The Association between Language and Symbolic Play at Two Years: Evidence from Deaf Toddlers

The association between expressive language and symbolic play was investigated in 3 groups of 2-year-olds: deaf children with hearing parents (dH), deaf children with deaf parents (dD), and hearing children with hearing parents (hH). (Each group included 6 girls and 4 boys.) 3 language-level groups were defined. The highest group was well into the vocabulary "explosion" and frequently produced multiword/sign utterances; a middle group was beginning the period of vocabulary expansion and occasionally produced utterances of more than 1 word/sign; a third group produced single word/sign utterances only, and had a limited vocabulary. Hearing status was associated with duration of symbolic play (deaf > hearing). Higher language levels were associated with more canonically sequenced and preplanned play, even when language delays were due to exogenous factors.     

Writing instruction in first grade: an observational study

As schools work to meet the ambitious Common Core State Standards in writing in the US, instructional approaches are likely to be examined (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010). However, there is little research on the current state of instruction. This study was designed to provide a comprehensive analysis of first-grade writing instruction across 13 schools in one state in the US. Daylong observations were conducted four times during the year in 50 first-grade classrooms. Using a time-sampled, observational protocol, observers coded multiple dimensions of instruction, including grouping, instructional focus, teacher instructional activity, and student writing activity. Results revealed that writing was taught for less than 30 min a day on average, and instruction in skills or process writing was common. Most instruction was organized in whole-class settings with teachers either presenting information or asking students questions. Variability in the amount and focus of writing instruction and in student writing activity was examined at the classroom and school levels. A small number of classrooms and schools were identified with distinctive patterns in their approach to instruction and writing activity. Several moderate relationships were found between the writing instructional focus and the nature of student writing. These findings suggest that first-grade writing instruction is inconsistent across classrooms and schools and point to instructional implications for teachers and schools in the US.     

Children’s oral narrative and reading skills in the first 3?years of reading instruction

This research investigated the link between oral narrative and reading skills in the first 3 years of reading instruction. Study 1 consisted of 61 children (M = 6:1 years) who had experienced 1 year of reading instruction on average. Children’s story retelling was scored for memory and narrative quality. The quality of children’s narratives correlated positively with their reading skill at this age, but narrative quality did not uniquely predict their reading skill 1 year later. Study 2 consisted of 39 children (M = 7:0 years) who had experienced 2 years of reading instruction on average. At this age, the quality of children’s narratives uniquely predicted their reading skill concurrently and 1 year later, even after controlling for their receptive vocabulary and early decoding. These findings have implications for theories of the oral language foundations of reading and for assessment in the early years of reading instruction.     

Teachers’ Work as Bricolage: implications for teacher education

The concept of bricolage, as it is developed by Levi‐Strauss, is useful in characterising the form of teachers’ work, it subsumes extensive research on the form of teachers’ work and provides a heuristic device for developing causal explanations of the form of teachers’ work as well as drawing together and unifying explanations developed in the literature. This assists and informs interventions to promote progressive pedagogy. The paper begins with an account of bricolage and its relationship to a science of pedagogy. Next, features of teachers’ work which push it towards bricolage are discussed, viz. conservatism, limited creativity, repertoire enlargement, teachers’ use of theory, the use of devious means, and ad hocism. Causal explanations of various of these features are discussed, viz. anticipatory socialisation, aspects of preservice teacher education experiences and constraints in the work situation. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications for teacher education of taking seriously the suggestion that teachers’ work is bricolage and taking seriously the associated causal explanations. It is argued that a critical starting point for progressive change in educational practice is the provision of inservice for tertiary educators who may themselves be bricoleurs. Without this, the significant necessary changes to preservice students’ on‐campus and within school experiences are unlikely to be supported or legitimated.     

Is starting with the feet out of the water faster in backstroke swimming?

This study aimed to determine if starting with the feet above the water (FAW) in male backstroke swimming resulted in faster start times (15-m time) than when the feet were underwater (FUW). It was hypothesised that setting higher on the wall would generate increased horizontal force and velocity, resulting in quicker starts. Twelve high-level male backstrokers performed three trials of the FAW and FUW techniques. A biomechanical swimming testing system comprising one force plate (1,000 Hz), four lateral-view (100 Hz), and five overhead (50 Hz) video cameras captured the swimmers' performance. Data for each participant's fastest trial for each technique were collated, grouped, and statistically analysed. Analysis included Wilcoxon, Spearman Rho correlation, and regression analysis. Wilcoxon results revealed a significantly faster start time for the FAW technique (p < 0.01). Peak horizontal force was significantly smaller for FAW (p = 0.02), while take-off horizontal velocity was significantly greater (p = 0.01). Regression analysis indicated take-off horizontal velocity to be a good predictor of start time for both techniques, and the horizontal displacement of the centre of mass for the FAW start.     

