bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Energetics of Global Thermohaline Circulation and Its Wind Enhancement
Authors: Urakawa L. Shogo , Hasumi Hiroyasu
Published: February 2009

The energy budget of global thermohaline circulation (THC) is numerically investigated using an ocean general circulation model (OGCM) under a realistic configuration. Earlier studies just discuss a globally integrated energy budget. This study intends to draw a comprehensive picture of the global THC by separately calculating the energy budgets for three basins (the Atlantic, Indo-Pacific, and Southern Ocean). The largest mechanical energy source is a kinetic energy (KE) input to the general circulation by wind. Of that, 0.3 TW is converted to gravitational potential energy (GPE), and 80% of the energy conversion occurs in the Southern Ocean. Almost the same quantity of GPE is supplied by vertical mixing. Injected GPE is almost equally dissipated by convective adjustment and the effect of cabbeling, and a large part of that is consumed in the Southern Ocean. A dominant role of the Southern Ocean in the energy balance of THC and importance of the interbasin transport of GPE are found. Then, the enhancement of the meridional overturning circulation in the Atlantic induced by wind in the Southern Ocean is examined. Calculating the energy budget anomaly enables the authors to identify its mechanism as a component of THC.
Examining Teacher Evaluation Validity and Leadership Decision Making Within a Standards-Based Evaluation System
Authors: Kimball Steven M. , Milanowski Anthony
Published: February 2009

Purpose: The article reports on a study of school leader decision making that examined variation in the validity of teacher evaluation ratings in a school district that has implemented a standards-based teacher evaluation system. Research Methods: Applying mixed methods, the study used teacher evaluation ratings and value-added student achievement data to identify 23 school leaders with “more” and “less” valid results. These leaders were interviewed to learn about their attitudes on teacher evaluation, their decision-making strategies, and school contexts. Results from interviews with a subset of eight school leaders with 2 years of consistent validity scores ( n = 4 more valid and n = 4 less valid) were analyzed. Findings: Substantial variation was found in the relationship of evaluators' ratings of teachers and value-added measures of the average achievement of the teachers' students. The results did not yield a simple explanation for the differences in validity of evaluators' ratings. Instead, evaluators' decisions were found to be a complex and idiosyncratic function of motivation, skill, and context. Conclusion: The results suggested why overall validity of ratings was lower than expected and highlighted challenges in research on school leader decision making and cautions for using such decisions for high stakes purposes. Recommendations are provided for improving evaluation accuracy and validity, with considerations for performance evaluation policy and future research on school leader decision making and teacher evaluation.
Evaluating Educational Materials
Authors: Blell Gordon
Published: February 2009

The explosion of knowledge, developing instructional technology, court decisions and legislation mandating equal education for all children are pervasive forces shaping structural changes in education. A significant area of change is the role of the individual teacher. Teachers are less and less dispensers of narrow areas of knowledge, and more and more managers of materials and systems created by technicians and specialists. The skills, required to discriminate among materials offered by publishers must be mastered to get value for dollars spent. This introduction to materials evaluation is intended to stimulate the educator to learn to ask the right questions before making a materials purchase.
The Effectiveness of TV in Teaching Sight Words to Students with learning Disabilities
Authors: Hargis Charles H. , Gickling Edward E. , Mahmoud Cathy Crossland
Published: February 2009

This article reports a research project in which television was used to teach a set of sight words to LD children. Prior to the television presentations, two separate sets of sight words were selected and matched on the basis of equivalent difficulty level. One set was presented via a National Educational Television program in a series of 32 daily broadcasts. The other set of words was not presented by any teaching procedure. After instruction, each student was tested on his ability to recognize both sets of sight words. The results indicated that student scores obtained through the television medium were no higher than scores which received no presentation. Though the results obtained cannot be generalized beyond this particular classroom population, the research procedure used here suggests a methodology that has relevance for individual classroom teachers and teachers dealing with small numbers of students.
Role of Special Pediatric Evaluation in the Evaluation of a Child with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Keele Doman K. , Keek Marjorie S. , Huizinga Raleigh J. , Bray Nancy , Estes Robert , Holland Lana
Published: February 2009

