The Effect of Fine Motor Skill Activities on Kindergarten Student Attention

This study explored the effect of fine motor skill activities on the development of attention in kindergarteners (n = 68) in five classes at a suburban public school in the Intermountain West through a pretest/posttest experimental group (n = 36) control group (n = 32) design. All children received the regular curriculum which included typical fine motor activities such as painting, coloring, writing, and play activities with small items. The treatment was a series of supplemental fine motor activities in which children used tongs, tweezers, and spoons to move small items. The assessment was the attention subtest of the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) (Naglieri, J. A., & Das, J. P. (1997a). Cognitive assessment system. Itasca, IL: Riverside). A significant group × sex interaction with females positively responding to the treatment was found, suggesting that fine motor skill activities are effective in increasing female kindergartners’ attention. Further studies exploring effective materials for males and factors such as student choice and interest are needed.     

The Relation Between Executive Functions,Fine Motor Skills,and Basic Numerical Skills and Their Relevance for Later Mathematics Achievement

Research Findings: This study examined the interrelations between fine motor skills, executive functions, and basic numerical skills in kindergarten as well as their predictive value for mathematics achievement in 2nd grade in a sample of 136 children. Structural equation modeling techniques were used to uncover the unique predictive value and mediation of 4 predictors. The results indicated that each of these factors made a unique contribution to the prediction of later mathematics achievement; when estimated simultaneously, basic numerical skills were the strongest predictor, which suggests that domain-specific factors have a greater impact on mathematics achievement than domain-general factors. A strong direct and indirect predictor was updating. Nevertheless, indirect effects of fine motor skills and an inhibition/switching factor indicated that domain-general skills have a direct impact on early domain-specific precursors and through them an indirect effect on mathematics achievement. Practice or Policy: These findings suggest that the relationship between motor skills, executive functions, and mathematical skills is more complex in its nature. Therefore, to achieve the best outcome, all skills should be promoted if a child has difficulties with mathematics.     

The Role of Mediators in the Development of Longitudinal Mathematics Achievement Associations

Despite research demonstrating a strong association between early and later mathematics achievement, few studies have investigated mediators of this association. Using longitudinal data (n = 1,362), this study tested the extent to which mathematics self‐concepts, school placement, executive functioning, and proficiency in fractions and division account for the association between mathematics achievement in first grade and at age 15. As hypothesized, a strong longitudinal association between first‐grade and adolescent mathematics achievement was present (β = .36) even after controlling for a host of background characteristics, including cognitive skills and reading ability. The mediators accounted for 39% of this association, with mathematics self‐concept, gifted and talented placement, and knowledge of fractions and division serving as significant mediators.     

幼儿园开展数学教育应注意的几个问题

幼儿园数学教育既是幼儿园教育活动的重要组成部分,又是幼儿园教育实践中的"硬骨头",针对当前整合教育思想下数学教育被淹没的情况,幼儿园数学教育应从数学与自然科学的关系、幼儿的思维发展规律、学前数学教育内容以及数学问题教学等几个方面进行研究与改进,以更好的促进幼儿园数学教育水平的整体提高。     

Adaptive Instruction and Pupil Achievement

In this article the results are reported of a quasi-experiment on effects of adaptive instruction on reading results of children in the first year of reading instruction in Dutch primary schools. The research involved 456 pupils from 23 schools (12 experimental and 11 control group schools). Teachers in the experimental group show significantly higher adaptive instruction behaviour consisting of: optimizing time on task, using the model for direct instruction, working according to the principles of the 'phonics construction method' for initial reading and degree of diagnostic teaching, than the teachers in the control group. The pupils in the experimental group were significantly more successful on the attainment of higher reading results in comparison with the pupils in the control group. This experimental effect does not only remain after correction for the pretest, but also after correction for intelligence, social economical background and pleasure in reading.     

在数学活动课中对智障学生进行精细动作训练尝试

精细动作训练是对智障学生进行康复训练的一个重要方法,能够增强其手部动作的灵活性、准确性,提高他们的手眼协调能力。在数学活动课中,有意识安排了精细动作训练的尝试：把精细动作训练与思维的有序性相结合;把精细动作训练与操作的准确性相结合,改善手指动作的精细化程度,提高了智障学生手—眼—脑的协调能力,从而提高智障学生的智力。     

Regulatory Contributors to Children's Kindergarten Achievement

The present study sought to examine whether preschool children's emotion regulation, problem behaviors, and kindergarten behavioral self-regulation in the classroom were predictors of kindergarten achievement scores. The children (N = 122, 47% male and 63% European American) who were participating in an ongoing longitudinal study, were seen at both a preschool and kindergarten assessment. The present study examined the relation between parent report, teacher report, and laboratory measures of regulation and children's achievement test scores. Children's emotion regulation and behavioral self-regulation in the classroom were related to all measures of achievement. The relation between preschool emotion regulation and kindergarten achievement was mediated by behavioral self-regulation in the kindergarten classroom. In addition, all measures of regulation were correlated, suggesting that some children who have difficulty regulating their behavior in one setting (such as home) may also have difficulty with regulation in other settings (such as school).     

Regulatory Contributors to Children's Kindergarten Achievement

The present study sought to examine whether preschool children's emotion regulation, problem behaviors, and kindergarten behavioral self-regulation in the classroom were predictors of kindergarten achievement scores. The children (N = 122, 47% male and 63% European American) who were participating in an ongoing longitudinal study, were seen at both a preschool and kindergarten assessment. The present study examined the relation between parent report, teacher report, and laboratory measures of regulation and children's achievement test scores. Children's emotion regulation and behavioral self-regulation in the classroom were related to all measures of achievement. The relation between preschool emotion regulation and kindergarten achievement was mediated by behavioral self-regulation in the kindergarten classroom. In addition, all measures of regulation were correlated, suggesting that some children who have difficulty regulating their behavior in one setting (such as home) may also have difficulty with regulation in other settings (such as school).     

