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Over the past several decades, research has documented strong relationships between social class and children's cognitive abilities. These initial cognitive differences, which are substantial at school entry, increase as children progress through school. Despite the robust findings associated with this research, authors have generally neglected the extent to which school absenteeism exacerbates social class differences in academic development among young children. Using growth-curve analyses within a three-level hierarchical linear modeling framework, this study employs data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K) to examine the links between children's social class, school absences, and academic growth during kindergarten and first grade. Results suggest that the effects of schooling on cognitive development are stronger for lower socioeconomic status (SES) children and that the findings associated with theories of summer learning loss are applicable to literacy development during early elementary school. Indeed, although they continue to achieve at lower absolute levels, socioeconomically disadvantaged children who have good attendance rates gain more literacy skills than their higher SES peers during kindergarten and first grade. Keywords social class, inequality, achievement, attendance DOI: 10.1177/0038040710383520

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2010.03.004 Byline: Shanta Hattikudur, Martha W. Alibali Keywords: Math learning; Comparison; Elementary school; Equal sign; Math education; Conceptual development Abstract: This study investigated whether instruction that involves comparing the equal sign with other relational symbols is more effective at imparting a relational interpretation of the equal sign than instruction about the equal sign alone. Third- and fourth-grade students in a comparing symbols group learned about the greater than, less than, and equal signs and had the opportunity to compare the inequality symbols with the equal sign. Students in an equal sign group learned about the equal sign only. A third group of students served as a control group. Three aspects of students' knowledge were assessed before and after the lesson: (a) conceptual understanding of the equal sign, (b) equation encoding, and (c) problem solving. Students in the comparing symbols group showed greater gains in conceptual understanding from pretest to posttest than students in the other two groups, and students in the comparing symbols group also scored higher on a posttest that assessed knowledge about inequality symbols and inequality problem solving. Thus, they learned about three symbols in the same amount of time as other students learned about the equal sign alone or not at all. Therefore, an instructional approach involving comparison can be an effective tool for learning about concepts in mathematics. Author Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA Article History: Received 5 May 2009; Revised 17 March 2010

Byline: Michael Windle (1), Nancy Brener (2), Paula Cuccaro (4), Patricia Dittus (2), David E. Kanouse (3), Nancy Murray (4), Jan Wallander (5), Mark A. Schuster (3,6,7) Keywords: Parenting; Ethnic groups; Externalizing problems; Victimization Abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the invariance of predictive relations across early-adolescent sex and ethnic groups regarding parenting factors and externalizing and internalizing problems and victimization. Data (n = 598 54% female) from a triethnic (Hispanic, non-Hispanic white, and non-Hispanic black) probability sample of fifth graders collected from three sites (Birmingham, AL, Houston, TX, and Los Angeles, CA) were used in the analyses. Simultaneous group structural equation modeling supported the invariance of parenting-early adolescent outcomes across sex and ethnic groups. Parental monitoring and parental norms were relatively robust predictors of early-adolescent externalizing problems and victimization, and to a lesser extent, of internalizing problems. A maternal nurturance by parental monitoring interaction was statistically significant for all outcome behaviors, indicating that higher monitoring in conjunction with higher maternal nurturance was associated with lower levels of early-adolescent problem behaviors. The findings suggest that core parenting factors such as nurturance, monitoring, and normative expectations for early adolescent problem behaviors may serve as a foundation for parenting components of multi-component intervention studies. Author Affiliation: (1) Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, NE, Rm 520, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA (2) Division of Adolescent and School Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, NE, MS K-33, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA (3) RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, P.O. Box 2138, Mailstop 5SE, Santa Monica, CA, 90407-2138, USA (4) University of Texas, 7000 Fannin, Suite 2634A, Houston, TX, 77030, USA (5) Department of Psychology, University of California-Merced, P.O. Box 2039, Merced, CA, 95344, USA (6) Department of Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, 300 Longwood Avenue, Wolbach 220, Boston, MA, 02115, USA (7) Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA Article History: Registration Date: 23/04/2009 Received Date: 23/02/2009 Accepted Date: 23/04/2009 Online Date: 12/05/2009 Article note: The findings and conclusions in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of schema-broadening instruction (SBI) on second graders' word-problem-solving skills and their ability to represent the structure of word problems using algebraic equations. Teachers (n = 18) were randomly assigned to conventional word-problem instruction or SBI word-problem instruction, which taught students to represent the structural, defining features of word problems with overarching equations. Intervention lasted 16 weeks. We pretested and posttested 270 students on measures of word-problem skill; analyses that accounted for the nested structure of the data indicated superior word-problem learning for SBI students. Descriptive analyses of students' word-problem work indicated that SBI helped students represent the structure of word problems with algebraic equations, suggesting that SBI promoted this aspect of students' emerging algebraic reasoning.