Two pediatric specialists, utilizing nine pediatric factors, diagnosed learning disabilities correctly in 91% of the cases evaluated but overdiagnosed it in 30% of nonlearning disabled children. The following were present in a significantly higher percentage of cases of learning disabled children compared to nonlearning disabled children: significant high risk conditions for brain damage or dysfunction in the medical history, minor neurological dysfunction, obesity, teacher and parents reporting a learning disability in the child, poorly drawn two-dimensional figures, and delayed word recognition. Evaluation by a pediatric specialist in learning disabilities is indicated in the learning disabled child with motor hyperactivity and in certain other instances. Since an evaluation by a specialist in learning disabilities is not possible in every learning disabled child, a procedure for referral is suggested.
Comprehension of Syntactic Structures and Critical Verbal Elements by Children with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Seme Eleanor M. , Wlig Elisabeth H.
Published: February 2009

The comprehension of: (1) syntactic structures and (2) critical verbal elements were assessed in 34 learning disabled children using the Northwestern Syntax Screening Test (NSST) and the Assessment of Children's Language Comprehension (ACLC), respectively. Performances were compared with normative data and with performances by 17 academically achieving controls. Learning disabled children scored significantly lower than their controls on the NSST receptive subtest, and a significant percentage scored below the 10th percentile when compared with normative data. Performances on the receptive and expressive subtests of the NSST correlated positively and significantly. The learning disabled children performed similarly to normative 6 1/2 year olds on the ACLC while the academically achieving controls showed a ceiling effect. The findings suggest that the NSST and ACLC may be used for screening and identification of language comprehension deficits in learning disabled children. Performances by younger (ages 7 to 9) and older (ages 9-1 to 11-6) learning disabled children did not differ significantly, suggesting that deficits in auditory comprehension may not improve spontaneously with age. The deficits were interpreted to reflect delays in syntactic rule learning, reduced simultaneous analysis and synthesis, and reduced auditory memory.
For Prekindergorten Screening Information
Authors: Mardell Carol , Goldenberg Dorothea
Published: February 2009

A screening test for identifying prekindergorten children with potential learning problems was conceptualized and developed after determining the need for one procedure which would incorporate the essential elements of many different tests to reflect developmental patterns in the major areas of functioning. The DIAL (Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning) procedure is fully described, listing factors, test development, test procedure, pilot studies, field testing, and statistical analyses. Conclusions based on the statistical analyses and evaluations from the first year of Project DIAL research are included, as well as a discussion of screening problems encountered and recommendations for further exploration and development of assessment procedures for young children.
Bender Gestalt Test, Visual Aural Digit Span Test and Reading Achievement
Authors: Koppitz Elizabeth Munsterberg
Published: February 2009

The Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test and the Visual Aural Digit Span Test (VADS) were administered to three groups of eight- and nine-year-old children of normal ability. Two groups consisted of special class pupils with learning disabilities, one who could read and one who could not read. Average pupils served as the control group. The Bender Test was able to differentiate between pupils with learning disabilities and the control group, but not between the readers and nonreaders. Thus the Bender Test appears to be related to overall school functioning and learning disabilities rather than to reading achievement as such. The VADS Test, on the other hand, could discriminate between subjects who could and who could not read, but not between the LD pupils who could read and the control group. The VADS Test seems to be, therefore, more closely related to reading than to overall school functioning. The two tests measure different functions and complement each other as screening instruments for elementary school children.
Nonmusicol Effects of the Kodaly Music Curriculum in Primary Grade Children
Authors: Hurwitz Irving , Wolff Peter H. , Bortnick Barrie D. , Kokas Klara
Published: February 2009

This study compares the performances of two matched groups of primary grade children on tasks of temporal and spatial abilities. One group received an intensive exposure to the Kodaly Music Training Program, while the other group did not. The results indicated that the music group performed more effectively on both temporal and spatial tasks than the non-music control group. Sex differences are also reported in which experimental group boys demonstrated a significantly better level of performance than control boys. Comparison with a second control group indicated that children receiving the Kodaly Music Program performed more effectively on reading tests than comparable groups of first graders not receiving this music instruction. This facilitative effect on reading performance was observed beyond the first grade level when the music program was continued.
The Role of Verbal Labeling in Equivalence Tasks as Related to Reading Ability
Authors: Drader Darla L.
Published: February 2009

Recent interest in the relation between sensory integration and reading ability has resulted in the necessity of explaining the differences between the performance of good and poor readers on equivalence tasks. The present study was undertaken to examine the possiblity that poor readers have difficulty verbally encoding sensory information. Twenty-four 11- and 12-year-old boys were required to verbally label temporally-ordered patterns of lights, sounds, and finger taps. These data were then related to a previous finding that good readers perform an auditory intrasensory equivalence task more accurately than a visual or a tactual task, whereas poor readers do not demonstrate a modality superiority. The failure to find modality-specific labeling differences between good and poor readers in this study suggests that performance differences are due to factors other than verbal labeling. Similarities between the demands of the reading task and the equivalence task are discussed in relation to the question of the source of the difficulty encountered by the reading disabled child.
The Analysis of on Instrument for Screening Learning Disabilities
Authors: Beatty James R.
Published: February 2009

