[Methodological problems in the search for the causes of school failure at the elementary teaching level]

In France, these failures are massively found in children from the working class. For a better understanding of the causes of failures, and their genesis, the studies of Cresas are essentially based on maternal school (2-6 years). The research is directed in three concordant directions : analysis of the institution, analysis of the various social milieu of children, psychological evolution of the children facing school. The team of the working group "cognition and school adaptation" focuses on the relationship between cognitive development, socio-cultural background and school adaptation. During five years of work, the team has recognised various methodological problems such as : questioning of comparative studies, attempt to approach children predisposed to group active learning failures, implication of researchers in a school, difficulties on the pedagogic organisational and institutional levels. The conclusions insist on questioning the concept of social handicap by considering the examination situation relating factors regarding the children's background, school action and the researchers position itself. Finally, there is an important comment to situate the problem : the notion of social handicap is related to the political and economic organisation.