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Peer collaboration benefits second language (L2) learning and is a cornerstone of effective classroom instruction. It is, therefore, essential for teachers to consider how tasks work to promote peer collaboration and thus maximize learning. These considerations concern the task type, a task's inherent characteristics, and possible ways of task implementation to achieve peer collaboration. The body of research within the Task-based language teaching (TBLT) framework has shown that task-based instruction provides an optimal environment for second language acquisition. However, with regard to young learners (YLs), children from 5 to 12 years of age, the role of tasks in fostering peer collaboration in FL classrooms is not clear-cut. Grounded in research on task-based peer interaction among YLs, this article outlines how tasks enhance peer collaboration in foreign language (FL) classrooms.

Children are unique humans and experience varied development even though they are of the same gene or the same sex but grow and develop according to their respective characteristics. Of course, this condition also demands adjustments in providing appropriate and varied stimuli and responses. This study aims to observe the growth and development of children to explore the growth and development of children and see the reactions generated by children if given a specific stimulus. This research method uses longitudinal case studies. The respondents of this study were three children. The study found that children's cognitive, psychosocial and moral development can be developed by conditioning the child and the child's environment. Children's health and a conducive environment play an essential role in determining children's growth and development. Maternal health and parental cooperation also determine the growth and development of the child.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is significantly known as social interaction impairment that can be reduced through early school-age intervention. The quasi-experimental research design was used to examine the effect of applied behavior analysis treatment on ASD children's interpersonal skills. The researchers used a purposive sampling technique to select 30 participants who have symptoms of ASD, which were divided into two groups (control and experimental) without gender discrimination. The assessment of basic language and learning skills (ABLLS-R) protocol and portage guide of early education was used to develop a questionnaire comprising four factors. The results indicate a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of students' interpersonal skills and the pretest and post-test scores of the experimental group. It is suggested that parents and therapists should develop a sharing ability among children with autism symptoms so they can understand social reinforcement.

This article proposes a comprehensive AI curriculum tailored for young learners aged 11 to 14, emphasizing a humanistic approach. We review other AI curricula proposals for children and young people and underline that they focus primarily on AI's technological benefits and on learning coding and logic. Our curriculum explores human cognition that is often overlooked in existing AI curriculum. Our proposal combines learning through construction, reflective discussions and project-based learning in order to approach AI from variety of angles. Implemented by CreaTIC Academy during 2023/24 school year as an out-of-school activity in a secondary (middle) school in Barcelona, Spain, this curriculum integrates technological, philosophical, cognitive, and cultural dimensions. It draws from diverse fields, including Philosophy of Mind, Cognitive Psychology and Philosophy of Children, and includes practical coding with tools like Scratch and AppInventor, as well as Machine Learning for Kids. Designed to be adaptable across various socio-economic contexts, our approach aims to promote a broader liberal education for children and help teachers implement AI activities in their classrooms.

This study approaches the issue of autism in a case study. Specifically, it investigates how three key points in the daily life of a child on the autism spectrum change in the presence of a pet: social behavior, empathy and irritability. The aim is to study how the pet affects the child's daily life in the above points. The questions that are asked concern the close environment of the child, in order to be able to compare the situation before and after the presence of the pet. Teachers from the child's school and family environment participate in the survey. Questionnaires and personal interviews are used to collect information. The interviews are based on Goodman's S.D.Q (2005). The bibliography will refer to the method of Animal Assisted therapy- pet therapy, which concerns the treatment of syndromes, diseases, anxiety, disorders, through animals. The research questions that arise refer to improving the socialization of people with autism, increasing their social interaction and creating relationships and expressing their emotions. Then the data collected is analyzed and the conclusions of the research are drawn.

Higher education institutions play a crucial role in advancing sustainable development goals. They bear the responsibility of informing and encouraging all stakeholders, including faculty members, students, and industry partners, to collaborate towards achieving these goals. While many universities are integrating Sustainable Development Goals into their operations and educational programs, there is an increasing need to establish collaborative platforms with private sectors and non-governmental organizations to further champion this agenda. Educating the future workforce is a key responsibility of these institutions, and they should actively raise students' awareness of these goals, enabling them to develop competencies related to sustainability. This study aims to explore how higher education institutions can effectively raise awareness of sustainable development goals. In addition, the research contributes to the literature by presenting a curriculum designed in a Turkish higher education institution to foster awareness of sustainable development goals. The findings hold the potential to significantly enrich existing literature on awareness-raising practices and the promotion of sustainability strategies, extending beyond higher education institutions to organizations at large.

