This paper explores GCSE English re-sits in post-16 education. The re-sit policy was introduced in England and Wales to improve national literacy rates, yet persistently poor pass rates have drawn robust criticism of the policy. This article argues that traditional discourses of literacy predominate and contribute towards antagonisms between…

While a number of factors have already been shown to impact variations in graduation rates among students in Canada, there is little research examining the changing impact of these factors on Ontario students' secondary education completion over time. This research draws on data from two Grade 9 cohorts (2006 and 2011) from the Toronto District…

Scrutinising disproportionate media and political attention provided to the ills of the 'white working-class', this article examines the framing of their apparent underachievement in education policy and discourse in early post-Brexit vote England. In a political context dominated by anti-immigration and nationalist rhetoric, this article aims to…

Aim: The purpose of this study was to identify the reasons for educational underperformance amongst youth offenders and explore how to increase their successful participation and reintegration back into education. It also aimed to identify facilitators and barriers to inclusion and diversity at various systemic levels, such as society and…

Ogbu and Simon's (1998) and Ogbu's (2003) cultural-ecological theoretical framework postulates that voluntary immigrants, those who chose to migrate to a new land, would perform well academically because of their perceived beliefs that they could get a good education and could succeed more in their "new" land of opportunity than in their…

Over the past century, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries have made significant progress in narrowing or closing long-standing gender gaps in many areas of education and employment, including educational attainment, pay and labour market participation. But new gender gaps in education are opening. Young men…

Test and performance anxiety is not recognized easily in schools, in large part because adolescents rarely refer themselves for emotional concerns. Not wanting to risk teasing or public attention, anxious adolescents suffer in silence and under perform on school-related tasks. In school, anxiety is experienced often by students when being…

This paper focuses on what is known internationally from research about some aspects of men's learning. It explores the similar and different factors that shape men's attitudes towards learning in diverse national and cultural contexts. It also identifies some possible parallels (and differences) between the experiences, participation and outcomes…

The "Playing for Success" (PfS) initiative is targeted on underachieving young people. It aims to contribute to raising educational standards, especially in numeracy and literacy, bringing the attainment levels of lower achieving pupils closer to the average expected for their age. This study set out to consider whether there was any evidence of…

It is postulated that simultaneous convergent tasks may be the primary reason for the creation of the concept of underachievement; and it is concluded that the concept of underachievement should be redefined by considering the child in terms of the nonconventional tasks that he/she can do, as opposed to the standardized tasks that he/she will…

President George W. Bush signed into legislation one of the most influential and controversial educational reforms--the 2001 "No Child Left Behind Act" (NCLB). The purpose of the NCLB is to "ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum,…

Addresses the responses of four mixed-comprehensive schools to the apparent "under-achievement" of males. Classifies approaches as organizational, individual, pedagogical, and sociocultural, and evaluates the potential of each approach for raising achievement levels of males and females. Considers the extent to which approaches might…

The effects of token reinforcement on accuracy of math performance and generalization to social behavior with an adolescent underachiever were examined. Results indicated an increase in accuracy on math assignments during the token reinforcement condition. The procedures also decreased inappropriate verbalizations when consequences were provided…

Funded under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the College Discovery and Development Program is a cooperative program developed and offered by the City University of New York and the Board of Education of New York City. This program provides remediation in reading and math to approximately 830 sophomores, Juniors and Seniors…

Counseling is effective with low-achieving secondary school students. The literature suggests that when counselors are selected, when small numbers are treated, when objectives are clear, and when methodology is carefully developed, individual or group counseling can be effective in modifying student behavior and improving academic performance.…