Gender Imbalance in Referrals to an Educational Psychology Service

Referrals to an educational psychology service (EPS) were recorded in terms of school phase, gender and presenting problem. Examination of the data revealed a male:female referral ratio of more than 3:1. In all school phases, more boys than girls were referred, with the preponderance of boys being greatest in the primary sector. Overall, between six and nine times more boys than girls were presenting behavioural problems. Practical implications are discussed and it is suggested that such monitoring is an important starting point in working towards equality of access to educational psychology services.     

Seeing More Than Right and Wrong Answers: Prospective Teachers' Interpretations of Students' Mathematical Work

Listening to students' mathematical thinking is one of the trademarks of reform-minded visions of mathematics teaching. The questions of when, where, how, and what might help prospective teachers learn to do so,however, remain open. This study examines how a mathematics letter exchange with Grade 4 students provided an occasion for prospective teachers to learn about students' mathematical thinking and to examine their interpretive practices. Analysis of the interactions between students and prospective teachers, and of the reflective writing of the latter,revealed changes in the patterns of their interpretations. I characterized these as changes in the focus of interpretation, from correctness to meaning, and in the interpretive approach, from quick and conclusive to thoughtful and tentative. I also discuss factors associated with these interpretive turns. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Cardiovascular Regulation after Stroke: Evidence of Impairment,Trainability, and Implications for Rehabilitation

Purpose: To discuss the role of the vascular system and regulation of blood flow delivery in individuals with chronic stroke. This paper will discuss mechanisms of blood flow, vascular remodeling in chronic stroke, exercise as an intervention to improve blood flow delivery, and the role of physical therapy practice in promoting exercise. Key Points: Evidence suggests that people with chronic stroke may experience reduced blood flow and decreased arterial diameter in the hemiparetic limb. These arterial changes may influence exercise performance and functional ambulation. However, exercise training can be an effective intervention for improving blood flow delivery in the hemiparetic limb. Statement of Recommendations: Physical therapists working with people post-stroke should routinely prescribe aerobic exercise training within the plan of care during stroke rehabilitation. This may minimize declines in the cardiorespiratory and vascular systems and provide greater functional capacity to perform functional activities during and after discharge from physical therapy services.Key Words: blood flow, stroke, cardiovascular, exercise     

A critical point in investigative work: Defining variables

This article reports research concerning the definition of variables by pupils aged 12 to 14 during investigative work. The findings suggest that an increase in the complexity of an investigation lowers the ability to identify relevant variables as pupils start to lose track of the whole task. Substantive concepts intrude most obviously on the ability to define the appropriate dependent variable and to control variables. Pupils appear to have difficulty in realizing the advantages of defining the independent variable as continuous for the investigation as a whole. Possible explanations are considered and some practical ways of addressing this point of difficulty are put forward. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The incidence and utility of the ACID,ACIDS, and SCAD profiles in a referred population

THE ACID, ACIDS, and SCAD profiles are examples of subtest patterns from the WISC-III that have been proposed as potentially helpful in differential diagnosis of exceptionalities. This study investigated the prevalence and utility of these profiles in a large referred population. Although the incidence rates of the ACID and ACIDS profiles in some groups were greater than rates reported for the standardization sample, incidence levels were found to be low in all clinical groups studied. The SCAD profile evidenced generally higher incidence rates but none greater than the rates reported for the standardization sample. The findings support the use of conditional probabilities and incremental gains based on the actual incidence from a referred population to assist in differential diagnosis; however, none of the profiles are recommended as a criterion for determining exceptionality.     

Managing the relationship with outside suppliers

Production and manufacturing departments have overseen an extraordinary development in the technologies used to put books together. Until recently they have had little information technology (IT) support in their day-to-day functions. Increasing use of technology, particularly in communication with suppliers, will be essential in the future management of these key external relationships. Address for correspondence