Effect of Students' After-School Activities on Teachers' Academic Expectancies

Teacher expectancies can have an impact on students' academic achievement. These expectancies can be based on diverse student characteristics, only one of which is past academic performance. The present study investigated three student individual differences that teachers may use when forming academic expectancies: the sex of the student, the family socioeconomic status (SES) of the student, and the student's after-school activities. Results indicated teachers held higher grade, graduation, and college attendance expectancies for females than for males and for middle-SES than low-SES students. Also, students who participated in extracurricular activities were expected to achieve more academically than either students who were employed after school or who did nothing after school. The latter two groups did not elicit different teacher expectancies. Interactions revealed that (a) lowest expectations were held for low-SES males who did nothing after school and (b) the difference in graduation expectancies between the SES groups was only half as great for students who took part in extracurricular activities than it was for students who had no involvements after school or who had jobs. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

The Enjoyment of Formal and Informal Recreation and Leisure Activities: A comparison of school‐aged children with and without physical disabilities

Despite the fairly extensive literature on the developmental benefits of youth's participation in organised, out‐of‐school activities, little is known about the participation of school‐aged children with physical disabilities in formal recreation and leisure activities, both in comparison with their participation in informal activities and with children who are typically developing. Enjoyment of formal and informal activities was examined for 427 children with physical disabilities and 354 children without disabilities, aged 6–14 years. It was predicted that children without disabilities would report significantly greater enjoyment of formal than informal activities, whereas this would not be the case for children with disabilities. This prediction was confirmed. Children with disabilities also participated in significantly fewer formal and informal activities, and participated in these activities less intensely than did children without disabilities. The mechanisms responsible for psychological engagement, enjoyment, and the developmental benefits of participation in activities are discussed, along with implications for research and clinical practice.     

A Developmental Comparison of the Out‐of‐school Recreation and Leisure Activity Participation of Boys and Girls With and Without Physical Disabilities

Similarities and differences were examined in the out‐of‐school recreation and leisure activity participation of 422 children with physical disabilities and 354 children without disabilities. The roles of age (six to eight years, nine to 11 years, and 12–14 years), gender, and disability status were examined with respect to the diversity, intensity, location, companionship, and enjoyment of participation in five types of activities, controlling for family income. The findings indicate that dimensions and types of activity participation are differentially influenced by age, gender, and disability. Age cohort comparisons indicated that children without disabilities experienced a widening social world characterised by more intense social participation, greater participation with non‐family members, and stable levels of enjoyment across the age groups. In contrast, children with disabilities in the various age groups were similar in their intensity of social participation and the nature of their companionship, with 12–14 year olds reporting less enjoyment of social activities than those aged six to eight years or nine to 11 years. The findings support the utility of a developmental and contextual perspective in understanding children’s patterns of participation. The information can be used by service providers and managers interested in creating centre‐based or community‐based recreational opportunities, and in providing information to parents about how to encourage children’s recreation and leisure participation.