IMPLICIT IN THE CONCEPT OF IMMEDIATE REINFORCEMENT ARE TWO ASSUMPTIONS--(1) THAT A NEED MUST BE SATISFIED, AND (2) THAT A REWARD CAN SERVE TO SATISFY THIS NEED. THE CULTURALLY DISADVANTAGED CHILD NEEDS ENCOURAGEMENT OR DISCOURAGEMENT RIGHT AWAY. HIS SOCIETY OPERATES IN THIS WAY. IN THE CLASSROOM, SUCH REINFORCEMENT MAY TAKE MANY FORMS. ONE TEACHER USED TRADING STAMPS IN PLACE OF GRADES. THE STAMPS HAD A MORE CONCRETE MEANING TO THESE CHILDREN. THE MENTAL STYLE OF THE CULTURALLY DISADVANTAGED CHILD REQUIRES CONSIDEREABLY MORE EGO REINFORCEMENT THAN IS REQUIRED BY THE MIDDLE-INCOME CHILD. DISPLAY OF THE CHILDREN'S WORK ON BULLETIN BOARDS WITH THEIR PHOTOGRAPHS PLACED ALONGSIDE FOSTERS A GREAT DEGREE OF EGO-REINFORCEMENT IN CULTURALLY DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN. NONVERBAL TEACHER REACTIONS CAN BE QUITE EFFECTIVE. ROLE PLAYING EMPHASIZES REAL SITUATIONS FOR THESE CHILDREN. ALLOWING THE CHILD TO PERCEIVE A PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY THROUGH THE SPEED FEEDBACK OF TEST GRADES INVOLVES HIM IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF HIS OWN ACHIEVEMENT.