Autism spectrum disorder is a complex neurological disorder characterized by impairments in communication and social interaction, limited patterns of behavior, interests and activities. Given the different forms of autism spectrum disorder and the fact that no two people are the same, an individual approach to each individual is required. Musical ability is one of the special talents that a child with an autism spectrum disorder can have. Such a child should be allowed to practice music. As a therapy, music therapy has proven to be effective in working with children with autism spectrum disorder, i.e. it has a positive effect on communication, vocalization, joint attention, eye contact, concentration, cooperation, cognitive functions, social skills, etc. This paper presents the observations obtained through the study case. The aim of the research was to show the behavior of students with autism spectrum disorder in the Music culture class and the impact of music therapy on their behavior. For the purposes of the research, two interviews were conducted, i.e. with a teaching assistant who worked with a student with an autism spectrum disorder and with the student's parents. The case study showed that the student has a developed musical ability, that he participates actively, with reserved attention, only in the Music culture classes, and that music therapy helped him in his expression and speech. It is essential to give these kids the tools they need to further develop their musical abilities. It will contribute to children with autism spectrum disorder feeling safe, happy, and accepted in their environment.

This research aims to ascertain the metaphorical perceptions of families with children with visual impairment regarding assistive technologies. The phenomenological pattern, a qualitative research approach, was utilized in this research. Fifty-four families with children with visual impairment participated in this research. The research employed a data collection tool comprising two sections. The first part captured the demographic information of the families, while the second part featured an open-ended questionnaire containing the prompt, "Assistive technologies are like/similar to… because..." The research data underwent content analysis. Ultimately, the researcher identified 47 distinct metaphors that families with children with visual impairment associated with assistive technologies. Overall, metaphors such as "eye," "family," "friend," "book," "light," "school," "compass," and "star" were prominent. Furthermore, the researcher categorized the metaphors devised by the families with children with visual impairment into six distinct themes: "support," "guidance," "education," "facilitating life," "entertainment," and "independence."

In this quantitative study, we investigated the relationships between parenting and young learners' English learning--specifically parents' sociocultural influence on elementary school children's motivation--within the framework of self-determination theory (SDT). We surveyed 212 dyads of Japanese parents and their children (8-12 years old) and used structural equation modeling to elucidate the causal relationship between parents' attitudes and children's motivation for their second language (L2) learning, which is English as a foreign language learning context in this study. We found that parental involvement in children's English education positively impacted children's perceived competence in L2 learning and their interest in other countries, improving their L2 learning motivation. This demonstrates that parental involvement is a significant predictor of young learners' L2 motivation in Japan. We also identified a discrepancy between children's and parents' perceptions. Parents believe their involvement in children's L2 learning is autonomy-supportive behavior, while children do not always perceive this. We conclude that parental involvement in children's home L2 learning supports children's learning motivation. Our final model expands the SDT framework for language learning and covers both parenting and language learning research realms, improving our understanding of how parental attitudes and behavior influence children's L2 learning.

This study of a K-12 administrator preparation program adds to the research literature on trauma-informed education by addressing a gap in the literature on K-12 administrator candidates' knowledge of the meaning of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and what their roles are in supporting teachers who have students with ACEs. K-12 school administrator candidates (N = 102) completed a survey designed by these researchers on this topic. The concept of ACEs is addressed as part of trauma-informed education from the K-12 administrator candidates' point of view using a concurrent mixed methods case study approach at one administrator preparation program. Implications and recommendations for school administrator preparation programs are discussed.

Purpose: The paper shows the interpretive impact of different constructions of the point of view available to the reader/viewer in book and animated movie versions of a children's picture book, a novel for pre-adolescents/early teenagers, and a graphic novel for adolescents and adults. Design/Approach/Methods: Excerpts from book and animated movie versions of the same story are compared using multimodal analysis of interpersonal meaning to show how the reader/viewer is positioned in relation to the characters in each version, complemented by analyses of ideational meaning to show the effect of point of view on interpretive possibilities. Findings: Focusing mainly on multimodal construction of point of view, the analyses show how interpretive possibilities of ostensibly the same story are significantly reconfigured in animated adaptations compared with book versions even when the verbal narrative remains substantially unchanged. Originality/Value: The study shows that it is crucial to students' critical appreciation of, and their creative contribution to, their evolving digital literary culture that in this new era of educational technology, attention in literacy and literary education focuses on developing understandings of digital multimodal narrative art, and that animated movie adaptations are not presented pedagogically as isomorphic with, or simply adjunct to, corresponding book versions.

