The predictive relations between non‐alphanumeric rapid naming and growth in regular and irregular word decoding in at‐risk readers

We investigated influences of non‐alphanumeric rapid naming on decoding skill growth for regularly and irregularly spelled English words. In a longitudinal study, 52 at‐risk and 69 not‐at‐risk readers were tracked from Grade 1 to Grade 3. Non‐alphanumeric rapid naming ability measured in Grade 1 accounted for unique variance in irregular word decoding in early Grade 2 – strong rapid naming was associated with strong irregular word decoding. An interaction between reading risk status and Grade 1 rapid naming indicated that the influence of Grade 1 rapid naming ability on growth in irregular word decoding was different for at‐risk than not‐at‐risk readers. Non‐alphanumeric rapid naming can have predictive validity as a marker for identifying specific difficulties in learning to read irregular words in at‐risk readers. Results indicate that rapid naming plays a general role in irregular word reading and a specific role in at‐risk readers' growth in irregular word decoding.     

Role of expectations and explanations in learning by teaching

The present study examined the role of preparing to teach (i.e., teaching expectancy) and actually teaching (i.e., explaining to others) on immediate and long-term learning. In Experiment 1, participants studied a base version or an enhanced version of a paper-based lesson on how the Doppler Effect works with the expectation of taking a test on the material or with the expectation of teaching the material by providing a video-recorded lecture. Results indicated that those who prepared to teach (without actually teaching) outperformed those who prepared for a test on an immediate comprehension test (i.e., a teaching expectancy effect; d = .55), regardless of the format of the lesson. In Experiment 2, participants studied while expecting to be tested or expecting to teach the material; some then actually did teach the material by providing a video-recorded lecture, whereas others received additional study time. Results indicated that those who actually taught the material outperformed those who did not teach on a delayed comprehension test (i.e., a teaching effect; d = .56), though this effect was strongest for those who also prepared to teach. Overall, these findings are consistent with the idea that preparing to teach results in short-term learning gains, whereas the act of teaching (i.e., by explaining the material to others) coupled with preparing to teach is important for long-term learning.     

More on Cinema

Robert M. Henderson's D.W. Griffith: His Life and Work ( New York: Oxford University Press, 1972—$10.95)

Fred Silva (ed.) Focus on The Birth of a Nation (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1971—$2.45, paper)

David Mayer's Eisenstein's Potemkin: A Shot-By-Shot Presentation (New York: Grossman, 1972— $10.00/4.50)

Cinemabilia Catalogue of Film Literature (New York: Cinemabilia, 10 Cornelia St., 1972—$2.50, paper)

Lawrence Alloway's Violent America: The Movies 1946-1964 (Greenwich, Conn.: New York Graphic Society, 1971—$7.95)

Roger Kahle and Robert E.A. Lee's Popcorn and Parable: A New Look at the Movies (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1971—$2.95, paper)

Hugh B. Churchill's Film Editing Handbook: Technique of 16 mm Film Cutting (Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth, 1972—$4.95, paper)

Tony Miller and Patricia George Miller's Cut! Print! The Language and Structure of Filmmaking (Los Angeles: O'Hara Publications, 5650 West Washington Blvd., 1972—$5.50 with 20% discount to schools, paper)     

Foreign Communications

Sue Pyne's “Current British Research on Mass Media and Mass Communication: Register of Ongoing and Recently Completed Research” (Documentation Centre for Mass Communication Research, Centre for Mass Communication Research, University of Leicester, 104 Regent Rd., Leicester LE1 7LT, England---£2.00 in the UK and £2.50 outside, paper)

British broadcasting annual yearbooks (BBC and IBA)

David Ellis' Evolution of the Canadian Broadcasting System: Objectives and Realities, 1928-1968 (Canadian Government Printing Office, Mail Order Service, 270 Albert St., Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0S9 ---$3.90, paper)

John C. Merrill and Harold A. Fisher's The World's Great Dailies: Profiles of 50 Newspapers (New York: Hastings House, 1980---$18.50/9.50)

Australian media, eight recent items reviewed by Henry Mayer

Harold D. Lasswell, Daniel Lerner, and Hans Speier, eds. Propaganda and Communication in World History: Volume III, A Pluralizing World in Formation (Honolulu: University Press of Hawaii, 1980---$25.00)     

Australian Communication Books

CULTURE, COMMUNICATION, AND NATIONAL IDENTITY: THE CASE OF CANADIAN TELEVISION by Richard Collins (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1990—$45.00/19.95, ISBN 0-8020-2733-4 hard, 0-8020-6772-7 paper, 368 pp.)

WHEN TELEVISION WAS YOUNG: PRIMETIME CANADA 1952-1967 by Paul Rutherford (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1990—$60.00/25.00, ISBN 0-8020-5830-2 hard, 0-8020-6647-X, paper, 637 pp)

THE SILENT REVOLUTION: MEDIA DEMOCRACY, AND THE FREE TRADE DEBATE edited by James P. Winter (Ottawa: University of Ottawa Press, 1990—$18.95, paper, ISBN 0-7766-0296-9, 196 pp.)

