Students classified as LD and the college foreign language requirement: a quantitative analysis

This study was conducted to determine whether students classified as learning disabled (LD) who were permitted to substitute courses for the college foreign language (FL) requirement at one university would display significant cognitive and academic achievement differences when grouped by level of discrepancy between IQ and achievement, by discrepancy between achievement according to different measures, and by level of performance on phonological-orthographic processing measures, on the Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT), and in FL courses. Results showed that there were no differences among students with different levels of discrepancy (i.e., < 1.0 SD, 1.0-1.49 SD, and > 1.50 SD) on MLAT and American College Testing (ACT) scores, graduating grade point average (GPA) or college FL GPA. Results also showed that among students who scored below versus at or above the 25th percentile on phonological-orthographic processing measures, there were no differences on measures of IQ, ACT, MLAT, and GPA, as well as most measures of academic achievement. Implications for the use of the LD label to grant FL course substitutions or waivers, use of the MLAT in the diagnostic and course substitution/waiver process, and the validity and reliability of traditional criteria for the classification as LD are discussed.     

Students classified as LD and the college foreign language requirement: replication and comparison studies

Two studies examined students classified as having learning disabilities (LD) who had received course substitutions for the college foreign language (FL) requirement. In the first study, 42 students at one university were divided into groups and compared on measures of IQ, academic achievement, FL aptitude, college grade point average (GPA), and FL and English grades. Findings showed that most of the 42 students had been classified as LD in college after experiencing problems in FL courses. Comparisons based on students' performance on measures of FL aptitude, native language skill, and performance in FL courses showed few significant group differences. In the second study, the 42 students from the first study were compared with 86 students at another university who had also been classified as LD and received course substitutions for the college FL requirement. Comparisons on demographic information and measures of IQ, academic achievement, FL aptitude, college GPA, and FL GPA showed few significant differences between the two groups. Both studies suggest that students classified as LD at different universities exhibit similar demographic, cognitive, academic achievement, and FL aptitude profiles and that educators should not make the a priori assumption that students classified as LD require course substitutions for the FL requirement or experience problems with FL learning.     

Profiles of more and less successful L2 learners: A cluster analysis study

This retrospective study examined L1 achievement, intelligence, L2 aptitude, and L2 proficiency profiles of 208 students completing two years of high school L2 courses. A cluster analysis was performed to determine whether distinct cognitive and achievement profiles of more and less successful L2 learners would emerge. The results of nonhierarchical (k — means clustering) revealed three distinct cognitive and achievement profiles. Participants in the high-achieving cluster scored above average range generally on all L1 and L2 measures; students in the average-achieving cluster scored average range generally on all L1 and L2 measures; and those in the low-achieving cluster scored low to below average range generally on all measures except IQ. Findings suggest that students' level of achievement in L1 skills developed prior to L2 exposure is strongly related to and consistent with their L2 aptitude and proficiency, level of attainment in L2 is moderated by level of attainment in L1, and L2 learning runs along a continuum of learners with stronger to weaker language skills.     

Exploring the effect of task instructions on topic beliefs and topic belief justifications: A mixed methods study

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate whether task instructions that asked adolescents to evaluate the merit of both sides of a controversial issue would affect their topic beliefs and topic belief justifications after they read belief-consistent and belief-inconsistent information. In the quantitative phase, we conducted an experiment in which high school students (n = 45) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions and received their respective pre-reading task instructions. Quantitative analyses showed that task instructions affected topic beliefs and belief justifications. However, inspection of topic belief scores within each condition indicated that some individuals’ beliefs became weaker, whereas others’ became stronger. In the qualitative phase, we conducted interviews to explain why this occurred. The interview data revealed two distinct reader profiles: belief-reflection and belief-protection. The data sets were complementary: the quantitative data indicated group differences in topic beliefs and belief justifications, and the qualitative data allowed us to explain differences within and across groups.     

Preparing student teachers for alternative assessment in science

This material is based upon work supported in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation California State University Student Teaching Development Project (DOE-9250027) and the W. M. Keck Foundation. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding ordanizations.     

