The Impact of Gender on Types of Verbal Interactions in Corporate Training Sessions

This study describes verbal interactions in 13 selected training sessions across the United States using the INTERSECT instrument. More than two‐thirds of the interactions were found to be acceptance, the mere acknowledgment of a response by the instructor, with remediation accounting for about 21%, and praise, 11%. Criticism occurred only 4 times, or 18%. Male trainers provided more acceptance responses than female trainers at a statistically significant level. There were no differences in verbal classroom interactions based on gender equity during instruction.     

Investigations into the relationships of the WRAT,the PIAT,the SORT,and the WISC-R in low-functioning referrals

Research involving standardized reading achievement tests has been widespread, but there has been little investigation into the relationships among the more widely used tests of reading achievement. In the present study, the Reading subtest of the WRAT, the Reading Comprehension subtest of the PIAT, and the SORT were compared with each other and with the WISC-R. Results showed a high correlation between the WRAT and the PIAT, a moderately high correlation between the SORT and the PIAT, and a very low correlation between the SORT and the WRAT. The WRAT and the PIAT had higher correlations with the various components of the WISC-R than did the SORT. These findings imply that the WRAT and the PIAT measure essentially the same dimension of reading achievement, possibly verbal fluency, but that the SORT is measuring a different dimension, one that is also tapped to some extent by the PIAT.     

Life events as stressors with gifted adolescents

The present study investigated the perceived stressfulness of life events by 53 gifted adolescents in a rural southeastern area. In comparison to previous samples, these youths rated life events as similar except for items related to achievement, social status, and career aspirations, which they rated as more stressful. Pressure to perform was rated as stressful, but actually being labeled gifted was rated as a relatively low stressful event.     

Construct validity of the K-ABC for gifted children

Fifty-four elementary-age gifted students were administered the K-ABC. To determine construct validity of the test for this population, the factor structure was obtained for mental processing and achievement subtests and then compared to the factor structure obtained for children from the standardization sample via a procedure that determines factor structure similiarity between groups. Except for minor variations, the factor structure for the gifted children was very similar to that for nongifted children in the standardization sample. However, the most parsimonious structure accounted for slightly less than 40% of the shared test variance, which leads to questions about the advisability of educational program planning based on obtained scores.     

A study of self-actualization and self-concept in intellectually gifted students

The self-actualization and self-concept of 368 intellectually gifted students in grades 4 through 12 from a rural school district in a southern state were investigated using the Reflections of Self by Youth (ROSY; Schatz & Buckmaster, 1981), the Maslowian Scale (Falk, Bard, Duffy, Grieco, & Markus, 1988), and the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale (Piers & Harris, 1969). School level and gender had significant effects on the ROSY. The mean for students at the high school level was higher than at either the elementary or junior high school level. The mean for girls was higher than for boys. A significant interaction between school level and gender was observed only on the Psychological subscale of the Maslowian Scale. The ROSY and Self-actualization subscale and Total score of the Maslowian Scale were significantly related to the Piers-Harris. The ROSY and the Maslowian Scale were found to share a significant relationship (r = .51).     

Exploring alternative assessments for signing deaf candidates

Attitudes to sign languages or language policies are often not overtly discussed or recorded but they influence deaf young people's educational opportunities and outcomes. Two qualitative studies from Scotland investigate the provision of British Sign Language as accommodation in public examinations. The first explores the views of deaf pupils and staff about the official system for face-to-face interpretation of exam papers. The second investigates a centrally translated digital paper with embedded video questions. Discussion focuses on contrasts between the USA and UK approaches to accommodations, raising issues of standardized technical terms in signed languages, the right to respond in sign, and candidate choice.     

Jimmy Carter on service learning

Jimmy Carter speaks candidly about his commitment to community service, the early influences that shaped his commitment, and the ways that higher education can foster the service habit in students.