Abstract:

The elaboration of typology of schoolchildren is the significant scientific and practical issue. The differentiation of schoolchildren according to various criteria allows us to realize a differentiated analysis, focusing on certain aspects of learning and life activities of schoolchildren. In practical terms, this research focuses on the timely identification and solution of their problems by changing the learning strategies used by teachers. Typologies of schoolchildren can be based on such criteria as socio-economic characteristics, academic performance, educational motivations, life plans, value orientations, and others. We consider the educational success / failure of schoolchildren to be an important criterion.

The aim of the article is to characterize the main types of successful / failure Russian schoolchildren and identify opportunities to overcome educational failure. The subject of our research is the typology of schoolchildren according to such criterion as their educational success/failure. The object of empirical research is Russian schoolchildren and school education experts.
The empirical basis of the article is the data of the research, conducted using such methods:
1) semi-formal expert interview (experts were specialists in the field of school and higher education, n=34);
2) focus groups with schoolchildren (4 focus groups);
3) analysis of 200 essays of high school students on the topic «Formula for success».

Research results:
1. The educational failure is the qualitative characteristic of educational activity of learners reflecting a measure of discrepancy between their personal educational achievements and social expectations of the results of their educational activity. The indicators of educational success / failure of schoolchildren are academic achievements, educational motivation, readiness for extracurricular activities, desire for achievement, the degree of formation of professional orientation and professional self-determination.
2. Based on the indicators of educational success / failure an empirical study identified five main types of schoolchildren. The first type includes highly motivated, talented schoolchildren who have achieved significant success in various competitions. The second type consists of successful, motivated students who demonstrate excellent and good knowledge. The third type includes schoolchildren with weak motivation and poor knowledge, who are on the border of success / failure. The fourth type is students with learning difficulties and poorly motivated to study. The fifth type includes schoolchildren not motivated to study and not striving to achieve success.
3. The elaborated typology of successful / unsuccessful schoolchildren allowed us evaluating student support. In Russian schools, much attention is paid to students of the first and second types. Learners of types 3 and 4 need special support from both educational management and schoolteachers, as well as parents. This article substantiates the need for the following measures:
1) changing the priorities of educational policy: moving away from «selection» to equal attention to all groups of schoolchildren;
2) the elaboration of special social and pedagogical technologies to support unsuccessful schoolchildren, as well as to train specialists who possess such technologies;
3) development of government programs that provide institutional and financial support for the efforts of schools and schoolteachers to overcome this phenomenon.

Keywords:

Russian schoolchildren, typology, educationally successful schoolchildren, educationally unsuccessful schoolchildren.