The School Subjects Questionnaire was administered to 300 students (15-22 years old) in Years 11 and 12 at a Brisbane metropolitan State high school. Ratings of self-concept in eleven specific school subjects and in “all school subjects” were obtained. Factor analysis of these responses identified nine separate facets of academic self-concept. The hypothesised relationships among English subject-related self-concepts, Math subject-related self-concepts, Creative Arts subjects and Practical Arts subjects were not clearly obtained in this study.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a peer tutoring program that was implemented to improve the reading skills of a group of learning disabled children. The study used peer tutoring strategies in conjunction with cognitive strategy training techniques to change the reading behaviours of both the tutors and tutees. Emphasis was attached to ensuring that reciprocal benefits would be derived by both the tutors and tutees by sharing a task on which there was room for both to gain in skill. The results indicated that learning disabled children can be tutored by peers who are only slightly better readers and that reading gains accrued to both parties.

Skills deficit, anxiety, inhibition and cognitive interference models have been proposed to explain why people characteristically behave unassertively. Northern American professionals now use omnibus procedures based on these perspectives to modify attitudes and behaviours associated with shyness. The investigation reported here attempted to examine how effectively an omnibus package of procedures based on the three different models translated to the Australian context. Subjects were young, shy, socially non-assertive Australian high school students. The design was quasi-experimental and used an experimental control group test-retest follow-up design. Results of the study showed that subjects expressed stronger assertive belief s and had more internal locus of control following the intervention. However, there was no evidence of significant change in behaviour or in self-concept. There was independent evidence that there may have been a “ripple” effect. Reasons for these apparently less effective outcomes among Australian students, in contrast with American students, are discussed.

“Tests have been misused to justify race, social class and ethnic discrimination as a racial minority”. (Rescheley, 1979, p. 234.)

The assessment of Aboriginal students as a racial minority is both complex and controversial. All too frequently low achievement scores on standardised tests have placed Aboriginal students in ‘special’ classes for the mildly intellectually handicapped or in non-academic courses (Clark, Clark & Damm, 1979; Cummins, 1980). This paper aims to provide an explanation of the factors influencing the testing and assessment of Aboriginal students. The paper briefly clarifies the terms ‘testing’ and ‘assessment’; offers support for the proposition that Aboriginal students do achieve poorly on both standardised and non-standardised tests; and, most critically, discusses the factors that mitigate against Aboriginal students in assessment situations.

This study examined the mutual awareness of counsellors and clients about clients' problems and considered the extent to which counsellors and clients agreed about problems. To investigate these issues data were obtained by the administration of questionnaires to 10 school counsellors and their next 10 adolescent clients. Results suggested that counsellors were aware of client problems in 42% of cases. Clients were aware about how counsellors viewed their problems in 17% of cases. There was agreement between counsellor and client about client's problems in 22% of cases. Effects of a number of variables on perceptions about problems were also investigated. Type of referral (self, other) and approach taken by counsellor did not influence perceptions. Having background information about clients appeared to impede counsellors' awareness about problems and degree of agreement between counsellors and clients about the nature of problems. Number of previous interviews with clients and the length of experience of counsellors also affected counsellor/client perceptions.

This paper explores the relative impact of four career counselling interventions on six outcome measures for final year students in a Brisbane high school. The six measures used were: vocational identity, degree of decidedness, number of jobs listed, congruence of expressed (occupational choice) and measured interests, internal consistency of expressed interests and the occupational status of the most preferred occupation. Comparison of pre- and post-test measures showed that for the low identity group, there was an increase in vocational identity, congruency, and a listing of fewer jobs after the intervention. It was concluded that no changes were accounted for by individual counselling interventions. However, there seemed to be some evidence that changes resulted from a group career guidance program in which all students participated. The changes noted indicated that students gained in vocational awareness and maturity and showed greater selectivity in career decision making over time. Differences were found between male and female students in career related attitudes and career choices. Several applications of the findings for current practice were considered including the use of the My vocational situation and Career information survey instruments for streamlining service delivery and prioritising student access. The need for further research to resolve some of the issues raised by the study was discussed.