Children's Perceptions of Economic Groups in a Context of Limited Access to Opportunities

Children (N = 267, ages 8–14 years, M = 11.61 years, middle to upper-middle income) made predictions regarding groups of same-aged peers from high-wealth and low-wealth backgrounds. The context involved granting access to a special opportunity. From middle childhood to early adolescence children increasingly expected both high- and low-wealth groups to want access to opportunities for their own group. However, children viewed high-wealth groups as motivated in part by selfishness and low-wealth groups as concerned in part with broader economic inequality. Finally, the higher children's family income, the more they expected group-serving tendencies. These findings revealed children's perceptions of exclusive preferences between economic groups, negative stereotypes about high-wealth children, and awareness of some of the constraints faced by low-wealth children.     

The predictive role of early childhood dysregulation profile on the parallel growth trajectories of reading and math performance across elementary and middle school

This study examined the heterogeneity in the co-developmental trajectories of reading and math performance (i.e., parallel changes in the initial scores and growth patterns) and identified the number, size and shape of the co-developmental trajectory across elementary and middle schools. In addition, this investigation focused on how an early childhood dysregulation profile (DP; indexed by a high co-occurrence of emotional, behavior, and attention problems) was associated with distinct co-developmental trajectories of reading and math performance. Specifically, we examined whether early childhood DP level can predict (a) membership assignment into each distinct co-development group and (b) variability in initial scores and changes in growth with each distinct co-development group. Participants were 784 academically at-risk students (47 % girls) predominantly from low socioeconomic status families who were recruited in first grade (Mean age = 6.57 years) and followed annually through the final year of middle school (ninth grade). Results revealed two distinct co-developmental trajectories of reading and math performance, including (a) a lower initial reading (higher increasing) and higher initial math (lower increasing) class (85.3 %) and (b) a lower initial math (higher increasing) and higher initial reading (lower increasing) class (14.7 %). Our results provided evidence for the compensatory pattern of co-developmental trajectories, indicating initial lower skills grow at a faster rate than the initial high. Further, early childhood DP was not associated with the membership assignment for these two distinct classes, which means that regardless of children’s early DP level, they have equal chances to be assigned to each of the classes. However, children with higher parent and teacher-reported DP in first grade demonstrated lower initial scores and a slower improvement rate in both classes after controlling for kindergarten literacy skills, gender, ethnicity, intelligence, socioeconomic status, and grade retention. Our study findings demonstrated (a) substantial heterogeneity in the co-developmental trajectories of reading and math performance across elementary and middle school ages; and (b) the importance of promoting self-regulation beginning in early childhood, especially for academically at-risk children in families facing economic challenges.     

The effect of a middle grades STEM initiative on students’ cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes

This study is an evaluation of a STEM initiative in one school district with five participating middle schools. I used two quasi-experimental methods including instrumental variables and inverse propensity score weights to test the effect of the initiative on students’ cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes. Overall, students at STEM schools demonstrated lower science achievement (p < .05). Subgroup analyses showed that Limited English Proficient students at STEM schools demonstrated increased reading achievement and fewer unexcused absences (p < .001). Black students demonstrated increased grit (p < .01), and Hispanic students demonstrated increased control and relevance in learning (p < .001).     

Naïve Theories of Social Groups

Four studies examined children’s (ages 3–10, Total N = 235) naïve theories of social groups, in particular, their expectations about how group memberships constrain social interactions. After introduction to novel groups of people, preschoolers (ages 3–5) reliably expected agents from one group to harm members of the other group (rather than members of their own) but expected agents to help members of both groups equally often. Preschoolers expected between‐group harm across multiple ways of defining social groups. Older children (ages 6–10) reliably expected agents to harm members of the other group and to help members of their own. Implications for the development of social cognition are discussed.     

Can teachers predict their students' wait time preferences?