This article describes the development and immediate effects of a small-group intervention designed to complement a school-based prevention program for children and youth. The REAL Groups intervention is the result of a partnership with predominately Mexican American schools located in the central city neighborhoods of a southwestern U.S. metropolitan area. The group members (N = 115) were fifth graders from six central city schools. Group members were identified and referred by their teachers as in need of additional support beyond the keepin'it REAL classroom-based substance abuse prevention intervention, or they were invited by the referred students. The REAL Groups followed a mutual aid approach, and Masters in Social Work student interns trained in the REAL Groups intervention served as the group facilitators. This article describes the small-group intervention and provides an initial report on the results by comparing the small-group members (n = 115) with Mexican-heritage classmates (n = 306) who only received the classroom-based keepin' it REAL prevention intervention. This is a feasibility study in preparation for the follow-up study with seventh graders. As expected due to the low drug-use rates reported by fifth-grade participants, the effectiveness results were inconclusive. The immediate findings, however, provide important information about the design and evaluation of culturally specific group interventions with acculturating children. The article provides important methodological and practice implications for small-group school-based interventions as well as recommendations for future research. KEYWORDS mutual aid, small groups, substance use, prevention, at risk, youth, children DOI: 10.1080/01609510903366202

Fluency has been identified as an important outcome of effective reading instruction, and intervention packages utilizing the method of repeated readings have been shown to improve oral reading fluency. In order to improve the efficiency of these intervention packages, more research is needed on the effectiveness of small group reading interventions. An alternating treatments design was used to compare the effects of two versions of an intervention package that included repeated readings on generalization and maintenance of oral reading rate for 6 second grade students. Both intervention packages included listening passage preview, repeated readings, error correction, and contingent reward. The intervention packages differed only in whether intervention components were provided to students individually or in groups of three. Gains in oral reading rate were observed across conditions, with individual and small group interventions resulting in comparable gains for most participants. Individual differences in performance and implications for reading instruction are discussed. Keywords Repeated readings * Generalization * Listening passage preview * Individual versus group intervention * Oral reading fluency * Maintenance, Introduction Oral reading fluency was identified as an essential skill in the development of reading comprehension by the National Reading Panel (NRP 2000). After an extensive review of the literature, [...]

To authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01391.x Abstract: The neurodevelopmental sequelae of early deprivation were examined by testing (N = 132) 8- and 9-year-old children who had endured prolonged versus brief institutionalized rearing or rearing in the natal family. Behavioral tasks included measures that permit inferences about underlying neural circuitry. Children raised in institutionalized settings showed neuropsychological deficits on tests of visual memory and attention, as well as visually mediated learning and inhibitory control. Yet, these children performed at developmentally appropriate levels on similar tests where auditory processing was also involved and on tests assessing executive processes such as rule acquisition and planning. These findings suggest that specific aspects of brain-behavioral circuitry may be particularly vulnerable to postnatal experience. Author Affiliation: (1)University of Wisconsin (2)Harvard Medical School/Children's Hospital Boston (3)University of Wisconsin (4)University of Minnesota Article note: Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Megan R. Gunnar, Institute of Child Development, 51 East River Road, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455. Electronic mail may be sent to gunnar@umn.edu.