Most instruments used in screening for learning disabilities were not developed specifically for that purpose and therefore do not measure various factors of learning disabilities. The classroom screening instrument (CSI) was investigated for its usefulness as a screening measure. Data collected from 400 children on the CSI were thoroughly factor analyzed to locate the common factor space and to locate the number of original items contributing to the factor space. Of the original 80 items, 48 were found to be loading on 10 factors. Forty of those items were of complexity one, seven were of complexity two, and one item was of complexity three. The factor solution based upon 48 items was of different structure than the original instrument, revealing somewhat different dimensions. The CSI was found to consist of factors which would be very useful in screening for learning disabilities.
Parental Management, Self-Concept, and Drug Response in Minimal Brain Dysfunction
Authors: Loney Jan , Comly Hunter H. , Simon Betty
Published: February 2009

Boys with minimal brain dysfunction (MBD) were divided into two groups based on quality of parental management and compared with a group of age-matched normoactive elementary school boys. Self-esteem and impulse control were inferred from a projective car-drawing test. It was concluded that parental management can make a difference in MBD children's self-esteem, but that even the well-managed MBD boy may suffer some decrement in his feelings of self-worth. While MBD boys differed from normals in some impulse control comparisons, parental management does not appear to be a factor. Significantly more well-managed MBD children responded positively to medication than did poorly-managed children.
Programs, materials and techniques
Authors: Bannatyne Alex
Published: February 2009

Top place this month goes to Learning Centers: A Guide for Effective Use by Waynant and Wilson. It is about classroom learning stations and is chock full of good ideas. Robert Weber edited a useful Handbook on Learning Disabilities which is more concerned with management, social factors and teenagers than with teaching content. Scholastic Magazine and Book Services have published several “write-in” texts which should prove useful to LD teachers at the junior high and high school levels. Piaget for Teachers by Hans Furth neatly condenses, in a very clear way, the principles and teachings of that eminent child psychologist; it receives a “Best Buy” rating. For the musicians among our readers I recommend the Cariabo-Cohn method of teaching music in the classroom. Equally recommended is Robert Valett's The Psychoeducational Treatment of Hyperactive Children, a nice antidote to the Ritalin prescribers. Those interested in Body Ego Technique may wish to dip into Jeri Salkin's book. Hannah Miller reviews the film, As We Are. My own contribution this month is a personal viewpoint about some research reviews which I consider have come to some premature, simplistic conclusions about psycholinguistic auditory-vocal and deficit training procedures.
Drugging the American Child
Authors: Walker Sydney
Published: February 2009

Hyperactivity is a collection of symptoms, not a disease. It has a number of causes. Without exhaustive diagnostic tests, a physician may grab for the expedient pill, mask the real problem, and let the child down hard.
Learning Disability Classification by Bayesian Aggregation of Test Results
Authors: DeRuiter James A. , Ferrell William R. , Kass Corrine E.
Published: February 2009

The feasibility of the Bayesian approach to screening for learning disability proposed by Wissink, Kass, and Ferrell (1975) is further explored. Two matched groups of children, one with and one without learning disability, were given tests related to component disabilities previously identified as being diagnostic. The probability that each child has learning disability was calculated from the test results according to the Bayesian procedure and on that basis the children were reclassified. The Bayesian method compared favorably with discriminant analysis in accuracy and is more easily applied to screening. Moreover, the lack of independence in the data did not seriously affect the results. It is concluded that the method warrants further study.
Classroom Observation of Children with Learning ond Behavior Problems
Authors: Forness Steven R. , Esveldt Karen C.
Published: February 2009

Twenty-four boys under evaluation for school learning or behavior problems were observed in their public school primary classrooms over a period of six days each. Observable behavior was compared with that of male peers in the same reading or math group. Findings indicated that target subjects were significantly different in on-task behavior and in frequency of teacher response to their behavior. Results suggested certain uses of systematic classroom observation as a screening technique.
Applied Behavior Analysis and Learning Disabilities
Authors: Lovitt Thomas C.
Published: February 2009