American state intervention in the parent-child legal relationship

There are two traditions in the history of American family law that are reflected in different state legislation dealing with child abuse and neglect. They indicate a continuing cultural dilemma about the rights of parents and those of children. One tradition supports the privacy and autonomy of the family, and the right of the parents to the child. Such a view of the permanence of the parental role helps to explain state laws which make the termination of parental rights nearly impossible to achieve. Social workers in such jurisdictions must protect children by means of long foster-care placements. Pennsylvania represents a state with laws supporting parental rights.Another tradition is derived from that of the court acting as a parent, the parens patriae heritage. In the United States the Juvenile Court has assumed this protective and intrusive role. Where such legal support exists, children may be freed for adoptive homes, as they are in Colorado. This paper outlines the state laws of Pennsylvania and Colorado pertaining to the termination of the parent-child legal relationship. These laws indicate that American children in families at risk are protected very differently. As long as state laws differ so greatly, equality of justice for families and children will exhibit substantial variation due to residence.     

MATHEMATICS IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES

The research reported in this article used regression analyses to examine the factors explaining the variation in instructional costs per full‐time equivalent (FTE) student at 592 public community colleges during the 1991‐92 academic year. The results suggests that instructional costs per FTE student tend to increase with the full‐time faculty‐to‐FTE student ratio, the part‐time faculty‐to‐FTE student ratio, faculty salaries, and the ratio of degree completions to total FTE enrollment in agricultural, skilled trade, and health‐related programs. Community colleges with total FTE enrollments between 1,000 and 1,499, between 2,000 and 2,499, and between 4,000 and 4,499 students tend to have lower instructional costs per FTE student than community colleges having total FTE enrollment less than 500 students.     

Self‐efficacy in undergraduate students with dyslexia: a mixed methods investigation

It may be thought that gaining a place at university confers self‐belief on students with dyslexia; after all, they have succeeded in their academic studies. Our research explored self‐efficacy beliefs in university students with and without dyslexia. An Academic Self‐Efficacy Scale and a Sources of Academic Self‐Efficacy Scale were completed by 44 university students. These scores were compared between dyslexic and non‐dyslexic students. Interviews were conducted with eight participants to gain a fuller understanding of how their self‐efficacy beliefs develop. Undergraduate students with dyslexia scored lower than students without dyslexia on four out of the five measures of academic self‐efficacy. The dyslexic students reported role models, teachers and school performance as factors influencing their motivation toward academic work. The research suggests that university students with dyslexia still need interventions to help boost their self‐efficacy profiles, despite the level of success they have achieved in gaining a place at university.     

Omission of carbohydrate-rich breakfast impairs evening 2000-m rowing time trial performance

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The effect of breakfast omission on evening high-intensity exercise performance has not previously been studied. Methods: In a randomised and counterbalanced cross-over design, 10 competitive rowers (2 male, 8 female; mean?±?SD: age 21?±?2 y, height 176?±?7?cm, weight 76?±?12?kg, body fat 19.7?±?6.8%) completed two trials (individualised carbohydrate-rich breakfast (BT; 831?±?67?kcal eaten before 09:00) and no-breakfast (NBT; extended overnight fast until 12:00)). Following ad libitum afternoon food intake, participants completed a 2000-m time-trial on a rowing ergometer between 16:30 and 18:00. Appetite and energy intake were measured throughout the day, whilst power output, time, heart rate, blood lactate, blood glucose and RPE were assessed during the time trial. Results: Appetite ratings were higher throughout the morning in NBT compared with BT, but there were no differences in ratings in the afternoon. Energy intake at lunch was greater NBT compared with BT (1236?±?594 vs 836?±?303?kcal, p?<?.05), which partly compensated for breakfast omission, although overall energy intake tended to be lower in NBT compared with BT (1236?±?594 vs 1589?±?225?kcal, p?=?.08). The time taken to complete the 2000-m time trial was greater in NBT compared with BT (469.2?±?43.4 vs 465.7?±?43.3?s; p?<?.05). No differences in heart rate, blood glucose and blood lactate responses were apparent, but overall RPE was higher in NBT compared with BT (17.8?±?0.9 vs 16.7?±?0.7?au, p?<?.05). Conclusion: The omission of a carbohydrate-rich breakfast impaired evening performance during a 2000-m rowing time trial. This finding has implications for optimising evening high-intensity exercise performance.