This study examined adapted physical educators' caseloads, service delivery modalities, and the amount of direct and indirect instructional time provided to students with disabilities in general physical education. The participants were a national sample of 139 certified adapted physical educators, 100 women and 39 men, representing 31 states. Certified adapted physical educators were defined as physical educators who passed the Adapted Physical Education National Standards Exam. The sample completed a web-based survey and had a return rate of 34%. The participants typically worked 41.2 hr. per week and allocated 52.3% of their time to direct and 13.8% of their time to indirect services. Students on the caseloads received on average 32 min. of instruction per week. For direct services, 27% of the participants reported serving preschool students, 72% elementary school students, 57% middle or junior high school students, and 59% secondary or high school students. For indirect services, 16% of the participants reported serving preschool students, 55% elementary school students, 41% middle and junior high school students, and 38% secondary or high school students. The participants carried a mean caseload of 51 students, with 42 students served directly and nine students served indirectly. The two factors that possibly influenced the participants' caseloads include students' grade level and policies within each state or school district. The findings are compared to the national job analysis (Kelly & Gansneder, 1998). DOI: 10.2466/PMS.109.3.737-746

To authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0297.2009.02271.x Byline: Eric D. Gould (1), Victor Lavy (2), M. Daniele Paserman (3) Abstract: This article uses the mass migration wave to Israel in the 1990s to examine the impact of immigrant concentration during elementary school on the long-term academic outcomes of native students in high school. The results suggest that the overall presence of immigrants in a grade had an adverse effect on the chances of passing the high school matriculation exam, which is necessary to attend college. This result is robust to a variety of alternative specifications. We also perform a 'placebo' analysis which shows that the high school outcomes of natives are affected only by the immigrant concentration in their own 5th grade class. Author Affiliation: (1)Hebrew University and Shalem Center (2)Hebrew University and Royal Holloway University of London (3)Boston University and Hebrew University Article History: Submitted: 20 February 2007 Accepted: 31 July 2008

In this article, the authors examine whether delayed substance initiation during adolescence, achieved through universal family-focused interventions conducted in middle school, can reduce problematic substance use during young adulthood. Sixth-grade students enrolled in 33 rural midwestern schools and their families were randomly assigned to 3 experimental conditions. Self-report questionnaires provided data at 7 time points for the Iowa Strengthening Families Program (ISFP), Preparing for the Drug Free Years (PDFY), and control groups through young adulthood. Five young adult substance frequency measures (drunkenness, alcohol-related problems, cigarettes, illicit drugs, and polysubstance use) were modeled as distal outcomes affected by the average level and rate of increase in substance initiation across the adolescent years in latent growth curve analyses. Results show that the models fit the data and that they were robust across outcomes and interventions, with more robust effects found for ISFP. The addition of direct intervention effects on young adult outcomes was not supported, suggesting long-term effects were primarily indirect. Relative reduction rates were calculated to quantify intervention-control differences on the estimated proportion of young adults indicating problematic substance use; they ranged from 19% to 31% for ISFP and from 9% to 16% for PDFY. Keywords: universal family-focused prevention, adolescent substance use, mediation of long-term outcomes, young adult substance use

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2009.02.006 Byline: Korbinian Moeller (a)(b), Silvia Pixner (b)(c), Liane Kaufmann (d), Hans-Christoph Nuerk (a)(b) Keywords: Mental number line; Logarithmic coding; Linear coding; Number line task; Numerical development; Number magnitude Abstract: Recently, the nature of children's mental number line has received much investigation. In the number line task, children are required to mark a presented number on a physical number line with fixed endpoints. Typically, it was observed that the estimations of younger/inexperienced children were accounted for best by a logarithmic function, whereas those of older/more experienced children were reflected best by a linear function. This led to the conclusion that children's mental number line transforms from logarithmic to linear with age and experience. In this study, we outline an alternative interpretation of children's performance in a number line task. We suggest that two separate linear representations for one- and two-digit numbers may exist in young children and that initially the integration of these two representations into the place value structure of the Arabic number system is not fully mastered. When testing this assumption in a sample of more than 120 first graders, we observed that the two-linear model consistently provided better fit indexes. We conclude that instead of assuming a transition from logarithmic to linear coding, performance differences could also be accounted for by an improvement in integrating tens and units into the Arabic place value system. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Psychology, Eberhard Karls University, 72072 Tuebingen, Germany (b) Department of Psychology, Paris-Lodron University Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria (c) Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Ulm, 89075 Ulm, Germany (d) Department of Pediatrics IV, Division of Neuropediatrics, Innsbruck Medical University, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria Article History: Received 31 July 2008; Revised 23 January 2009

