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It is easy for the teacher to rationalize that the child who is not achieving in accordance with his known ability is just plain lazy, or that the child who lacks interest in school, who dislikes the teacher, or who is overaggressive is a hopeless delinquent.

The causes of retardation and maladjustment may be found in physical factors, such as defective speech or hearing, impaired vision, faulty motor coordination, a frail constitution, chronic disease, malnutrition, and glandular malfunctioning.

They may be caused by poor health habits, such as faulty eating and sleeping habits.

They may be related to mental immaturity or lack of aptitude for certain types of school work.

The curriculum may be too difficult for some and too easy for others.

Teaching methods, learning materials, and promotion policies may inhibit learning and lead to maladjustments for some children.

Unwholesome family relations, broken homes, and undesirable community influences may also be contributing factors.

This is only a minimum list of the factors that inhibit learning and contribute to maladjustment among children.

Moreover, these conditions do not influence all children in the same manner.

A vision handicap that may produce nervous tension and reading disability for one child may spur another child on to even greater achievement in reading.

An impoverished home that may discourage one child may constitute the motivation causing another to work harder for successful achievement in school.

At any rate, the teacher who recognizes common causes of retardation and maladjustment can frequently do a great deal to eliminate the causes of pupil discouragement, failure, and maladjustment.