The structural relationship between writing attitude and writing achievement in first and third grade students

This study tested three models of the structural relationship between the writing achievement of primary grade students and their attitude towards writing (defined here as an affective disposition involving how the act of writing makes the author feel, ranging from happy to unhappy). The three models tested were: (a) writing attitude influences writing achievement in a unidirectional manner, (b) writing achievement influences writing attitude in a unidirectional manner, and (c) the effects of writing attitude and achievement are bidirectional and reciprocal. The model that best fit the data was based on the assumption that writing attitude influences writing achievement. In addition, the direct path between attitude and achievement in this model was statistically significant. Although third grade students were better writers than first grade students, there was no statistical difference in younger and older students’ attitude towards writing. In addition, girls were more positive about writing than boys, but there was no statistical difference in their writing achievement related to gender. This research extends models based on the cognitive and language processes of writing to include the role of attitude, which is an affective component of motivation.     

A process model of writing development across the life span

In this article, we provide an overview of writing development from a product perspective and from a process perspective. Then we discuss modifications of the most influential process model of skilled adult writing to explain beginning and developing writing, including a proposed developmental sequence of the emergence of cognitive processes in writing. Next we report the results of two recent dissertations by the second and third authors supervised by the first author aimed toward contrasting developmental issues: (a) specifying the algorithms or rules of thumb beginning and developing writers may use during on-line planning; and (b) investigating the further development of writing processes among skilled adult writers. In the first study, development was conceptualized as a linear process across age groups. In the second study, development was conceptualized as a horizontal process within skilled adult writers who expanded their expertise. Finally, we consider the developmental constraints and the instructional constraints on writing development and argue for a model of writing development in which endogenous and exogenous process variables interact to determine the outcome of the writing development process.     

A structural equation model of conceptual change in physics

A model of conceptual change in physics was tested on introductory‐level, college physics students. Structural equation modeling was used to test hypothesized relationships among variables linked to conceptual change in physics including an approach goal orientation, need for cognition, motivation, and course grade. Conceptual change in physics was determined using gains from pre‐ to post‐administration of the Force Concept Inventory (FCI). Results indicated that need for cognition and approach goals had a significant influence on motivation. Motivation influenced change scores on the FCI both directly, and indirectly, through course grade. Finally, course grade directly influenced conceptual change. The implications of these findings for future research and developing students' conceptual change in physics are discussed. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 48: 901–918, 2011     

Family parameters of achievement: A structural equation model

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of several structural and functional characteristics of the family on the child’s actual school achievement. A structural equation model was constructed and its ability to fit the data was tested. It was found that the child’s achievement is directly influenced by the socio-economic status of the family, which is a structural characteristic. The child’s achievement is also directly influenced by the child self-image and by various indications of the family function, such as parental involvement activities and expectations. Furthermore, the results show that the child’s self image is the strongest factor that explains school achievement. Among the many implications that this study offers for educational policy and practice is that children’s achievement may be significantly influenced by altering factors that are outside of school and outside of the students themselves; namely, parental behavior and family functioning.     

Storybook writing in first grade

Research literature on writingstorybooks overlooks first graders. This ispuzzling as children enter first grade havingemergent literacy, in reading, writing, andstory composition. It may reflect the belief that at thisage children should learn to read and write(conventionally) as the curriculum demands,while elaborate writing is assumed be taughtand developed in higher grades. This study investigated story writing by Arab(N = 184) and Jewish (N = 321) first graders inIsrael. The children were presented with fourrelated pictures, asked to paste them in thesequence of their choice in a booklet, and thento write a narrative in their first language(Arabic or Hebrew). Writing the storybook wasperceived as a space for literacy development,and was tested in the contextof two instruction methods: Success For All(SFA) and whole-class Active Learning (AL). Theclasses were observed and teachers wereinterviewed on writing instruction.Nineteen categories of writing yieldedthree clusters–factors: book print awareness,writing conventions, and story quality. Thesethen served as measures for writing outcomes. Jewish and Arab children in SFA achieved higherscores than AL students; the Jews were higherthan the Arabs on most categories, but theestimate gain was highest for Arabs in SFA. The effect of SFA was highest for at-riskJewish students and lowest for at-risk Arabstudents. The results are discussed against thelinguistic and cultural background of the twogroups and in respect of their implications forwriting instruction in a bilingual context.     

