Identification of children at risk of dyslexia: the validity of teacher judgements using ‘Phonic Phases’

We report an investigation of the validity of teachers' ratings of children's progress in ‘phonics’ as a screener for dyslexia. Seventy‐three 6‐year‐olds from a whole school population were identified as ‘at risk’ of dyslexia according to teacher judgements of slow progression through phonic phases. Six months later, children's attainments in literacy and phonological skills were compared with those of their typically developing peers matched on age and gender. Teacher assessments of risk were related to individual differences in performance on a standardised test of reading ability. Teacher assessments overestimated ‘risk of dyslexia’, defined as below‐average reading performance. However, teacher judgements, supplemented by tests of phoneme awareness and rapid naming, allowed a sensitive and specific identification of children who subsequently experienced reading difficulties. These findings show teachers can identify risk of dyslexia; the accuracy of this process can be improved by administering two tests of phonological skills.     

The responses of fatty acid-binding protein and creatine kinase to acute and chronic exercise in junior rowers

The responses of fatty acid-binding protein (FABP) and creatine kinase (CK) were compared in a group of junior rowers during 5 weeks of training. Acute exercise induced a larger increase in FABP (70-362%) than in CK (24-156%). When the chronic effect of exercise was studied, the baseline FABP levels were independent of previous training. However, the baseline CK level was dependent on the training that took place during 1 day before (F = 4.362, p < .01) and on the combined training on the previous 2 days (F = 4.606, p < .005). The present results suggest that FABP and CK could be used to monitor acute exercise and chronic exercise, respectively.     

Medical journal publishing: one culture or several?

Medical publishing uses the skills of people from a wide range of backgrounds. In this study we set out to examine their attitudes and assess the degree of homogeneity. We gathered questionnaire responses from selected editors and medical reviewers and found that, on the whole, there was a homogeneous culture, though there were some significant differences. This has important implications for managers and trainers.     

Skills for school leavers in Sri Lanka: TEUsLes vocations pour les sortants d'école au Sri Lanka: Groupes d'enseignement technique — Technical Education UnitsOficios para alumnos terminando su edad escolar en Sri Lanka: UET

Technical Education Units (TEUs) are short-cycle skill development programmes for a wide range of rural and urban occupations. They are intended for unemployed youth. Initiated in 1974, the TEUs now number over 900 and 35,000 students were reported enrolled in 1981.Although attached to regular secondary schools, the TEUs have tried to base their training on the needs and opportunities of their particular localities. To this end, they seek local participation in the chouce and design of their courses. In particular, they try to provide links to the local labour market, together with support facilities for self-employment.Despite problems and short-falls in expectations, the TEU programme seems a fundamentally sound approach to skill development. Particularly stressed is that, where local initiative has been supported by regional authority, there has been little problem in attracting school-leavers to courses or in placing them in employment. The role of influential local individuals is not to be underestimated.     

360° Folio Networking: Enhancing Advising Interactions and Expanding Mentoring Opportunities with ePortfolios

This article examines how students can use the ePortfolio tool and platform to facilitate and foster increased opportunities for interactions with formal academic advisors and informal mentors. The learning documented within an ePortfolio can be especially useful as a resource for advisors and mentors who are looking not only to connect with their students in meaningful and relevant ways, but who also seek to understand their advisees' backgrounds and interests in order to better guide and support them along their academic journey. Drawing on theories from advising, mentoring, social networking, and communities of practice, the 360° folio networking framework proposed explains the enhanced advising interactions and expanded mentoring opportunities that result when applied to ePortfolios. Examples from several institutions illustrating how ePortfolios have been integrated into advising and mentoring programs are explored.     

Correction to: Better beware: comparing metacognition for phishing and legitimate emails

Metacognition and Learning - The article “Better beware: comparing metacognition for phishing and legitimate emails”, written by Casey Inez Canfield, Baruch Fischhoff and Alex Davis,...     

Abusive head trauma: A perpetrator confesses

Objectives

To present a detailed confession from a perpetrator of Shaken Baby syndrome.

Methods

Case study.

Results

We present a confession of Shaken Baby syndrome describing how the perpetrator severely injured a 3 year old with repeated bursts of acceleration-deceleration (shaking). The child sustained retinal and intracranial hemorrhage. Details of the confession and circumstances by which it was obtained lead us to believe its accuracy.

Conclusions

Accurate perpetrator confessions offer useful windows into realities and pathophysiology of abusive head trauma.     

Association of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Perinatal Maternal Depression with Early Childhood Behavioral Problems: An Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Study

This study examined the association of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), prenatal, and postnatal maternal depressive symptoms with externalizing, internalizing, and autism spectrum problems on the Preschool Child Behavior Checklist in 2379 children aged 4.12 ± 0.60 (48% female; 47% White, 32% Black, 15% Mixed Race, 4% Asian, <2% American Indian/Alaskan Native, <2% Native Hawaiian; 23% Hispanic). Data were collected from the NIH Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program from 2009-2021. GDM, prenatal, and postnatal maternal depressive symptoms were each associated with increased child externalizing and internalizing problems. GDM was associated with increased autism behaviors only among children exposed to perinatal maternal depressive symptoms above the median level. Stratified analyses revealed a relation between GDM and child outcomes in males only.     

E-Books as Non-interactive Textual Compositions: An Argument for Simplicity over Complexity in Future E-Book Formats

This paper serves to qualify the present form of the e-book as one of many different kinds of digital compositions, or voluntarily consumed digital media. This paper also aims to show how future e-books, by virtue of its responsive nature and higher text-to-nontext ratio compared to other digital compositions, may only iterate into simpler formats (emphasis on textual components) as opposed to more complicated formats (emphasis on audiovisual components). This is due in part to consumer and market expectations of the e-book as well as limitations for the e-book as a medium. Because of this, I predict the next iteration for the e-book—the web book—will exist almost entirely in web applications.