Association between attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder and learning disorders

This article discusses the relationship between attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and learning disability (LD). The relevant literature is outlined, and empirical data are presented from a prospective follow-up study of 600 speech/language-impaired children. The data show an increased prevalence of both LD and ADHD among children with early speech/language impairments. Furthermore, LD was strongly associated with ADHD in both the initial and follow-up samples. Also, the children with LD had increased rates of other psychiatric disorders (e.g., behavior disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders). The implications of these data are discussed with regard to the possible etiology of the ADHD-LD association, treatment for children with LD and ADHD, and promising hypotheses for future research.     

The Early Development of Children's Communication about Nested Spatial Relations

This investigation examined how the nature of the spatial relation influences young children's ability to remember and communicate about nested landmarks. Of particular interest was whether young children are more likely to use a supporting than a proximal landmark to disambiguate identical landmarks (e.g., "it's in the basket on the table" vs. "it's in the basket next to the table"). 3- and 4-year-olds hid objects in a dollhouse and described their locations. Children had to disambiguate the target primary landmark by relating it to a supporting or proximal secondary landmark. Both age groups almost always provided the primary landmark, but 4-year-olds were more likely to provide the secondary landmark than were 3-year-olds. Moreover, children were more successful at providing supporting than proximal secondary landmarks. These results suggest that both referential communication skills and biases in coding location influence children's communication about nested landmarks.     

Contents of Volume 31 2003

Volume Contents

Contents of Volume 31 2003     

Students' Perceptions of Literacy Assessment

Students' perceptions of literacy assessment processes and practices were investigated in two year long case studies undertaken in two English classrooms in two state high schools in Queensland, Australia. A range of qualitative data techniques was used to collect information related to students' previous experiences of assessment in primary school, students' responses to the first and last literacy assessment task of the school year, and their perceptions of assessment at the end of the year. The study showed that students' attitudes, beliefs, practices and understandings about assessment varied both within and across student groups and differences in students' accounts were evident both at the start and end of the school year. The findings highlight the role that students play in actively constructing knowledge about literacy assessment through their prior and current experiences with assessment tasks, and in their interactions with each other.     

Mothers' Views on Teaching their Preschoolers in Everyday Situations

Mothers' views of what they teach their preschoolers in everyday situations and their beliefs about the importance of teaching particular kinds of skills were explored. Middle class mothers of 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old children were asked to identify situations/activities in which they intentionally set out to teach their child and situations/activities in which teaching occurs incidental to some other goal. Most mothers reported teaching both cognitive/academic and social/life skills, but they differed in the relative emphases they put on each type. Few mothers spontaneously reported teaching metacognitive skills, although when specifically asked whether they taught any "learning-to-learn" skills they indicated that they did. Nevertheless, the skills they identified were lower-level process skills such as listening and paying attention rather than higher-level self-regulatory skills such as planning and monitoring progress. Some educators have questioned the extent to which parents are aware of and take advantage of the opportunities for teaching afforded by everyday interactions with their children. The present results suggest that this need not be a concern with respect to middle class families in the cognitive and social domains but that it is of concern in the metacognitive domain. It seems clear that there should be an increased emphasis in parent education programs and materials on how and why to foster metacognition.     

Lessons from black-thicket jungle: What is feasible in village schools of disadvantaged areas?

Comparative examination of the national goals of education as presented by various developing countries shows such goals to be often abstract and overly idealistic: a long way from the harsh reality of most rural village schools. Drawing on the results of a lengthy field study in a disadvantaged area of Sri Lanka, this article discusses the matter of feasibility in the shadow of too high expectations. It is concluded that ambitious goals should be operationalized at a practicable level, and recommendations are put forward for feasible action. As a rigidly ordered system of schooling may be an inevitable stage in a progressive evolution of schooling types, patience is needed before criticizing schools which lack creative teaching and problem-solving approaches. It is emphasised that the most important raw materials of the educational system are abundantly present, i.e., human resources. Children are eager to learn; parents are potentially supportive and want education for the sake of learning as well as for jobs. And most importantly for the success of the schools, dedicated principals and teachers are present in unexpectedly high numbers considering the constraints they face. The importance of such educators is stressed, along with implications for selection, training and remuneration.

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Zusammenfassung Vergleichende Studien der staatlichen Bildungsziele, wie sie von verschiedenen Entwicklungsländern vorgelegt wurden, zeigen, daß solche Ziele oft abstrakt und allzu idealistisch und von der rauhen Wirklichkeit der meisten ländlichen Dorfschulen weit entfernt sind. Die Autorin diskutiert, indem sie sich auf die Ergebnisse einer umfangreichen Feldstudie in einem benachteiligten Gebiet Sri Lankas bezieht, die Frage der Durchführbarkeit im Schatten überhöhter Erwartungen. Sie kommt dabei zu dem Schluß, daß die hochgesteckten Ziele auf eine gangbare Ebene zugeschnitten werden müßten, und gibt Empfehlungen für durchführbare Maßnahmen. Da ein straff organisiertes Unterrichtssystem ein unvermeidliches Stadium in einer fortschreitenden Entwicklung von Unterrichtstypen sein kann, ist Geduld angebracht, bevor man Schulen kritisiert, denen es an kreativem Lehren und Ansätzen zur Problemlösung mangelt. Betont wird, daß die wichtigsten Rohstoffe des Bildungssystems in Überfluß vorhanden sind, z.B. der Reichtum an Menschen. Kinder sind lernbegierig, Eltern unterstützen sie unter Umständen und wünschen eine Ausbildung sowohl um des Lernens willen als auch im Hinblick auf einen Arbeitsplatz. Und es gibt, was für den Erfolg der Schulen von größter Wichtigkeit ist, eine unerwartet hohe Zahl von engagierten Direktoren und Lehrern, wenn man die Widrigkeiten bedenkt, mit denen sie zu kämpfen haben. Die Bedeutung solcher Erzieher wird hervorgehoben unter Berücksichtigung der Konsequenzen für deren Auswahl, Ausbildung und Vergütung.

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Résumé L'examen comparé des objectifs éducatifs nationaux présentés par divers pays en développement révèle qu'ils sont souvent abstraits et excessivement idéalistes — et par conséquent bien éloignés de la dure réalité de la plupart des écoles rurales. En s'appuyant sur les résultats d'une étude très longue menée sur le terrain dans une région désavantagée du Sri Lanka, le présent article examine la question de faisabilité à l'ombre de ces exigences exagérées. On conclut que les objectifs ambitieux devraient être réalisés au niveau pratique et des recommandations sont faites pour l'action possible. Du fait qu'un système d'éducation agencé strictement peut devenir la phase inévitable de l'évolution progressive de divers types d'éducation, il convient d'être patient avant de procéder à la critique des écoles où un enseignement créatif et des approches orientées vers la solution de problèmes font défaut. On souligne que les matières premières les plus importantes d'un système éducatif, à savoir les ressources humaines, sont abondantes. Les enfants sont désireux d'apprendre, les parents constituent un soutien potentiel et souhaitent une éducation en vue d'acquérir des connaissances et de trouver un emploi. Et ce qui est capital pour le succès des écoles, il existe un nombre inopinément élevé de directeurs et d'enseignants dévoués, compte tenu des contraintes auxquelles ils doivent faire face. On met en lumière l'importance de ces éducateurs ainsi que les implications pour leur sélection, leur formation et leur rémunération.