Unraveling the culture of the mathematics classroom: A video-based study in sixth grade

Changing perspectives on mathematics teaching and learning resulted in a new generation of mathematics textbooks, stressing among others the importance of mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills and their application to real-life situations. The article reports a study that investigates to what extent the reform-based ideas underlying these mathematical textbooks impact the current teaching of mathematics. Two problem-solving lessons were videotaped in 10 sixth-grade classrooms and a coding scheme was developed to analyze these lessons with regard to three aspects of the classroom culture that are assumed to enhance students’ mathematical beliefs and problem-solving competencies: (1) the classroom norms that are established, (2) the instructional techniques and classroom organization forms, and (3) the set of tasks students are confronted with. Two instruments were administered to measure students’ beliefs about learning mathematical word problem solving, and to assess their problem-solving processes and skills. The results indicate that some reform-based aspects seemed to be easier to implement (e.g., a strong focus on heuristic skills, embedding tasks in a realistic context) than others (e.g., the use of group work, an explicit negotiation of appropriate social norms).     

The role of finances in the persistence process: A structural model

The study empirically examined the role of finances on college persistence by presenting a causal model that relied on several theoretical frameworks. A quantitative model was tested via linear structural equations for categorical data that incorporated constructs from the financial aid literature as well as the persistence literature. The research design was longitudinal in nature and analyses were conducted on a sample of 466 college students who were attending a large public urban commuter institution in the spring of 1989. In sum, results appear to suggest that financial aid, and its concomitant attitude, is important not only because it equalizes opportunities between affluent and low-income students, but also because it facilitates the integration of the student into the academic and social components of the institution as well as by influencing his or her commitment to stay in college.     

On desirability of parsimony in structural equation model selection

This article is concerned with issues in structural equation model selection that pertain to the general utility of the well‐known principle of parsimony. An example is provided using data generated by a relatively nonparsimonious simplex model and fitted rather well by a parsimonious growth curve model that belongs to a different class of models. Implications for empirical research are subsequently discussed, with emphasis on the extent to which one may be willing to routinely use parsimony as the only principle to follow in structural model selection.     

The influence of the morphological structure of words on the dynamics of handwriting in adults and fourth and sixth grade children

Reading and Writing - Grapheme and syllable units have been shown to influence the dynamics of handwriting in adults and children, but the influence of morphemes remains to be clarified. We tested...     

六届师范生心理健康档案研究

本文分析研究了六届师范生SCL－90心理健康档案,通过总体水平的比较,反映出师范生心理健康水平略高于国内青年组常模;通过笥别比较,反映出师范男生心理健康水平略低于女生;通过测验内容的比较,反映出师范生所存在的心理健康问题依次为：强迫、人际敏感、偏执、敌对、焦虑、忧郁、恐怖、躯体化、精神病性、其他;通过曾后测的发展比较,反映出一定的教育影响可以提高师范生的心理健康水平。     

International political socialization of sixth grade elementary children: What and how do Japanese and Thai children know about the world?

This study investigates cognitive and affective components of Japanese and Thai children's attitudes toward international political socialization. The survey results report how children feel about people from other nations, international political institutions, and their country's involvement with the world community. An important concern of the study is the assessment of how much accurate knowledge Japanese and Thai elementary school children have about other nations. This study includes information on children's feelings about, and knowledge of such problems as warfare between nations, world government, stereotypic thinking about people not belonging to one's own culture and awareness of cross-cultural diffusion between Japan, Thailand and other nations.

