Issues in phonological awareness assessment

Awareness of the internal phonological structure of words is a causal factor in success with the alphabetic principle in word recognition. However, findings with the Lindamood Auditory Conceptualization (LAC) Test reveal 25–30% of the population show deficiency in a subtle component of phonological awareness termed comparator function. We argue that this comparator function—an ability to hold the phoneme and/or syllable segments of two phonological structures in mind and compare and represent any variations in the number, identity, or order of their segments—is a primary sensory-cognitive function underlying the secondary function of self-correction in word recognition and spelling. And since word recognition correlates highly with comprehension, comparator function also indirectly impacts this basic purpose for reading. We suggest that the needs of many individuals, including educators themselves, for development and refinement of phonological awareness/comparator function may be misdiagnosed and underaddressed unless more sensitive measures of phonological awareness are used. The consequence of inadequate assessment/remediation of these deficiencies in educators is that they may be less able to assess and address these deficiencies in their students. Standard phonics instruction is known to be ineffective in developing phonological awareness for many individuals. However, phonological deficits can be addressed both preventively and remedially using procedures that are fundamentally different from typical phonics instruction.     

Congruence between educational attitudes and academic philosophies

Kerlinger's theory of social attitudes asserts that attitudes toward educational practices can be represented by the independent dimensions of progres-sivism and traditionalism. This study focused on the relationship between these attitudes and the philosophies of realism and pragmatism. A sample of 152 graduate students in education completed three instruments measuring educational attitudes and the basic and applied philosophies. Factor analytic results supported a dualistic theory rather than a bipolar theory for attitudes and philosophies. Pragmatists supported the progressive referents of children's interests and social development as educational goals, while realistsy supported traditional concepts emphasizing structure and the learning of content. The results are discussed in terms of the consistency between educational attitudes and a teacher's philosophy.     

Narrative construction of professional teacher identity of teachers with dyslexia

This paper considers the development of teachers’ professional identity in the context of educators that have diverse backgrounds. We elucidate how teachers with dyslexia working in tertiary education use narrative resources to construct and negotiate their professional teacher identities. The analysis of narrative interviews, interpreted within the framework of positioning theory and the theories of narrative identity, indicated that the interviewees constructed several professional teacher identities that were closely linked to each teacher’s perception of their dyslexia. The experience of dyslexia was clearly evident as a positive element in each identity. Instead of seeing it as an obstacle it can become a part of the teacher’s own identity and can be used as a tool to thrive in their profession.     

Book reviews

Myocybernetic control models of skeletal muscle: characteristics and applications, H. Hatze, University of South Africa Press, Pretoria, 1981. xi+221 pp, ISBN 0 86981 216 5

Psychology of motor learning, (2nd edition) J.B. Oxendine, Prentice‐Hall, Inc., New Jersey, 1984. 403 pp, £26.75 (hb), ISBN 0 13 736603 5

Exercise, health and medicine, Symposium Procedings, Sports Council, London, 1984. 66 pp, £4.00 (pb), ISBN 0 906577 42 X

Human motor actions: Bernstein reassessed, H.T.A. Whiting (ed.), North Holland, Amsterdam, 1984. xxxv+559 pp, £40.00 (hb), ISBN 0 4444 868135

Sporting body sporting mind, John Syer and Christopher Connolly, Cambridge University Press, 1984. 160 pp, £3.95 (pb), ISBN 0 521 26935 0

Exercise physiology: human bioenergetics and its applications, George A. Brooks and Thomas D. Fahey, John Wiley & Sons, UK, 1984. xxiv + 810 pp, £30 (hb) ISBN 0 471 88827 3     

Advanced Math Course Taking: Effects on Math Achievement and College Enrollment

Using data from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002–2006, the authors investigated the effects of advanced math course taking on math achievement and college enrollment and how such effects varied by socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity. Results from propensity score matching and sensitivity analyses showed that advanced math course taking had positive effects on math achievement and college enrollment. Results also demonstrated that the effect of advanced math course taking on math achievement was greater for low socioeconomic status students than for high socioeconomic status students, but smaller for Black students than for White students. No interaction effects were found for college enrollment. Limitations, policy implications, and future research directions are discussed.     

International conference on sport,leisure and ergonomics

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the physical demands of women’s rugby union match play using time–motion analysis and heart rate (HR) response. Thirty-eight premier club level female rugby players, ages 18–34 years were videotaped and HRs monitored for a full match. Performances were coded into 12 different movement categories: 5 speeds of locomotion (standing, walking, jogging, striding, sprinting), 4 forms of intensive non-running exertion (ruck/maul/tackle, pack down, scrum, lift) and 3 discrete activities (kick, jump, open field tackle). The main results revealed that backs spend significantly more time sprinting and walking whereas forwards spend more time in intensive non-running exertion and jogging. Forwards also had a significantly higher total work frequency compared to the backs, but a higher total rest frequency compared to the backs. In terms of HR responses, forwards displayed higher mean HRs throughout the match and more time above 80% of their maximum HR than backs. In summary, women’s rugby union is characterised by intermittent bursts of high-intensity activity, where forwards and backs have similar anaerobic energy demands, but different specific match demands.     

Endurance training adherence in elite junior netball athletes: a test of the theory of planned behaviour and a revised theory of planned behaviour

This study examined the utility of Ajzen's (1985) theory of planned behaviour and Maddux's (1993) revised theory of planned behaviour to predict endurance training intentions and adherence of elite junior netball athletes. One hundred and fifteen athletes from the England Netball World Class Start Programme were assessed on constructs central to the predictions of the two theories. Adherence to a recommended endurance training programme was recorded in self-report diaries across a 9-week period. Validity for the diaries was supported by significant correlations (P < 0.001) with recalls across 7 days and 9 weeks. Adherence was moderate and variable between athletes (mean = 66.05, s = 25.75%). Two separate path analyses were conducted to examine the predictions of the theories. Goodness-of-fit indices suggested acceptable fit of the data to the models. Analyses showed that attitude towards the new behaviour, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control predicted training intentions. The relationship between intention and adherence was weak. The present results suggest that the constructs of the theory of planned behaviour offer some insight into the explanation of intentions to follow an endurance training programme. Constructs unique to the revised theory of planned behaviour did not significantly predict training intentions or behaviour. Implications for practitioners working with team sport performers are provided.     

On the commutativity of discrete memoryless channels in cascade

The conditions are discussed under which two square discrete memoryless channels (DMCs) in cascade commute. Two different types of channel commutativity are considered: matrix commutativity, in which changing the order of two cascaded channels results in an identical overall channel, and capacity commutativity, in which the order of two cascaded channels results in an overall channel with the same capacity as the original cascade. A theorem is presented giving necessary and sufficient conditions for a pair of square DMCs to be matrix commutative and note its implications for a number of example channel cascades. Finally, it is shown that all pairs of r-ary symmetric channels are matrix commutative, regardless of their crossover probabilities.