This paper presents a systematic literature review aimed at consolidating knowledge on the application of eye-tracking technology in the diagnosis of dyslexia among school-aged children (6-12 years). Through a meticulous search and selection process, 20 studies conducted over the last 10 years were identified and analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of this technology. The findings highlight the varied methodologies, participant demographics, and outcomes of these studies, underscoring the potential of eye tracking as a non-invasive, objective tool in the early detection of and intervention for dyslexia. Despite facing limitations such as heterogeneity in study designs and the need for standardized protocols, this review illuminates the significant promise of eye-tracking technology in enhancing dyslexia diagnosis. It identifies gaps in current research, proposes avenues for future investigation, and offers evidence-based recommendations for practitioners. This endeavor not only enriches the present understanding of dyslexia diagnosis, but also establishes a foundation to ultimately improve educational outcomes for dyslexic learners.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent school closures have had profound impacts on learners and their families globally, affecting their psychosocial wellbeing. However, the extent and nature of these effects, particularly in diverse socioeconomic contexts, remain largely under-explored. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effects of school closures on the psychosocial wellbeing of children and parents in South Africa's Gauteng province. Setting: The research included families from various socioeconomic backgrounds in Gauteng province, South Africa. Methods: Using an ethnographic research approach, diary-style entries via the WhatsApp mobile app were collected from 43 families, and semi-structured telephonic interviews were conducted with 21 families. Results: The study found that children experienced adverse emotions, including loneliness, boredom, anxiety and isolation during school closures. Parents reported elevated stress levels and increased caregiving burden. The severity of impact was influenced by access to resources for online or home-schooling. Conclusion: The findings highlight the multi-dimensional implications of school closures on families and underscore the importance of providing adequate support during such disruptions, taking into account the varying effects across socioeconomic backgrounds. Contribution: This study fills a crucial gap in understanding the psychosocial impacts of school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic on children and parents within diverse socioeconomic contexts. The findings call for equitable access to educational resources, evidence-based remediation efforts, and integrated mental health support services.

Integrating internationalized songs into English language teaching has emerged as a dynamic strategy to ignite students' interest and enhance their language proficiency. This article comprehensively explores internationalized songs' significance in language education. A central focus lies on a detailed case study that demonstrates how the expertise of a Turkish musician was leveraged to select and that of field experts to translate and refine a local children's song for educational purposes. The study meticulously details the collaborative efforts among educators to tailor the song's content to meet language learning objectives, highlighting the transformative potential of such initiatives in the English language classroom. By immersing themselves in this practical example, educators can gain invaluable insights into the versatility of internationalized songs as effective tools for language instruction, thereby enhancing their teaching practices. Furthermore, the article underscores the importance of incorporating cultural elements into language teaching materials to foster intercultural competence among students. Educators can create immersive learning experiences that promote linguistic proficiency, cultural awareness, and appreciation by integrating internationalised songs.

Understanding the overlap of symptoms between oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and obsessivecompulsive disorder (OCD) experienced by youth is pertinent for accurate diagnosis. A quantitative, retrospective, cross-sectional design format was used to assess the relationship between ODD and OCD in addition to evaluating the difference in ODD severity and symptoms based on OCD severity. Symptoms and severity ratings of ODD and OCD were collected from youth diagnosed with ODD (N = 179). Fisher's exact test and a Wilcoxon signed-rank test were performed. There were significant relationships between frustration related to obsessions and compulsions and the ODD symptoms of annoyance and anger. Results suggested that OCD severity predicted an increase in scores for ODD severity and symptoms.

