Rates of Classroom Participation and the Validity of Sociometry

Abstract We explored the effects of different rates of classroom participation on the peer ratings of three student groups: (a) students with learning disabilities; (b) low-achieving nondisabled students; and (c) average-and high-achieving students. Sociometric ratings from 14 classrooms with full, or nearly full, student participation (i.e., 92% to 100%) were sampled randomly and repeatedly so that 25%, 50%, and 75% of the students in each of the classes were involved. At each participation level, peer ratings were compared against a “standard” level of 92% to 100% for the three student groups. Results suggested that, as the rate of classroom participation decreased, ratings tended to diverge increasingly from standard-level ratings. This was particularly true for the low-achieving students; less so for students with learning disabilities; and least so for average-and high-achieving students. In addition, across the three student groups, findings indicated 75% and below represented an insufficient participation rate from which to generalize to the whole classroom. Implications for practitioners and researchers are discussed.

[1]  J. Gottlieb,et al.  Sociometric Status and Solitary Play of LD Boys and Girls , 1986, Journal of learning disabilities.

[2]  J. Kauffman,et al.  Social Acceptance of Learning Disabled Adolescents , 1986 .

[3]  J. Sager.  Through the eyes of the child. , 1979, Nursing mirror.

[4]  R. Cairns.  Sociometry, psychometry, and social structure: A commentary on six recent studies of popular, rejected, and neglected children. , 1983 .

[5]  J. Mccarthy,et al.  Behavior Patterns of Children with Special Learning Disabilities. , 1970 .

[6]  T. Farmer,et al.  Social Relationships of Students with Exceptionalities in Mainstream Classrooms: Social Networks and Homophily , 1996 .

[7]  S. Vaughn,et al.  Teaching interpersonal social skills to poorly accepted students: Peer-pairing versus non-peer-pairing. , 1990 .

[8]  J. Kauffman,et al.  Extended sociometric status of adolescents with mild handicaps: A cross‐categorical perspective , 1990 .

[9]  K. Dodge,et al.  Dimensions and types of social status: A cross-age perspective. , 1982 .

[10]  C. Fox,et al.  Peer Acceptance of Learning Disabled Children in the Regular Classroom , 1989 .

[11]  L. Fuchs,et al.  A Conservative Approach to Special Education Reform: Mainstreaming Through Transenvironmental Programming and Curriculum-Based Measurement , 1993 .

[12]  Jere Brophy,et al.  Research on the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy and Teacher Expectations. , 1983 .

[13]  S. Vaughn,et al.  Social Assessments of Students with Learning Disabilities: Do They Measure Up? , 1994 .

[14]  J. Hake.  Covert Motivations of Good and Poor Readers. , 1969 .

[15]  J. Kauffman,et al.  Regular Classroom Sociometric Status of Behaviorally Disordered Adolescents , 1985 .

[16]  Bryan G. Cook,et al.  Peer Acceptance of Included Students with Disabilities as a Function of Severity of Disability and Classroom Composition , 1999 .

[17]  C. Frame,et al.  Parental informed consent and sample bias in grade-school children , 1987 .

[18]  J. Crocker,et al.  Sociometric Status and Related Personality Characteristics of Mainstreamed Learning Disabled Adolescents , 1983 .

[19]  Salvador Hector Ochoa,et al.  A Sociometric Analysis of Between-Group Differences and Within-Group Status Variability of Hispanic Learning Disabled and Nonhandicapped Pupils in Academic and Play Contexts , 1991 .

[20]  N. Zigmond,et al.  The Social Integration of Learning Disabled Students from Self-Contained to Mainstream Elementary School Settings , 1986, Journal of learning disabilities.

[21]  Sharon Vaughn,et al.  Self-Concept and Peer Acceptance in Students with Learning Disabilities: A Four- to Five-Year Prospective Study. , 1992 .

[22]  S. Vaughn,et al.  The Effects of Inclusion on the Social Functioning of Students with Learning Disabilities , 1996, Journal of learning disabilities.

[23]  S. Tomlinson.  Behind Special Education—a Critical Analysis of Professional Culture and School Organisation , 1992 .

