数学学习不良儿童视觉-空间表征与数学问题解决

采用临床访谈的方法,考察了30名数学学习不良(MD)儿童和31名一般儿童的数学问题解决、视觉-空间表征策略和空间视觉化能力。结果发现：图式表征能促进数学问题的解决,图像表征则起妨碍作用;空间视觉化能力与解题正确率及图式表征策略有显著正相关,与图像表征策略有显著负相关。MD儿童的解题正确率以及使用图式表征策略的程度显著低于一般儿童,使用图像表征策略的程度则显著高于一般儿童。在解题正确率和图式表征策略这两个变量上,MD儿童和一般儿童的年级发展趋势相同,都随年级的升高而提高。但在图像表征策略的使用上,一般儿童有随年级的升高而下降的趋势,MD儿童却没有下降的趋势。两类儿童的空间视觉化能力都随年级的升高而提高。     

小学3～6年级儿童数运算策略的获得及策略应用无效性

研究采用实验室实验和心理测验的方法,选取小学3～6年级的120名儿童为被试,探讨了数运算过程中策略应用无效性是否存在以及儿童策略获得与发展的基本过程。结果发现:(1)在数运算的解题过程中存在策略应用无效性这一阶段;(2)儿童的认知成绩在策略学习前后基本上呈现为一种先下降后上升然后再下降的曲折模式,而不是简单的线性增长;(3)策略获得的过程包括策略探索、策略领会的初步运用和策略使用的退化三个阶段。     

数学焦虑对儿童加减法认知策略选择和执行的影响

根据数学焦虑量表测查结果,随机选取90名小学1~3年级的儿童为被试,每个年级30人(高、低数学焦虑者各15人).采用实验法、观察法和口语报告法相结合的方式,探讨不同数学焦虑水平儿童加减法认知策略选择和执行情况.结果发现:(1)从策略选择上看,高数学焦虑儿童使用出声策略和手势策略较多;使用对位策略较少.(2)从策略执行上看,高数学焦虑儿童出声策略、手势策略和拆十策略执行的正确率较高;竖式策略和对位策略执行的正确率较低;(3)随着儿童年级的增长,数学焦虑对其策略选择的影响越来越显著.     

4～7岁儿童时间概念的获得方式

4～7岁是儿童理解时间概念的关键阶段,本研究通过三个实验探究儿童时间概念的获得方式。实验1和实验2采用时间词对比的方式发现儿童在4岁已经获得时间概念的等级含义;4～5岁儿童在数字与时间词等级不一致的对比类型条件下,时间概念判断的正确率显著低于"一样"和"一致"两种对比形式;6～7岁儿童三种对比类型的正确率没有显著差异。实验3采用空间映射的方式发现6～7岁儿童能够与成人一样区分时间概念之间的比率,时间概念定义学习有助于儿童精确理解时间概念。结果表明儿童先理解时间概念的等级含义,再通过学习定义理解时间概念的数量含义。     

学习不良儿童的策略信念与理解水平

使用结构访谈法对120名儿童(其中学习不良儿童60名)的策略信念与策略理解水平进行了研究。结果显示:学习不良儿童组与一般儿童组的差异更多体现在对具体策略的元认知因果解释水平上,他们更多持有较低水平的“信息获得”解释,而对照组儿童则更多持有较高水平的“信息加工”解释,提示对策略理解水平的差异可能是导致学习不良儿童难以将新学到的策略主动应用到其它情景中去的一个重要原因。     

7岁超常和常态儿童的信息加工速度

该研究以超常和常态儿童各25名(平均年龄分别为6岁10个月和6岁11个月)为被试,以选择反应、图形匹配、心理旋转、和抽象匹配为基本认知任务,对超常和常态儿童的信息加工速度作了比较研究。研究者对被试的正确率和反应时作了分析。结果表明：(1)超常儿童基本信息加工能力显著优于普通儿童,具体表现在反应时更短,或正确率更高。(2)超常儿童与常态儿童信息、加工的差异与任务难度有关,在选择反应和图形匹配任务中,超常儿童的反应时显著短于常态儿童。而且,在图形匹配任务中,任务难度越大,差异越显著。而在心里旋转和抽象匹配任务中,超常儿童的正确率显著高于常态儿童。(3)任务的难度无论对超常组被试还是常态组被试的反应时及反应正确率都有影响,但影响方式不太一样。在反应时上,随着任务难度的增加,两组被试的反应时都明显延长;但在正确率上,则随着任务难度的增加,常态组被试的正确率降低,而超常组被试的正确率基本稳定在一个较高的水平上,即任务难度问的差异不显著。     

