A study of the relationship between the Stroop effect and reading age in dyslexic subjects

40 dyslexic subjects were given a version of the Stroop test and the magnitude of interference was plotted as a function of reading age as measured by the British Ability Scale. A negative linear relationship emerged, such that greater reading proficiency was associated with less interference. This result is discussed in the context of LaBerge and Samuel's theory of automatic information processing in reading.     

Reform Implementation and the Realities within which Teachers Work: A Namibian case study

Implementation is currently considered a critical stage of educational reform. This article focuses on the pivotal role of teachers in the achievement of effective implementation. They ultimately implement reforms. The teacher's role in the reform process however, has received little empirical research attention and tends not to be seriously considered by policy makers. This article discusses the findings of a three-year (1995-1997) research study in Namibia which suggests that the failure of policy makers to take into account the realities within which teachers work, their 'classroots realities', led to the development of English Language Teaching reforms that were significantly beyond teachers' capacity. Consequently, teachers did not successfully implement them. The article explores this within a framework of objective and subjective 'classroots reality' implementation factors. In view of the paucity of empirical research that explores implementation, this framework can improve our understanding of the depth and complexity of the implementation process and provide useful guidelines upon which policy makers can draw.     

Learning about Global Issues: Why most educators only make things worse

Over the last 25 years many educators have stressed the need for students to learn about global issues and have often taken this to be a relatively unproblematic area of pedagogy. An important Canadian study on the impact of teaching about such issues, however, suggests that the learning process may be much more complex than was previously assumed. This article reports on a pilot research project in the UK which monitored student responses to learning about global futures and found much more going on beneath the surface than meets the eye. It would seem that strong cognitive, affective and existential responses need to be recognised and acknowledged as part of any journey towards personal and political change.     

Science and schooling for students with LD: a discussion of the symposium

In this summative discussion, we respond to Crockett's proposals about supporting science in the schoolhouse, and we summarize and reflect on the perspectives of the commentators. Overall, they identify discussion points in issues of science in schooling, implementation of scientific practices, teacher training and professional development, and issues in educational administration and leadership. We agree with Crockett and the commentators that intensive efforts in all these areas must be made to strengthen the role of science in the schoolhouse.     

Can children effectively reuse the same mnemonic pegwords?

Seventy-three fifth-grade students were taught nine North American minerals and their corresponding hardness levels under either mnemonic (pegword/keyword) or free-study conditions. In the zero-repetition (standard) condition, each mineral was paired with a unique hardness level (1–9); in the one-repetition condition, three hardness levels were each represented by two different minerals (and three hardness levels by one mineral); and in the two-repetition condition, three hardness levels were each represented by three different minerals (and three hardness levels by one mineral); and in the two-repetition condition, three hardness levels were each represented by three different minerals. In all repetition conditions, mnemonic subjects significantly and substantially outperformed students who were given free study. Possibilities for adapting mnemonic techniques to overcome stimulus-produced interference are discussed.     

Making global connections: The knowledge,understanding and motivation of trainee teachers

This article begins by noting some of the global concerns that young people have today and highlights the crucial role of global education in responding to such concerns. It then considers the importance of teacher training in such matters and reports on a preliminary study relating to the initial training of teachers in England. In particular this raises questions about the knowledge and understanding that such students bring to their courses. It concludes by identifying some of the consequent dilemmas faced by teacher trainers working in this context.     

What progress has been made in meeting the needs of seriously maltreated children? The course of 200 cases through the Boston Juvenile Court

OBJECTIVES: The study examined child, parent, and case characteristics in a sample of 200 cases of serious child maltreatment brought before the Boston Juvenile Court (BJC) on Care and Protection petitions in 1994. Whether recent changes in Massachusetts law have been effective in reducing delays in adjudication and helping children achieve permanent placements more quickly was also examined. METHOD: Data were abstracted from court records by the research team. The 200 cases were followed prospectively for 4 years. Retrospective data on the families' previous involvement with the protective service system were also abstracted from the records. Data from the 1994 cases were compared to that obtained from a sample of cases brought before the BJC in 1985-1986. RESULTS: Children permanently removed from parental custody in the 1994 sample required less time post-disposition to achieve permanent placements. However, overall, time frames for the 1994 cases remained remarkably similar to those in 1985-1986: children were in the protective service system an average of 5 years; cases required an average of 1.6 years in court; and half of the children permanently removed from parental custody were still in "temporary" foster care at 4-year follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Although some improvements have occurred since 1985-1986, the system still fails to meet the needs of seriously maltreated children to achieve permanent placements promptly. The implications of the findings for system reform are discussed.     

An Evaluation of Early Intervention Effectiveness at Increasing Age Levels for Program Initiation

Previous research has identified a negative correlation between developmental outcomes and length of early intervention programs. In the present investigation, these counterintuitive findings were examined on a sample of “at risk” children who had received a home-based infant development program and who had been enrolled at different age levels. Findings indicated that treatment length was negatively, but not significantly, correlated with developmental outcome. In addition, start age was found to be significantly negatively correlated with outcome, suggesting that certain developmental indices may decrease over time for certain populations. When the regression of time with start age was taken into account in the analyses, large and reliable treatment effects were observed at all start age levels. Results are discussed with respect to future research endeavors.     

Motion Pictures

Emerson, Naturalistic Photography for Students of the Art (1891)

Hicks, Words and Pictures: Introduction to Photojournalism (1952)

Bunnell, Nonsilver Printing Processes, $4.50

Lee R. Baker, Making Movies: From Script to Screen (New York: Harcourt Brace Javanovich, 1973—price not known, paper)

Johnny Minus and William Storm Hale's Your Introduction to Film-TV Copyright, Contracts and other Law (Seven Arts Press, 6655 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Ca. 90028 1973— $10.00 paper)

Noel Burch Theory of Film Practice (New York: Praeger, 1973—$8.95)

Hector Currie and Donald Staples' Film: Encounter (Dayton, Ohio: Pflaum/Standard, 1973—$9.95, paper)

John G. Cawelti's Focus on Bonnie and Clyde (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1973—$5.95/2.45)

David Bordwell, Filmguide to La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc

Warren French, Filmguide to The Grapes of Wrath

Carolyn Geduld, Filmguide to 2001: A Space Odyssey

James Naremore, Filmguide to Psycho

E. Rubenstein, Filmguide to The General

Jay Leyda's Kino: A History of the Russian and Soviet Film (New York: Collier Books, 1973 reissue of 1960 original —$4.95, paper)