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2009.01.007 Byline: Bert Reynvoet (a), Bert De Smedt (b), Eva Van den Bussche (a) Keywords: Development; Numerical cognition; Priming; Number representation; Comparison; Symbolic magnitude Abstract: The comparison distance effect (CDE), whereby discriminating between two numbers that are far apart is easier than discriminating between two numbers that are close, has been considered as an important indicator of how people represent magnitudes internally. However, the underlying mechanism of this CDE is still unclear. We tried to shed further light on how people represent magnitudes by using priming. Adults have been shown to exhibit a priming distance effect (PDE), whereby numbers are processed faster when they are preceded by a close number than when they are preceded by a more distant number. Surprisingly, there are no studies available that have investigated this effect in children. The current study examined this effect in typically developing first, third, and fifth graders and in adults. Our findings revealed that the PDE already occurs in first graders and remains stable across development. This study also documents the usefulness of number priming in children, making it an interesting tool for future research. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Psychology, University of Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium (b) Department of Educational Sciences, University of Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium Article History: Received 17 July 2008; Revised 8 January 2009

Background: Obesity is becoming prevalent in Korean children. Because body image is becoming increasingly important, it is likely that obesity-induced stress has a significant effect on childhood depression. Aims: To examine the correlation between obesity-induced stress and depressive symptoms in Korean elementary school students. Methods: The study participants were 2,305 elementary school children and their parents in the districts of Jeju-si, Seogwipo-si, Namjeju-gun and Bukjeju-gun on Jeju Island, Korea, who completed questionnaires involving demographic information, an obesity-induced stress scale and the Korean form of Kovacs' Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) from September to December 2006. Results: After controlling for significant independent variables that are wellknown correlates of depressive symptoms in children (e.g. age, gender, residence, family monthly income, obesity status of both parents, family history of chronic illness, and time spent with mother), obesity-induced stress had an odds ratio of 1.128 (95% CI 1.111-1.146). Conclusions: Reducing the prevalence of depressive symptoms in elementary school children in Jeju Island will require special attention, particularly the development of coping strategies to resolve obesity-induced stress in various areas including school, family and society. Key words: Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), depressive symptoms, obesity, obesity-induced stress, odds ratio

To authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3729.2009.00553.x Byline: Karen B. Meteyer (1), Maureen Perry-Jenkins (2) Keywords: behavior problems in children; cluster analysis; dual-earner; dyadic parenting; externalizing symptoms; parenting styles Abstract: We explore dyadic parenting styles and their association with first-grade children's externalizing behavior symptoms in a sample of 85 working-class, dual-earner families. Cluster analysis is used to create a typology of parenting types, reflecting the parental warmth, overreactivity, and laxness of both mothers and fathers in two-parent families. Three distinct groups emerged: Supportive Parents, Mixed-Support Parents, and Unsupportive Parents. Results indicate that dyadic parenting styles were related to teacher-reported externalizing symptoms for boys but not for girls. Author Affiliation: (1)Greater Binghamton Health Center (2)University of Massachusetts* Article note: Greater Binghamton Health Center, Binghamton, New York (kmeteyer@gmail.com).