声旁部分信息在儿童学习和记忆汉字中的作用

采用类似课堂教学的学习－测验任务,通过3个实验探讨了声旁提供的部分读音信息在儿童学习和记忆汉字中的作用。被试来自北京市两所小学260名四年级学生。实验中要求学生学习和记忆3种生字：（1）声旁提供汉字读音的全部信息,如规则一致字;（2）声旁提供汉字读音的部分信息,如声调不同字或声母不同字;（3）声旁不提供汉字读音的信息,如声旁不知字。要求学生学习所有的字一遍后回忆生字的读音,共学习3遍。实验发现,儿童学习和记忆汉字的正确率随声旁提供的整字读音信息不同而不同：当声旁提供全部信息时正确率最高,当声旁提供部分信息时其次,当声旁没有提供信息时最低;而且声旁提供的部分信息越多,正确率越高。结果表明,儿童对声旁提供的部分读音信息敏感,发展声旁意识对学习和记忆汉字有积极作用     

2～4岁儿童借助标识物进行视频空间定位能力的发展

分别以直接标识物和间接标识物为线索考察2.5岁、3岁、4岁儿童的视频空间定位能力发展.结果表明:在直接标识物任务中.各年龄组儿童空间定位的正确率无明显差异.而在间接标识物任务中,2.5岁儿童空间定位的正确率明显低于年长儿童;参照物的复杂程度影响2-4岁儿童视频空间定位的正确率,2.5岁和3岁儿童更易受影响;间接标识物所处位置对儿童视频空间定位产生影响.另外,在定位策略的使用上,两维视频空间中儿童表现出与三维空间不同的策略使用偏好,儿童更倾向于使用特征线索进行定位.而非几何线索.     

小学2-4年级儿童数学应用题表征策略对其解决不规则问题影响的研究

本研究运用实验法和临床访谈法对某普通小学的123名2-4年级学生进行了不规则数学应用题测验,以考察数学学优生和学差生在解决这些应用题时表征策略的差异。结果表明：（1）从2-4年级儿童解答条件多余和条件不足应用题上看,学优生的成绩要好于学差生,口头报告分析显示学优生较多地使用问题模型策略对问题进行表征,而学差生较多使用直接转换策略对问题进行表征;（2）在三年级时,条件多余和条件不足应用题的解题正确率有所提高,但到四年级时,正确率却有所下降;（3）在解决条件多余和条件不足应用题中,性别差异不显著。     

小学学习不良儿童言语交际策略理解水平及其发展特点

采用言语交际策略认知结构访谈故事情境,考察了小学3~6年级学习不良儿童言语交际策略理解水平的发展以及言语行为对其策略理解的影响。被试为两所普通小学儿童,其中学习不良117名,一般儿童124名。结果表明：学习不良儿童言语交际策略理解水平在总体发展上显著落后于一般儿童,但滞后仅存在于意图表达间接程度较高的暗示策略上。其次,在不同言语行为类别上发展趋势不同。对于礼貌请求策略,学习不良儿童不存在显著年级差异,而一般儿童则表现出随年级的增长而逐步提高的趋势;对于委婉应答策略,学习不良儿童存在显著的年级差异。     

不同推理水平儿童在图形推理任务中的眼动研究

以矩阵填充任务为材料,以眼动仪为研究工具,以3~6年级学生为被试,探讨图形推理中儿童推理过程的特征和策略使用的差异,以及推理能力高低组儿童完成图形推理任务的眼动模式差异.在本实验条件下,得出以下结论:(1)8岁以上儿童已经具备解决矩阵填充任务的逻辑思维能力,但高低水平组儿童在解决任务的能力水平上存在差异,高水平儿童的反应时较快、正确率较高;(2)在儿童推理的过程中,不同维度对推理过程的影响存在一定的层次:对形状、颜色维度的识别最容易,对大小维度的识别次之,对方向维度的识别最难;(3)高低水平组儿童获得策略的时间进程不同,差异主要产生在推理开始后的5~11秒这个阶段,在这一阶段中,高水平组儿童对方向这一较难维度的识别和正确答案的识别都快于低水平组儿童,体现了高水平组儿童更强的信息加工能力.     