[24]  S. Hymel,et al.  Ethical Issues in Sociometric Testing: Impact of Sociometric Measures on Interaction Behavior. , 1984 .

[25]  E. Ellis,et al.  Restructuring of Mainstream Sociometry with Learning Disabled and Nonhandicapped Students , 1990, Exceptional children.

[26]  S. Asher,et al.  Social outcomes of mainstreaming: Sociometric assessment and beyond , 1981 .

[27]  J. Schumaker,et al.  Social Skills Assessment and Training for the Learning Disabled , 1984, Journal of learning disabilities.

[28]  D. French,et al.  A Comparison Of The Social Competencies Of Learning Disabled And Low Achieving Elementary-Aged Children , 1989 .

[29]  F. Gresham,et al.  Social skills training with children: responsiveness to modeling and coaching as a function of peer orientation. , 1980, Journal of consulting and clinical psychology.

[30]  C. Howes,et al.  Sociometric Status and After-School Social Activity of Children with Learning Disabilities , 1986, Journal of learning disabilities.

[31]  F. Gresham,et al.  Stability of Sociometric Assessment: Implications for Uses as Selection and Outcome Measures in Social Skills Training. , 1992 .

[32]  R. Morton,et al.  Who Shall Survive? , 1954, Mental Health.

[33]  E. Sabornie.  Bi-Directional Social Status of Behaviorally Disordered and Nonhandicapped Elementary School Pupils , 1987 .

[34]  C. Sleeter.  Learning Disabilities: The Social Construction of a Special Education Category , 1986, Exceptional children.

[35]  Arturo Olivarez,et al.  A Meta-Analysis of Peer Rating Sociometric Studies of Pupils with Learning Disabilities , 1995 .

[36]  B. M. Ray.  Measuring the Social Position of the Mainstreamed Handicapped Child , 1985, Exceptional children.

[37]  J. Wiener,et al.  Relationship Between Social Perception and Peer Status in Children with Learning Disabilities , 1989, Journal of learning disabilities.

[38]  G. Bear,et al.  Social Adjustment of Children with and without Learning Disabilities in Integrated Classrooms. , 1992 .

[39]  G. Spivack,et al.  Clarifying the Relationship between Academic Success and Overt Classroom Behavior , 1969, Exceptional children.

[40]  Salvador Hector Ochoa,et al.  Comparison of the Peer Status of Mexican-American Students with Learning Disabilities and Non-Disabled Low-Achieving Students , 1995 .

[41]  F. Gresham,et al.  Sociometric differences between mildly handicapped and nonhandicapped Black and White students. , 1987 .

[42]  A. M. Iverson,et al.  Guardian consent for children's participation in sociometric research , 1994 .

[43]  E. Ellis,et al.  BI-DIRECTIONAL AND CROSS-CATEGRICAL SOCIAL STATUS OF LEARNING DISABLED, BEHAVIORALLY DISORDERED, AND NONHANDICAPPED ADOLESCENTS , 1988 .

[44]  August J. Maauser.  Learning Disabilities and Delinquent Youth , 1974 .

[45]  Douglas Fuchs,et al.  Reintegrating Students with Learning Disabilities into the Mainstream: A Two-Year Study. , 1996 .

[46]  W. Stone,et al.  The Social Status of Children with Learning Disabilities , 1990, Journal of learning disabilities.

[47]  G. Morrison.  Sociometric measurement: methodological consideration of its use with mildly learning handicapped and nonhandicapped children. , 1981, Journal of educational psychology.

[48]  N. E. Gronlund.  Sociometry in the Classroom , 1970 .

[49]  S. Beck,et al.  A comparison of children who receive and who do not receive permission to participate in research , 1984, Journal of abnormal child psychology.

[50]  L. Fuchs,et al.  Inclusive Schools Movement and the Radicalization of Special Education Reform , 1994 .

[51]  Kathryn R. Wentzel,et al.  Does Being Good Make the Grade? Social Behavior and Academic Competence in Middle School. , 1993 .

[52]  G. Iverson,et al.  Children's long‐term reactions to participating in sociometric assessment , 1998 .

[53]  R. Allington.  Teacher interruption behaviors during primary-grade oral reading. , 1980 .