Early Childhood Educators’ Use of Language-Support Practices with 4-Year-Old Children in Child Care Centers

The importance of encouraging language skills in early childhood has been well documented. Educators who are responsible for children in daycare services have many opportunities to use rich and stimulating educational practices that support language acquisition. The purpose of this study was to assess the language-support practices used by 22 educators in ECE centers with 174 children (87 girls and 87 boys) aged 55.7 months on average (SD = 4.2). The Teacher Interaction and Language Rating Scale developed by Girolametto et al. (Teacher interaction and language rating scale, Hanen Centre, Toronto, 2000) was translated and adapted for use in French. Analyses reveal the heterogeneity of language support provided to 4-year-old children attending early childhood education centers in Québec (Canada). Results are discussed in relation to the importance of the educational setting and specific training on language skill development provided to educators around promoting language skills in children, a fundamental prerequisite for educational success.     

Picturebook Endpapers: Resources for Literary and Aesthetic Interpretation

In this article, we explore one of the important peritextual features of picturebooks—the endpapers. In order to represent the rich diversity of form and function displayed by endpapers, we group examples along two dimensions: whether the endpapers are illustrated or unillustrated, and whether the front and back end papers are identical or dissimilar. Within the four categories delineated by these two dimensions, we further articulate the various roles that endpapers can play in the construction of meaning from picturebooks. We present quotations from young children that show how they use endpapers as resources for literary and aesthetic interpretation, and provide suggestions for the integration of talk about endpapers within classroom literature discussions.

The views of primary pupils on school attendance at Key Stage 2 in Wales

This paper provides new empirical evidence on primary pupils’ views on school attendance in Wales at Key Stage 2. The research was conducted as part of the specific evidence commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) for the National Behaviour and Attendance Review (NBAR) in Wales which was chaired by the lead author. The findings indicate that nearly every child and young person who participated in the specially convened focus groups, in practically every setting, had a good awareness of the benefits of attending school regularly. They were all acutely aware of the potential consequences of non‐attendance both within their current setting and as it could potentially affect their later chances in life. They also understood the law regarding school attendance. They were clear about the attendance regulations within their own school settings. They were however, particularly concerned about bullying in all its forms, the use of supply teachers and “boring” teaching styles. Rewards for good attendance were generally appreciated. The implications of the findings are considered. This paper is the first of its kind to be undertaken in Wales and in the field of school attendance and opens up considerable possibilities for further research.     

RESEARCH SECTION: Nurture groups: a large‐scale,controlled study of effects on development and academic attainment

Nurture groups have contributed to inclusive practices in primary schools in the UK for some time now and have frequently been the subject of articles in this journal. This large‐scale, controlled study of nurture groups across 32 schools in the City of Glasgow provides further evidence for their effectiveness in addressing the emotional development and behaviour problems of vulnerable children. In particular, Sue Reynolds, Principal Educational Psychologist, Maura Kearney, Senior Educational Psychologist, both working in Glasgow City Council Psychological Services, and Tommy MacKay, Professor at the University of Strathclyde and Director of Psychology Consultancy Services, suggest that is the first study to report quantitative gains in academic achievement when the progress of pupils in nurture groups is compared with that of matched children in mainstream classes. This highlights the importance of providing a nurturing context as a basis for promoting children's learning.     

Does price matter? Overseas students in UK higher education

This paper explores the determinants of the choice of UK universities by overseas undergraduate applicants. We use data on overseas applicants in Business Studies and Engineering from 2002 to 2007, to 97 UK universities. Estimating using a Hausman–Taylor model to control for the possible correlation between our explanatory variables and unobservable university-level effects, we find that the fees charged may influence the application decision of some students, but that any relationship between levels of fees and applications is non-linear. The quality of education provided is positively and significantly related to the number of applications. Proximity to London and the existing popularity of a university among home applicants, are also significant predictors of university applications.     

Comparison of numerical and analytical solutions for fly casting dynamics

This paper presents an approximate analytical model of the dynamics of a tapered fly line during a standard overhead cast. During casting, the line forms a nonlinear propagating wave that is frequently referred to as a ‘loop’ by fly casters. The geometry of the loop is described by three distinct parts: a straight bottom segment (attached to a stationary fly rod), a semi-circular segment that is propagating (i.e. the loop), and a straight top segment that is also propagating, (i.e. the traveling line). A fly (particle) is attached at the end of the traveling line. A work-energy balance yields the velocity of the fly as a function of the length of the traveling line. For a uniform fly line (level line), a closed-form solution is found, while for a tapered fly line, the solution is obtained by quadrature. A critical loop diameter arises in the analysis, and it determines whether the final velocity of the fly is greater or lesser than the initial velocity of the traveling line. The analytical solutions are critically compared against numerical solutions of a general model for fly line dynamics that relaxes many of the assumptions employed in the analytical model. The agreement between the two solutions remains close during the loop propagation phase, provided a significant amount of fly line remains in the traveling line. However, as the traveling line vanishes and the loop ‘turns over’, the two solutions diverge abruptly due to the many simplifying assumptions employed in the analytical model.     

The clinical treatment of school refusal behavior: A survey of referral and practice characteristics

Youngsters with problematic nonattendance present a difficult dilemma for school psychologists and educators, particularly because of the prevalence and heterogeneity of the behavior. However, because of the information gap that often exists between researchers and practitioners, essential facts about the characteristics and treatment of this population are often unavailable to school personnel. This is unfortunate given that such personnel usually make initial decisions about referral and/or school-based intervention. Therefore, clinicians were surveyed about recently referred and treated cases of school refusal behavior. Data were obtained on clinical prevalence, demographic characteristics, length of absenteeism, severity, etiology, and length, type, and success of treatments used. Recommendations are made with respect to the initial referral and treatment of this population.