Comparison of amount of speech by physically handicapped children in large or small groups on a ward

From 25 preschool physically handicapped children, a large group of 16 (14 to 18) and small groups of five were formed and compared for amount of speech at snack time. The amount of speech was recorded from three children in a small group and then when in a large group. Four small groups were observed in three sessions each; 12 sessions were conducted. Children in small groups spoke more than when in the larger groups. Small groups seemed more facilitative of language development for the young handicapped children when their handicap was severe.     

The role of intelligence and feedback in children’s strategy competence

A test-intervention-test study was conducted investigating the role of intelligence on four parameters of strategy competence in the context of a numerosity judgment task. Moreover, the effectiveness of two feedback types on these four parameters was tested. In the two test sessions, the choice/no-choice method was used to assess the strategy repertoire, frequency, efficiency, and adaptivity of a group of low-, average-, and high-intelligence children. During the intervention, half of the participants from each intelligence group were given outcome feedback (OFB), whereas the other half received strategy feedback (SFB). The pretest data showed large differences among the three intelligence groups on all four strategy parameters. These differences had disappeared at the posttest due to a particularly strong improvement on all strategy parameters in the low-intelligence group. Furthermore, it was found that SFB was more beneficial than OFB for all parameters involving strategy selection. These results indicate that intelligence plays an important role in children’s strategy use and suggest that strategy feedback can be a powerful instructional tool, especially for low-intelligence children.     

Individual differences in children's understanding of inversion and arithmetical skill

Background and aims. In order to develop arithmetic expertise, children must understand arithmetic principles, such as the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction, in addition to learning calculation skills. We report two experiments that investigate children's understanding of the principle of inversion and the relationship between their conceptual understanding and arithmetical skills. Sample. A group of 127 children from primary schools took part in the study. The children were from 2 age groups (6–7 and 8–9 years). Methods. Children's accuracy on inverse and control problems in a variety of presentation formats and in canonical and non‐canonical forms was measured. Tests of general arithmetic ability were also administered. Results. Children consistently performed better on inverse than control problems, which indicates that they could make use of the inverse principle. Presentation format affected performance: picture presentation allowed children to apply their conceptual understanding flexibly regardless of the problem type, while word problems restricted their ability to use their conceptual knowledge. Cluster analyses revealed three subgroups with different profiles of conceptual understanding and arithmetical skill. Children in the ‘high ability’ and ‘low ability’ groups showed conceptual understanding that was in‐line with their arithmetical skill, whilst a 3rd group of children had more advanced conceptual understanding than arithmetical skill. Conclusions. The three subgroups may represent different points along a single developmental path or distinct developmental paths. The discovery of the existence of the three groups has important consequences for education. It demonstrates the importance of considering the pattern of individual children's conceptual understanding and problem‐solving skills.     

Maternal illusory control predicts socialization strategies and toddler compliance

This study examined the relation between mothers' perception of their capacity for controlling infant crying and a later measure of parent-toddler social interaction-compliance with parental requests. Fifty-seven mothers participated in (a) a laboratory task when their children were 5 months old to assess mothers' perception of control and (b) a toy-cleanup task when their children were 24 months old to assess toddler compliance. Perception-of-control scores on the laboratory task reflected accuracy of perception and ranged from accurate to greatly overestimating control, with an overestimation referred to as an illusion of control. Mothers were categorized into three illusion-of-control groups: low, moderate, and high. Toddlers of mothers in the low and high illusion-of-control groups were more likely to be categorized as highly defiant than were toddlers of mothers in the moderate-illusion group. Mothers with high illusory control were most likely to use a high power-assertion strategy (negative control), and when negotiating, their toddlers' expression of autonomy was most likely to escalate into defiance.     