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2009.03.003 Byline: Deanna Kuhn, Jared Katz Keywords: Explanation; Causal reasoning; Scientific reasoning; Data reading; Inference; Learning Abstract: We present evidence suggesting that the effect of self-explanations on learning is not always beneficial and, in fact, in some contexts has a detrimental effect. Over eight sessions, fourth-graders engaged in investigation of a database with the goal of identifying causal effects. In a separate task, children in one condition also generated self-explanations regarding the mechanisms underlying the causal effects they believed to be present. In a comparison condition, they did not. On a transfer task, children in the no-explanations condition showed superior causal inference performance. The findings are discussed as reflecting the development of 'data-reading' skill with which an emphasis on explanations may interfere. Author Affiliation: Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA Article History: Received 5 September 2008; Revised 13 March 2009

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2009.03.032 Byline: W. Alex Mason (a), Rick Kosterman (b), Kevin P. Haggerty (b), J. David Hawkins (b), Cleve Redmond (c), Richard L. Spoth (c), Chungyeol Shin (c) Keywords: Alcohol abuse; Prevention; Mediation; Longitudinal; Gender Abstract: This study examined the long-term impact of Preparing for the Drug Free Years (PDFY) on young adult alcohol abuse disorder, addressing theory-based questions about how, and for whom, the program had its effects on the outcomes. Participants were 429 families of 6th graders enrolled in 33 rural schools located in the Midwestern United States. Schools were randomly assigned to conditions. Target adolescents (52% female) were interviewed periodically from age 11 to age 22; throughout adolescence, information was collected also from the youths' parents. Moderation and mediation analyses were conducted using regression analysis and structural equation modeling with covariates measured at baseline (age 11), mediators measured at posttest (age 12), and the outcome measured at the young adult follow-up (age 22). Results showed that PDFY reduced the rate of alcohol abuse among target young women, with evidence that this effect was mediated by increased prosocial skills. The rate of alcohol abuse among PDFY group men was not significantly different from that of control group men. Findings have implications for reducing the public health burden of alcohol abuse among young women. Author Affiliation: (a) National Research Institute for Child and Family Studies, Boys Town, 14100 Crawford Street, Boys Town, NE 68010, USA (b) Social Development Research Group, University of Washington, 9725 3rd Avenue NE, Suite 401, Seattle, WA 98115, USA (c) Partnerships in Prevention Science Institute, Iowa State University, 2625 North Loop Drive, Suite 500, Ames, IA 50010, USA

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2009.02.011 Byline: Jorg Huijding (a), Andy P. Field (b), Jan De Houwer (c), Katrien Vandenbosch (c), Mike Rinck (d), Machteld van Oeveren (a) Abstract: We examined the effects of training to approach or avoid novel animals on fear-related responses in children. Ninety-five primary school children (9-13 years old) were instructed to repeatedly push away or pull closer pictures of novel animals. We tested whether this manipulation would lead to changes in self-reported attitudes, implicit attitudes, fear beliefs, and avoidance behaviors towards these animals. The training produced more positive self-reported attitudes towards the pulled animal and more negative attitudes towards the pushed animal. After the training, girls reported more fear and avoidance of the pushed animal than of the pulled animal, while such training effects were absent in boys. No significant training effects were observed on implicit attitudes. Interestingly, the level of anxiety disorder symptoms prior to training was related to some of the training effects: Stronger prior fear was related to stronger changes in self-reported attitudes, and in boys, also to fear beliefs. The finding that a simple approach-avoidance training influences children's fear-related responses lends support to general theories of fear acquisition in children as well as to models that try to explain the intergenerational transmission of anxiety. [184 words] Author Affiliation: (a) Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands (b) University of Sussex, UK (c) Ghent University, Belgium (d) Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands Article History: Received 23 October 2008; Revised 4 February 2009; Accepted 17 February 2009

