The Effects of Self-Correction Versus Traditional Spelling on the Spelling Performance and Maintenance of Third Grade Students

We examined the effect of self-correction versus a traditional spelling approach on the acquisition and maintenance of written spelling of elementary school students enrolled in third grade. Six students, who were at risk for spelling failure, served as subjects. During self-correction, students used a form with five columns that contained correct pre-written models of spelling words. After reviewing the word list, students folded back the first column, which contained the words. Then, they listened to their spelling list on individual cassette players and spelled each word in turn in the subsequent columns of the form. Students checked their spelling responses by unfolding the first column and matching their responses to the sample. Each correct spelling response was marked with a C incorrect spellings were fixed by writing the correct orthography above the word. During traditional spelling, students wrote each spelling word five times, using a pre-written model as a guide. Results showed a functional relationship between self-correction and improved spelling performance. Five of the six maintained a higher number of posttests words on maintenance probes. All students preferred the self-correction method over the traditional spelling method.     

When Does Religious Racial Integration “Count?” A Caution About Seeking Ideal Ethnographic Cases

If the particular demographics of attenders, their storied backgrounds, and the peculiar aspects of their social and economic circumstances fail to conform to an “ideal scenario” of “ultimate” diversity, we might find ourselves disappointed. This appears to be one of the most important aspects of Richard Pitt's critique. Pitt desires a different “ideal” case for analysis, a church with black leadership and a clear black dominance that successfully integrates whites. Such an analysis is sorely needed, but this does not reflect the dynamics of Oasis nor does it address what has been one of the most pressing questions among scholars of diversity over the past decade. Given that any black‐white integration is rare, I would not so easily dismiss the specifics of this case. Indeed, rather than merely reverse the case, I want to radicalize the critique. It is time to more purposefully examine diversity beyond the “racial divide,” and I suggest here several ways we can expand the research agenda on diverse congregations.     

How do different aspects of self-regulation predict successful adaptation to school?

Self-regulation plays an important role in successful adaptation to preschool and school contexts as well as in later academic achievement. The current study relates different aspects of self-regulation such as temperamental effortful control and executive functions (updating, inhibition, and shifting) to different aspects of adaptation to school such as learning-related behavior, school grades, and performance in standardized achievement tests. The relationship between executive functions/effortful control and academic achievement has been established in previous studies; however, little is known about their unique contributions to different aspects of adaptation to school and the interplay of these factors in young school children. Results of a 1-year longitudinal study (N=459) revealed that unique contributions of effortful control (parental report) to school grades were fully mediated by children's learning-related behavior. On the other hand, the unique contributions of executive functions (performance on tasks) to school grades were only partially mediated by children's learning-related behavior. Moreover, executive functions predicted performance in standardized achievement tests exclusively, with comparable predictive power for mathematical and reading/writing skills. Controlling for fluid intelligence did not change the pattern of prediction substantially, and fluid intelligence did not explain any variance above that of the two included aspects of self-regulation. Although effortful control and executive functions were not significantly related to each other, both aspects of self-regulation were shown to be important for fostering early learning and good classroom adjustment in children around transition to school.     

Recognition memory and prefrontal cortex: dissociating recollection and familiarity processes using rTMS

Recognition memory can be supported by both the assessment of the familiarity of an item and by the recollection of the context in which an item was encountered. The neural substrates of these memory processes are controversial. To address these issues we applied repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the right and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of healthy subjects performing a remember/know task. rTMS disrupted familiarity judgments when applied before encoding of stimuli over both right and left DLPFC. rTMS disrupted recollection when applied before encoding of stimuli over the right DLPFC. These findings suggest that the DLPFC plays a critical role in recognition memory based on familiarity as well as recollection.     

A comparison of female and male adolescents' social behaviors and cognitions: A challenge to the assertiveness literature

Sex differences were investigated in the thoughts and behaviors of adolescents in simulated social situations. The pattern of sex differences indicated females to be more appropriately assertive in their overt behaviors than males. Males were more aggressive. In their cognitions females were more likely to deny their impact on others, while males were more likely to deny the impact of others on themselves. Potency training was suggested for females, assertiveness training for males. Cluster analyses of correlations among behaviors and thoughts revealed four clusters for females: external locus of control, internal locus of control, active expressiveness, and social isolation or denial. The three male clusters were a negative impotent one, a positive active cluster, and an aggressive hostile cluster.The research reported is based on a dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Ph.D., University of Toronto (OISE). The research was partially funded by OISE Research and Development Grant No. 3478, awarded to the second author.     

Semantic priming in the pronunciation of words in two writing systems: Italian and English

Semantic priming effects in naming Italian and English words were investigated. Experiments 1 and 2 were in Italian. In Experiment 1, the subjects named a target word, which was either associated with or unrelated to a preceding prime. The results showed semantic priming effects. However, in Experiment 2, in which the same materials occurred in a list that also included pseudowords, priming effects were obtained with the lexical decision task, but not with pronunciation. In Experiment 3, the inclusion of pseudowords in the materials prevented priming effects from occurring in Italian, but not in English. Finally, Experiment 4 indicated that, even in Italian, nonlexical reading was abandoned when a few of the to-be-pronounced items required lexical knowledge for correct stress assignment. The findings suggest that reading normally occurs lexically. The characteristics of the various writing systems, however, are relevant in determining the strategies that people may adopt in unusual circumstances.     

Sensory Awareness Mindfulness Training in Coaching: Accepting Life’s Challenges

Sensory Awareness Mindfulness Training is a new set of skills to help clients approach a better life/work equilibrium by balancing cognitive and emotional brain activities. This is achieved through regular connection with one’s senses and focusing non-judgementally on the ‘here and now’ experience of life. The exercises are neither difficult to teach nor to learn; it is, however, necessary for the practitioner and student to enter into a regular routine of implementation for change to occur. Mindfulness is, in a nutshell, a way of being, a new life-style. Research shows that mindfulness interventions have resulted in significant improvements in a range of conditions such as anxiety, depression, stress disorders, chronic pain, psoriasis and relapse prevention, to mention but a few. This article gives a brief overview of using mindfulness interventions in the arena of coaching. It also focuses and describes one small pilot project where Sensory Awareness Mindfulness Training is applied and evaluated.