Implicit and Explicit Awareness of a Phonics Rule in the Word Recognition of Students With and Without Learning Disabilities

This study investigates the ability of students with and without learning disabilities to learn a phonics rule implicitly and the ability of these students to report accurately about the rule verbally. Many researchers have argued that implicit learning denotes a form of learning that occurs without intention and results in adequate performance, but is not available to consciousness and so not verbalizable (Reber, 1993). Others have suggested that this inability to verbalize may not be as definite as originally thought (Ericsson & Simon, 1993). This study examined the implicit learning and explicit knowledge capabilities of students between the ages of 10 and 12 with and without learning disabilities. Students acquired knowledge implicitly about the pronunciation of pseudo words that were governed by one of two phonics rules. They were then asked to verbalize explicitly about the acquired knowledge. Results indicate that implicit knowledge capabilities for all students were not significantly different. However, there were significant differences between students with and without learning disabilities on explicit knowledge scores.Cette étude analyse la capacité d'élèves avec et sans difficultés d'apprentissage à apprendre de façon implicite une règle de la méthode phonétique et ensuite d'en parier de façon adéquate. Plusieurs chercheurs maintiennent que l’apprentissage implicite constitue une forme d'apprentissage qui s'acquiert involontairement, qui entraine une performance adéquate, mais dont on ne peut être conscient et qu'on ne peut pas décrire (Reber, 1993). D'autres recherches proposent que cette incapacité à verbaliser n’est pas aussi nette qu'on l’avait cru (Ericsson & Simon, 1993). Les sujets de cette étude sur l’apprentissage implicite et sur les capacités explicites étaient des élèves âges d'entre 10 et 12 ans et qui avaient ou non des difficultés d'apprentissage. Les élèves ont acquis, de façon implicite, des connaissances sur la prononciation de logatomes régie par une de deux régies de la méthode phonétique. Par la suite, on leur a demande d'expliciter les connaissances qu'ils avaient acquises. Les résultats indiquent que la différence dans la capacité d'acquérir des connaissances implicites n'était pas significative d'un élève a Vautre. Par contre, la différence dans la capacité d'énoncer des connaissances explicites était significative entre les élèves avec des difficultés d'apprentissage et ceux qui n'en présentaient pas

Should We "Redshirt" in Kindergarten? A Study of the Effect of Age on Kindergarteners' Reading Readiness

This study examined the effect of chronological age on kindergarten children's reading readiness skills. Specifically, we ask whether chronological age should be considered when making decisions about academic redshirting: the practice of delaying younger children's entrance into kindergarten. We were concerned particularly with reading readiness because research has shown consistently that kindergarten children who demonstrate strong prereading skills such as phonological awareness and letter-sound understanding are more likely to become strong readers in later grades (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998). The participants in this study were 625 kindergarten children who were measured for age, phonological awareness, and letter-sound understanding. Results of analysis indicate that younger children were no different from their older peers in their phonological awareness skills whereas significant between-group differences did occur for letter-sound understanding. These results give strength to the notion that younger children in kindergarten were comparable to older children in their phonological awareness skills. However, younger children were less skilled in understanding letter-sound relationships.Cette étude porte sur l'effet de l'âge chronologique sur les habiletés relatives à la capacité de lecture d'enfants à la maternelle. Plus précisément, nous considérons s'il faudrait tenir compte de l'âge chronologique lors de la prise de décision impliquant la pratique académique de "redshirting" qui consiste à retarder l'entrée à la maternelle d'enfants plus jeunes. Nous nous sommes penchés sur la préparation à la lecture, les recherches démontrant, de façon persistante, que les enfants de la maternelle qui font preuve d'habiletés de prélecture - telles la conscience phonologique et le sens de la relation grapho-phonémique - très développées sont plus aptes à devenir de bons lecteurs plus tard (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998). Les enfants qui ont participé à cette étude, 625 jeunes de la maternelle, ont été évalués en fonction de leur âge, leur conscience phonologique et leur sens de la relation grapho-phonémique. L'analyse des données a révélé qu'il n'y avait pas de différences dans les habiletés liées à la conscience phonologique entre les enfants plus jeunes et leurs pairs plus âgés. Pour le sens de la relation grapho-phonémique toutefois, les différences entre les groupes d'âge étaient importantes. Ces résultats viennent appuyer la notion selon laquelle les habiletés liées à la conscience phonologique chez les enfants plus jeunes sont comparables à celles des enfants plus âgés. Les plus jeunes, par contre, comprenaient moins bien la relation grapho-phonémique

Should We "Redshirt" in Kindergarten? A Study of the Effect of Age on Kindergarteners' Reading Readiness

This study examined the effect of chronological age on kindergarten children's reading readiness skills. Specifically, we ask whether chronological age should be considered when making decisions about academic redshirting: the practice of delaying younger children's entrance into kindergarten. We were concerned particularly with reading readiness because research has shown consistently that kindergarten children who demonstrate strong prereading skills such as phonological awareness and letter-sound understanding are more likely to become strong readers in later grades (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998). The participants in this study were 625 kindergarten children who were measured for age, phonological awareness, and letter-sound understanding. Results of analysis indicate that younger children were no different from their older peers in their phonological awareness skills whereas significant between-group differences did occur for letter-sound understanding. These results give strength to the notion that younger children in kindergarten were comparable to older children in their phonological awareness skills. However, younger children were less skilled in understanding letter-sound relationships.Cette étude porte sur l'effet de l'âge chronologique sur les habiletés relatives à la capacité de lecture d'enfants à la maternelle. Plus précisément, nous considérons s'il faudrait tenir compte de l'âge chronologique lors de la prise de décision impliquant la pratique académique de "redshirting" qui consiste à retarder l'entrée à la maternelle d'enfants plus jeunes. Nous nous sommes penchés sur la préparation à la lecture, les recherches démontrant, de façon persistante, que les enfants de la maternelle qui font preuve d'habiletés de prélecture - telles la conscience phonologique et le sens de la relation grapho-phonémique - très développées sont plus aptes à devenir de bons lecteurs plus tard (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998). Les enfants qui ont participé à cette étude, 625 jeunes de la maternelle, ont été évalués en fonction de leur âge, leur conscience phonologique et leur sens de la relation grapho-phonémique. L'analyse des données a révélé qu'il n'y avait pas de différences dans les habiletés liées à la conscience phonologique entre les enfants plus jeunes et leurs pairs plus âgés. Pour le sens de la relation grapho-phonémique toutefois, les différences entre les groupes d'âge étaient importantes. Ces résultats viennent appuyer la notion selon laquelle les habiletés liées à la conscience phonologique chez les enfants plus jeunes sont comparables à celles des enfants plus âgés. Les plus jeunes, par contre, comprenaient moins bien la relation grapho-phonémique