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2009.02.004 Byline: Juan E. Jimenez, Cristina Rodriguez, Gustavo Ramirez Keywords: Developmental dyslexia; Dyslexic subtypes; Cognitive processes; Learning disabilities; Reading-level match; Regression method; Home literacy experiences Abstract: This study was designed to examine the prevalence, cognitive profile, and home literacy experiences in subtypes of Spanish developmental dyslexia. The subtyping procedure used comparison with chronological-age-matched and reading-level controls on reaction times and accuracy responses to high-frequency words and pseudowords. Using regression-based procedures, 8 phonological dyslexics and 16 surface dyslexics were identified from a sample of 35 dyslexic fourth graders by comparing them with chronological-age-matched controls on reaction times to high-frequency word and pseudoword reading. However, when the dyslexic subtypes were defined by reference to reading-level controls, 12 phonological dyslexics were defined but only 5 surface dyslexics were identified. Both dyslexic subtypes showed a deficit in phonological awareness, but children with surface dyslexia also showed a deficit in orthographical processing assessed by a homophone comprehension task. This deficit was associated with poor home literacy experiences, with the group of parents with children matched in reading age, in comparison with the group of parents with children with surface dyslexia, reporting more literacy home experiences. Author Affiliation: Departamento de Psicologia Evolutiva y de la Educacion, Universidad de La Laguna, Campus de Guajara, 38200 Islas Canarias, Spain Article History: Received 1 May 2008; Revised 7 February 2009

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2008.11.004 Byline: Jon R. Star (a), Bethany Rittle-Johnson (b) Keywords: Learning processes; Computational estimation; Mathematics education; Comparing solution strategies; Flexibility; Conceptual and procedural knowledge Abstract: Comparing and contrasting examples is a core cognitive process that supports learning in children and adults across a variety of topics. In this experimental study, we evaluated the benefits of supporting comparison in a classroom context for children learning about computational estimation. Fifth- and sixth-grade students (N =157) learned about estimation either by comparing alternative solution strategies or by reflecting on the strategies one at a time. At posttest and retention test, students who compared were more flexible problem solvers on a variety of measures. Comparison also supported greater conceptual knowledge, but only for students who already knew some estimation strategies. These findings indicate that comparison is an effective learning and instructional practice in a domain with multiple acceptable answers. Author Affiliation: (a) Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, 442 Gutman Library, 6 Appian Way, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA (b) Department of Psychology and Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA Article History: Received 25 July 2008; Revised 20 November 2008

Byline: Gia Elise Barboza (1), Lawrence B. Schiamberg (2), James Oehmke (3), Steven J. Korzeniewski (4), Lori A. Post (5), Cedrick G. Heraux (6) Keywords: Bullying; Ecological theory; Peer group relations; Television watching Abstract: This paper uses an ecological perspective to explore the risk factors associated with bullying behaviors among a representative sample of adolescents aged 11--14 (n = 9816,\ [line over (term)] X = 12.88, s = .9814). Data derived from the Health Behavior in School Children: WHO Cross-National Survey were used to model the relationship between bullying and media effects, peer and family support systems, self-efficacy, and school environment. Overall, the results of this study suggest that bullying increases among children who watch television frequently, lack teacher support, have themselves been bullied, attend schools with unfavorable environments, have emotional support from their peers, and have teachers and parents who do not place high expectations on their school performance. In addition, we found an inverse relationship between being Asian or African American, feeling left out of school activities and bullying. Our results lend support to the contention that bullying arises out of deficits in social climate, but that social support systems mediate bullying behavior irrespective of the student's racial/ethnic characteristics, parental income levels or media influences. Because the number of friends and the ability to talk to these friends increases the likelihood of bullying, we suggest that bullying is not simply an individual response to a particular environment but is a peer-group behavior. We conclude that limiting television viewing hours, improving student's abilities to access family support systems and improving school atmospheres are potentially useful interventions to limit bullying behavior. Author Affiliation: (1) 4400 Massachusetts Ave., NW Washington, DC, 20008, USA (2) Michigan State University, 8 Human Ecology Bldg., East Lansing, MI, 48823, USA (3) Michigan State University, 317c Agriculture Hall, East Lansing, MI, 48823, USA (4) Michigan State University, 600 Fee Hall, East Lansing, MI, 48823, USA (5) Michigan State University, 278 Communication Arts and Sciences Bldg., East Lansing, MI, 48823, USA (6) Michigan State University, 378 Communication Arts and Sciences Bldg., East Lansing, MI, 48823, USA Article History: Registration Date: 08/01/2008 Received Date: 07/06/2007 Accepted Date: 08/01/2008 Online Date: 08/04/2008

