Social Competence of Learning Disabled Children: Cognitive and Emotional Aspects

The aim of the study was to investigate the structure of social competence among learning disabled children, as reported by themselves and their teachers, and the cognitive and emotional aspects that mediate its level. The sample consisted of 40 learning disabled children and 37 matched nondisabled children. Within Harter's competence model and Schaefer's spherical model, the learning disabled group demonstrated lower levels of competence and adjustment and a less mature concept of competence than did their peers. The social competence of the learning disabled children was accounted for by emotional and physical aspects of competence, similar to that found in younger and in children with an intellectual disability, whereas the social competence of the nondisabled peers was accounted for by a combination of academic, cognitive and self‐esteem aspects. Teachers rated the social competence of both groups of children as mediated by introversion and general competence. However, teachers added physical competence to the explanation of the learning disabled group's social competence, whereas they added task orientation to the explanation for the nondisabled group. Intervention planning should be geared toward increasing the social competence of LD children, through alerting teachers to their less mature self‐competence concept, with its special emphasis on nonacademic aspects.     

Loneliness,Coherence and Companionship among Children with Learning Disorders[1]

This study investigated children's perceptions of themselves and their social world when experiencing academic failure. Three groups of 7‐10‐year‐old students were examined: 94 children with learning disorders who received remedial learning in resource settings, 65 low achievers and 71 average achievers. Results demonstrated that both groups who failed in school and their teachers rated them as demonstrating higher levels of disruptive and hyperactive behaviours, reported more loneliness, less coherence, lower peer acceptance and different patterns of friendship qualities than average‐achieving peers. Examination of the subgroup demonstrated that these results were consistent through three assessments. Findings were discussed in terms of the salutogenic model and empowering intervention planning.

     

The educational-cultural edge: A participative learning environment for co-emergence of personal and institutional growth

The paper addresses the failure of the Professional Development Schools movement in bridging the cultural gap, existing between schools and academic institutions. A model, based on the ‘ecological edge’, is suggested. It is believed that this metaphor has a higher potential for constructing collaborative communities because of the unique nature of ecological edges as environments of growth and change. The paper describes an edge community that was constructed between a school and a teacher education program, the new grounded understandings and knowledge that emerged within this community and the diffusion of these to the core institutions. The concept of boundary objects is suggested as the medium through which new understandings are promoted.