Low-achieving Children Research Articles

Patterns of Interaction in Family Triads with High-Achieving and Low-Achieving Children

The patterns of interaction between the parents and the child in family triads of high-achieving and low-achieving boys and girls and their parents were compared. Forty family triads were studied. The mean age of the children was 12 yr., 1 mo. Fathers of boys and girls did not differ in over-all dominance in the family process. Parents shared dominance but fathers of boys differed from fathers of girls in how this dominance was applied. Fathers' interactional pattern with their wives was flexible, influenced by the sex and achievement level of the children. These factors influenced fathers' interaction with their children and also mothers' interaction with their husbands. Mothers' behaviour toward their children was influenced by sex but much less so by achievement level. The sex of the child significantly influenced his behaviour toward his mother but the achievement level not to the same extent. In essence, the interaction of the parental pair with their children seemed to be the important factor in achievement.

Learning through Tutoring

Low-achieving fifth-grade children either taught a third-grader or studied alone for a series of daily sessions: At the end of the two-week period, the low-achievers’ performance was significantly better in the tutoring condition than in the studying alone condition–a reversal in direction of the initial difference between conditions. There was no differential effect on tutees of being taught versus studying alone. Results suggest that serving as a tutor may be a particularly useful method for enhancing the academic performance of low-achieving children.