Friendships, Peer Acceptance, and Group Membership: Realtions to Academic Achievement in Middle School

Two samples of sixth-grade students were followed over time to examine relations of number of reciprocated friendships, peer acceptance, and group membership to academic achievement. In both samples, group membership was the most consistent predictor of grades over time. In study 2, prosocial behavior, antisocial behavior, and emotional distress were examined as processes that might explain these significant links between peer relationships and academic achievement. Results of longitudinal analyses support a conclusion that aspects of peer relationships are related to classroom achievement indirectly, by way of significant relations with prosocial behavior. Future research might benefit from more in-depth analyses of the functions of adolescent peer relationships and the processes by which they influence orientations toward social and academic competence at school.     

Setting up an Email Peer Support Scheme

This article opens with a review of current research on peer interventions and their capacity to impact on school climate and bystander behaviour, as well as to meet the aims of fostering altruism. The main focus of the article is a study of an email support group in an all-boys school in the United Kingdom. It was set up in response to an incident of physical bullying and after consultation it was found that email was the preferred mode of support. The article discusses the reasons for this and presents details of how the support system was set up and operated, and reports the outcomes. The authors conclude that email provides a good medium for peer support schemes in schools, as it increases anonymity, and reduces concerns about 'grassing'.     

Feasibility and Effectiveness of a Brief Cognitive Behavioral Skills Group on an Ethnically Diverse Campus

This study examined the effectiveness of a brief cognitive behavioral skills group in reducing anxiety, depression, and worry among a sample of low-income predominantly ethnic minority college students. Students were assigned to a skills group (N?=?54) or a wait-list control group (N?=?30). Students completed assessment at preintervention, postintervention, and 1-month follow-up. Linear mixed model analyses revealed significant interaction (time?×?condition) on all outcome variables, although there were different patterns for each dependent variable. Results support the use of a brief cognitive behavioral skills group among low-income predominantly ethnic minority students to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and worry.     

Community-Building in a Diverse Setting

Research demonstrates that community-building in schools is an integral aspect of student success. Based on a foundation of research findings related to the importance of implementing community-building into all aspects of a school, community-building activities, including five specific classroom strategies (parent visits class to tell about child, weekly newsletter with interactive activities, bi-monthly open-house hour where children explain school work to parents, Valentine letters filled with true compliments, and a cultural celebration unit focused on Africa), were implemented in an urban magnet school. This school was moving toward racial integration as well as implementation of a Montessori education program. As predicted from research information, incorporating community-building strategies geared at creating a welcoming climate, at improving faculty interaction, at fostering collaborative classrooms, and towards on-going and open teacher/parent communication and collaboration resulted in positive outcomes in what could have otherwise been a difficult, negative or unproductive situation.     

Low‐Income Ethnically Diverse Children's Engagement as a Predictor of School Readiness Above Preschool Classroom Quality

This study examined whether children's observed individual engagement with teachers, peers, and tasks related to their school readiness after controlling for observed preschool classroom quality and children's baseline skills. The sample included 211 predominately low‐income, racially/ethnically diverse 4‐year‐old children in 49 preschool classrooms in one medium‐sized U.S. city. Results indicated that children's positive engagement with (a) teachers related to improved literacy skills; (b) peers related to improved language and self‐regulatory skills; and (c) tasks related to closer relationships with teachers. Children's negative engagement was associated with lower language, literacy, and self‐regulatory skills, and more conflict and closeness with teachers. Effect sizes were small to medium in magnitude, and some expected relations between positive engagement and school readiness were not found.     

Effects of School Organizational Structure on Interracial Friendships in Middle Schools

Abstract

This study examined the effect of school organizational structure on interracial friendships among middle school students. Students evaluated a white friend and a black friend on a modified semantic differential scale and reported the number of their other-race friends. Responses of students in two team-structured schools were contrasted to those of students in three traditionally structured schools. Multivariate analysis revealed that the organization of a school affects number of other-race friends and that whites with even some black friends are more positive in their perceptions of blacks than are those who report having almost no black friends. Variations in the nature and extent of contact between white and black students in schools does affect the racial attitudes of whites. Black students rated white and black friends the same regardless of the organizational structure of the school.     

Peer Mediation, School Culture and Sustainability

This paper outlines the characteristics of peer mediation in schools and its potential, evident in the literature, for reducing pupil–pupil conflicts referred to teachers. Then, drawing on personal experience, research and a review of literature, the author argues that for peer mediation projects to be effective they need to be in synergy with the culture of the school, including its approach and vision to the management of conflict. Making this argument requires a means of modelling school culture, which will be outlined. Finally, the author argues that attention also needs to be given to how the service will be sustained.     