This report recommends research on the curriculum for learning disabled children using the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) methodology as the system for pursuing the suggested studies. This is Part I of a two-part report. It includes an explanation of the research variables suggested and a brief description of the ABA research methodology. Included also is a justification for recommending this particular investigative approach. Suggestions are made for research on general curriculum topics such as generalization and retention. Part I concludes with a discussion of some methodological limitations of the ABA system, and some comments on how these limitations might stimulate additional investigations.
Modeling and Attention-Retention in Learning Disabled Children
Authors: Mercer Cecil D. , Cullinan Douglas , Hallahan Daniel P. , LaFleur N. Kenneth
Published: February 2009

Subjects for study were 20 boys randomly selected from a residential school for children with learning disabilities. They were administered Hagen's central-incidental attention-retention task and then asked to view a videotape; they were told that they would be paid money for performing the activities appearing on the tape. Attention to and retention of relevant and irrelevant stimuli were examined in relation to modeling performance. It was concluded that attention to and retention of relevant versus irrelevant stimuli is significantly related to modeling performances of children with learning disabilities. In addition, it was found that modeling performances were significantly related to academic achievement.
State Initiative in Learning Disabilities
Authors: Senf Gerald M. , Comrey Andrew L.
Published: February 2009

This paper is the first in a series of four articles which represent a synopsis of a 3,500 page final report on Project SCREEN, submitted by a contractor (CPA, Inc.) to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, State of Illinois. This article concerns itself with the SCREEN assessment procedure which represented the core of Project SCREEN. This report is descriptive only; technical information will appear in other publications.
An Educator's Mystery
Authors: Towle Maxine , Ginsberg Allen
Published: February 2009

In this article pupil performance problems are examined as a function of environmental conditions in the classroom. Viewed in this light, the teacher becomes the key to the youngster's classroom success. To aid the teacher in taking the mystery out of performance problems, a process for performance analysis is presented.
A New Family Approach to Therapy for the Learning Disabled Child
Authors: Philage Mary Lou , Kuna Daniel J. , Becerril Gloria
Published: February 2009

Recommendations for a treatment mode for learning disabled children and their parents were derived from a questionnaire compiled during a three year period. Recognizing that several approaches in use were ineffective, a new program format was developed. Our revised procedure was based on the family's contracting for service, and it focused on the major reinforcers in a child's life space — i.e., parents, teachers, and peers. Remediation and behavior modification techniques were used, the goal being increased independent functioning of the children. Relating skills also were developed, that is, synchronizing feelings with words. Positive results were observed in both remediation and socialization.
Applied Behavior Analysis and Learning Disabilities
Authors: Lovitt Thomas C.
Published: February 2009

Included in Part I of this report was an explanation of the ABA research method and how this method could be used to investigate general curricular topics. In Part II, the focus is on specific curricular areas of importance to learning disabled youngsters: reading, spelling, penmanship, writing, and arithmetic. In each area, the specific variables that have been studied by other applied behavior analysts are briefly mentioned. A statement as to which behaviors have been measured and which interventions have been arranged is included. Next, there is a short description of the research conducted at the Curriculum Research Classroom. Following this is mention of some research that should be conducted. This part of the report concludes with some considerations for teaching, derived from ABA research, that practitioners can implement in their current instructional situations.
A Comparison of the PIAT, CAT, and WRAT Scores and Teacher Ratings for Learning Disabled Children
Authors: Bray Nanci Moreland , Estes Robert E.
Published: February 2009

The concurrent validity of the PIAT with learning disabled children was investigated using the CAT, WRAT, and Teacher Ratings of academic performance as criterion measures. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were moderate to high, indicating substantial concurrent validity in favor of the PIAT. Mean grade placement scores on subtests with similar content for all four measures were found to be generally equivalent, with the exception of PIAT Reading Recognition and WRAT Reading which produced lower scores.
Programs, materials and techniques
Authors: Brown Virginia
Published: February 2009

Map reading and related geographical tasks are important, usually as a part of social studies, sometimes as a part of mathematics, and certainly as a necessity for everyday functioning in contemporary society. These skills receive very little systematic attention because they are “assumed,” i.e., everyone assumes that the responsibility for their direct instruction belongs to someone else. This month Mildred Odom, Kansas “Teacher of the Year,” reviews the Actionmap Program designed to provide materials and activities for direct instruction. The editor comments and suggests additional references.

A second feature describes Mathmates, a product of Peter Rosenbaum's Peer Tutoring Project at Teacher's. College, Columbia University. Attention is drawn to Mathmates as providing an exemplar of “drill” materials.