中学生数学学习选择能力与学习成绩相关性研究

数学学习选择能力是一种数学学习能力.中学生的数学学习选择能力是影响学习成绩的重要因素,二者有着比较高的正相关,并且相关性显著.增强中学生数学学习选择能力的策略有:唤醒学生的选择意识,尊重学生的选择权利,积极改变教师的角色,加强对中学生数学学习选择能力的培养.     

Enhancing Basal Vocabulary Instruction in Kindergarten

To enhance the basal vocabulary instruction for kindergarten students at risk for reading difficulties, lessons provided in typical curricular materials can be supplemented with instructional elements derived from research. This article addresses how teachers can add 15 minutes of higher order instructional activities to daily reading lessons to deepen students’ understanding of target vocabulary and offer multiple exposures to the words in different contexts. This enhanced basal vocabulary instruction model was field tested in two configurations of the kindergarten reading block to refine the procedures. These experiences provide insights into how the model can feasibly be implemented in small‐ or whole‐group formats to improve students’ learning and engagement.     

彰显数学意识:幼儿数学教学的诉求

幼儿园数学教育对幼儿数学意识的生成起着关键的作用。幼儿数学意识就是幼儿能直观感知、领会他们生活中的数、形及其关系，并能主动、自觉地感受和运用数、量、形、数学符号、简单的数学方法的态度和意识。镶嵌式数学教学是彰显幼儿数学意识教学的有效途径；问题、操作、挑战和兴趣是彰显幼儿数学意识教学的有效条件；宽容幼儿数学学习中的“不正确”行为是彰显幼儿数学意识教学的环境保障。     

Associations Between Low-Income Children's Fine Motor Skills in Preschool and Academic Performance in Second Grade

Research Findings: Given the growing literature pertaining to the importance of fine motor skills for later academic achievement (D. W. Grissmer, K. J. Grimm, S. M. Aiyer, W. M. Murrah, &; J. S. Steele, 2010 Grissmer , D. W. , Grimm , K. J. , Aiyer , S. M. , Murrah , W. M. , &; Steele , J. S. ( 2010 ). Fine motor skills and early comprehension of the world: Two new school readiness indicators . Developmental Psychology , 46 , 1008 – 1017 .[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), the current study examines whether the fine motor skills of economically disadvantaged preschool students predict later academic performance in 2nd grade. More specifically, we expand on the current literature and evaluate whether 2 types of fine motor skills—fine motor object manipulation and fine motor writing—predict academic achievement above and beyond the effects of demographic characteristics and early language and cognition skills. Results indicate that performance on both fine motor writing and object manipulation tasks had significant effects on 2nd-grade reading and math achievement, as measured by grades and standardized test scores. Stronger effects were yielded for writing tasks compared to object manipulation tasks. Practice or Policy: Implications for researchers and early childhood practitioners are discussed.     

幼儿音乐教学活动中的常见问题及其解决策略

目前幼儿园音乐教学活动中存在诸多问题,突出表现在教师不考虑幼儿经验发展水平,只追求教学活动的顺利完成;对幼儿实际发展水平估计不当,教学目标太高或者太低等方面。改变关注的对象,采取加法或减法的策略是教师在音乐活动中帮助幼儿成功达成教学目标的主要策略。     

启发式教学在数学分析教学中的应用分析

启发式教学是教学中的一个重要原则。本文给出了将启发式教学贯穿于数学分析课程教学中的具体内容及分析,展示了启发式教学的核心意义：以培养学生的自学精神和良好的数学思维能力。     

幼儿园大班晨间阅读的指导策略研究

孩子学习成功的重要条件是阅读,培养孩子早期良好的阅读习惯,不仅能使幼儿的观察力、想象力得到有效发展,同时幼儿的语言表达能力也会相应的得到提高。相对于幼儿园的其他班级,幼儿园大班处于语言发展的关键期,要利用多种方式培养大班幼儿的阅读能力,掌握基本的阅读技能,让孩子在阅读中成长,为孩子的终身学习打下良好的基础。     

Beginning Reading Instruction and Later Academic Achievement

This study attempted to examine the long range effects of ITA, four years after its inception as a method of beginning reading instruction. IQ and achievement data were collected for both ITA and conventional (TO) reading groups. With achievement test subscores at the end of grade four as the criterion variable, results of 2-way analysis of variance designs indicated significant differences between the reading groups in four of twelve comparisons. Compared with TO, the ITA group achieved significantly higher mean scores on measures of word meaning, average reading, word study skills, and science. Although there were no interactions of mental ability with reading method in any of the twelve analyses, reading scores increased as IQ level increased regardless of the reading method considered.     

Instruction and Cognitive Change in Mathematics

A methodology for studying change during instruction in content-specific cognitive processes is presented. The methodology borrows both from the cognitive mediational approach in instructional effectiveness research and the instructional approach in cognitive psychology research. It is argued that learning from instruction must be understood in terms of the way in which instruction changes the cognitive processes used to solve tasks. The methodology is illustrated by summarizing a project on instructing middle-school students in semantic processes for solving decimal-fraction problems. The benefits of the methodology, such as tracing the effects of instruction on performance change, are discussed.