To create a supportive environment for the slow and reluctant learner teachers must solicit student responses, provide proximity, positively reinforce answers, provide time to respond, and give corrective feedback. This document describes inservice training designed to help teachers improve their ability to maintain a supportive learning environment. Emphasis is given to encouraging slow and reluctant students, an aspect of Criterion 9 of the Texas Teacher Appraisal System (TTAS), an instrument that establishes expectations for teacher performance by assessing a variety of performance indicators. Following a review of existing literature and research on teacher interaction with slow students, the self-fulfilling prophecy theory, and techniques proven to increase the performance of slow students, the following aspects of the inservice are discussed: (1) alternatives for solving the problem; (2) time required; (3) costs; (4) performance goals for teachers and students; (5) organizational context; (6) delivery system and techniques; (7) governance structure; and (8) inservice evaluation. Appended are materials used for the oral presentation of Criterion 9; an agenda; suggestions to teachers; response sheets; definitions; student morale boosters; and lists of positive expressions, negative expressions, and 99 praise phrases. (12 references) (CLA)