The third item this month is a worksheet, a Multipurpose Guide to analyzing and accounting for some of the elements involved in the organization and management of a learning disabilities program. Such a worksheet should prove useful when considering the design, operation, and evaluation of classroom or district programs.
Remediating with Comic Strips
Authors: Hallenbeck Phyllis N.
Published: February 2009

Although there are many remediation materials for LD children available commercially, with more being produced, none are as universally available or as economical as comic strips. These materials are especially good for developing conceptual or logical abilities, such as sequencing, abstract thinking, and class inclusion. Comic strips are excellent for dyslexic children to teach left-to-right progression, discrimination of important details, and to give practice in reading. Guided work with comics may help the child distinguish fantasy from reality and to express himself verbally in a clearer manner. Perhaps best of all, time spent by an educator in developing the understanding and appreciation of an LD child for comics benefits his comprehension of social situations, develops his sense of humor, and gives him a leisure time activity to enjoy.
The Differential Effects of Reinforcement Contingencies on Arithmetic Performance
Authors: Smith Deborah Deutsch , Lovitt Thomas C.
Published: February 2009

This research investigated the effects of reinforcement contingencies in two different arithmetic situations — acquisition and proficiency. Subjects were seven 8–11-year-old learning disabled boys. Two experiments were performed. In Experiment I, the boys were presented with arithmetic problems which they could not compute accurately. Contingent toy models were used unsuccessfully. In Experiment II, two types of reinforcement contingencies were applied — contingent free time and contingent toy models. In this experiment the boys' computational proficiency needed improvement and the reinforcement contingencies were effective. The studies demonstrate the importance of careful diagnosis of children's academic deficiencies. Once children's specific educational levels are determined, interventions must be selected which aim at specific types of performance. Many arithmetic interventions are effective with only certain types of performance. For example, in this research although reinforcement contingencies increased the children's computational proficiency, they were not effective in the acquisition situation.
Is There a Role for the Teacher in the Use of Medication for Hyperkinetics?
Authors: Murray Joseph N.
Published: February 2009

This article suggests that the cause of certain characteristics of the overactive child should be a determinant of the type of intervention used. An attempt is made to differentiate between organic and environmental causation of overactivity. It is suggested that organically based overactive children may benefit from chemical intervention. The teacher has special responsibilities when a child in class is medicated for hyperkinesis. A step-by-step plan is suggested to educators, including the teacher's role in dealing with parents and physicians and his responsibilities in observing and recording the child's behavior.
Diagnosis of Vestibular Disorders in the Learning Disabled
Authors: de Quirds Julio B.
Published: February 2009

Children with vestibular disorders and related postural disturbances constitute a large segment of the population described as learning disabled. Vestibular disorders identified in newborn infants can be substantiated in children and adults. Early identification of vestibular disorders could alert physicians, parents, clinicians, and educators to the need for modifications in the child's learning environment. Appropriate modifications could help to negate the influence of postural disturbances on the development of efficient functional systems. Three diagnostic criteria for the assessment of vestibular disabled children are presented and discussed.
Why Can't Johnny Compute?
Authors: Dunlap William P. , House Alison D.
Published: February 2009

For the purpose of developing a diagnostic and prescriptive mathematics program, task analysis is employed to develop a hierarchy of skills which identifies a terminal task and prerequisite skills. Behavioral objectives are used to delineate each skill. A diagnostic test is then constructed to measure a child's knowledge of each skill on three levels — enactive, iconic, and symbolic. Testing begins with the lowest skill in the hierarchy and methodically progresses upward, one skill at a time, so that specific problematic skills may be identified. Instead of attempting to determine which is best — “modern ” or “traditional” mathematics — principles from both generations of mathematics are incorporated into a prescriptive program based on the child's performance on the diagnostic test. The corrective program includes instructional activities on the three levels of representation.
A Unified Program of Remedial and Compensatory Teaching for Children with Process Learning Disabilities
Authors: Minskoff Esther H. , Minskoff J. Gerald
Published: February 2009

A unified program of remedial and compensatory teaching is advocated for children with process learning disabilities. Background literature and related research on these two forms of teaching are presented. There is a description of the common foundation of remedial and compensatory teaching in terms of child analysis, task analysis, and the integration of child and task analysis. Remedial and compensatory teaching are differentiated on the basis of instructional goals, roles of disability and ability areas, instructional content, and age factors. Implications of such a unified program are discussed in relation to the roles of general and special education as are administrative considerations.
An Approach to Operationalizing the Definition of Learning Disabilities
Authors: Chalfant James C. , King Frank S.
Published: February 2009

