In a study conducted at a midwestern suburban junior high, data were gathered regarding the self-concept and reading achievement of 83 eighth grade students who had been placed in low reading classes due to actual deficiency in reading or to behavior problems accompanied by poor read-ing scores. Statistical analysis of the data revealed that self-concept scores were not overwhelmingly low. Deficiency in reading was not related to overall self-concept. Improvement in reading did not result in higher self-concept scores, nor was decline in the former accompanied by decline in the latter. Implications for instruction of this apparent dis-association of reading deficiency and global self-concept are presented.
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