This article delves into the ongoing debate surrounding the role of age in second language acquisition, examining developments over the past three decades and highlighting contentious issues. We argue that the commonly held belief in age's pivotal role is frequently contradicted by empirical evidence. Additionally, we examine the agerelated debate with respect to foreign language teaching. A brief review is provided on advances in neuroscientific techniques, which show that the adult brain retains substantial plasticity for language learning, followed by a discussion of these findings in relation to lifelong language learning. Finally, we turn to Complex Dynamic Systems Theory, which offers a dynamic perspective that emphasizes the evolving interplay of age, context, and individual factors, pointing to the need for more qualitative research.

Self concept is an experiential formation gained as a result of certain experiences. The concept of self-concept has an interesting intersection with the psychological field of humour. The aim of the study is to examine the relationship between the humor styles and self-perceptions of primary school 4th grade students and to conduct the validity-reliability study of the humor styles measurement tool. The study group of the research was carried out with 525 students attending the 4th grade of primary school. "Humor Styles Questionnaire for Young Children" (HSQ-Y) and "Self-Perception Profile for Children" (CIBAP) were used as data collection tools. In the analysis of the research, first of all, the validity-reliability study of the humor styles questionnaire was conducted and the correlational scanning method of the general scanning model was used to examine the relationship between humor styles and self-perceptions of primary school students. In the results of the research; The humor styles questionnaire was found to be valid and reliable. In the relationship between; The sub-dimension of the humor styles questionnaire reveals the positive and significant relationship of the "participatory humor style" with all the sub-dimensions of the self-perception profile for children, and the "self-enhancing humor style" with the sub-dimension of "social acceptance". In the study, it was also observed that "aggressive humor style" was negatively related to "educational competence", "behavioral management", "social acceptance" "general self-worth" sub-dimensions, and "self-destructive humor style" was negatively related to "athletic competence" sub-dimensions.

The objective of this study is to determine whether the parent-child relationship exerts a mediating effect on the influencing relationship of the self-concept of children and adolescents with career maturity. To this end, we processed data from 5621 students who participated in the first through fifth rounds of the survey in the 2013 Korea Education Longitudinal Study. We performed a paired sample t-test to verify differences between the groups of children and adolescents. To verify the mediating effect of the parent-child relationship on the influencing relationship of self-concept among children and adolescents with career maturity. The results showed that there was a difference depending on gender and city size in terms of self-concept, career maturity, and relationship. This study also revealed a significant discrepancy in the self-concept and parent-child relationship based on the developmental stages. In addition, the study also verified the mediating effect of the parent-child relationship in the relationship between the self-concept of children and adolescents and their career maturity. Based on these findings, it is necessary to implement a systematic education program for parents because the parent-child relationship is highly important in improving students' career maturity.

This study explored implications of incorporating African epistemologies into psychometric testing to strengthen cultural relevance and accuracy of assessment. Focus group discussions were conducted with 20 specialist teachers in Marondera, Zimbabwe to qualitatively examine perceptions of intelligence and test constructs. Additionally, 5 educational psychologists participated in interviews regarding integrating indigenous knowledges. Discussions were thematically analysed to discern constructs meriting attention. Key findings indicated that psychometric testing exhibits limitations by often disregarding communalist epistemologies and prioritising of oral tradition, holism, spirituality and creativity in African worldviews. Participants highlighted risks of misrepresentation when such tenets remain unaddressed. Constructs were elucidated warranting respect in emic-valid assessments. While initial findings suggest recognising discussed, African epistemologies holds potential to help address core validity issues. Future mixed methodology research partnerships with experts are recommended. This includes qualitatively defining constructs, then quantitatively validating inclusion into standardised, culturally-sensitive composite measures upholding scientific standards. Ongoing refinement may help psychometrics authentically evaluate diverse populations' capacities in an inclusive, accurate manner.

Grade repetition is an issue with important educational implications. This study analyzes the effect of cognitive variables, socio-economic status, as well as the interaction of socioeconomic status with ethnic origin, on the probability of not repeating. Data were collected to calculate socioeconomic status using the Hollingshead Socioeconomic Index, and the following tests were administered to collect information on cognitive variables: the Primary Mental Aptitude Test (PMA), the Raven's Progressive Matrices Test, and the Wechsler Intelligence for Children Information Scale (WISC IV). The sample consisted of 664 students of Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO), Baccalaureate and intermediate and higher vocational training. The results confirm the predictive power of socioeconomic status. With regard to cognitive variables, significant results were only obtained when the WISC-IV Information Scale was taken as a predictor, this measure being related to crystallized intelligence. The influence of the origin of the students did not yield significant results. There is a clear need for a debate and a rethinking of the issue leading to the identification of new strategies to reduce grade repetition and its negative effects.

