Search

Academic underachievement, as measured on standardised assessments, is commonly reported among students on the autism spectrum. However, little is known about the factors that predict academic (under)achievement, limiting the development of effective and targeted interventions. This study explored teacher ratings of academic skills and enabling behaviours of a community sample of students on the autism spectrum in Grades K-2 (5–8 years, n = 54) and 6–8 (9–12 years, n = 59) attending inclusive or special education settings. Teachers completed the Academic Competence Evaluation Scale (ACES). Results showed that children on the spectrum were rated by teachers to perform below expected levels in both academic skill areas and academic enabling behaviours. Teacher ratings of academic skills and enablers for students were higher for those in inclusive than those in special education settings. Receptive language emerged as an important predictor of teacher-reported performance alongside child motivation and interpersonal skills. Targeting academic enabling behaviours may help to improve academic achievement and lead to better educational outcomes for these students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short term experimental studies by DiPerna and colleagues have demonstrated the efficacy of the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) to measure and improve the social skills and academic functioning of students from Preparatory year to Grade 3 and to decrease problem behaviours. This longitudinal school-led project applied the multi-tiered assessment and intervention components of the SSIS to achieve sustainable outcomes. In each of three project years up to 16 teachers completed the SSIS Performance Screening Guide for approximately 380 students, with nearly half having special needs. Students screened by their teachers as having low levels of prosocial behaviour were assessed using the comprehensive SSIS Rating Scale. The collective data informed the social skills goal priorities among 10 skills targeted and taught by classroom teachers using the SSIS Classwide Intervention Programme (CIP). Intervention effectiveness indicators included change in prosocial behaviour, academic achievement, problem behaviours, wellbeing, and attendance. Students showed marked improvement on all outcome indicators across the three project years, resulting in an improved school climate. Limitations to the evaluation are discussed, followed by recommendations for other schools to adopt similar interventions to achieve sustainable improvement in students' social skills and other outcomes, and school climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the current study was to advance the understanding of the cross-grade dynamics of academic enablers in three ways: (a) to compare overall levels of academic enablers across children's elementary school years, (b) to determine if the relationship between academic enablers and academic achievement remained consistent across children's elementary school years, and (c) to determine if the interrelationships between academic enablers remained consistent across elementary school. We examined cross-grade dynamics using a sample of elementary-aged children (N = 536) and structural equation modeling methodology to compare primary (K–3rd grade) and intermediate (4th–5th grade) students. After establishing measurement invariance, we tested whether (a) academic enabler means and variances were equivalent for younger and older elementary students, (b) the relationships between academic enablers and academic achievement were equivalent for younger and older elementary students, and (c) the interrelations between academic enablers were equivalent for younger versus older students. The findings revealed few differences in mean levels of academic enablers but several differences in the relationships between academic enablers and academic achievement, as well as academic enabler interrelations across grade groups. Implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of the current study was to investigate the role of academic enablers on the association between symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity and academic achievement. There were 395 3rd through 5th grade students (48% boys). Students self-rated behavioral symptoms and classroom teachers completed ratings of academic enablers. Achievement was modeled as a latent variable including CBM probes, teacher ratings of academic skills, and student grades. Results indicated that (a) inattention was negatively associated with academic enablers and academic performance, (b) inattention had a small negative direct and indirect association with math outcomes in most models, while hyperactivity/impulsivity demonstrated showed a small, negative indirect association in one model, (c) and inattention had a small negative indirect association with reading in three models; hyperactivity/impulsivity demonstrated a small indirect association with reading in one model. This study points to the role of academic enabling behaviors in partially explaining the association between inattention and academic underachievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Eurasian Journal of Educational Research (EJER) is the property of Eurasian Journal of Educational Research and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study addresses the predictive validity of results from a screening system of academic enablers, with a sample of Australian elementary school students, when the criterion variable is end-of-year achievement. The investigation included (a) comparing the predictive validity of a brief criterion-referenced nomination system with more comprehensive behavior ratings, and (b) determining the optimal combination of scores to gather from this system for identifying academic difficulties. Students (n = 360) were rated using both the Performance Screening Guides (PSGs; Elliott & Gresham, 2007) and the Rating Scales (Gresham & Elliott, 2008) of the Social Skills Improvement System. The PSGs were highly sensitive (0.95) predictors of below minimum standard performance on the national test. The Rating Scales, including the brief academic competence scale in particular, added predictive value in most domains. The discussion addresses implications of these findings for school psychologists and other educators interested in the role of social behaviors as academic enablers and predictors of academic achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]