Neuropsychological,Cognitive, and Theoretical Considerations for Evaluation of Bilingual Individuals

As the number of bilinguals in the USA grows rapidly, it is increasingly important for neuropsychologists to be equipped and trained to address the unique challenges inherent in conducting ethical and competent neuropsychological evaluations with this population. Research on bilingualism has focused on two key cognitive mechanisms that introduce differences between bilinguals and monolinguals: (a) reduced frequency of language-specific use (weaker links), and (b) competition for selection within the language system in bilinguals (interference). Both mechanisms are needed to explain how bilingualism affects neuropsychological test performance, including the robust bilingual disadvantages found on verbal tasks, and more subtle bilingual advantages on some measures of cognitive control. These empirical results and theoretical claims can be used to derive a theoretically informed method for assessing cognitive status in bilinguals. We present specific considerations for measuring degree of bilingualism for both clients and examiners to aid in determinations of approaches to testing bilinguals, with practical guidelines for incorporating models of bilingualism and recent experimental data into neuropsychological evaluations. This integrated approach promises to provide improved clinical services for bilingual clients, and will also contribute to a program of research that will ultimately reveal the mechanisms underlying language processing and executive functioning in bilinguals and monolinguals alike.     

A consequence of school grade labels: preservice teachers’ interpretations and recall of children’s classroom behavior

This study investigated whether preservice teachers’ attitudes surrounding school grade labels influenced interpretations and recall of children’s classroom behavior using the automatic attitude activation model (Fazio, In R. M. Sorrentino & E. T. Higgins (Eds.), Handbook of motivation and cognition: Foundations of social behavior, 1986) as a theoretical framework. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: The expectation of viewing a video of children in schools labeled as “A,” “F,” or “typical” as a result of the school’s aggregated student performance on standardized tests. Results indicated that participants who believed that they were viewing a video of an “F” classroom recalled more negative and fewer positive behaviors compared to the “typical” classroom. Likewise, there was a trend for participants to recall more negative and fewer positive behaviors when viewing a video of an “F” compared to an “A” school. Therefore, negative attitudes about a school label of “F” biased preservice teachers’ perceptions and memories of children’s classroom behaviors.

L’épuisement professionnel des enseignants en début de carrière

In the literature on the professional integration of teachers burnout is often invoked to at least partially explain the high percentage of those quitting the profession after a five-year practice or less. Teachers’ burnout implies emotional distress, viewing pupils as « things » (instead of as human beings), and being unsure of one’s teaching abilities. While this not always leads to quit teaching, victims of burnout can hardly escape pessimism and cynicism about their profession. This paper is made up of two parts: 1) a discussion of teachers’ burnout; 2) some suggestions for keeping teachers on the job.     

The quality of caregiving in child care: relations to teacher complexity of thinking and perceived supportiveness of the work environment

This study examined the relationship between the complexity of thinking about children by child care teachers and observed teachers' caregiving for infants and toddlers. It was hypothesized that the perceived supportiveness of the work environment would affect this relationship. Fifty‐six child care teachers completed a survey assessing complexity of thinking about children's behaviour as well as a measure of the perceived opportunities for professional development. Teachers' quality of caregiving was assessed using the Caregiver Interaction Scale. Planned contrasts revealed that when professional development opportunities were perceived unfavourably, teachers who were complex in thinking about children's behaviour provided significantly more sensitive care than did teachers who were less complex in their thinking. Findings indicate that the complexity of teachers' thinking about children may be very important in understanding teacher's sensitivity when the quality of the work environment is poor. High‐quality work environments may buffer teachers with less complexity of thinking from being less sensitive with children. Efforts to improve quality of care could focus on individual teachers to improve their complexity of thinking as well as on the work environment to make it more supportive of teachers' professional development. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

湘西少数民族原始宗教伦理的现代审视

湘西少数民族原始宗教作为文化原型,已化为民风民俗,进入当代民族民间文化生活。对湘西少数民族原始宗教伦理的文化特性、道德选择及其精神内核的现代审视,必须坚持中国化马克思主义宗教观,批判地发掘其当代价值。     

Asian American career development: A qualitative analysis

This study used a modified version of consensual qualitative research design to examine how contextual, cultural, and personal variables influence the career choices of a diverse group of 12 Asian Americans. Seven domains of influences on career choices emerged including family, culture, external factors, career goals, role models, work values, and self-identity. Furthermore, several overarching themes were discovered that expressed elements of many of these domains. These themes highlighted the pervasive and influential role that both culture and family of origin play in the construction of meaning that these Asian American participants made from their career choices. Implications of these domains and themes and suggestions for future research are discussed.     

幼儿教师教学策略的结构、类型及特点

以432名幼儿教师为样本,探讨了幼儿教师教学策略的结构及类型,并进一步分析了不同类型幼儿教师的教学策略特点。结果表明:(1)幼儿教师教学策略的结构主要包括引导监控策略、分析总结策略、交流互动策略及计划应变策略4部分;(2)幼儿教师教学策略的类型主要分为综合发展型、整合提升型和交流缺失型3种;(3)综合发展型幼儿教师的教学策略水平较高,交流缺失型幼儿教师的交流互动策略最差,而整合提升型幼儿教师的教学策略正处在整合发展期。     

专家与新手教师对静态课堂教学场景的知觉差异

教师在课堂教学过程中,需要实时监控和加工课堂中的各种信息,以此来调整教学和管理课堂.研究选取9名专家教师和16名师范类研究生,采用专家、新手教师对比的范式,借鉴场景知觉的研究方法,以静态教学场景和非教学场景作为刺激材料,利用眼动技术,探讨了教学经验对课堂教学场景知觉的影响.结果发现,相对于新手,专家对静态课堂教学场景的注视次数更多,总注视时间更长;对于不同的场景类型,非教学场景受到的注视次数更多;专家对于非教学场景的注视次数要多于教学场景,但是平均注视时间少于教学场景;专家对非教学场景的总注视时间长于新手.研究表明,专家对非教学场景采取的是多次注视但每次注视时间短的策略,体现的是一种快速扫描的注视模式,而对教学场景采取的是少量注视但每次注视时间长的策略,体现的是认真观看的注视模式.     

小学教师课堂信息加工能力的研究

研究采用小学语文和数学教学录像为实验材料,以98名小学语文数学教师、其他学科教师和非教师为研究对象,运用反应时测量法探讨小学教师加工不同类型课堂信息的速度和辨别能力。结果表明:有学科教学经验的教师(语文和数学教师)在重视学科教学内容的同时,也重视课堂教学活动的组织和课堂气氛的调节;学科知识、学科教学经验和课堂教学经验对教师的课堂信息加工能力和教学专长发展有显著的影响;研究结论对提高教师课堂教学能力、教学专长以及教师培训提供了有力的实验证据。     

幼师生职业决策自我效能、学校适应与职业犹豫不决之间的关系

运用自编的职业决策自我效能量表,考察334名幼师生职业决策自我效能、学校适应与其职业犹豫不决的相关关系,结果发现职业决策自我效能对学校适应预测职业犹豫不决起到部分中介作用。进一步研究发现幼师生职业决策自我效能中的目标设定、自我概念和自我评价对其学校适应预测职业犹豫不决起部分中介作用,职业信息收集和学业成绩对此的中介效应不显著。