Background: Two intervention approaches are implemented in South Africa to alleviate the deleterious consequences of congenital or early onset hearing impairment on language acquisition and subsequent poor learning outcomes. Aim: This study investigated the learning outcomes of foundation phase learners with severe to profound hearing impairment who received Listening and Spoken Language -- South Africa (LSL-SA) (adapted Auditory Verbal Therapy) therapy compared to those who received Traditional Speech-Language Therapy (TSLT). Setting: The study was conducted at four early intervention (EI) schools for children with hearing impairment across three provinces in South Africa. Methods: Data were collected through record reviews of their Speech-Language Therapy Outcomes and South African National Department of Basic Education academic report cards. Data were analysed using quantitative statistics. Results: Findings demonstrated that children with hearing impairment enrolled in LSL-SA outperformed those enrolled in TSLT in achieving age-equivalent language outcomes. A higher percentage of learners enrolled in LSL-SA achieved meritorious to outstanding learning outcomes. While a comparable number of learners progressed to mainstream schooling, children with hearing impairment enrolled in LSL-SA are enrolled for a shorter duration until discharge than those enrolled in TSLT. This is an important finding, particularly in low-middle income countries (LMICs). Conclusion: Listening and Spoken Language -- South Africa graduates achieved superior learning outcomes dependent on language attainment, providing contextually relevant evidence supporting the effectiveness of the LSL-SA EI approach. Contribution: These context-specific outcomes stress the obligation to upscale and fast-track EI services. Implications for investment in LSL-SA are proposed through collaboration between families, educators, and early interventionists.

This study aimed to determine the experiences of gifted children with autism spectrum disorder, their parents, and teachers with the COVID-19 pandemic and holistically reveal the reflections of the restrictions in this process and the transition to distance education on the lives and especially the education of gifted children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study was designed with a phenomenological research design, one of the qualitative research methods. The study participants were gifted children with ASD, aged between 6-14 and continuing their education through inclusion, their parents and teachers. The research data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed in detail by interpretive phenomenological analysis. As a result of the data analysis, two themes, "The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on life" and "Distance education and its impacts in the COVID-19 process", and 12 categories were reached. Recommendations were presented in line with the study findings and the literature.

Sense of coherence (SOC) is a relevant contributor and predictor of the individuals' mental and physical health. There are a number of studies about SOC, but only two validation articles of the sense of coherence scale (SOCS) were found on adolescents and none on children. The aim of this research was to validate the SOC scale in youth under 18. We hypothesized that younger children and children without psychiatric problems will have higher SOC than older ones, and children with psychiatric symptoms. We also wanted to examine the factor structure of both the 13 and the 29 item versions of the scale to study which is more valid in child and adolescent population. 199 children and 198 adolescents were included in the study; the mean age was 14.3 (SD 2.1) years. The sample included average youth from schools and youth under psychiatric treatment. Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and Inventory of Life Quality (ILK) were used for validation of the SOCS. SOCS-13 was applied to compare SOC of children and adolescents. Children had higher SOC than adolescents in both samples. Males had higher SOC than females in children but not in adolescents. Psychiatric and behavioral symptoms were associated with a lower SOC regardless

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) topics into K-12 school curricula is a relatively new but crucial challenge faced by education systems worldwide. Attempts to address this challenge are hindered by a serious lack of curriculum materials and tools to aid teachers in teaching AI. This article introduces the theoretical foundations and design principles for implementing co-design projects in AI education, empirically tested in 12 Finnish classrooms. The article describes a project where 4th- and 7th-graders (N = 213) explored the basics of AI by creating their own AI-driven applications. Additionally, a framework for distributed scaffolding is presented, aiming to foster children's agency, understanding, creativity, and ethical awareness in the age of AI.

