The Development of a Community of Practice for Educators Working with Newcomer,Spanish-speaking Students

Drawing on 3 years of observational, survey, and interview data, this article highlights the importance of communities of practice (Lave & Wenger, 1991) for school staff members supporting Spanish-speaking, newcomer students in large, comprehensive high schools that often lack the resources to directly support this population. We highlight how a research project focused on the implementation and development of a bilingual math and science curriculum across 4 schools in urban and rural California provided teachers, counselors and school leaders the necessary space and community to know what and how to best serve immigrant, Spanish-dominant students. The article demonstrates how these school staff people leveraged the research project meetings and check-ins with research assistants to share best practices and common challenges across schools and roles when working with newcomer students.     

The use of correlation coefficients in test validation

Although the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, r, is commonly used in student selection, it is argued here, that it is frequently more appropriate to use the Bi-serial Correlation Coefficient r_bis for this purpose.Now working in Clinical Psychology.     

Le diagnostic du potentiel d’apprentissage par LPAD: Une etude de la fidélité

The present study was intended to test some of the psychometric properties of Feuerstein’s Learning Potential Assessment Device (LPAD), in particular the reliability of the Set Variations II, considered to assess modificability or learning capacity. Thirty 10-year-old children were studied: an experimental group (N=20) submitted to two training sessions with Set Variations II and a control group (N=10). Both groups were administered three times the Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM). The experimenter’s interventions during training were semi-standardized, based on an examination guide, and the helps given were classified in four types. Analyses dealt with the number and type of helps provided as well as with errors during training. Correlations between these indices for the two sessions of training were rather low, indicating weak stability, in particular with respect to the helps provided. Correlations were also computed between the gains in SPM for the three administrations, indicating low stability in amount of progression. Further, it was also noted that the experimental group did not progress more than the control group. Conclusions are drawn with respect to reliability and validity of the Set Variations Test, as well as, on a more theoretical level, with respect to the concept of cognitive modifiability.     

Child abuse: An operational longitudinal study

A one-year longitudinal study was conducted of the medical, social and legal status of 102 (65%) of 156 abused children identified during 1975. The data revealed that the prognosis is grave with almost half of the sample showing indication of repeated abuse or residual effects of the Initial incident. Most of the abused children were returned to their homes with minimal supervision by an otherwise active Division of Family Service of the State Welfare Agency. Children under three years of age were at higher risk than older patients. Improvement was associated most frequently with separation of the perpetrator and the victim or by receipt of appropriate supportive measures. The data emphasize the therapeutic importance of interagency and Interprofessional communication and cooperation.Since the syndrome of the battered child was established,^(1,2) considerable advances have been made in the diagnosis, treatment and protection of the abused children.(3) The prognosis is still grave. A retrospective study showed that the majority of the abused children were developmentally retarded⁽⁴⁾ and a prospective study confirmed this finding.⁽⁵⁾Those seeking to promote the welfare of the identified abused child are confronted with severely limited therapeutics alternative, a grave prognosis and a paucity of data to guide them in their decisions.The present one-year longitudinal study of abused children seen during 1975 at Cardinal Glennon Memorial Hospital for Children was undertaken with the goal of providing Information on the current system of managing the Identified abused child.