Maintenance of children's rehearsal strategies: Effects of amount of training and strategy form

Fifty third- and fourth-grade children, assigned to groups varying in Amount (1 or 2 sessions) and Type (cumulative-cluster or cluster) of strategy training or to a control condition, participated in three free recall sessions, two training sessions with blocked lists of common words and a maintenance session with a 50-states list blocked by geographical regions. During strategy training and maintenance, the cumulative-cluster groups recalled more than the cluster and control groups. Amount of training significantly influenced degree of strategy maintenance, but only in the cumulative-cluster strategy. Strategy form was highly correlated with recall in the cumulative-cluster condition, while total study time (effort) was related to recall only in conditions where strategy instructions were not given. The form of the strategy during training predicted transfer form and recall. 100% of the children who received extended training and demonstrated good strategy form during acquisition sessions successfully transferred the strategy to the geography task.     

问题解决中策略的变化：一项微观发生研究

以30名小学三年级儿童为被试,以一种特殊的方程问题为材料,采用微观发生法,先后进行了5次测查,收集了解题后的口语报告资料,从策略变化的路线、速率、广度、来源以及变化模式的多样性等方面详细探讨了问题解决策略的变化过程。结果发现,在面临新的问题时,被试缺乏相应知识和专门的解题策略,这时以使用多种常规策略以及错误策略为主;此后,当被试建构起对问题的正确表征时,就以使用正确策略为主,甚至发现了非常有技巧性和领域专门性的快捷策略,这时策略的数量明显减少;在面临难度较大的迁移题目时,快捷策略的使用率又降低,而更多借助于常规策略。可见,策略的获得是一个由错误到正确、由多种尝试到选择其一、由一般到专门的演化过程,这主要是一个学生自主建构的过程,当然也受到正式和非正式教育提供的知识的影响。值得说明的是,快捷策略的获得受到问题呈现模式的影响。总是呈现相同题目的单一模式有助于快捷策略的发现,而在混合训练中,插入不同性质的题目会干扰快捷策略的发现;但是,当面临迁移问题时,单一训练相比于混合训练的优势会消失。此外,正确使用常规策略是发现快捷策略的前提。     

Randomized controlled trial of parental responsiveness intervention for toddlers at high risk for autism

This study tested the effects of a parent-mediated intervention on parental responsiveness with their toddlers at high risk for an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).Participants included caregivers and their 66 toddlers at high risk for ASD. Caregivers were randomized to 12 sessions of an individualized parent education intervention aimed at improving parental responsiveness or to a monitoring control group involving 4 sessions of behavioral support. Parental responsiveness and child outcomes were measured at three time points: at beginning and end of the 3-month treatment and at 12-months post-study entry. Parental responsiveness improved significantly in the treatment group but not the control group. However, parental responsiveness was not fully maintained at follow up. There were no treatment effects on child outcomes of joint attention or language. Children in both groups made significant developmental gains in cognition and language skills over one year. These results support parental responsiveness as an important intervention target given its general association with child outcomes in the extant literature; however, additional supports are likely needed to fully maintain the treatment effect and to affect child outcomes.     

Efficacy of Fun to Learn for the Young Program: Randomized Controlled Trial

Early intervention for children from disadvantaged backgrounds has been found to be effective in improving their learning and psychosocial outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the Fun to Learn for the Young (FLY) program using randomized controlled trial design with no blinding of participants. Participants included 200 Hong Kong Chinese parent–child dyads (intervention:101; control: 99) with children aged 18?months from disadvantaged backgrounds. Participants were recruited from three non-governmental organizations. The intervention group participated in the 60-session FLY program which consisted of direct teaching to children and parent training. Parent participants from both groups completed questionnaires on child learning, child behavior and parenting before the intervention, at the end of 40 sessions, and 60 sessions. The children were individually assessed on their preschool concepts and language skills at these three time points. Results indicated that the children in the intervention group made more gains in preschool concepts, language skills, school readiness and motivation, compared with control group children (η _p ²?=?.018–.029). The results provided some initial evidence that the FLY program was an effective early intervention program in promoting child learning.