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted school-based delivery of special educational supports and therapeutic services. This study describes student receipt of school-based supports/services and parent satisfaction by instruction modalities during the 2020-2021 academic year in the United States. Data were collected through the COVID Experiences Survey from parents of children ages 5-12 years, administered using NORC's AmeriSpeak panel. Most parents reported satisfaction with supports (88.4%) and services (93.2%). Dissatisfaction with special education supports and therapeutic services was more common among parents whose children received supports/ services virtually than in person (special educational supports: aOR=12.00, 95% CI [1.49-96.89], p=0.020; therapeutic services: aOR=15.76, 95% CI [1.01-245.40], p=0.049). These findings suggest opportunities to improve design and delivery of online special education supports and therapeutic services as well as emergency preparedness by considering the needs of students with disabilities and their families.

Digital technologies have become a part of everyday life, taking center stage. It has dominated people's lives and changed the way they live life. The task of protecting and raising awareness of children from the negative effects of the digital age, which especially affects the psychological, physical, social and cognitive development of children, is again on the family, school and society. For this reason, this study aims to define the concept of digital literacy for today's children by presenting a different perspective and inspiring new research to be conducted. In the study, the literature review model, one of the qualitative research methods, was used. Articles, theses, dissertations, professional publications, research and research reports on the subject were examined. In the findings section of the study, the importance of the child and the family raising him/her, the digital age and its impact on education, the importance of digital literacy in education, and the advantages and disadvantages of digital literacy are discussed. In conclusion, in order to shape the future of societies with solid foundations, it is very important to teach children digital literacy skills, which also means understanding technology and using it appropriately, in the light of customs and traditions.

Augmented reality (AR) has been shown to have a positive impact on children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) because it can effectively simulate the real environment through interactive experiences created by the integration of digital elements with the outside world. This research aimed to verify the effectiveness of a training program based on AR for reducing stereotypical behavior (SB) in a sample of children with ASD. The study sample consisted of 16 male students with ASD who were enrolled in the Autism Institute in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia, ranging from 8 to 13 years of age. The researcher also developed a training program and employed a quasi-experimental method in addition to research instruments including the Stereotypic Behavior Scale (SBS). The results of the analysis show statistically significant differences between the mean ranks of the participants in the three tests (pre-, post- and follow-up) on the SBS (x[superscript 2] = 30.471, p < 0.001) which indicates the effectiveness of AR in reducing participants' SB. Additionally, it demonstrates that the training impact lasts for two months after the end of the program. According to the research, AR-based software applications have the potential to improve children with ASD's socialization and interaction abilities. It is recommended to do additional research using larger sample sizes and controlled designs.

The main objective of this study is to assess the Spanish literacy competence of students enrolled in bilingual and trilingual programs by analyzing the developmental process and evolutionary course of reading during the first cycle of Primary Education. This analysis aims to determine whether the reading skills in Spanish of students in multilingual schools are affected by immersion in a foreign language, in this case, English. To achieve this, a total of 258 second-grade primary students were examined, categorized into groups based on the number of languages they knew (two or three), in comparison to a control group of monolingual students. Two variables were measured: intelligence using the WISC-IV and literacy competence using the TALE. The results of both tests indicate that there are no significant differences in reading competence between bilingual and trilingual students and monolingual students. These results reinforce the idea that learning to read is a process not influenced by the number of languages spoken.

Parents play a vital role in supporting children with learning disabilities, but little is known about their understanding of this diagnosis. The experiences of parents with the diagnostic process and the services their children receive post-diagnosis vary widely. Parents who participated in this study reported that they understand learning disabilities broadly but not their underlying neurobiology. Those who noted understanding the neurobiology indicated that it helped them better support their child, and those who did not understand it wanted to learn more. Parents generally noted that their children received less support during COVID-19 and that they had to seek more private services in order to support their child's academic progress, which caused additional strain on families. Finally, parents reported that having a child with a learning disability negatively affected their mental health, especially when parents feel like they have had to advocate strongly for their child to receive services.

Gestures--hand movements that accompany speech and express ideas--can help children learn how to solve problems, flexibly generalize learning to novel problem-solving contexts, and retain what they have learned. But does it matter who is doing the gesturing? We know that producing gesture leads to better comprehension of a message than watching someone else produce gesture. But we do not know how producing versus observing gesture impacts deeper learning outcomes such as generalization and retention across time. Moreover, not all children benefit equally from gesture instruction, suggesting that there are individual differences that may play a role in who learns from gesture. Here, we consider two factors that might impact whether gesture leads to learning, generalization, and retention after mathematical instruction: (1) whether children see gesture or do gesture and (2) whether a child spontaneously gestures before instruction when explaining their problem-solving reasoning. For children who spontaneously gestured before instruction, both doing and seeing gesture led to better generalization and retention of the knowledge gained than a comparison manipulative action. For children who did not spontaneously gesture before instruction, doing gesture was less effective than the comparison action for learning, generalization, and retention. Importantly, this learning deficit was specific to gesture, as these children did benefit from doing the comparison manipulative action. Our findings are the first evidence that a child's use of a particular representational format for communication (gesture) directly predicts that child's propensity to learn from using the same representational format.