To purchase or authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2008.01247.x Abstract: Recent findings demonstrate that the most effective reading instruction may vary with children's language and literacy skills. These Child x Instruction interactions imply that individualizing instruction would be a potent strategy for improving students' literacy. A cluster-randomized control field trial, conducted in 10 high-moderate poverty schools, examined effects of individualizing literacy instruction. The instruction each first grader received (n = 461 in 47 classrooms, mean age = 6.7 years) during fall, winter, and spring was recorded. Comparing intervention-recommended amounts of instruction with observed amounts revealed that intervention teachers individualized instruction more precisely than did comparison teachers. Importantly, the more precisely the children received recommended amounts of instruction, the stronger was their literacy skill growth. Results provide strong evidence of Child x Instruction interaction effects on literacy outcomes. Author Affiliation: (1)Florida State University (2)University of Michigan (3)Florida State University (4)University of Michigan Article note: Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Carol McDonald Connor, Florida State University, Florida Center for Reading Research, 227 N. Bronough Street, Suite 7250, Tallahassee, FL 3301. Electronic mail may be sent to cconnor@fsu.edu.

New emphasis is being placed on the importance of parent involvement in children's education. In a synthesis of research on the effects of parent involvement in homework, a meta-analysis of 14 studies that manipulated parent training for homework involvement reveals that training parents to be involved in their child's homework results in (a) higher rates of homework completion, (b) fewer homework problems, and (c) possibly, improved academic performance among elementary school children. A meta-analysis of 22 samples from 20 studies correlating parent involvement and achievement-related outcomes reveals (a) positive associations for elementary school and high school students but a negative association for middle school students, (b) a stronger association for parent rule-setting compared with other involvement strategies, and (c) a negative association for mathematics achievement but a positive association for verbal achievement outcomes. The results suggest that different types of parent involvement in homework have different relationships to achievement and that the type of parent involvement changes as children move through the school grades. KEYWORDS: homework, parent involvement, academic achievement, meta-analysis.

Dynamic assessment (DA) involves helping students learn a task and indexing responsiveness to that instruction as a measure of learning potential. The purpose of this study was to explore the utility of a DA of algebraic learning in predicting third graders' development of mathematics problem solving. In the fall, 122 third-grade students were assessed on language, nonverbal reasoning, attentive behavior, calculations, word-problem skill, and DA. On the basis of random assignment, students received 16 weeks of validated instruction on word problems or received 16 weeks of conventional instruction on word problems. Then, students were assessed on word-problem measures proximal and distal to instruction. Structural equation measurement models showed that DA measured a distinct dimension of pretreatment ability and that proximal and distal word-problem measures were needed to account for outcome. Structural equation modeling showed that instruction (conventional vs. validated) and pretreatment calculation skills were sufficient to account for math word-problem outcome proximal to instruction; by contrast, language, pretreatment word-problem skill, and DA were needed to forecast learning on word-problem outcomes more distal to instruction. Findings are discussed in terms of responsiveness-to-intervention models for preventing and identifying learning disabilities. Keywords: dynamic assessment, math word problems, responsiveness to intervention

The authors investigated the relatively short-term and longer term effects of grade retention in I st grade on the growth of mathematics and reading achievement over 4 years. The authors initially identified a large multiethnic sample (n = 784) of children who were below the median in literacy at school entrance. From this sample, the authors closely matched 1 retained with 1 promoted child (n = 97 pairs) on the basis of propensity scores constructed from 72 background variables and compared growth of retained and promoted children using Rasch-modeled W scores and grade standard scores, which facilitate age-based and grade-based comparisons, respectively. When using W scores, retained children experienced a slower increase in both mathematics and reading achievement in the short term but a faster increase in reading achievement in the longer term than did the promoted children. When using grade standard scores, retained children experienced a faster increase in the short term but a faster decrease in the longer term in both mathematics and reading achievement than did promoted children. Some of the retention effects were moderated by limited English language proficiency, home-school relationship, and children's externalizing problems. Keywords: grade retention, growth curve model, propensity score, optimal matching, achievement