Age, Prior Opinions, and Peer Interactions in Opinion Restructuring

A sample of 160 6-, 8-, and 11-year-old children and adults expressed their opinion on a topic alone (pretest), jointly with a peer (test), and then alone (posttest). Opinion restructuring was measured by view-change type and the addition of reasons incorporated from 6 types of peer interactions (agreements and disagreements with 3 levels of complexity). Prior opinion was examined by comparing performances for pairs holding congruous or noncongruous pretest views of the topic. Age affected the number, type, and elaboration level of pretest reasons; the complexity level of peer interactions and the type of peer interactions that led to the incorporation of reasons; and the type of view change. Prior opinion affected the likelihood of view change and the kind of reasons added. The findings are related to developmental models of peer influences on cognitive restructuring and to models of persuasion and children's suggestibility in eyewitness memory.     

Promoting Desirable Outcomes Among Culturally and Ethnically Diverse Children in Social Emotional Learning Programs: a Multilevel Heuristic Model

The primary goal of this article is to situate the findings from evidence-based studies of social emotional learning (SEL) interventions into a broader social context by reframing the discussion to consider how aspects of sociocultural competence impact the development and delivery of programs. The limitations of current SEL intervention efforts are discussed and a multilevel heuristic model that identifies and defines the theoretical constructs that we believe are culturally bound and associated with the content, implementation, and evaluation components of SEL intervention programs is presented. We point out constraints associated with this effort and offer specific strategies and activities by which school personnel involved in these activities can be encouraged to embrace socioculturally based SEL practices in their classrooms and offer guidance for future research.     

Peer Assessments and Psychological Status of School Children

In this study an investigation was carried out to assess the appropriateness of children's peer evaluations in the prediction of psychological vulnerability. A sample of 265 Year 6 primary school children were the subjects. The General Health Questionnaire, the Test of Early Socio‐Emotional Development and the Pupil Evaluation Inventory were the scales used. Analysis indicates that peer ratings of aggression and withdrawal are strongly correlated with measures of psychological vulnerability. However, the teachers’ ratings were more perceptive than the peer evaluations when assessing withdrawn behaviour. The results are discussed in terms of the usefulness of peer evaluations in assessing social and emotional adjustment in children.     

Social Interactions and Peer Perceptions of Young Physically Abused Children

14 3-6-year-old children with a history of physical abuse and a closely matched comparison group of 14 nonabused children, all of whom had been in day-care for more than a year, participated in this investigation. Behavior observations, teacher reports, and peer sociometric ratings were used to evaluate children's peer interactions. It was found that abused children initiated fewer positive interactions with peers and exhibited a higher proportion of negative behavior than nonabused comparison children. Peers viewed abused children as less well liked. Further, peers were less likely to reciprocate the initiations of abused children, although they approached abused children as often as they approached comparison children. Teachers viewed abused children as more behaviorally disturbed. Overall, results indicated that abused children experience disturbed social interactions outside the home environment, despite involvement in a day-care setting that provides alternative peer and adult role models.     

Establishing Peer Mediation in a Special School Context

This article reports an evaluation of a peer mediation scheme in a special school for students with moderate learning difficulties. The evaluation of the project focused on two aspects: the effectiveness of the training of the mediators and the effect of the project on the school community. The author concluded that pupils with moderate learning difficulties have the ability to mediate successfully; that the process can develop their social skills and emotional literacy; and can play a notable part in increasing cooperation between pupils within the school environment.     

学生多元网络互动与教育教学

网络技术的迅速发展,尤其是无线网络技术的发展,使网络无处不在,这就为学生网络多元互动提供了物质基础.师生互动、生生互动、学生与网络自我的互动以及学生与网络教材的互动构成了学生多元互动的主体,在教学中,教师应有针对性地加以利用,发挥好网络的积极作用,并努力将减少网络的消极作用.     

Name-calling and Peer Beliefs among Primary School Children in Turkey

Name-calling is a common problem among primary school children in Turkey as in other countries. The Name-Calling Survey and Peer Beliefs Inventory were used to determine the relationships between name-calling and peer beliefs amongst a group of 319 primary school children in Turkey. Name-calling was found to be more common amongst boys than girls. A negative relationship was found between name-calling and peer beliefs, so that the greater experience of name-calling, the more children disliked their peers. Gender and grade level were found to have a significant negative relationship. The name-calling experiences of students affected their friendship relationships negatively, which contributed to violence in schools. School counsellors must be aware of name-calling victims and perpetrators, as well as organizing educational programmes aimed at helping students to cope with these problems.     

Facilitating Positive Peer Interactions Among Handicapped and Non‐Handicapped Students

Legislation in U.S.A. mandates participation of handicapped students within the regular classroom to the maximum possible extent; however, research tends to substantiate the rejected status of these students. The purpose of this paper is to review programs and procedures which have been developed to modify peer acceptance of exceptional children in the regular classroom.     

Reflections on Anti-Bullying Peer Counselling in a Comprehensive School

This report reflects on the first year of a peer support scheme, implemented as a means to reduce the psychological effects of bullying in one secondary school. Practical problems identified by teachers and pupils regarding recruitment, training, and running the scheme are discussed.