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‘Just Try Harder and You Will Shine’: A Study of 20 Lazy Children

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 February 2012

Linda Gilmore  and
Gillian Boulton-Lewis
Linda Gilmore*
Affiliation:
Queensland University of Technology, Australia. l.gilmore@qut.edu.au
Gillian Boulton-Lewis
Affiliation:
Queensland University of Technology, Australia.
*
*Address for correspondence: Linda Gilmore, School of Learning and Professional Studies, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove QLD 4059, Australia.
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Abstract

Attributions of laziness, reflected in teacher comments such as ‘Just try harder and you will shine’, may mask specific cognitive, learning, attentional or emotional problems that could explain low motivation in some children. This paper reports findings from an investigation of 20 children, aged 7 to 10 years, who were regarded as lazy by their parents and teachers. Questionnaire measures provided evidence of low levels of motivation and classroom engagement. Psychometric assessments revealed the presence of a range of difficulties including phonologically based learning disabilities and significant problems with attention in 17 of the 20 children. The paper concludes that the special needs of an unknown number of children may be overlooked because they are simply presumed to be lazy.

Keywords

motivationlazy childattributionslearning difficulties
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools , Volume 19 , Issue 2 , December 2009 , pp. 95 - 103
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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