Personalized expert guidance of students’ book choices in primary and secondary education

In many schools, independent silent reading of self-selected books is used to promote reading. However, self-selection may be insufficient to counter negative reading experiences, particularly when students choose books not attuned to their reading level and interest. Two studies experimentally tested whether personalized expert guidance when selecting books could prevent a reading attitude decline. Study 1 focused on readers in prevocational secondary education (Grades 7 and 8; N = 136). Study 2 included younger readers from primary education (Grades 4–6, N = 99). Students in the experimental condition met with a librarian to discuss book choices every two weeks for three months. In both studies, the intervention stabilized the reading attitude decline, although, in Study 1, only for more advanced readers. In Study 2, reading comprehension of the most proficient readers also improved. This indicates that guidance in selecting books can preserve students’ reading attitude and increase reading proficiency growth.publishedVersio

Effects of a Dutch family literacy program:The role of implementation

It is hypothesized that variability found in the effects of family literacy programs results from differences in implementation by parents. In this study, the implementation and effects of a Dutch program were examined in a sample of 207 kindergarteners (mean age at pre-test: 64 months). No main intervention effects on children’s literacy development were found. The quality of implementation proved to be higher for high-SES and native Dutch (speaking) parents than for low-SES, ethnic-minority parents with other home languages. Parent SES, ethnic-minority status, and home language did not moderate the program effects on child language scores and the program failed to impact targeted parental attributes, namely, the home literacy environment and parent self-efficacy. Finally, children’s development proved unrelated to implementation variables. Our results stress the importance of delivery for adequate implementation

Die Effekte von vorschulischen Bildungszentren in den Niederlanden: der Einfluss von organisatorischen Merkmalen und kindlichem Familienhintergrund

"Kinder aus einem bildungsfernen Haushalt und/oder Immigrantenkinder haben eine ungünstige Startposition zu Beginn ihrer Grundschulzeit. Eine der Weisen die Anfangsposition zu verbessern ist eine Stimulierung der Kenntnisse und Fertigkeiten im Vorschulalter. Obwohl vorschulische Bildungszentren eine Verbesserung der Schulkarriere von Risikokindern beabsichtigen, kann angenommen, werden dass Kinder sich darin unterscheiden in welchem Maß sie von einer Teilnahme profitieren. Dieses Paper beschreibt die Resultate einer Untersuchung in den Niederlanden, bei der zwei Variablen untersucht wurden von denen angenommen wird, dass sie die Effektivität von vorschulischen Bildungszentren modifizieren: (i) die (strukturelle und prozessuale) Qualität der Zentren und (ii) der Familienhintergrund der teilnehmenden Kinder. Die Untersuchung ergab, dass Partizipation in vorschulischen Bildungszentren zur frühen Entwicklung des Lesens und Schreibens beiträgt, die Effekte mit der Zeit aber nachlassen. Außerdem zeigte sich, dass die Effektivität der Zentren zum Teil von der Erwachsene-Kind Ratio im Zentrum und, für Immigrantenkinder, von dem Angebot der Niederländischen Sprache zu Hause abhängig ist." (Autorenreferat)"Children from lower-educated and/or immigrant minority families generally start primary school at a deficit. One way of improving these children's initial position is by stimulating the development of relevant knowledge and abilities before the start of formal elementary education, e.g. through participation in centers for preschool education. Although such centers aim to improve the school careers of all children at risk, it can be assumed that children differ in the extent to which they benefit from taking part. This paper describes the results of a study, conducted in the Netherlands, in which two variables were examined that are assumed to moderate the effectiveness of preschool center participation: (i) the (structural and process) quality of centers and (ii) the family backgrounds of articipating children. The study reveals that preschool center participation contributes to children's early literacy development but that effects fade away over time. Furthermore, the study shows that effective-ness is partly dependent on the adult-child ratio and, for children from immigrant minority families, on their home language situation." (author's abstract

Binding of corticosteroid receptors to rat hippocampus nuclear matrix

AbstractIn rat hippocampus, the mineralocorticoid receptor and the glucocorticoid receptor bind corticosterone with high affinity. We have studied the association of these receptors with the nuclear matrix both after in vivo and in vitro administration of radiolabelled corticosterone to hippocampus cells. It was found that in vivo 100% and in vitro 60% of the corticosterone that specifically bound to rat hippocampus nuclei was attached to the nuclear matrix. A selective glucocorticoid receptor agonist did not compete for corticosterone binding. This indicates that this binding was mediated by the mineralocorticoid receptor rather than the glucocorticoid receptor

Level of abstraction in parent–child interactions: the role of activity type and socioeconomic status

