A Comparison Between Homeschooled and Formally Schooled Kindergartners: Children's Early Literacy,Mothers’ Beliefs,and Writing Mediation

The study characterized children's literacy, mothers’ beliefs, and writing mediation of homeschooled compared to formally schooled kindergartners. Participants were 60 children (ages 4–6) and their mothers (30 in homeschooling). At the children's home, we assessed children's literacy, maternal beliefs, and video-recorded mother–child joint writing of a birthday invitation. Results showed that homeschooled children had lower literacy levels than those formally schooled. Homeschooling mothers reported lower levels of belief in learning activities and demands from their children and showed lower levels of writing mediation. Maternal writing mediation predicted children's writing, beyond the child's phonological awareness and schooling (home vs. formal).     

双语儿童语音意识与词汇认读关系的研究

通过平行语音和词汇加工任务。对64名双语儿童英汉两种语言语音意识和词汇认读能力进行了双向测查。结果表明：双语儿童在两种语言不同语音意识和词汇认读之间存在跨语言的多重相关;在对其英语和汉语词汇认读能力的预测中,汉语音节辨认和英语音素识别均为重要的指标,表明语音意识对词汇认读能力具有跨语言的双向预测作用。     

Sentence Context and Word Recognition in Children with Average Reading Ability and with a Specific Reading Disability

The inhibitory and facilitatory effects of context on word recognition were investigated in 24 8-to 10-year-old children with a specific reading disability in comparison with a group of 24 children matched for reading ability and a group of 24 children matched for chronological age. To avoid confounding the effects of reading level with those of word difficulty, target words of equivalent relative familiarity for each participant were presented in congruous, neutral, and incongruous sentence contexts. In agreement with previous studies, there was clear evidence of both general inhibitory and facilitatory effects. In contrast to previous findings, however, reading level did not have a major impact on the inhibition of word recognition in incongruous contexts compared with neutral contexts, although it may have led to greater facilitation in congruous contexts compared with neutral contexts. Although further research is required, these results suggest that if reading-age appropriate materials are selected, less skilled readers and those with a reading disability may not be as influenced by context as has been claimed previously.     

Social Support and the Ability to Adapt to Life Among Brazilian Street Children and Non-Street Children

Abstract

Value priorities were analyzed as they relate to nationality (American vs. British) and gender in a study involving 207 university students from the 2 countries. Participants responded anonymously to S. H. Schwartz's Value Survey (1992, 1994), consisting of various individualistic and collectivistic values. American students assigned greater importance to the individualistic values of achievement, hedonism, self-direction, and stimulation than British students did; students from the 2 countries assigned equal importance to the power value type. Compared with men, women from both countries assigned greater value priorities to the collectivistic values of benevolence, universalism, security, and subordination of self to others. Women and men, however, did not differ on the individualistic values, and, in fact, women placed greater importance on achievement than men did. The results for the individualistic values are discussed primarily within the context of major changes in the career and work opportunities afforded women by society in the past 30 years.     

双重缺陷汉语发展性阅读障碍儿童的言语工作记忆和阅读能力研究

选取语音意识和快速自动命名双重缺陷的汉语发展性阅读障碍儿童,探讨其言语工作记忆和阅读能力的发展特点。实验选取双重缺陷的发展性阅读障碍（DD）、年龄匹配（CA）和能力匹配（RL）三组儿童各25名,要求他们完成言语工作记忆（数字广度、汉字广度）和阅读（一分钟词汇阅读、三分钟句子阅读）任务。结果发现,DD儿童的数字倒背位数、一分钟读词数、三分钟读过字数和句子理解正确率均显著低于CA儿童,而与RL儿童差异不显著;DD儿童的句子阅读正确率显著低于CA、RL儿童。表明双重缺陷DD儿童在言语工作记忆和阅读能力上存在一定程度的发展滞后和缺陷。     

Reading Ability as a Predictor of Academic Procrastination Among African American Graduate Students

The present study examined the relationship between reading ability (i.e., reading comprehension and reading vocabulary) and academic procrastination among 120 African American graduate students. A canonical correlation analysis revealed statistically significant and practically significant multivariate relationships between these two reading ability variables and graduate students' levels of academic procrastination. Specifically, the first canonical correlation analysis revealed a statistically significant and practically significant multivariate relationship between reading ability and academic procrastination resulting from fear of failure. The second canonical correlation analysis revealed a statistically significant and practically significant multivariate relationship between reading ability and academic procrastination associated with writing a term paper, performing administrative tasks, attending meetings, keeping up with weekly reading assignments, and, most notably, performing academic tasks. Implications are discussed in the context of designing and implementing strategies designed to improve African American student performance and instruction in graduate-level courses.     

