives. Chapters written by experts in gifted education from diverse backgrounds explore…

This article focuses on the underrepresentation of African American males in gifted and talented programs, and offers a number of key recommendations to practitioners and researchers who seek viable strategies to circumvent this problem. Beyond the focus on underrepresentation, several additional topics for discussion are excogitated to provide a…

The assessment of generalization has become a priority of applied behavior analysis. The study provided a thorough assessement of the generality of a comprehensive self-control intervention designed to increase the math performance of an underachieving student in a regular elementary school classroom. (Author/DB)

This paper presents a theoretical model illustrating L. Siegel's revisionist conceptualization of learning disabilities and then presents an alternative underachievement model. The paper argues that the alternative model applies standard regression procedures which would lead to a more appropriate definition of learning disabilities and applies…

Richards, Gaver, and Golicz (1984) found that, in contrast to peers whose grades were accurately predicted from performance on aptitude tests, both extremely underachieving and extremely overachieving fourth-graders had negative academic attitudes. The present study aimed to replicate and extend these findings. Subjects in the replication study…

Surveys issues related to recent and prospective schooling investment in developing countries, including educational levels, changes, and demands between 1960-81, and identifies under- and over-achieving countries. Standard estimates overstate schooling impacts by not controlling for school quality, childhood family background, and geographical…

Comparison of three groups of gifted students (total n=275) in grades two through eight whose birthdays were either early, intermediate, or late in their school entry year found higher achievement for the older students but concluded that age position in relation to classmates does not appear to be a critical variable in the school performance of…

This article reviews several research studies on the achievement of gifted females. Factors that appear to contribute to lower achievement in career and profession include lower aspirations, lack of mentors, pressure to put energy into family, and poor self-esteem. Stressed are the different timelines for achievement experienced by many females.…

A home-based reinforcement program was instituted with three underachieving fourth graders who exhibited inappropriate behavior. Each day the children brought home a workbook assignment indicating percentage of correct responses and parents provided reinforcement for correct items and for improvement over time. Effectiveness on completion of daily…

A study found that both paradigmatic and syntagmatic aspects of text were important for signifying meaning of text in the reading comprehension of 102 Australian students at 3 age levels (10, 12, and 14 years). Underlying comprehension problems was a lack of prior experience of text topics. Reading preparation through developing shared meanings is…

This interview study examined the perceptions and beliefs about cognitive strategy instruction of 31 classroom teachers of underachieving students and 9 strategy researchers. Teachers and researchers generally agreed about components of strategy instruction and when to teach them; one difference was the tendency of researchers to relegate each…

Rejects the hypothesis that low achievement by migrant children is because of deficient cultural attributes or institutional ethnocentrism of schools. Suggests that schools always discriminate--positively or negatively--when, according to their institutional logic, it appears to be appropriate. (CFR)

This report elucidates problem areas in the education of gifted pupils in the Republic of South Africa (RSA), places the problems in perspective with respect to actual educational provision, and offers guidelines for further research on developing gifted education. Chapter titles are as follows: "Survey of Educational Planning for Gifted…

This article argues for the adoption of a 2-step procedure in diagnosing dyslexia: first, identify students with word list reading standard scores below 90, and then identify students with a reading score at least 10 points lower than expected from the full scale intelligence quotient. (JDD)

Discusses the allocative and selective procedures of a multiracial British comprehensive school. Argues that future studies should consider which students attend which schools and take which courses. Addresses student placement based on English, mathematics, and social studies test results. Concludes that the term "underachiever" is a…