Background: Various conversational contexts elicit stimulating parent–child interactions to a different degree. Shared reading, a scripted activity, is reported to elicit most abstract speech compared with other activities (e.g., toy play). Parental socioeconomic status (SES) is another key predictor of abstract talk. Shared reading can attenuate differences in abstract speech between SES groups. In the current study, we compared abstraction of parent–child interactions during nonscripted prompting board and shared reading activities. A prompting board is a complex picture around a certain theme, depicting a scenario (i.e., a picture suggesting a sequence of events), and is meant to elicit child speech. Method: We observed 44 parent–child dyads (87% mothers; child Mage: 63 months) from various socioeconomic backgrounds during prompting board and shared reading discussions and coded interactions for level of abstraction. Results: Prompting boards were found to elicit both more, and more highly abstract speech (particularly inferencing) than shared reading, and children contributed more often to the conversation. Additionally, most speech on the lowest level of abstraction occurred during prompting boards (e.g., labelling and locating). Shared reading elicited more talk on intermediate levels (e.g., describing aspects of objects and characters and making comparisons to the child's life). Moreover, high-SES parents and children produced more highly abstract speech and less labelling and locating compared with low-SES dyads during both activities. Shared reading did not attenuate SES differences in abstract interactions. Conclusions: Prompting boards seem promising for early intervention; however, future intervention studies are needed

Level of Abstraction in Parent-child Interactions: The Role of Activity Type and Socio-economic Status

Background: Various conversational contexts elicit stimulating parent–child interactions to a different degree. Shared reading, a scripted activity, is reported to elicit most abstract speech compared with other activities (e.g., toy play). Parental socioeconomic status (SES) is another key predictor of abstract talk. Shared reading can attenuate differences in abstract speech between SES groups. In the current study, we compared abstraction of parent–child interactions during nonscripted prompting board and shared reading activities. A prompting board is a complex picture around a certain theme, depicting a scenario (i.e., a picture suggesting a sequence of events), and is meant to elicit child speech. Method: We observed 44 parent–child dyads (87% mothers; child Mage: 63 months) from various socioeconomic backgrounds during prompting board and shared reading discussions and coded interactions for level of abstraction. Results: Prompting boards were found to elicit both more, and more highly abstract speech (particularly inferencing) than shared reading, and children contributed more often to the conversation. Additionally, most speech on the lowest level of abstraction occurred during prompting boards (e.g., labelling and locating). Shared reading elicited more talk on intermediate levels (e.g., describing aspects of objects and characters and making comparisons to the child’s life). Moreover, high-SES parents and children produced more highly abstract speech and less labelling and locating compared with low-SES dyads during both activities. Shared reading did not attenuate SES differences in abstract interactions. Conclusions: Prompting boards seem promising for early intervention however, future intervention studies are needed

Collaborative learning intervention associated with small increases in home-based school involvement for lower SES families in deprived neighbourhoods

This study investigated the impact of the Dutch family-oriented collaborative learning intervention, characterised by a partnership approach and provision of personalised support. We assessed effects on parents' home-based school involvement, perceived quality of the parent-teacher relationship, and parenting skills. Fifty-six families with children in grades 1-4 (aged 4-9) were randomly assigned to an intervention or waiting list condition. Results of two path models, using cluster-robust standard errors to adjust for nesting within our data, and controlling for baseline values of our outcome variables, indicated small improvements in home-based school involvement among families in the intervention group, but no differences in the perceived quality of the parent-teacher relationship nor in parenting skills. Our findings provide preliminary evidence for the idea that, under conditions of a partnership approach and provision of personalised support, efforts to support and strengthen the capacities of lower SES parents to promote child development can be fruitful

Affirming and undermining motivations for reading and associations with reading comprehension, age and gender

Background: There has been an increasing interest in negative or ‘undermining’ motivations for reading. In this study, we aimed to strengthen knowledge on the validity of the distinction between affirming and undermining motivations. First, we examined whether the structure of a questionnaire based on this distinction could be confirmed. Second, we examined the predictive value of undermining motivations for reading comprehension. Third, we studied moderator effects of gender and age. Methods: We administered a reading motivation questionnaire and a reading comprehension test to 324 low-achieving adolescents. The questionnaire included items on affirming and undermining motivations for school and leisure time reading: intrinsic motivation and avoidance, self-efficacy and perceived difficulty. Results: Confirmatory factor analyses supported the assumed structure of the questionnaire. Undermining motivations, particularly perceived difficulty, explained unique variance in reading achievement. Gender and age did not moderate effects of motivational variables. Conclusions: Educators need to be aware of the role of undermining motivations. Future research should examine if interventions can lead to the reduction of such motivations