Is Reading Recovery sustainable two to four years after discontinuation?

The Reading Recovery programme has been a key early literacy intervention in many international contexts for over two decades. As a consequence, there have been numerous investigations into its efficacy for short-term gains, but only a few on long-term sustainability. This study examines the progress of 95 Year 4–6 students from seven schools in the rural hinterland of New Zealand. Standardised data were collected from students who had been successfully discontinued from Reading Recovery two to four years previously and compared them with mean performance from the same school populations. Results showed that only Year 6 students obtained the mean scores which placed them within the national average range. Our results also showed that whilst almost half of the ex-Reading Recovery students we studied, fell within the average band, 45% were classified as well below average.     

MYTHPERCEPTIONS OF HEARING LOSS,HEARING AIDS,AND AGING

Myths are ill‐founded beliefs held uncritically by persons or groups about other persons or groups. Such myths hinder the communication process and lead to negative feelings or attitudes toward older persons with hearing loss. Hudson, Dancer, Patterson, Reynolds, and Tillery (1990) highlighted five common myths of hearing loss and aging. This article explores whether older persons themselves accept these and other myths presented by the DanPat, a 30‐item questionnaire with “Agree‐Disagree” statements such as the following: “Hearing Aids are Best Left to younger Persons Who Can Learn to Use Them,” or “Persons with Hearing Loss are Paranoid and Suspicious.”

Twenty older persons attending a Senior Companions and Foster Grandparents Health Fair filled out the DanPat with the following results to the 30 statements: informed about 14 of the statements; misinformed about 2 statements; and didn ‘t know the correct answer to 14 statements. Of the five prevalent myths presented by Hudson et al., this group of older adults still believes only one, that persons with hearing loss are excellent lipreaders. They don't know what to believe about two others, and they have discarded the remaining two. This article highlights the DanPat and provides correct answers to the questionnaire.     

Blaine's 1884 Indiana Canvass: “Tinsel,tights and trick‐acting

In 1884, a street corner harangue by the local precinct captain precipitated a torch light parade; the coming of a presidential aspirant caused the whole countryside to erupt. This article presents some of the color, bustle, hysteria, and rhetoric which accompanied James G. Blaine's week‐long but fruitless effort to capture the electoral votes of a crucial state.     

A review of ancient Egyptian pigments and cosmetics

The pigments used by the ancient Egyptians constitute the most diverse pigment palette of the ancient world. This review discusses the pigments and binders which were used, arranged principally in terms of the colours themselves, namely, the white, green, grey, black, brown, blue, red, orange, and yellow pigments. The chemical identity of these pigments is discussed with some details regarding the artefacts or time periods from which the pigment concerned has been identified. Combinations of pigments were used for creating some colours, especially: greens, pinks, blues, yellows, and a variety of pale hues by mixing primary colours with a white addition, such as calcite. The identification of ancient Egyptian pigments is often aggravated by chemical interactions between pigment and binder media, or between the pigment and environmental pollutants, or both. The nature of the binders and varnishes used in ancient Egypt is briefly discussed. The identification of green pigments from ancient Egypt is often difficult, and some of the recent research concerning the topic is reviewed. In addition to including relevant details from older literature, this review provides a synopsis of recent studies which have appeared since the last major review carried out by Lee and Quirke in 2000.     

Positional group significantly influences the offensive and defensive skill involvements of junior representative rugby league players during match play

This study examined the skill involvements of three positional groups across a junior representative rugby league season. Data were collected from 45 rugby league players (mean ± SD; age = 16.5 ± 1.0 years) currently participating in the Harold Matthews and SG Ball Cup. Players were subdivided into hit-up forwards, adjustables and outside backs. The frequency (n · min^?1) of offensive, defensive and overall involvements was coded for each group using a notation system and a practical coach skill analysis tool. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed a significant effect of playing position on skill involvements (F = 9.06; P < 0.001; ES = 0.41). Hit-up forwards performed a significantly greater frequency of offensive (0.31 ± 0.10), defensive (0.42 ± 0.15) and overall involvements (0.74 ± 0.19) when compared to adjustables (0.20 ± 0.08, 0.28 ± 0.08 and 0.52 ± 0.15, respectively) and outside backs (0.20 ± 0.12, 0.11 ± 0.07 and ± 0.31 ± 0.17, respectively). Further, adjustables performed a significantly greater number of defensive (0.28 ± 0.08) and overall involvements (0.52 ± 0.15) when compared to outside backs (0.11 ± 0.07 and 0.31 ± 0.17, respectively). The findings of this study suggest that it is important to consider a junior player’s positional group when analysing their skill involvements. Information gained from this study could assist in the design of specific training methodologies for junior rugby league players in high-level talent development programmes.     

Validity of Self-Reported Pedometer Steps per Day in College Students

The purpose of this article was to examine the validity of self-reported pedometer steps/day. Forty-seven participants were provided a New Lifestyles NL-2000 (NL-2000; Lees Summit, MO, USA) pedometer and a physical activity (PA) diary for 3 weeks, but not informed of the data-storing capabilities. For weeks 2 and 3, each participant was given a step goal of 3,000 steps/day above week 1 average. A 2 × 3 repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to examine differences between reported steps/day. Bland–Altman plots assessed the mean bias and limits of agreement between reporting methods. Mean self-reported and NL-2000 steps/day were 9,264 ± 3,555 and 8,971 ± 3,590 steps/day (n = 26, p > .05). Mean biases were 216 ± 1,753 (week 1), –506 ± 1,355 (week 2), and –590 ± 1,360 (week 3) steps/day. Negative mean bias values indicate higher self-reported steps/day. Mean steps/day were similar between recording methods, but large differences were observed among individuals, suggesting self-reported steps/day may be valid for PA research at the population level, but not the individual level.