Many teachers in Tennessee believe that the primary causes of low scores on state mandated competency tests are the lack of encouragement at home and social promotion; "too much TV, not enough supervision on the part of parents, poor study habits and lack of motivation and self-discipline" are also cited. (CM)

A teacher who has taught in two Chicago high schools chronicled in Jonathan Kozol's "Savage Inequalities"--an alternative Westside high school and an affluent, suburban Eastside school--ponders benefits of teaching on both sides of the economic chasm. Although inner-city problems often stem from parents lacking power and expectations,…

Discusses collaboration between secondary school teacher-librarians and English teachers to promote literacy and reading through choice book units, where students can choose from a selection of suggested titles. Topics include nonfiction books; advantages for low-ability readers; audio books; and Teachers as Readers book discussion groups. (LRW)

The attributions of 575 tenth graders in senior high schools in Norway of their perceived general results in school and how attributions related to self-esteem were studied. Students who felt they had done well attributed their results more to ability than did those who felt they had done poorly. (SLD)

The linguistic performance of four Hispanic bilingual fifth- and sixth-grade students perceived to have limited language abilities in English and Spanish was studied. Results indicate that the organization of instruction limited students' abilities to show their competence and that teachers interpreted this as a lack of conceptual ability. (SLD)

Advances the following premises: (1) the thinking skills of low achievers should be cultivated as much as those of high achievers; (2) low achievers can be taught higher order thinking skills; and (3) the cultivation of effective thinking skills is at least as important as mastery of basics. Presents five recommendations for change. (AF)

Examines latent mean differences in the results of a number of self-concept measures of low and high track suburban Canadian high school students. Suggests that low track students may compensate for their negative academic experiences by emphasizing social popularity. (FMW)

Reports a study that investigated the effects of metacognitive instruction in mathematics on low achieving, predominantly Hispanic, elementary school students (grades 3-8). Students were randomly assigned to either experimental (metacognitive) or traditional instruction. Results on learning outcomes showed significant effects favoring students who…

Achievement and ability of 135 retained elementary school students (grade 6) in Canada were compared with those of 103 matched continually promoted students. Reading comprehension, cognitive ability, and achievement test scores indicate that grade retention is ineffective in improving achievement and ability. (SLD)

Reports on a longitudinal study about the educational progress and behavior of 49 children in long-term foster care and a comparison group of children receiving social work support while remaining with their birth families. Finds that the children in foster care showed lower academic achievement and more behavioral problems. (CFR)

Observations of second- and third-grade teachers who participated in a staff development program illustrate teachers' difficulties with getting low achievers to focus on and understand the process of being strategic and with using literacy tasks to teach strategy. (BB)

Addresses the problems of African-American males, and argues that a focus on high literacy for this population is an important strategy for addressing the crisis of education and incarceration. Suggests that literacy is essential to African-American males' participation in the economy. (JB)

Whether high levels of metacognitive knowledge about problem solving can compensate for low overall aptitude was studied for 31 high-aptitude and 25 low-aptitude children in grades 4 and 5. Results confirming superior performance of high metacognitive individuals are discussed in terms of the independence of metacognition and academic aptitude.…

The Chapter 1 supplementary education program is popular with Congress, benefiting from increased appropriations since 1988. The 1988 amendments of the Hawkins Stafford Act improved the program, but further changes may have to take place at the 1993 reauthorization to make Chapter 1 relevant to accelerating educational reform. (SLD)

The effects of problem solving and peer collaboration as two instructional methods advocated by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) were evaluated for enhancing mathematics achievement, motivation, and self-concept of 104 low- achieving third and fourth graders. There were significant positive effects for both approaches, as…