This article proposes a method for operationalizing disabilities in order to identify precisely the population in question. An analysis of nine widely used definitions' is presented. This analysis reveals that definitions of learning disabilities seem to focus on five components. These are: task failure, exclusion factors, physiological correlates, discrepancy, and psychological correlates. To use the definition in the identification process, each of the five definitional components must be applied to the child. Strategies for operationalizing each component are discussed. The procedures for operationalizing the first four components present no problem. The psychological correlate component, however, is more difficult to operationalize. Five psychological processes are identified, questions to be considered during assessment are presented, and standardized tests for each process are listed.
Programs, materials and techniques
Authors: Brown Virginia
Published: February 2009

Much of my effort in this year's columns has been to consider areas where special attention is needed in order to improve the state of programs, materials, and techniques. This month's column focuses on the controversial topic of teacher evaluation. Carole Urbansok, an educational psychologist, briefly describes several of the checklists used at the University of Toledo College of Education to develop and evaluate certain competencies generally useful in learning disabilities. Editorial comment then describes some of the major political and practical blocks to serious efforts at the evaluation of teacher competence, and further makes several modest recommendations to the field. Hopefully, we will be hearing more about the content and methodology of teacher evaluation in the coming year.

Two reviews are also presented for teachers, parents, and for teacher-educators. The first, Dorothy Hennings' Smiles, Nods, and Pauses, stresses the role of nonvocal communication in human affairs. The second, Charles Duke's Creative Dramatics and English Teaching, is an excellent text-resource book that provides a practical introduction to the various drama activities and drama-related techniques that can be used in the learning process. Both books suggest a wealth of additional resources for further study.
Poor and Normal Readers Achievement on Visual Tasks Involving High Frequency, Low Discriminability Words
Authors: Allington Richard L. , Gormley Kathleen , Truex Sharon
Published: February 2009

Previous studies have demonstrated that poor and normal readers do not differ significantly on various perceptual tasks involving visual stimuli. However, the stimulus employed has generally been a novel or low frequency word. Thus, visual attention to a stimulus may have increased as a function of novelty. This study presented subjects with high frequency, low discriminability words in four conditions. It was hypothesized that poor and normal readers would differ in the ability to read these words presented tachistoscopically in isolation, but would not differ in their abilities to match the words to form, graphically reproduce the words following a tachistoscopic presentation, or select the appropriate word from a group of distractor words after a tachistoscopic presentation. The hypotheses were supported. It was concluded that a visual perceptual deficit is unlikely to be a major factor in reading disability.
Teaching Children to Segment Spoken Words as an Aid in Learning to Read
Authors: Skjelfjord Vebjørn J.
Published: February 2009

Preschool children in Oslo were taught to analyze spoken words; during individual testing sessions their reactions were observed to find out as much as possible concerning their analytic activities. Pretesting showed that the children did not spontaneously segment words into parts of phonemic size. In the course of the teaching program, the children often selected segments from the wrong position in the test word. In analyzing the words, the children were relying heavily on articulatory information, which seemed to be necessary to perform a true segmentation of the words. The segments were not always correctly reported. Observation showed that the segments were grouped mainly according to differences and similarities.
Auditory Retention of Nonverbal and Verbal Sequential Stimuli in Children with Reading Disabilities
Authors: Richie Dolores J. , Aten James L.
Published: February 2009

This study was designed to explore the ability of children to retain serially presented auditory stimuli. A series of experimental measures were used requiring auditory retention of nonverbal stimuli consisting of rhythmic and durational patterns, and verbal stimuli consisting of phonemes, words, sentences, and rearranged syntactic structures. The performance of children with reading disabilities was compared to a matched group of children without reading disabilities. Clinical observations were substantially supported that children with reading disabilities could be expected to perform significantly poorer on tests requiring auditory retention on nonverbal and verbal sequential stimuli. In addition, the performance of the subjects with reading disabilities supported the notion that a reduced ability to retain auditory stimuli is related to reading disability.
Convergent and Discriminant Validation of the Trait of Visual Figure-Ground Perception
Authors: Ritter David R. , Ysseldyke James E.
Published: February 2009

The study investigated the construct validity of the trait of visual figure-ground perception by means of a multitrait-multimethod analysis of visual figure-ground perception, form recognition, and verbal ability, as well as the use of four methods of measuring those specific traits. Subjects were 64 upper-middle-class first grade children, mean CA 6-7 years, who were screened for intelligence (Slosson IQ =99.9) and to rule out visual perceptual problems. Measures of the trait of visual figure-ground perception were found to possess a moderate degree of convergent validity but discriminant validity was not demonstrated. Considerable method-of-measurement bias and shared trait variance between visual figure-ground perception and form recognition were found to exist. Construct validity was not demonstrated for the trait of visual figure-ground perception as a distinct visual perceptual skill. Cautions are presented for the educational use of “visual figure-ground perception.”
Let's Deal from a Straight Deck
Authors: Lane Pat
Published: February 2009

