An Examination of a Small‐Group Decoding Intervention for Struggling Readers: Comparing Accuracy and Automaticity Criteria

In this study, we compared methods to improve the decoding and reading fluency of struggling readers. Second‐grade poor readers were randomly assigned to one of the two practice conditions within a repeated reading intervention. Both interventions were in small groups, were 20–28 min long, took place 2–4 days per week, and consisted of phonemic awareness training, letter sound practice, and practice in word families. Students in the accuracy condition (n= 27) practiced each page until they reached 98 percent accuracy while students in the accuracy + automaticity condition (n= 29) practiced until they reached rate (30–90 cwpm) and accuracy criteria. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed no differences between practice conditions in decoding accuracy, reading comprehension, and grade‐level text reading fluency. Significant differences favoring the accuracy + automaticity group were found in measures of decoding automaticity.     

Multicultural Inclusion of Lesbian and Gay Literature Themes in Elementary Classrooms

This article provides a rationale for and methods to assist elementary educators in creating spaces where the enhancement of awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ)-themed literature could be explored in elementary schools and classrooms. The authors assert that an approach to providing gender and sexuality diversity in the elementary grades is part of multicultural practice in elementary classrooms. Through document analysis, the authors discovered the existing theories, practices, and evidence available in the literature that would provide elementary educators support to use LGBTQ-themed children's literature in academic spaces. The authors then provide a set of guidelines for educators to modify their existing instructional practices in order to empower young learners with the critical literacy attributes necessary in order to gain access to knowledge, power, and opportunities.     

Is adaptation to task complexity really beneficial for performance?

Theories of self-regulated learning assume that learners flexibly adapt their learning process to external task demands and that this is positively related to performance. In this study, university students (n = 119) solved three tasks that greatly differed in complexity. Their learning processes were captured in detail by task-specific questionnaires and computer-generated log files. Results indicate that students adapted almost all learning processes significantly to task complexity. For example, students accessed more hypertext pages for complex tasks than for simple tasks. However, this kind of adaptation was not consistently related to performance. For variables capturing learners’ self-regulation, such as the number of accessed hypertext pages, more pronounced adaptation was significantly and positively related to performance even when learners’ general processing depth was statistically controlled. Results were less consistent for variables capturing learners’ self-monitoring, such as their judged task complexity.     

State analytics of innovation development in Russia: Content,trends, and crucial tasks

This paper presents one of the definitions of the state analytics concept, which is used in the innovation infrastructure of the subjects of the Russian Federation. The rationality factors of analytical activities are outlined; interrelations of analysts, public officials, and business agents are classified, and the responsibility of decision making at the public level is highlighted.