REC : revista de estudios del currículum

En este artículo se dan a conocer la muestra, los resultados y el análisis de un estudio llevado a cabo por tres profesoras de la Escuela de Educación de la Universidad de Illinois en Chicago (Estados Unidos). Los datos para este estudio fueron obtenidos del Segundo Estudio Internacional de Matemáticas, investigación integrada sobre la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de las matemáticas, llevada a cabo en 21 países, a cargo de la Asociación Internacional para la Evaluación del Rendimiento Educativo (IEA). Se parte de la premisa de que los currículos de diferentes clases conducen a diferentes pautas de resultados. Se pretende averiguar si a mayor coherencia en un currículum (planteamiento teórico y puesta en práctica en el aula) mayores y más evidentes efectos. Finalmente, se intentan comprobar los efectos de dos orientaciones curriculares específicas, la 'tradicional' y la 'progresista'. El análisis de los resultados obtenidos muestra que los/las maestros/as de matemáticas de octavo grado en Estados Unidos enseñan su materia sin un punto de vista teóricamente coherente. Mantienen posturas que parecerían lógicamente incompatibles acerca de los objetivos de la enseñanza de las matemáticas, el papel del/de la maestro/a, la naturaleza del aprendizaje y la naturaleza de la asignatura.CataluñaBiblioteca de Educación del Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte; Calle San Agustín, 5; 28014 Madrid; Tel. +34917748000; [email protected]

Predicting phonetic transcription agreement: Insights from research in infant vocalizations

The purpose of this study is to provide new perspectives on correlates of phonetic transcription agreement. Our research focuses on phonetic transcription and coding of infant vocalizations. The findings are presumed to be broadly applicable to other difficult cases of transcription, such as found in severe disorders of speech, which similarly result in low reliability for a variety of reasons. We evaluated the predictiveness of two factors not previously documented in the literature as influencing transcription agreement: Canonicity and coder confidence. Transcribers coded samples of infant vocalizations, judging both canonicity and confidence. Correlation results showed that canonicity and confidence were strongly related to agreement levels, and regression results showed that canonicity and confidence both contributed significantly to explanation of variance. Specifically, the results suggest that canonicity plays a major role in transcription agreement when utterances involve supraglottal articulation, with coder confidence offering additional power in predicting transcription agreement

The receptive-expressive gap in the vocabulary of young second-language learners: Robustness and possible mechanisms

Adults and children learning a second language show difficulty accessing expressive vocabulary that appears accessible receptively in their first language (L1). We call this discrepancy the receptive-expressive gap. Kindergarten Spanish (L1)-English (L2) sequential bilinguals were given standardized tests of receptive and expressive vocabulary in both Spanish and English. We found a small receptive-expressive gap in English but a large receptive-expressive gap in Spanish. We categorized children as having had high or low levels of English exposure based on demographic variables and found that the receptive-expressive gap persisted across both levels of English exposure. Regression analyses revealed that variables predicting both receptive and expressive vocabulary scores failed to predict the receptive-expressive gap. The results suggest that the onset of the receptive-expressive gap in L1 may have been abrupt. We discuss possible mechanisms underlying the phenomenon. © 2011 Cambridge University Press

Fitting derivational morphophonology into a developmental model of reading

Oral language is the foundation on which literacy initially builds. Between early developing oral language skills and fluent reading comprehension emerge several types of metalinguistic ability, including phonological and morphological awareness. In this study, a developmental sequence is proposed, beginning with receptive language followed by phonological awareness, morphological awareness, and a new metalinguistic task measuring oral morphophonological accuracy (MPA), followed by decoding and culminating in reading comprehension. MPA is a measure of accurate primary stress placement in the production of derived words with non-neutral, stress changing suffixes (e.g., -ity). A path analysis with data from 76 third graders was used to evaluate the direct and indirect effects of these variables. The developmental model was confirmed, and a metalinguistic continuum, with MPA emerging after both PA and MA, was supported. Decoding and receptive language were the best unique predictors of reading comprehension. Surprisingly, MPA was more important to decoding than was PA, whereas MA was only indirectly implicated in both decoding and reading comprehension. © 2007 Springer Science+Business Media B.V

Self-efficacy, optimism, health competence, and recovery from orthopedic surgery

The authors tested whether self-efficacy for orthopedic rehabilitation tasks accounted for significant variance in rehabilitation outcome, over the variance accounted for by dispositional optimism, health competence, and health value. Whether health value moderated expectancy-outcome relationships also was examined. One hundred five older clients at 2 orthopedic rehabilitation facilities completed a battery of instruments; physical functioning also was assessed. After controlling for physical functioning at admission and for other variables, self-efficacy predicted significant variance in rehabilitation outcome. Health value did not moderate expectancy-outcome relationships. Results suggest that psychologists can improve patients\u27 recovery from serious orthopedic problems by augmenting their self-efficacy beliefs

Identification of prelinguistic phonological categories

Purpose: The prelinguistic infant\u27s babbling repertoire of syllables- the phonological categories that form the basis for early word learning-is noticed by caregivers who interact with infants around them. Prior research on babbling has not explored the caregiver\u27s role in recognition of early vocal categories as foundations for word learning. In the present work, the authors begin to address this gap. Method: The authors explored vocalizations produced by 8 infants at 3 ages (8, 10, and 12months) in studies illustrating identification of phonological categories through caregiver report, laboratory procedures simulating the caregiver\u27s natural mode of listening, and the more traditional laboratory approach (phonetic transcription). Results: Caregivers reported small repertoires of syllables for their infants. Repertoires of similar size and phonetic content were discerned in the laboratory by judges who simulated the caregiver\u27s natural mode of listening. However, phonetic transcription with repeated listening to infant recordings yielded repertoire sizes that vastly exceeded those reported by caregivers and naturalistic listeners. Conclusions: The results suggest that caregiver report and naturalistic listening by laboratory staff can provide a new way to explore key characteristics of early infant vocal categories, a way that may provide insight into later speech and language development. © American Speech-Language-Hearing Association