The Delegates Assembly, held on May 12 during the annual convention of the International Reading Association, passed the following resolution on learning disabilities, altered only slightly from the text proposed by the IRA Resolutions Committee.
Effects of Methylphenidate on Motor Skill Acquisition of Hyperactive Children
Authors: Wade Michael G.
Published: February 2009

This reports a study of the motor performance of 12 normal children and 12 hyperactive children with and without methylphenidate. The task required subjects to maintain their equilibrium on a square platform that rotated (+10 from horizontal) about a central axis. Subjects performed 30 trials at each of two testing sessions. Hyperactive subjects were receiving medication (methylphenidate) to control their hyperactivity on one of the test sessions, and a placebo on the other. The medicated hyperactive subjects performed more like their normal peers than did those receiving a placebo. This was true for both average performance scores and for consistency of performance.
Programs, materials and techniques
Authors: Etten Carlene Van , Etten Glen Van
Published: February 2009

This article presented a two-dimensional model of educational measurement. From this model, four types of measurement were derived. Several strategies for applying three of the four types of measurement to instructional programs were discussed.

The potential consumer of any major instructional program must consider carefully the data collection procedures the material employs. The more direct and the more continuous the data system, the more precise the teaching-learning process becomes. Direct and continuous data make possible early teacher intervention in the instructional program. As frequency and directness of measurement decreases, so does teacher control of pupil learning behavior. The learning disabled child is behind. Therefore, time is always at a premium.

The use of more precise measurement procedures helps extend both pupil learning and teaching time.
Hyperkinesis and Learning Disabilities Linked to the Ingestion of Artificial Food Colors and Flavors
Authors: Feingold Ben F.
Published: February 2009

The historical background of hyperkinesis and learning disabilities (H-LD) is reviewed briefly and followed by a discussion of food additives. Focus on artificial food colors and flavors as important etiologic agents is explained and supported by the favorable response of 30 to 50% of various samples of H-LD children managed with the Kaiser-Permanente (K-P) Diet.
Adaptive and Learning Skills in Juvenile Delinquents
Authors: Berman Allan , Siegal Andrew W.
Published: February 2009

The need for and the theoretical basis of a neuropsychological approach to juvenile delinquency are presented. In this investigation, 45 adjudicated delinquent boys and an equal number of controls were administered the complete Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). Controls were carefully selected to eliminate the usual confounding due to socioeconomic factors. Results showed significant differences between delinquents and controls on nearly all Wechsler and Halstead-Reitan variables. Results are interpreted as evidence for a neuropsychological explanation of some delinquency. Further discussion postulates that delinquency can be the result of a life style adopted due to consistent failures caused by deficits in adaptive abilities which are basic to success in our environment.
Learning Disability and Socioeconomic Status
Authors: Kealy Jean , McLeod John
Published: February 2009

From a sample of 333 children in grades 4 and 6 of three western Canadian urban public schools, 35 were defined as learning disabled according to the criterion of educational age less than 85% of measured mental age and of chronological age. Eighteen were from families whose socioeconomic status was above the median for the total group and 17 from below the median. But of the upper SES children, 13 (72.5%) had been diagnosed by the Pupil Services Department, whereas only 5 (35.2%) of the lower SES group had been diagnosed. Thus, no significant difference in defined learning disability was found between children of above average and below average socioeconomic status, but the difference in the rate of diagnosis between socioeconomic groups was statistically significant in favor of children from higher socioeconomic status homes.
Learning Rates with Black and Colored Letters
Authors: Goodman Mark D. , Cundick Bert P.
Published: February 2009

To test the effect of color in symbols, the learning rates of slow and average readers were compared in two types of trials: (1) matching a nonsense syllable name with black letters and (2) matching colored letters with the nonsense name first, then making the transfer to black letters. After all letters were learned to criterion, both the slow and average readers recalled more of the symbols learned under the color condition. It was found that both groups initially learned the color-coded material more readily, but had difficulty making the transfer to black letters. Those letters that differed largely on position dimensions showed the largest differences in the superiority of the color condition. It was concluded that color coding with fading might be expected to cause more rapid learning in reading with fewer orientation errors on letters that are commonly confused.
Individual Diagnosis and Remediation of Educational Handicaps Manifested by Learning Disabled Children
Authors: Owen Jayne A. , Braggio John T. , Ellen Paul
Published: February 2009