The study examined students' preferences for wait times of 3 seconds versus .9 second, teachers' ability to accurately predict their students' preferences, and the reasons both groups of participants gave for their choices. Thirty-five middle school science classes watched two versions of a videotaped science review lesson. The versions differed only in length of time the teacher paused after questions before she called on students to respond. When asked which version would produce more learning and when asked which version they preferred (after being told how the two versions differed), significantly more students chose the one with the longer wait time. Significantly more teachers predicted these choices accurately than inaccurately. Students identified think time, time use, teacher helpfulness, and topic ease as reasons for their choices.     

Effects of video-based flipped class instruction on subject reading motivation

Video-based flipped class instruction can strengthen the learning motivation of students. The effectiveness of flipped class instruction on teaching effectiveness and subject satisfaction has been evaluated previously. The present study aims to examine the impact of two aspects of subject reading motivation. A total of 100 secondary school students were recruited from 4 classes of 25 students (ie, video-based flipped Mathematics class, traditional Mathematics class, video-based flipped Liberal Studies (LS) class and traditional LS class) in two local secondary schools. The same teachers taught both the traditional and video-based flipped classes in their subject. The students filled in questionnaires which measured: motivation for general reading; motivation for subject reading; academic subject satisfaction and perceived teaching effectiveness of the teachers. Analysis of covariance controlling for motivation for general reading revealed that students in the flipped classes reported significantly lower motivation for subject reading including reading curiosity, reading importance and reading compliance (t (1,98) = 10.52, p < 0.001; t (1,98) = 7.68, p < 0.001; t (1,98) = 20.39, p < 0.001, respectively). However, students in the flipped classes reported significantly higher satisfaction and teaching effectiveness than those in the traditional classes (t (1,98) = −15.61. p < 0.001; t (1,98) = −11.98, p <0.001, respectively). A partial correlation controlling for motivation for general reading indicated that motivation for subject reading was negatively associated with academic subject satisfaction and perceived teaching effectiveness of teachers (rs ranged from −0.51 to −0.62, p < 0.001). Video-based flipped class instruction was not only related to increased academic subject satisfaction and teaching effectiveness but also associated with lower motivation for subject reading. These findings suggest that video-based flipped class instruction had limited capability to strengthen the learning motivation of students.     

The use of motor activity learning in the development of science concepts with slow learning fifth grade children

This study compared the motor activity technique of learning, using physical education activities, with traditional ways of developing science concepts with fifth grade slow learning children. Two groups of ten children each were equated on the basis of pretest scores. Both groups were taught by the same classroom teacher. One group was taught through motor activity learning and the other by traditional procedures. Both groups were retested after a two-week teaching period, and again after a three-month extended interval. The difference in the posttest scores favored the motor activity learning group, p < .01 (t = 4.33, df 9). The difference in the extended interval test also favored the same group, p < .001 (t = 6.37, df9). Using the differences in test scores as criteria for learning, the children in the motor activity learning group learned and retained significantly more than those in the traditional group.     

Factors influencing Filipino children’s solutions to addition and subtraction word problems

Young Filipino children are expected to solve mathematical word problems in English, which is not their mother tongue. Because of this, it is often assumed that Filipino children have difficulties in solving problems because they cannot read or comprehend what they have read. This study tested this assumption by determining whether presenting word problems in Filipino or reading them aloud to children in either language facilitated solution accuracy. Contrary to the initial hypothesis, reading word problems aloud did not seem to improve student performance (p > 0.10). In contrast, presenting word problems in Filipino significantly improved solution accuracy (p < 0.0001) and led to differences in error patterns – children were less likely to use an inappropriate arithmetic operation when problems were presented in Filipino. However, the language of the problem had minimal effects on the more difficult Compare problem type. Finally, the benefits of using Filipino were more pronounced for low‐achieving students who may have lower proficiency in English than their high‐achieving peers (p < 0.01).     

Gender and Genre: Reading and Writing Choices of Older Juniors

There has been much recent interest in the reading and writing choices children make and how far these choices are affected by their gender. Differences in the reading preferences of boys and girls seem to become more marked as children move through the primary years. Given that literacy involves control over a range of texts, as reader and writer, teachers seek ways of increasing the repertoire of both boys and girls. The first part of this study examines the reading and writing choices of the children in a Year 6 class in both home and school contexts. The questionnaire responses indicated that the children chose very different genres in the home as compared with the school setting and that gender differences were more marked in the home preferences. The analysis then draws on some of the children’s comments and views in exploring the implications of their preferences and the attitudes behind them. Finally, some strategies for encouraging wider and more reflective reading of both boys and girls are suggested.     