Identifying Children at Risk of Problematic Development: Latent Clusters Among Childhood Arrestees

The presence of clusters characterized by distinct profiles of individual, family and peer characteristics among childhood arrestees was investigated and cluster membership stability after 2 years was determined. Identification of such clusters in this heterogeneous at-risk group can extend insight into the presence and severity of children’s co-occurring problems and guide intervention and prevention efforts. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to detect clusters among 308 childhood arrestees (mean age 10.7 years), based on dichotomous dynamic correlates of offending present at the time of first arrest. Correlates in the individual, peer and family domains were assessed at baseline and 2-year follow-up, using standardized instruments. This resulted in identification of a low problem group characterized by few problems across all domains (40.2 %), an externalizing intermediate problem group characterized by mainly externalizing problems on the individual and peer domains (39.4 %), and a pervasive high problem group characterized by numerous problems across all domains (20.4 %). Cluster membership was most stable for the low problem group (71.4 %), followed by the externalizing intermediate problem group (49.5 %). Transition was highest in the pervasive high problem group (63.0 %), with the majority of children progressing to the externalizing intermediate problem group. The identification of such distinct clusters among childhood arrestees, differing in the presence of co-occurring problems, stresses the importance of a first police arrest as an opportunity for early recognition of children in need of care. As problems present at the time of first arrest do not persist in every child, careful periodic monitoring is needed.     

ABA-Based Programs for Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Parental and Professional Experiences at School and at Home

Having a child diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) poses a range of challenges to families, many of which can be addressed through appropriate intervention. A study of parental (n = 95) and professional (n = 67) experiences was carried out in relation to two settings: (a) schools that provided intensive interventions based on the science of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), and (b) non-intensive ABA-based home programs. Results show that parents whose children attend ABA-based schools were generally more satisfied with their child's educational provision, monitoring procedures, and level of staff training, than parents who were not offered ABA-based education in schools.     

Morphological Structure Processing During Word Recognition and Its Relationship to Character Reading Among Third-Grade Chinese Children

In the present study, we explored the characteristics of morphological structure processing during word recognition among third grade Chinese children and its possible relationship with Chinese character reading. By using the modified priming lexical decision paradigm, a significant morphological structure priming effect was found in the subject analysis when reaction time difference was considered as dependent variable. In the regression analyses, the children’s implicit morphological structure processing demonstrated a significant effect on Chinese character reading, even though its effect became non-significant when morphological awareness was entered. We achieved this result after controlling for the children’s age, non-verbal intelligence, and phonological awareness. These findings indicate that third grade Chinese children are sensitive to morphological structure information in the processing of compound words. Moreover, such sensitivity is, to some extent, a good predictor of Chinese children’s word reading performance.     

中小学生推理能力和元认知与注意力的比较

以674名中小学生为被试(其中学优组270人,学中组241人,学困组163人),测量研究了三种不同学业成绩水平学生的逻辑推理能力、元认知以及注意力的不同发展特点,结果表明,学习中等生的注意力水平、逻辑推理能力与学习优秀生相比明显落后,而其元认知能力的发展与学习优秀生相比则基本相当,未表现出显著偏低的态势;学习困难生的逻辑推理能力、元认知能力与学习中等生相比显著偏低,在注意力水平上二者并不存在显著性差异.这对于教育的启示是:对学困生的干预补救应注重提高他们的元认知水平和逻辑推理能力,而对中等生的促进和提高则应以注意力水平与逻辑推理能力的提高为关键.     

小学3~5年级学习不良儿童社会比较的特点

以小学三、四、五年级95名儿童为被试,采用访谈法探讨了小学学习不良儿童的社会比较特点。结果表明:70%学习不良儿童自发地进行上行比较,即群体外比较,其动机为自我提升;学习不良儿童的社会比较和时间比较的频率均低于一般儿童;学习不良儿童的社会比较目标水平显著低于一般儿童,随着年级的升高其目标水平呈不断下降的发展趋势。     

英语学习不良儿童语音意识假词拼读与单词认知能力的关系研究

本研究探讨了英语学习不良儿童语音技能一语音意识与词汇到达的发展水平及这两项语音技能与其单词认知能力间关系。结果发现,英语学习不良儿童在假词拼读能力发展上存在缺陷．而在语音意识能力的发展方面却表现正常。在对儿童的单词认知能力进行预测时,语音意识和假词拼读能力是较好的效标。     

Reading and Social Imagination: What Relationally Oriented Reading Instruction Can Do for Children

Twenty-two second and third grade children experiencing difficulties with social relationships and reading comprehension participated in small group Relationally Oriented Reading Instruction for eight weeks. Developmental and literacy assessments done before and after the reading intervention showed statistically significant improvements in the understanding of text and in social imagination. Analysis of writing samples resulted in a typology of relationally oriented response. Together these data provide initial evidence linking the understanding of texts to the development of other relational capacities like social imagination, and indicate that purposeful use of picture books within relationally oriented reading instruction may enhance this development.     