THIRD- and fourth-grade students in two separate classrooms--one a classroom with only hearing students and the other a coenrolled classroom with hearing, hard of hearing, and deaf students--were assessed to determine friendship patterns, attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions about sign language and deafness. Sociograms, interviews, and videotape analysis of the students' responses were done. Results suggest that hearing students in the coenrolled classroom had better sign language skills, a more positive attitude toward deafness, and an improved awareness of certain aspects of hearing loss (such as speech and amplification). Deaf and hard of hearing students' social acceptance was similar to that of their hearing peers.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2008.01.001 Byline: Bernard Lete (a), Ronald Peereman (b), Michel Fayol (c) Keywords: Spelling; Feedforward consistency; Feedback consistency; Word frequency; Regression analyses Abstract: We describe a large-scale regression study that examines the influence of lexical (word frequency, lexical neighborhood) and sublexical (feedforward and feedback consistency) variables on spelling accuracy among first, second, and third- to fifth-graders. The wordset analyzed contained 3430 French words. Predictors in the stepwise regression analyses were grade-level-based and compiled from child-directed written materials. In all grades, feedforward consistency and word frequency had independent effects. However, whereas the feedforward-consistency contribution remained high and did not vary across grades, the impact of word frequency exhibited a massive jump between first and second grade. Interaction analyses showed that the feedforward-consistency effect was significantly lower for monosyllabic words than for polysyllabic ones, and significantly higher for low-frequency words. The effect of feedback consistency was difficult to clarify. Finally, the feedforward-consistency effects obtained at two different grain sizes suggest that children use more contextual information to spell words as orthographic knowledge develops. The findings are discussed in relation to models of spelling and to the developmental aspects of learning to spell. Author Affiliation: (a) Laboratoire EMC, Universite de Lyon 2, 5 Avenue Pierre Mendes France, 69676 Bron Cedex, France (b) CNRS & Universite de Bourgogne, France (c) LAPSCO & Universite Blaise Pascal, France Article History: Received 27 December 2006; Revised 3 January 2008 Article Note: (footnote) [star] The authors are grateful to Beatrice Pothier for the digital version of the database and to Vivian Waltz for her assistance with the English. Part of this work was supported by grants from the French Ministry of Research (Ecole et Sciences Cognitives) to Arnaud Rey and Ronald Peereman and from the French ANR (Agence Nationale de la Recherche) to Jonathan Grainger and Bernard Lete (ANR-06-BLAN-0337-03).

Background Strategies need to be developed to reduce preschool children's energy intake. Objective To test the effect of reducing the energy density of an entree on children's ad libitum energy intake. Subjects Subjects were 2- to 5-year-old children (37 boys and 40 girls) in a university day-care facility. Intervention In this within-subjects crossover study, children were served a test lunch once per week for 6 weeks. Two versions of a macaroni and cheese entree were formulated to differ in energy density while maintaining similar palatability. Each version was served to children three times. The higher-energy-density entree had 2.0 kcal/g and the other entree was 30% lower in energy density. Lunch, consumed ad libitum, also included broccoli, applesauce, and milk. Main outcome measures Food intake and energy intake were measured. Statistical analyses A mixed linear model tested effect of energy density of the entree on food intake and energy intake. Results are reported as mean [+ or -] standard error. Results Decreasing the energy density of the entree by 30% significantly (P<0.0001) reduced children's energy intake from the entree by 25% (72.3 [+ or -] 8.3 kcal) and total lunch energy intake by 18% (71.8 [+ or -] 7.9 kcal). Children consumed significantly more of the lower-energy-density entree (10.1 [+ or -] 4.2 g; P<0.05). Children's sex-specific body mass index--for-age percentiles did not affect the relationship between energy density of the entree and children's intakes. Conclusions Decreasing the energy density of a lunch entree resulted in a reduction in children's energy intake from the entree and from the total meal. Reducing the energy density of foods may be an effective strategy to moderate children's energy intake.