During the last decade, professionals in the area of learning disabilities have become increasingly aware that in some instances it may not suffice to use diagnostic data obtained from standardized tests to design or select the most appropriate clinical teaching strategy for each educationally handicapped child. As a possible solution to this problem, a new conceptual-methodological approach, known as the method of equivalence, is introduced. When used with existing diagnostic test instruments, this technique will enable the professional to specify the nature of educational handicaps in precise terms and also to suggest the use of the most appropriate clinical teaching strategy. The usefulness of this conceptual-methodological approach for LD is supported by recently obtained experimental findings using the Frostig Developmental Test of Visual Perception.
“Come on, Dummy”
Authors: Bryan Tanis , Wheeler Roslyn , Felcan Judith , Henek Tomacene
Published: February 2009

Children's conversations were recorded during a summer school session in an effort to determine possible explanations for the sociometric rejection of learning disabled children reported in earlier studies. It was found that learning disabled children's communications differed from average achievers' conversations on a number of categories. For example, learning disabled children emitted more competitive statements than the comparison group, whereas average achievers were the recipients of significantly more consideration statements from peers. The results are discussed in terms of current knowledge of the bases of children's friendships and social relationships of learning disabled children.
Programs, materials, and techniques
Authors: Paroz JoAnne , Siegenthaler Loy Sue , Tatum Verlene H. , Watson Bill , Van Etten Carlene
Published: February 2009

In general, the learning disabled youngster in the middle school experiences the same developmental stresses that his more untroubled peers experience, but many times his reactions to these stresses are more severe and intense. Previous years of defeat in classroom learning have a cumulative effect, and self-concept may have suffered as a result of not being effectively attended to in the school environment. Therefore, adolescents with learning difficulties often need strong adult support if they are to perceive the school setting as a personalized and meaningful place for learning. The resource room is one vehicle that may provide such assistance.
Rational-Emotive Education with Learning Disabled Children
Authors: Knaus William , McKeever Cynthia
Published: February 2009

The REE approach aims at aiding children to become better problem solvers. A structured program of activities furthers this end. Typically, this involves three phases. Phase One, the planning phase, consists of targeting problem areas, planning formal lessons, and deciding how to integrate the concepts with the regular curriculum. Phase Two, the implementation phase, involves presenting the formal lessons and the integrated curriculum activities, and employing appropriate intervention strategies as problems arise. Phase Three, the feedback phase, overlaps with the others and involves lesson modifications. For example, the teacher can shorten lessons to accommodate certain children's unusually short attention spans, or make them more abstract for a group of children originally thought able to handle only the most concrete and experientially presented concepts. These integral program changes, based upon observational feedback, reflect the philosophy of the REE system which seeks to promote experimentation and the refinement of skills for effective problem solving. — 420 East 79th St., New York, N. Y. 10021.
A Neuropsychological Technique for Training Dyslexics
Authors: van den Honert Dorothy
Published: February 2009

The author, searching for possible neurological anomalies behind a learning disability, came upon the theory that faulty lateralization is implicated in reading difficulties. This paper is an account of her efforts to induce pupils to use primarily the left hemisphere in learning to read, and of some of the results.
The Role of Nonspecific Factors in the Task Performance of Learning Disabled Children
Authors: Torgesen Joseph K.
Published: February 2009

A review of recent research on the development of memory, attention, perception, and learning provides support for a new interpretation of the learning disabled child's failure to perform normally in a variety of task settings. Learning failure in these children has often been attributed to the existence of discrete and specific disabilities in a variety of psychological processes necessary for learning. In the context of research from developmental psychology, however, the poor performance of learning disabled children on many tasks suggests that they may not have developed the cognitive and emotional characteristics necessary to adapt to the requirements of a task and to use active and efficient task strategies. This view has important implications for both research and treatment.
The Predictive Validity and Reliability of the Basic School Skills Inventory
Authors: Hawthorne Linda White , Larsen Stephen C.
Published: February 2009

The present study is an investigation of the predictive validity and test-retest reliability of a new readiness instrument, the Basic School Skills Inventory (BSSI). Scores obtained by 90 children in kindergarten on the BSSI were used to predict later teacher ratings of their performance in first grade. Test-retest reliability was estimated using a method developed for criterion-referenced measures, and sex and ethnic differences in test scores were examined. It was concluded that the BSSI total score provided an effective and highly reliable means of predicting teachers' ratings of first-grade performance.
Helping Teachers Understand the Needs of Learning Disabled Children
Authors: Chalfant James C. , