Reading comprehension as a function of a reading-strategy program in monolingual and bilingual students with Special Educational Needs: An experimental study

In order to find out if students with a different language background would benefit evenly by a reading-strategy program, 43 native speakers, 49 bilingual, and 55 second language speaking students from the 5th to 7th grade with Special Educational Needs were trained in strategic reading. A pre-, post- and follow-up design was conducted during one academic year assessing reading comprehension and reading strategy knowledge. Results indicated that students that spoke a second language at home and not the language of instruction, profited more from the reading-strategy program than the bilingual and native speakers

One for All or All for One? Do Principal's and Teacher's Goal Orientations Affect Students' Achievement in Reading, Spelling and Vocabulary?

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate whether the motivation of principals and teachers plays a significant role on the achievement of elementary school students. Participants were 193 elementary school students who attended grades 3 through 6 of 2 schools in a large metropolitan area of Greece. Students’ achievement in language was estimated using normative scales. Teachers’ motivation was assessed using Elliot’s achievement goal measure. Data were analyzed using mixed modeling due to the hierarchical structure of the data. Results indicated that there were no differences between principal and teacher’s adoption of goals. Further analyses focused on teachers and indicated that their adoption of mastery goals (approach or avoidance) were positive predictors of students’ achievement in reading comprehension. Performance approach goals were negative predictors of both reading comprehension and spelling. Last, performance avoidance goals were positive predictors of vocabulary. It is concluded that teachers motivational dispositions play a significant role in the achievement levels of their students. (C) 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd

A Psychometric Analysis of Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices: Evaluating Guessing and Carelessness Using the 4PL Item Response Theory Model

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of Raven’s colored progressive matrices by estimating the presence of pseudo-guessing and pseudo-carelessness. Participants were 1127 children from ages 5 to 11. Guessing and carelessness were assessed using the lower and upper asymptotes of the 3PL and 4PL item response theory (IRT) models, respectively. Optimal model fit was judged using difference loglikelihood tests and information criteria. Results indicated that guessing, but not carelessness, were evident in the AB and B forms of the CPM, with successful guessing being more prevalent in the AB form. It is concluded that nonverbal IQ estimation in CPM should include variable estimation methods so that aptitude scores are estimated with the highest possible accuracy

The effect of school size and class size on school preparedness.

The purpose of the present study was to understand students school readiness as a function of student and teacher behaviors but also school size and class size using both linear and non-linear analytical approaches. Data came from 21,903 schools distributed across 80 countries as per the 2018 cohort of the PISA database. Results pointed to a preference for the Cusp model in that the relationship between school and class sizes with achievement proved to be best described by the non-linearity of the Cusp catastrophe model. The critical benchmarks were a school size of 801 students and a class size of 27 students for which increases beyond those thresholds were linked to nonlinearity and unpredictability in school readiness. For this reason, we suggest using the cusp catastrophe model from Nonlinear Dynamical Systems Theory (NDST) to understand more fully such complex phenomena

An SRSD Intervention Study for Students with Specific Learning Disabilities to Improve Narrative Writing and High Cognitive Skills

Developing written expression is a challenging task for students with specific learning disabilities (SLDs). The current study describes a 28-hour novel writing intervention program for Greek 5th and 6th graders with SLD that focuses on cognitive and metacognitive written expression strategies. The resource room teachers used the Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) instructional approach. Participants were divided into two groups: experimental (N = 36) and control (N = 44). The study was designed as a pre-while-post-follow-up experimental study. All students were assessed on written expression and cognitive and metacognitive strategy knowledge. The ANOVA results showed that the experimental group improved statistically significantly in writing and metacognitive skills compared to the control group, providing tangible evidence that writing can be taught effectively to SLD students. The educational implications of the related findings are also discussed

Logometro® 1 : The psychometric properties of a norm-referenced digital 2 battery for language assessment of Greek-speaking 4- 7 years old 3 children

In educational and clinical settings, few norm-referenced tests have been utilized until now usually focusing on a single or a few language subcomponents, along with very few language rating scales for parents and educators. The need for a comprehensive language assessment tool for preschool and early school years children which could form the basis for valid and reliable screening and diagnostic decisions, led to the development of a new norm-referenced digital tool called Logometro®. The aim of the present study is to describe Logometro® as well as its psychometric characteristics. Logometro® evaluates an array of oral language skills across the different language domains such as phonological awareness, listening comprehension, vocabulary knowledge (receptive and expressive), narrative speech, morphological awareness, pragmatics, as well emergent literacy skills (letter sound knowledge and invented writing) in Greek-speaking 4–7 years old children. More specifically, Logometro® has been designed in order to: (a) map individual language development paths as well as difficulties, (b) provide a descriptive profile of children’s oral language and emergent literacy skills, and (c) assist in the identification of children who are at risk for Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) or Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD). The sample consisted of 926 children aged from 4 to 7 years, which were recruited from diverse geographical provinces and represented a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds in Greece. Eight hundred participants were typically developing children (Nboys = 384 and Ngirls = 416), 126 children (NSLI = 44 and NSLD = 82) represented children with Special Educational Needs, and 126 children were typically developing peers matched for gender and age with the clinical groups. The administration lasted 90 min, depending on the participant’s age and competence. Validity (construct, criterion, convergent, discriminant, and predictive) as well as internal consistency and test–retest reliability were assessed. Results indicated that Logometro® is characterized by good psychometric properties and can constitute a norm-referenced battery of oral language and emergent literacy skills. It could be used to inform the professionals as well as the researchers about a child’s language strengths and weaknesses and form the basis on which they can design an appropriate individualized intervention if needed

Supplemental Material - Social Withdrawal, Solitude, and Existential Concerns in Emerging Adulthood

Supplemental Material for Social Withdrawal, Solitude, and Existential Concerns in Emerging Adulthood by Evangelia P. Galanaki, Larry J. Nelson, and Faye Antoniou in Emerging Adulthood</p