Word Reading Efficiency,Text Reading Fluency,and Reading Comprehension Among Chinese Learners of English

This study examined the relationship among word reading efficiency, text reading fluency, and reading comprehension for adult English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Data from 185 adult Chinese EFL learners preparing to take the Test-of-English-as-a-Foreign-Language? (TOEFL®) were analyzed in this study. The participants completed a computer-based test battery of word reading efficiency and text reading fluency in addition to TOEFL iBT (Internet-Based Test) reading comprehension. The findings showed a stronger relationship between text oral reading fluency and reading comprehension than between word reading efficiency and reading comprehension. The authors recommended that attention be paid to text oral reading fluency in adult EFL reading research and instruction.     

Psychological and Socio-cultural Adjustment during Cross-cultural Transitions: A Comparison of Secondary Students Overseas and at Home

The study further explores the distinction of psychological and socio-cultural adjustment during cross-cultural transitions. One hundred and seventy-eight New Zealand American Field Service (AFS) students residing in 23 different countries completed questionnaires which contained assessments of the following: Personality (extraversion and locus of control); life changes (Social Readjustment Rating Questionnaire); homesickness, cultural distance, acculturation (cultural identity and cultural integration—separation); attitudes toward host country; language ability; amount of contact with host and co-nationals; relationship satisfaction with co-nationals, host nationals and host family; and outcome measures of socio-cultural (social difficulty) and psychological adjustment (Profile of Mood States). Stepwise regressions revealed that homesickness, external locus of control, life changes, and social difficulty accounted for 55% of the variance in psychological adjustment. In contrast, cultural distance, language ability, satisfaction with host national contact, cultural separation and mood disturbance explained 52% of the variance in socio-cultural adaptation. In the second part of the research, psychological and socio-cultural adjustment of AFS students was compared with a sample of 142 home-based New Zealand secondary school students. Although there were no significant differences in psychological adjustment between the two groups, the students who were resident abroad experienced greater socio-cultural difficulties than the students resident in New Zealand (P < 0.0005), and, as hypothesized, the correlation between psychological and socio-cultural adjustment was significantly greater in the home-based students compared to the AFS group (P < 0.0001).     

Identifying Children in Middle Childhood Who Are at Risk for Reading Problems

The purpose of this study was to identify and evaluate a universal screening battery for reading that is appropriate for older elementary students in a response to intervention model. Multiple measures of reading and reading correlates were administered to 230 fourth-grade children. Teachers rated children's reading skills, academic competence, and attention. Children were classified as not-at-risk or at-risk readers based on a three-factor model reflecting reading comprehension, word recognition/decoding, and word fluency. Predictors of reading status included group-administered tests of reading comprehension, silent word reading fluency, and teacher ratings of reading problems. Inclusion of individually administered tests and growth estimates did not add substantial variance. The receiver-operator characteristic curve analysis yielded an area under the curve index of 0.90, suggesting this model may both accurately and efficiently screen older elementary students with reading problems.     

Home Literacy Environment and English Language and Literacy Skills Among Chinese Young Children Who Learn English as a Second Language

The present study explored the home literacy environment for Chinese ESL kindergarteners and examined the relationships between home literacy practices and language and literacy skills. Ninety Hong Kong Chinese ESL kindergarteners were assessed for English vocabulary, phonological awareness, letter knowledge and word reading. Their parents completed a questionnaire about home literacy practices. Results showed that these practices can be classified into three aspects: shared reading, exposure to English materials and home teaching. Shared reading uniquely predicted receptive and expressive vocabulary, syllable awareness and word reading in English. Exposure to English materials predicted expressive vocabulary and home teaching predicted letter knowledge.     

Spirituality and Coping Among Grieving Children: A Preliminary Study

The death of a family member can have a significant effect on children, depending on their level of development and the kinds of supports available to them. Spirituality has been linked to effective coping with loss by adults. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how meaning making, linking objects, and containment, themes that have been explored in the literature on adults' use of spirituality as a way of coping, might be used by grieving children. The major difference between children and adults appears to be in how and when children make meaning after loss. The major similarity between adults and children is the essential role of relationships in facilitating grieving. Implications for further research, counselor education, and practicing counselors conclude the article.     

语音辨析训练对方言儿童语音意识和阅读能力发展的作用

本研究通过汉语拼音和128个汉字的特别语音辨析或常规教学对40名普通话儿童和40名福州话-普通话双语儿童进行了声母、韵母和声调方面的训练并且观测其对词汇阅读能力的影响.两类被试各分为两组,每组20人, 一组接受特别训练,另一组接受常规教学式训练,为期24天,每天30分钟.结果显示,两种不同训练对两类被试产生不同效应:两种不同训练对普通话被试没有显著的效果差异,而对方言被试却有显著差异.特别训练对方言被试的语音意识和词汇阅读水平有显著的促进作用,常规训练没有这种促进作用.文章对这种训练效应产生的机制进行了讨论.