The effects of multisensory structured language instruction on native language and foreign language aptitude skills of at-risk high school foreign language learners

Research findings suggest that most students who have foreign language learning problems have language-based difficulties and, in particular, phonological processing problems. Authors of the present study examined pre- and posttest scores on native language and foreign language aptitude tests of three groups of at-risk high school students enrolled in special, self-contained sections of first-year Spanish. Two groups were instructed using a multisensory structured language (MSL) approach. One of the groups was taught in both English and Spanish (MSL/ES), the other only in Spanish (MSL/S). The third group (NO-MSL) was instructed using more traditional second language teaching methodologies. Significant gains were made by the MSL-ES group on measures of native language phonology, vocabulary, and verbal memory and on a test of foreign language aptitude; the MSL/S group made significant gains on the test of foreign language aptitude. No significant gains on the native language or foreign language aptitude measures were made by the NO-MSL group. Implications for foreign language classroom instruction of at-risk students are discussed.     

Phonemic awareness in hyperlexic children

Children with hyperlexia who learn to read spontaneously before the age of five are impaired in reading and listening comprehension but have been found to have word recognition skills well above their measured cognitive and linguistic abilities. Even though many reports have been published about these children, to date, only one study has investigated whether children with hyperlexia also have strong phonemic awareness skill. In the present study, several phonemic awareness measures were administered to two children with hyperlexia and one child with above average word identification skills who started to read words at a very early age. The results show that all three childrens' levels of phonemic awareness were low and not commensurate with their word reading skill. Wide inter- and intra-individual variations were found on all of the phonemic awareness measures. These findings pose a number of questions for researchers investigating the condition of hyperlexia.     

Sodium bicarbonate improves 4 km time trial cycling performance when individualised to time to peak blood bicarbonate in trained male cyclists

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) on 4 km cycling time trial (TT) performance when individualised to a predetermined time to peak blood bicarbonate (HCO₃^?). Eleven male trained cyclists volunteered for this study (height 1.82 ± 0.80 m, body mass (BM) 86.4 ± 12.9 kg, age 32 ± 9 years, peak power output (PPO) 382 ± 22 W). Two trials were initially conducted to identify time to peak HCO₃^? following both 0.2 g^.kg^?1 BM (SBC2) and 0.3 g^.kg^?1 BM (SBC3) NaHCO₃. Thereafter, on three separate occasions using a randomised, double-blind, crossover design, participants completed a 4 km TT following ingestion of either SBC2, SBC3, or a taste-matched placebo (PLA) containing 0.07 g^.kg^?1 BM sodium chloride (NaCl) at the predetermined individual time to peak HCO₃^?. Both SBC2 (?8.3 ± 3.5 s; p < 0.001, d = 0.64) and SBC3 (?8.6 ± 5.4 s; p = 0.003, d = 0.66) reduced the time to complete the 4 km TT, with no difference between SBC conditions (mean difference = 0.2 ± 0.2 s; p = 0.87, d = 0.02). These findings suggest trained cyclists may benefit from individualising NaHCO₃ ingestion to time to peak HCO₃^? to enhance 4 km TT performance.     

A Competency‐Based Study of Academic Staff Development Needs

The role of Australian academics is undergoing a period of rapid change as the Federal Government attempts to restructure both the higher education system and the economy. With these changes in role comes a need for the continuing professional development of academics. This paper gives details of a study which adopted a competency‐based approach to identify the job requirements, skill‐deficiencies and training needs of one group of Australian academics. This group ‐ staff from the Business faculties of (former) Colleges of Advanced Education ‐ is of particular interest because its members are experiencing uncommonly rapid growth and change. In general, the respondents tended to rate (a) teaching skills as more important than research skills, (b) their own teaching skills as more highly developed than their research competencies, and (c) their desire for training as greatest with respect to several specific research skills. Some potential barriers to the successful implementation of professional development programmes are discussed.