Over the last three quarters of a century, international guidelines and regulations have undergone significant changes in how children are problematised as participants in biomedical research. While early guidelines enacted children as vulnerable subjects with diminished autonomy and in need of special protection, beginning in the early 2000s, international regulatory frameworks defined the paediatric population as vulnerable due to unaddressed public health needs. More recently, ethical recommendations have promoted the active engagement of minors as research partners. In this paper, I adopt a post-structuralist approach to policy analysis to examine deep-seated assumptions and presuppositions underlying the changes in the problematisation of children as biomedical research participants over time. While biomedical research ethics focuses on the autonomy and vulnerability of minors, ethical guidelines are situated in specific sociocultural contexts, shaped, among other things, by contingent public health needs and changing conceptions of the value of research and science for society. In the process, I demonstrate the challenge of moving away from an approach that in taking adults as the model overshadows the complexity of children's lived experiences as well as their personal, cultural, and social lives. The lack of acknowledgement of this complexity makes children vulnerable to epistemic injustice, which is particularly crucial to address in public involvement initiatives.

Causal reasoning is important to children's cognition and academic development. However, there have been few empirical studies on the impact of visual cues and non-verbal scaffolding on children's reasoning in continuous causal processes. Hence, the present study aims to explore how causal reasoning in continuous processes is facilitated by visual mind maps and multiple-choice questions through science experiments. By randomly selecting 136 children aged 9-13, the following results were obtained: Children provided with a mind map containing visual causal cues performed significantly better than the non-cue group on explanation tasks regardless of age differences, and children assessed using non-verbal multiple-choice questions scored significantly higher in explaining causal relationships than those using only verbal reports. This suggests that identification and explanation need to be differentiated for a more accurate evaluation of causal reasoning ability. These results have valuable implications for science curriculum and pedagogy at primary schools.

Interpreting a seemingly simple function word like "or," "behind," or "more" can require logical, numerical, and relational reasoning. How are such words learned by children? Prior acquisition theories have often relied on positing a foundation of innate knowledge. Yet recent neural-network-based visual question answering models apparently can learn to use function words as part of answering questions about complex visual scenes. In this paper, we study what these models learn about function words, in the hope of better understanding how the meanings of these words can be learned by both models and children. We show that recurrent models trained on visually grounded language learn gradient semantics for function words requiring spatial and numerical reasoning. Furthermore, we find that these models can learn the meanings of logical connectives and and or without any prior knowledge of logical reasoning as well as early evidence that they are sensitive to alternative expressions when interpreting language. Finally, we show that word learning difficulty is dependent on the frequency of models' input. Our findings offer proof-of-concept evidence that it is possible to learn the nuanced interpretations of function words in a visually grounded context by using non-symbolic general statistical learning algorithms, without any prior knowledge of linguistic meaning.

Prediction-based accounts of language acquisition have the potential to explain several different effects in child language acquisition and adult language processing. However, evidence regarding the developmental predictions of such accounts is mixed. Here, we consider several predictions of these accounts in two large-scale developmental studies of syntactic priming of the English dative alternation. Study 1 was a cross-sectional study (N = 140) of children aged 3-9 years, in which we found strong evidence of abstract priming and the lexical boost, but little evidence that either effect was moderated by age. We found weak evidence for a prime surprisal effect; however, exploratory analyses revealed a protracted developmental trajectory for verb-structure biases, providing an explanation as for why prime surprisal effects are more elusive in developmental populations. In a longitudinal study (N = 102) of children in tightly controlled age bands at 42, 48, and 54 months, we found priming effects emerged on trials with verb overlap early but did not observe clear evidence of priming on trials without verb overlap until 54 months. There was no evidence of a prime surprisal effect at any time point and none of the effects were moderated by age. The results relating to the emergence of the abstract priming and lexical boost effects are consistent with prediction-based models, while the absence of age-related effects appears to reflect the structure-specific challenges the dative presents to English-acquiring children. Overall, our complex pattern of findings demonstrates the value of developmental data sets in testing psycholinguistic theory.

