Macrostructure and microstructure in narratives of Spanish/English bilingual children with and without language impairment (LI)

There is limited research on character mention and noun phrase elaboration in the narratives of Spanish-English kindergarten and first graders. The current study was designed to determine whether typically developing (TD) Spanish- English bilingual children differed from children with language impairment (LI) in their use of character mentions, noun phrase elaboration, and noun modifier agreement in their English and Spanish narrative productions at kindergarten and first grade. The current study is a longitudinal study including 16 children with LI and 16 TD peers who were matched on age, sex, nonverbal IQ and language exposure. In kindergarten and first grade, the children retold a narrative using a wordless picture book in both Spanish and English. The findings revealed that the ability groups (LI and TD) significantly differed in their use of English character mention, English and Spanish noun phrase elaboration, use of Spanish type of noun phrase elaboration (level I), and noun-modifier agreement in narrative retells. Children in both groups (TD, LI) retold more complex narratives that vii included more characters and noun phrase elaboration at first grade than kindergarten. Despite these significant findings, the two groups did not develop character mention or noun phrase elaboration in their Spanish or English narratives at different rates across the two years. In the children’s Spanish retells, the children with LI committed more noun modifier agreement errors than the TD children; however, the two ability groups (LI, TD) did not develop noun modifier agreement at different rates. Similarity between the TD and the LI groups on character mention and noun phrase elaboration development may be due to the fact that both children were only beginning to incorporate noun phrase elaboration (i.e. adjectives, ENP) in their narrative retells.Communication Sciences and Disorder

Logo mastery : cognitive styles and problem solving strategies used by kindergartners and third graders

Fifty-one third grade students and fifty-one kindergarten students enrolled in an elementary school were placed in either a field independent group or a field dependent group using a test of stylistic preference. Students first learned to maneuver in the Logo Microworld using the Syntonic Command Method. This method allowed students to position the cursor in eight different directional positions with a single keystroke. By selecting the appropriate color-coded directional "turtle key" students moved the turtle in the direction necessary to solve the problem. Only ten keys (eight turtle keys for directional heading and two forward move keys) were required for students to solve any on-screen problem. After demonstrating an acceptable level of mastery, students proceeded to problem solving strategies training

Examination of Eco-Behavioral Assessments Designed for Understanding Complex Behaviors and Environments.

Second-generation intervention research requires methods for overcoming challenges to understanding complex learning ecologies and interactions of students. Eco-behavioral assessments (EBAs) are one solution to past intervention research challenges. EBAs record the effects of ecological variables in students’ behavior and daily interactions. The utility of EBAs in second-generation research has increased substantially. Numerous EBAs now exist for use with all ages of learners and provide a valid, reliable, and cost effective method for intervention research. This paper examines 18 EBAs as well as software systems designed to support and enhance the use of EBAs. The examination serves as a comprehensive resource to better understand how EBAs can be used in answering complex questions about students’ learning and for advancing second-generation research

A review of the evidence on the use of ICT in the Early Years Foundation Stage

This report reviewed existing evidence on the potential of technology to support the development of educational policy and practice in the context of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Reference is made to the use of ICT by young children from aged birth to five years and its potential impacts, positive and negative on their cognitive, social, emotional educational, visual and physical development

Temperament in the Classroom

Variance in academic performance that persists when situational variables are held constant suggests that whether students fail or thrive depends not only on circumstance, but also on relatively stable individual differences in how children respond to circumstance. More academically talented children generally outperform their less able peers, but much less is known about how traits unrelated to general intelligence influence academic outcomes. This paper addresses several related questions: What insights can be gleaned from historical interest in the role of temperament in the classroom? What does recent empirical research say about the specific dimensions of temperament most important to successful academic performance? In particular, which aspects of temperament most strongly influence school readiness, academic achievement, and educational attainment? What factors mediate and moderate associations between temperament and academic outcomes? What progress has been made in deliberately cultivating aspects of temperament that matter most to success in school? And, finally, for researchers keenly interested in better understanding how and why temperament influences academic success, in which direction does future progress lie?

Technology and young children

This review examined the purpose of technology use with young children. Examination of literature on effects of technology usage in the classroom, and ebook use to teach emergent literacy skills, was done. Insights showed that young children are learning more than just academic skills while using technology. They are learning cultural and social norms. In the classroom, children as young as three years old are being introduced to technology as a way to teach practice and reinforce new literacy skills. The review had mixed results as to whether technology use with young children to teach literacy skills is effective. Further insights were synthesized and recommendations were made for the use of technology with young children

Effectiveness if traditional games compared with technological games in classroom climate and student's performance in the EFL classroom : a quasi-experimental research

Tesis (Pedagogía en Inglés)The present study intended to corroborate the hypothesis that both technological and traditional games can help school students in their learning process and that traditional games unlike technological ones, also help in the creation of a better classroom climate. Through a quasi-experiment in three different educational settings, control groups and experimental ones were going to be measured both in students’ performance expressed in marks and in classroom climate measured with a sociometric test. Chile’s current national contingency has prevented this study to be concluded as expected. As an alternative outcome, the researchers carried out a perception study that compared student’s acceptance of both technological and traditional games. The result of this study shows that current students, who are digital natives, showed a slight preference for traditional games over the technological ones, defying the common belief that students only react positively to technology.El presente estudio pretende corroborar la hipótesis de que tanto los juegos tecnológicos como los tradicionales pueden ayudar a los alumnos en su proceso de aprendizaje y que los juegos tradicionales a diferencia de los tecnológicos pueden ayudar, además en la creación de un mejor clima de aula. A través de un cuasi-experimento en tres diferentes establecimientos educacionales, en los grupo de control y experimentales se iba a medir tanto el rendimiento de los estudiantes expresado a través de sus calificaciones, como el clima de aula medido a través de un cuestionario sociométrico. La actual contingencia nacional de Chile ha impedido que este estudio concluya según lo previsto. Como alternativa, los investigadores llevaron a cabo un estudio de percepción que comparó la aceptación de los estudiantes hacia los juegos tecnológicos y tradicionales. El resultado de este estudio muestra que los estudiantes, siendo nativos digitales. mostraron una ligera preferencia por los juegos tradicionales por sobre los tecnológicos, desafiando la creencia general de que los estudiantes solo reaccionan positivamente ante la tecnología

Effects of selected timbres, tasks, grade level, and gender on vocal pitch-matching accuracy of kindergarten through third-grade children

The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of selected timbres, tasks, grade level, and gender on vocal pitch-matching accuracy of kindergarten through third-grade children. Five primary null hypotheses were tested to determine significant effects of these variables on vocal pitch-matching accuracy of kindergarten through third-grade children. Two secondary null hypotheses were tested to identify possible relationships of home musical environment (HME) and socioeconomic status (SES) to vocal pitch-matching accuracy (VPMA) of kindergarten through third-grade children. A pitch-matching test was constructed and administered individually to 111 subjects. The test consisted of three subtests which required subjects to vocally match aurally presented single tones, melodic intervals, and tonal patterns. Six timbres were used as stimuli: oboe, piano, resonator bells, soprano voice, trumpet, and violin. Subjects’ vocal pitch-matching responses were recorded individually and analyzed via Visi-Pitch, computer interface, and a Packard Bell IBM-compatible computer