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Zusammenfassung Diese Studie befaßt sich mit den kognitiven und affektiven Elementen der Einstellung japanischer und thailändischer Kinder zu internationaler politischer Sozialisierung. Aus den Ergebnissen der Untersuchung geht hervor, wie Kinder über Mitglieder anderer Nationen, über internationale politische Organisationen und über den Zusammenhang ihres Landes mit der Weltgemeinschaft denken. Ein wichtiges Ziel der Studie war es, festzustellen, wieviel akkurates Wissen von anderen Völkern japanische und thailändische Kinder besitzen. Der Bericht enthält Informationen über die Einstellung der Kinder und ihre Kenntnisse in bezug auf Probleme wie Kriege, Weltregierung, stereotypische Vorstellungen von Menschen, die nicht zur eigenen Kultur gehören, sowie darüber, inwieweit sie sich der grenzübergreifenden kulturellen Diffusion zwischen Japan, Thailand und anderen Ländern bewußt sind.

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Résumé Cette étude est une recherche des composants, cognitifs et affectifs, des attitudes des enfants thaïlandais et japonais devant la socialisation politique internationale. Les résultats de l'enquête montrent comment les enfants réagissent devant les gens des autres nations, devant les institutions politiques internationales et les relations de leur propre pays avec la communauté mondiale. L'auteur s'intéresse plus particulièrement à l'évaluation des connaissances exactes que les enfants thaïlandais et japonais des classes élémentaires possèdent sur les autres nations. L'étude donne des informations sur les sentiments des enfants à l'égard des autres pays, sur la connaissance qu'ils ont des problèmes tels que la guerre entre nations, le gouvernement mondial, la pensée stéréotypée sur ceux qui n'appartiennent pas à leur propre culture, et sur leur prise de conscience de la diffusion interculturelle entre le Japon, la Thaïlande et les autres nations.

     

过程写作法在英语写作教学中的应用

英语写作一直都是语言学习者难以把握的一项,也是英语教师在教学中的重难点。在实施过程中,英语写作教学的效果不尽人意,大部分教师依然运用写作教学法,学生欠缺有效的写作方法,因此提高英语写作能力还需假以时日。在本文中,笔者运用先进的教学理论进行试验探究,希望能够研究出英语过程写作教学的有效课堂,探究出一系列可以有效提升课堂写作教学的方法,从而达到"有效教学"的目标。     

Matthew effects in writing productivity during second grade

The primary aims of this study were twofold: (a) to describe average change in the written narrative performance of second grade students from the fall and spring of the school year and (b) examine patterns of individual growth to test for Matthew effects. Participants included 299 children in second grade. Microstructural measures were derived from students’ written narratives including: number of different words (NDW), total number of words (TNW), and accuracy of spelling and grammar. Significant increases in NDW, TNW, and spelling accuracy were evidenced from fall to spring. Students averaged 55 total words in the fall and averaged 69 words in the spring, with a statistically significant increase of 14 words t(299)?=?8.4, p?<?.0001). The variance in TNW from fall to spring increased from Var?=?791 to Var?=?1005, which was a significant increase and the correlation of initial Fall TNW and growth in TNW was also significant (r?=?0.39). Additionally, results from a two-level hierarchical linear model with students nested within teachers indicated that initial level of TNW predicted the change in TNW from fall to spring, with higher levels of initial TNW being related to larger gains in TNW. Significant predictors of Matthew effects included teacher or classroom and free/reduced lunch eligibility. Written personal narrative measures are sensitive to developmental change across a school year. Evidence of Matthew effects in lexical productivity suggests additional support may be warranted to ameliorate gaps in writing achievement.

     

Calculating degrees of freedom for a structural equation model

Multivariate Analysis of Categorical Data: Theory. John P. Van de Geer, Newbury Park, CA: Sage, 1993, 104 pages.

Multivariate Analysis of Categorical Data: Applications. John P. Van de Geer, Newbury Park, CA: Sage, 1993, 128 pages.     

Using the friedman method of ranks for model comparison in structural equation modeling

Empirical researchers maximize their contribution to theory development when they compare alternative theory‐inspired models under the same conditions. Yet model comparison tools in structural equation modeling—χ² difference tests, information criterion measures, and screening heuristics—have significant limitations. This article explores the use of the Friedman method of ranks as an inferential procedure for evaluating competing models. This approach has attractive properties, including limited reliance on sample size, limited distributional assumptions, an explicit multiple comparison procedure, and applicability to the comparison of nonnested models. However, this use of the Friedman method raises important issues regarding the lack of independence of observations and the power of the test.