This paper is devoted to the design, description and validation of the Android application TEAtreves, which focuses on structured arithmetic problem-solving for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The application contains multiple adaptations to make it suitable for users with ASD. Validation was carried out with five students with ASD, obtaining positive results which confirm the strength of TEAtreves app for users with ASD. Results and future lines of work are discussed.

Reading difficulty (RD) is associated with phonological deficits; however, it remains unknown whether the phonological deficits are different in children and adults with RD as reflected in foreign speech perception and production. In the current study, using functional Near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), we found less difference between Chinese adults and Chinese children in the RD groups than the control groups in the activation of the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) during Spanish speech perception, suggesting slowed development in these regions associated with RD. Furthermore, using multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA), we found that activation patterns in the left middle temporal gyrus (MTG), premotor, supplementary motor area (SMA), and IFG could serve as reliable markers of RD. We provide both behavioral and neurological evidence for impaired speech perception and production in RD readers which can serve as markers of RD.

Reading comprehension is a fundamental skill to be developed from the early stages of reading acquisition and it is essential for both formative and personal learning. This study examines eye-tracking as a useful and complementary tool in the assessment and improvement of implicit reading comprehension. The aim is to understand the role of eye-tracking in implicit reading comprehension and, complementarily, in intervening skills such as vocabulary, rapid automatized naming, and processing speed. In a final sample of 7-8 year-old 67 students, tests for implicit reading comprehension (literal, inferential, and total), eye-tracking measures, vocabulary, rapid automatized naming, processing speed, as well as tests to control for intellectual and attentional levels were administered. The results of the correlational and regression analyses indicate the existence of predictive relationships between (i) implicit reading comprehension and eye-tracking measures; and additionally, (ii) between intervening skills (vocabulary, rapid automatized naming, processing speed) and eye-tracking measures; and (iii) between implicit reading comprehension and intervening skills (vocabulary, rapid automatized naming, processing speed). In summary, better performance in implicit reading comprehension (literal, inferential, and total) is related to and explained by shorter eye movement times in recognition and access to meaning, larger vocabulary, and faster rapid automatized naming and processing speed. Furthermore, eye-tracking measures are better predictors of implicit reading comprehension. These findings provide promising evidence for the contribution of eye-tracking to optimising the level of implicit reading comprehension, which is applied daily in classrooms.

Every teacher aspires to create the ideal lesson! You want to convey the knowledge and skills in the best possible way while also keeping learners motivated. In our design case, we focus on the complex skill of collaborative problem-solving (CPS). In today's complex world, the acquisition of CPS competencies is considered an important learning goal in education. However, there is limited knowledge on how to teach and assess CPS competencies. In addition to tackling these challenges, we search for new ways of interactive storytelling to implement in the learning materials. Our main design challenge was how to design a learning experience that encourages CPS. To address these challenges, we started in 2020 the project titled Supporting TEamwork in AMbient learning Spaces (STEAMS). In this project, we designed the EDUbox Teamwork, a four-hour learning activity for children between the ages of 10 to 14. In this paper, we describe the iterative process of designing the materials to learn about CPS (i.e., CPS as a learning goal) by doing CPS (i.e., CPS as a method), enhanced by interactive storytelling, for which the design-based research approach was used. The design team consisted of a diverse group of educational researchers, computer scientists, instructional graphical designers, digital storytellers, and teachers. Given the strong collaboration between a research group specialized in computer-supported collaborative learning and specialists in digital storytelling, our design case incorporated insights from both parties. The learning activity was piloted both in in-vivo and in-vitro contexts in collaboration with at least 400 students.

Applying 10 Hz ([alpha]-rate) sensory stimulation, not 5 Hz ([theta]-rate), prior to introducing novel speech-print pairs can reset the phase of [theta] oscillations and enhance associative learning. This rapid gain indicates coordinated mechanisms to regulate attentional/cognitive resources ([alpha] oscillations) and facilitate memory storage ([theta] oscillations) early in learning. The present findings may inform educational practices for children with reading difficulties.