Comprehension and Decoding: Patterns of Association in Children With Reading Difficulties

Comparisons of reading measures from a sample of 361 children aged 7.5 to 9.5, including many with reading difficulties, showed high correlations between word reading and nonword reading, and between each of these abilities and reading comprehension. These results, together with other findings from these children, showed that skill in word identification was almost inseparable from the phonologically analytic decoding process that is tapped by nonword reading, and, correspondingly, differences in reading comprehension were closely associated with differences in decoding skill. The findings support the conclusion that bottom-up skills largely drive the reading process in this age group. Only a small number of children departed from the norm in showing better reading comprehension than would be expected from their decoding skills, and those with the opposite discrepancy accounted for even fewer.     

Picture Book Reading at Home: A Comparison of Head Start and Middle-class Preschoolers

This study was designed to assess the impact of taking a high quality picture book home from school daily on the at-home reading behaviors of young children and/or family members from middle and low SES backgrounds. Eighty children representing two study groups (treatment & no-treatment comparison) and two socioeconomic groups (Head Start & middle-class) composed the study sample. Treatment children selected picture books at school daily to take home over a 12-week period. Child and family picture book reading behaviors were assessed by weekly random telephone surveys. Findings indicate that taking a picture book home daily more than doubled the number of books read at home for both middle-class and Head Start treatment children over their no-treatment comparison counterparts and significantly increased the amount of time Head Start treatment children were involved in reading each day. The practicality of making high quality picture books available for preschool children to take home and the implications of increased at-home reading behaviors are discussed.     

Effects of live and recorded story telling on retelling performance of preschool children from low socioeconomic backgrounds

Two modes of story telling, live reading and recorded reading, were compared to test the hypothesis that live reading results in better retention. Thirty-four preschool children from low socioeconomic backgrounds were randomly assigned to the two conditions. Each child heard a story presented by the teacher or a recording and then retold the story in his or her own words. Children in the live group used significantly more words and more correct themes in retelling (p <.01) than did those in the recording group. Implications for research and teaching are discussed.     

Process Groups

ABSTRACT

This study examined the use of long-term process oriented counseling groups at 74 colleges and universities. Colleges with fewer total staff and fewer trained group counselors were less likely to offer group counseling than were institutions with large staffs and more counselors trained to do group work. Qualitative feedback from small college respondents cites resource limitations and staff attitudes as reasons for lesser frequencies of group counseling at their respective institutions. Several staff attitudes are identified and challenged.     

Career Indecision in Adult Children of Alcoholics

This study investigated potential differences in career indecision for adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) and adult children of non-alcoholics (non-ACOAs) attending college. Using a sample of community college students, the relationships among irrational thinking, anxiety and career indecision were compared between ACOAs and non-ACOAs. ACOAs received significantly higher scores than non-ACOAs on state anxiety, p < .01, trait anxiety, p < .001. (as measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory; Speilberger, Gorsuch, and Lushene, 1983.) Although both groups were similar in their overall levels of career indecision, there were significant relationships among irrational thinking, trait anxiety and career identity for ACOAs that were less present for non-ACOAs. Results of this study suggest career indecision may be more chronic and problematic for ACOAs than for non-ACOAs.     

Improving the reading skills of young people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in preparation for adulthood

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive genetic condition that affects both muscle and brain. Children with DMD are at risk of psycho‐social difficulties such as poor academic achievement and behavioural and socio‐emotional problems. This article by Janet Hoskin and Angela Fawcett, both from the University of Swansea, describes how 34 participants with DMD took part in a 36‐week online literacy intervention which was delivered in partnership between home and school. The key objective was to improve reading skill. Participants were re‐tested at 36 weeks for single word and text level reading, comprehension, fluency, processing and timed single word reading. Pre and post results indicated that children who followed the intervention for 36 weeks made significant improvement in their single word reading (p = <0.0001), timed single word reading (p = <0.0001) and text level reading (p = <0.004). They also made significant improvement in their fluency and comprehension scores. The results showed that children with DMD and related literacy difficulties benefit from a regular, structured and systematic synthetic phonics programme. With young people with DMD increasingly living into adulthood, early literacy intervention is particularly important to ensure optimum career and training opportunities.     

