Measures of reading comprehension: do they measure different skills for children learning English as a second language?

The validity of two measures of English reading comprehension was examined across three different groups of English language learners (ELLs; 64 Portuguese, 66 Spanish and 65 Cantonese). All three groups were achieving within the average range in second grade. An exploratory principal components analysis of reading skills was carried out to determine which skills were related to two commonly used tests of reading comprehension, the Woodcock Language Proficiency Battery??s test of Passage Comprehension (WLPB-PC; Woodcock, 1991) and the Gray Oral Reading Test-4 (GORT-4; Wiederholt & Bryant, 2001). The factor solutions were different for the three language groups but showed many similarities in that the GORT-4 and WLPB-R tests of reading comprehension fell on the same factor within each group. Hierarchical regression analyses examining relationships among vocabulary, decoding and reading comprehension showed that language group membership did not significantly predict performance on either measure of reading comprehension. Differences that arose are likely due to issues with task validity and not ELL status. Limitations and future research are discussed.     

Little pitchers use their big ears: preschoolers solve problems by listening to others ask questions

Children ask questions and learn from the responses they receive; however, little is known about how children learn from listening to others ask questions. Five experiments examined preschoolers' (N = 179) ability to solve simple problems using information gathered from listening to question-and-answer exchanges between 2 parties present in the same room. Overall, the ability to efficiently use information gathered from overheard exchanges improved between ages 3 and 5. Critically, however, across ages children solved the majority of problems correctly, suggesting preschoolers are capable of learning from others' questions. Moreover, children learned from others' questions without explicit instruction and when engaged in another activity. Implications for the development of problem-solving skills are discussed.     

The power of information: health information and UK agendas

The Department of Health published a new health information strategy in May 2012. The document provides a framework for health information in England over the next 10 years. Health information developments in England, however, do not mirror developments in other parts of the United Kingdom. This article is a personal reflection on the new health information strategy in England, including comparison with developments in the other UK nations.     

Verbal aggression: A study of the relationship between communication traits and feelings about a verbally aggressive television show

This study investigated the relationship between people's communication tendencies for sending and receiving verbally aggressive messages with their opinions and feelings about a verbally aggressive television show. Participants (N=216) completed measures of verbal aggressiveness and psychological hurt before viewing a 7‐minute clip from the television show Daddy Dearest. Participants then completed measures for show affinity, character affinity, and show realism. The results showed that people who were verbally aggressive, tended to watch more television weekly, and did not report being hurt by receiving verbally aggressive messages, expressed more affinity for the character and the show and perceived the show to be similar to real life. People who reported greater psychological hurt from receiving verbally aggressive messages and tended to watch more television weekly also reported that the show was similar to real life.     

Reconceptualizing the role of habit: A new model of television audience activity

This paper explores the role played by habit in shaping audience behavior through an analysis of Nielsen audience data. Through the use of a structural equation model, comparisons, are made between individuals’ weekday and weekend viewing patterns to determine if similarities persist despite the structural and programmatic differences in those time periods. Results indicate that habit plays a significant role in viewing behavior.     

Construction Zones on the Library Road to the Future

This article suggests that substantial and often disturbing change is the only way that libraries can achieve a bright future in an increasingly digital world. Libraries must quickly adopt mobile technology, cloud computing, eScience, and the systematic organization and dissemination of quality information—and do so within the context of collaboration with other libraries in the region, nation, and world. Fiscal shortages can not be used as an excuse to postpone imperative changes; money has to be found.     

Research Guide to Mexican Law*

ABSTRACT

Carrying out effective and efficient research on Mexican law presents special challenges. Some of these are structural because they condition the entire research process. This guide covers all aspects of Mexican legal research, providing a contextualized overview of the subject. The guide is organized into three main sections: Primary Sources, Secondary Sources, and Online Resources. The reader of this guide will gain a solid foundation in how to do research on Mexican law.     

Teachers’ Concepts of Spatial Scale: An international comparison

Metric scale is an important concept taught as part of science curricula across different countries. This study explored metric and relative (body-length) scale concepts of inservice (N?=?92) and preservice (N?=?134) teachers from Austria, and Taiwan, and their concepts were compared with those of teachers from the USA. Participants completed three assessments: the Scale Anchoring Objects (SAO), Scale of Objects Questionnaire (SOQ), and a subsample of participants were interviewed with the Learning Scale Interview. A Rasch analysis was conducted with the SAO and SOQ and results showed that the Rasch model held for these assessments, indicating that there is an underlying common dimension to understanding scale. Further analyses showed that accuracy of knowledge of scale measured by the SAO and SOQ was not related to professional experience. There were significant differences in teachers’ accuracy of scale concepts by nationality. This was true for both metric and body-length SAO assessments. Post hoc comparisons showed that the Austrian and Taiwanese participants were significantly more accurate than the US sample on the SAO and SOQ. The Austrian participants scored significantly higher than the US and the Taiwanese participants. The results of the interviews showed that the Taiwanese experienced teacher participants were more likely to report learning size and scale through in-school experiences than the Austrian or the US participants. US teachers reported learning size and scale most often through participating in hobbies and sports, Taiwanese teachers reported learning scale through sports and reading, and Austrian teachers most often noted that they learned about scale through travel.