THE NEWSMAKERS: BEHIND THE CAMERAS WITH CANADA'S TOP TV JOURNALISTS edited by Linda Frum (Toronto: Key Porter Books, 1990—$26.95, ISBN 1-55013-168-0, 228 pp.)

HISTORY AND COMMUNICATIONS: HAROLD INNLS, MARSHALL McLUHAN, AND THE INTERPRETATION OF HISTORY by Grahme Patterson (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1990—$40.00/16.95, ISBN 0-8020-2764-4 hard, 0-8020-6810-3 paper, 240 pp.)

ON AIR: RADIO IN SASKATCHEWAN by Wayne Schmalz (Regina: Coteau Books, 1990—$24.95/14.95, ISBN 1-5505-010-4 hard, 1-5505-009-0, 167 pp.)

COMMUNICATION: THE CANADIAN EXPERIENCE by Thomas and Brenda McPhail (Toronto: Copp Clark Pitman, 1990—$22.95, paper, ISBN 0-7730-4685-2, 408 pp.)

THE RISE OF CANADIAN NEWSPAPERS by Douglas Fetherling (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1990—$9.95, paper, ISBN 0-19-540707-5, 144 pp.)

22:267 THE MASS MEDIA IN CANADA by Mary Vipond (Toronto: James Lorimer, 1990—$29.95/16.95, ISBN not given, 185 pp.)

PROSPECTS AND PROBLEMS IN RISK COMMUNICATION edited by William Leiss (Waterloo, Ontario: University of Waterloo Press/Institute for Risk Research, 1989—price not given, paper, ISBN 0-88890-095-7, 216 pp.)

THE JOURNALIST'S LEGAL GUIDE by Michael Crawford (Toronto: Carswell, 1990—$58.00/34.95, ISBN 0-459-33867-0 hard, 0-459-33877-X paper, 320 pp.)

CANADIAN ILLUSTRATED NEWS, MONTREAL, 1869-1883: AN INDEX compiled by Andrea Retfalvi (Department of Fine Art, University of Toronto, 1989—$50.00, paper, ISBN 0-7727-2432-6, 368 pp.)

ACCESS CANADA: MICROMEDIA'S DIRECTORY OF CANADIAN INFORMATION SOURCES edited by Donna Yawching (Toronto: Micromedia, 1990—$125, paper, ISBN 0-88892-601-4, 310 pp.)

SULTANS OF SLEAZE: PUBLIC RELATIONS AND THE MEDIA by Joyce Nelson (Toronto: Between the Lines, 1990—$14,95, paper, ISBN 0-921284-23-3, 168 pp.)

THE BAREFOOT CHANNEL: COMMUNITY TELEVISION AS A TOOL FOR SOCIAL CHANGE by Kim Goldberg (Vancouver: New Star Books, 1990—$14.95, paper, no ISBN given, 207 pp.)

THE RESPONSIBLE PUBLIC SERVANT by Kenneth Kernaghan and John W. Langford (Halifax, Nova Scotia: Institute for Research on Public Policy, 1990—$19.95, paper, ISBN 0-88645-09903, 220 pp.)

GETTING THE REAL STORY: CENSORSHIP AND PROPAGANDA IN SOUTH AFRICA edited by Gerald B. Sperling and James E. McKenzie (Calgary: Detselig Enterprises, 19907mdash;$12.95, paper, ISBN 1-55059-009-X, 168 pp.)

CANADIAN TELECOM (AB&;Y Publishing, WaterPark Place, 20 Bay St. Suite 1603, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2N8—$55.00 per year, bi-monthly)     

Combining self-assessments and achievement tests in information literacy assessment: empirical results and recommendations for practice

This article examines the significance of information literacy self-assessments in higher education with a special focus on situational conditions increasing their explanatory power. First, it was hypothesised that self-assessments of information literacy correlate higher with factual information literacy if measured after the administration of information search tasks (and tests) due to the intrinsic feedback associated with their completion. Furthermore, it was assumed that self-assessments measured after the administration of information search tasks explain incremental variance over standardised information literacy tests in information search performance. A study with N = 82 German psychology students was carried out to verify these assumptions. Information literacy self-efficacy (as one form of self-assessment), as well as the PIKE-P information literacy test and several standardised information search tasks, was included in the test battery. As both assumptions were largely supported, we recommend that researchers complement their test batteries by self-assessments but warn them against relying primarily on this method. We further recommend that self-assessments should take place at the end of testing.     

Field placement issues: From theory to practice

The significance of the field placement's rolein the professional education of schoolcounselors is explored. A model is proposed formatching students with field placementsettings, to be used as a tool to facilitateother institutions. The article details with variousguidelines for organizing a field placementprogram in counselor education. Issues such asapplication procedures, selection of sites,evaluation, responsibilities of students andsupervisors, and the role of supervision arediscussed.     

Action Research,History and the Images of Science

God dwells among the details, not in realm of pure generality. (Could, 1989)