Labour efficiency on-farm

End of project reportImprovements in milking efficiency have a greater influence than any other aspect of the dairy farmers work on overall farm labour inputs (Whipp, 1992). In order to facilitate the examination of milking process labour inputs, the milking process may be divided into the following three components: herding pre and post milking (transfer of cows to and from the milking parlour); milking (milking tasks / work routines within the parlour); and washing (washing of milking machine and yard). Meanwhile, within milking specifically, the number of cows milked per operator per hour is the best measure of both the performance of the operator and the milking installation (Clough, 1978). This is affected by the following three factors: the milking times of the cows, the number and arrangement of the milking units, and the operator’s work routine (Whipp, 1992). The addition of extra milking units will only increase milking performance if the operator has idle time during milking (Hansen, 1999)

Generational Equity, Generational Interdependence, and the Framing of the Debate Over Social Security Reform

This article analyzes the differences between the generational equity and generational interdependence conceptual packages used to frame arguments in the debate over policies such as Social Security reform. It begins with a history of the generational equity debate. This is followed by an analysis of the assumptions, values, and beliefs that inform each of these two ideological frames. It presents an analysis of why the generational equity frame has dominated the debate and highlights some of the limitations of this perspective

An Exploratory Study of EmergentLiteracy Intervention for Preschool Childrenwith Language Impairments

This exploratory study measured the efficacy of an emergent literacy intervention program designed to support preschool children who have been identifi ed as having specific language impairments. Specifi cally, the study compares two intervention approaches — an experimental emergent literacy intervention and a traditional intervention based on traditional models of language therapy. It was hypothesized that the explicit emergent literacy approach would result in signifi cant gains in phonological and print awareness skills relative to a less structured traditional intervention approach. Results indicated that children in the emergent literacy intervention experienced greater gains in pre-literacy measures. The results hold important implications for service delivery models aimed at supporting preschool children with language impairments

The Effect of Agricultural Practices on a Dairy Farm on Nitrate Leaching to 1m

Dairy farms, in Ireland, carry the highest stock densities and use the highest rates of fertiliser nitrogen (N). They constitute the highest risk of nitrate leaching, especially where soils are thin or free-draining. The effect of 4 grass managements on leaching was studied on a dairy farm having free-draining soils overlying Karst limestone. This was a new, farm-comprehensive approach to nitrate leaching which had not been carried out previously

First results of the BATSE/COMPTEL/NMSU rapid burst response campaign

The Imaging Compton Telescope (COMPTEL) on board the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory regularly observes gamma‐ray bursts which occur inside the instrument’s ∼1 sr field‐of‐view. COMPTEL images bursts in the 0.75–30 MeV energy range with a typical location accuracy of 1–3 degrees, depending on burst strength, position, duration, and spectrum. COMPTEL’s imaging capability has been exploited in order to search for fading gamma‐ray burst counterparts at other wavelengths through the establishment of a BATSE/COMPTEL/NMSU rapid burst response campaign. This campaign utilizes near real‐time identification and preliminary burst location by BATSE, accelerated COMPTEL imaging, and a world‐wide network of observers to search COMPTEL error boxes as quickly as possible. Timely, deep searches for lingering counterpart emission of several bursts per year are the realized goal of this campaign. During its first year of operation, the rapid response program has been successfully applied to two strong bursts: GRB 930131 and GRB 930309. These bursts were imaged in record time only hours after their occurrence. Subsequently, several observations were made at radio and optical observatories world‐wide

Contractile properties of the muscles of mastication of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) following increase in muscle length

The hypothesis was tested that increasing the resting length of the masseter and temporalis muscles by a bite-opening appliance with or without detachment and re-attachment of the masseter would not affect the contractile properties of these muscles. Appliances opened the bite of 10 adult female monkeys 20mm. Five received the appliance alone (Group A); five received the appliance and in addition the masseter was detached and re-attached (Group ADR). Comparisons were made 48 weeks later. Small bundles of fibres were excised from the masseter and temporalis muscles of experimental animals and from 8 control animals. Isometric and isotonic contractile properties were measured in vitro and fibre classification and fibre areas were determined histochemically. No significant differences were observed within either masseter or temporalis muscles between animals in Groups A and ADR. In both groups, the bundles of fibres from the masseter had prolonged contraction and relaxation times compared to control masseter muscles but no difference was observed in the percentage of Type II fibres. As detachment and re-attachment had no significant effect on morphological or physiological characteristics, other than those due to lengthening, this procedure may be useful in decreasing the passive tension induced when orthognathic surgery increases muscle length. The significant prolongation of the contractile response of the masseter is similar to the adaptation induced by long-term stimulation at low frequency.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/24139/1/0000396.pd