Words correct per minute: The variance in standardized reading scores accounted for by reading speed

The measure words correct per minute (WC/M) incorporates a measure of accurate aloud word reading and a measure of reading speed. The current article describes two studies designed to parse the variance in global reading scores accounted for by reading speed. In Study I, reading speed accounted for more than 40% of the reading composite score variance in 4th‐, 5th‐, and 10th‐grade students. In Study II, reading speed accounted for more than 30% of the reading/language arts composite score variance of fourth‐ and fifth‐grade students. Across both studies, when reading speed was combined with words read correctly and converted to WC/M the additional variance accounted for was less than 10% with one exception, fourth‐grade students' reading/language arts scores. These findings are consistent with various theories regarding reading speed, provide direction for future researchers, and may assuage those concerned that WC/M is primarily a measure of aloud, accurate word reading (i.e., word calling). © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Aspects of school-university research networks that play a role in developing, sharing and using knowledge based on teacher research

School-university research networks aim at closer integration of research and practice by means of teacher research. Such practice-oriented research can enhance teachers’ professional knowledge development, and can benefit both schools and university. This paper reports on 21 participants of a school-university research network embedded in a Master’s program. The main question was: which aspects of a school-university research network play a role in processes of developing, sharing and using knowledge based on research by Master’s students? Fifteen network aspects were distinguished, which together provide a useful framework for better understanding and further study of knowledge processes in school-university research networks.     

Treating Suicidality in College Counseling Centers: A Response to Polychronis

This is a commentary on the article by Paul D. Polychronis, “Changes Across Three Editions of The Suicidal Patient: Clinical and Legal Standards of Care: Relevance to Counseling Centers,” published in this issue of the Journal of College Student Psychotherapy.     

The Impact of a Mentor-coaching Model on Teacher Professional Development

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the mentor–coach initiative model on participating Head Start Programs. The researchers interviewed 44 participants across two mid-western states. The participants provided positive feedback about the initiative and identified specific literacy practices based on this model that were successfully implemented in their classrooms. Evidence from this study suggests the importance of incorporating the mentor-coaching initiative model to enhance teacher pedagogical practices.     

Developmental gender differences for overhand throwing in Aboriginal Australian children

In a review of 46 meta-analyses of gender differences, overhand throwing had the largest gender difference favoring boys (ES > 3.0). Expectations for gender-specific performances may be less pronounced in female Australian Aborigines, because historical accounts state they threw for defense and hunting. Overhand throwing velocities and kinematics were recorded in 30 female and male Aboriginal Australian children 6-10 years old. Results indicated the Aboriginal girls and boys were more similar in horizontal ball velocities than U.S. girls and boys. Throwing kinematics between girls and boys were also more similar in Australian Aborigines than U.S. children. Aboriginal girls threw with greater velocities than U.S., German, Japanese, and Thai girls, while the boys were similar across cultures.     

Paraprofessionals use of group school-based instrumental mentoring: Examining process and preliminary outcomes

Many schools use paraprofessionals to implement and monitor interventions. Though paraprofessionals are cost-effective, many questions remain about the training and skills they need to implement a wide array of school-based interventions. In this study, we compare paraprofessionals' (i.e., undergraduates) implementation of the Group-Academic Mentoring Program for Education Development (Group-AMPED) to school psychology graduate students' implementation of Group-AMPED. Ten paraprofessionals and five school psychology graduate students provided approximately eight sessions of Group-AMPED to 35 sixth-grade students. Results indicated no significant differences between middle school students' engagement when groups were led by either school psychology graduate students or paraprofessionals. Similarly, self-reports of fidelity and supervisor postsession implementation confidence indicated no difference between paraprofessionals and graduate students' implementation of Group-AMPED. Follow-up measures indicated that mentors and proteges perceived Group-AMPED as feasible, acceptable, and understandable. Most importantly, middle school students participating in Group-AMPED had significantly higher second-semester grades in comparison to a small control group.     

Day-level sedentary pattern estimates derived from hip-worn accelerometer cut-points in 8–12-year-olds: Do they reflect postural transitions?

Improving sedentary measurement is critical to understanding sedentary-health associations in youth. This study assessed agreement between the thigh-worn activPAL and commonly used hip-worn ActiGraph accelerometer methods for assessing sedentary patterns in children. Both devices were worn by 8–12-year-olds (N = 195) for 4.6 ± 1.9 days. Two ActiGraph cut-points were applied to two epoch durations: ≤25 counts (c)/15 s, ≤75c/15s, ≤100c/60s, and ≤300c/60s. Bias, mean absolute deviation (MAD), and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) tested agreement between devices for total sedentary time and 11 sedentary pattern variables (usual bout duration, sedentary time accumulated in various bout durations, breaks/day, break rate, and alpha). For most sedentary pattern variables, ActiGraph 25c/15s, 75c/15s, and 100c/60s had poor ICCs, with bias and MAD >20%. ActiGraph 300c/60s had a better agreement than the other cut-points, but all ICCs were <0.587. ActiGraph underestimated sedentary time in longer bouts and usual bout duration, and overestimated sedentary time in shorter bouts, breaks/day, and alpha. For total sedentary time, ActiGraph 25c/15s, 300c/60s, and 75c/15s had good/fair ICCs, with bias and MAD <20%. Sedentary patterns derived from two commonly used ActiGraph cut-points did not appear to reflect postural changes. These differences between measurement devices should be considered when interpreting findings from sedentary pattern studies.     

Quelques reflexions sur l'enseignement de la numération aux enfants de 7, 8 ou 9 ans

Sans résuméI.R.E.M. de Paris-Sud     

Preschoolers’ Physical Activity Participation Across a Yearlong Mastery-Motivational Climate Intervention

Purpose: This study sought to determine how children’s participation in physical activity during a mastery-motivational climate changed during a 20-week intervention and to compare it to children’s free-play activity during a typical day at their local day-care facility. Method: Twelve 4-year-old children participated in a mastery-motivational climate physical activity program delivered 2 days a week for 20 weeks during a period of 8 months. All children were fitted with an Actigraph GT3X triaxial accelerometer. Data from the accelerometers were reduced to determine minutes of sedentary time, light physical activity, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during (a) all 20 weeks, and (b) Weeks 1 through 4, Weeks 9 through 12, and Weeks 17 to 20 for the mastery climate. Activity levels in the mastery condition were compared to the children’s activity during unplanned free play in Weeks 1, 10, and 20. Results: During the course of the mastery-motivational climate program, participation in sedentary behavior decreased statistically significantly, while participation in MVPA increased statistically significantly. Within the free-play condition, there were no changes in the levels of activity across time, with the children spending on average more than 80% of their time being sedentary. Conclusions: Findings indicate that when specific task structures associated with a mastery climate are included in an instructional setting, these climate manipulations seem to have a direct effect on physical activity levels once the children learned how to manage themselves in the setting. Free-play activity in and of itself does not appear to stimulate MVPA.     

Making Space for Storytime: The Role of the Environment in the Production of Storytime

ABSTRACT

This article reviews the findings from Project VIEWS2, a four-year IMLS-funded study that examined the early literacy impact of public library storytimes, and provides detail on a secondary analysis of storytime spaces that was done using the Project VIEWS2 dataset. The storytimes spaces were explored by looking at the spatial quality, physical literacy environment, and seating of attendees, as these characteristics have been identified as important aspects of early childhood learning environments. Findings across these three characteristics are presented as well as implications and recommendations for more effective storytime practice and space design.