5～7岁儿童图表理解能力的发展

本研究选择幼儿园中班、大班和小学一年级儿童各60名作为被试,通过四种图表任务的测试考察儿童图表理解能力的发展状况。研究结果表明:5～7岁儿童对表格、饼状图、点状图和柱状图的理解能力均随年龄的增长而逐步提高,从中班到大班这一阶段是儿童图表理解能力发展的关键期。     

Development of orthographic knowledge in German‐speaking children: a 2‐year longitudinal study

There is growing evidence that children develop orthographic knowledge from the very beginning of literacy acquisition. This study investigated the development of German‐speaking children's orthographic knowledge with a nonword choice task. One nonword in each pair contained a frequent consonant doublet (zommul) and the other nonword contained an infrequent doublet (zobbul). Children (N = 54) performed at chance level in kindergarten but chose nonwords with frequent doublets significantly more often than expected by chance in first and second grade. Correlations between children's orthographic knowledge and their reading and spelling skills were not found. The results indicate that knowledge of frequent double consonants is evident in German‐speaking children from first grade onwards, but it is not related to their reading and spelling performance. This finding is consistent with the view that children in transparent orthographies rely less on frequent letter patterns during reading and spelling compared to children in deep orthographies.     

Social support in inclusive middle schools: Perceptions of youth with learning disabilities

This cross‐sectional study examined the perceptions of social support reported by middle‐school students with multiple learning disabilities (LD) (reading + math) in inclusive settings. Comparison groups included youths with a learning disability in reading only (RD), mathematics only (MD), and no LD (i.e., normally achieving) (NA). One hundred twenty middle‐school students, 15 boys and 15 girls in each group, were included in the current study. Participants were surveyed using an established measure of perceived social support. Effect size differences and MANOVA were used in the data analyses. Learning disability type explained 21% ( p < .001) of the variance in perceptions of parent, classmate, and friend support. Students with multiple LD (RD + MD) reported the lowest perceived social support on these dependent variables. Follow‐up analyses revealed that eighth‐grade boys reported the lowest perceived parent support and that boys in general reported lower perceived friend support than girls. Sixth‐grade students with multiple LD reported the lowest perceived friend support, and sixth‐grade males reported the lowest perceived teacher support. Implications for practicing school psychologists and recommendations for future research are discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 43: 197–209, 2006.     

Quantity and Quality of Work in Rows and Classroom Groups

The effect of different seating arrangements on the quantity and quality of work produced in reading, language and mathematics among two classes of 10and 11‐year‐old children was examined. In both classes matched for size, and age and sex distribution, the pupils spent the first two weeks in their normal classroom groups. The second two‐week period was spent in rows before moving back into groups. The findings indicate that quantity of work completed generally increases when children are sat in rows whilst quality of work is maintained.     

Doctor/Nurse,Teacher/Caretaker: Children's Gendered Choice of Adult Occupation in Interviews and Role Plays

Abstract

A social constructionist analysis is used here to examine London primary school children's job choices in interview discussions and role play groups. Children's selections are compared according to gender, and according to the different interactive environments in which they made them. By analysing their responses this paper investigates which gendered constructions appeared to prevail, and the ways in which children explain their ideas. Previous studies of children's occupational choices have found their responses to be gender‐stereotypical. This paper shows that in their interviews the children in this study chose a diverse selection of jobs, which were less gender‐stereotypical than found in previous studies. However, a clear dichotomy remained between the attributes of the jobs chosen by the different genders, and few children chose jobs traditionally performed by the opposite sex. Moreover, in their role play groups children's constructions of gender and adult occupation often appeared different, and sometimes more gender‐stereotypical, than those in the interviews.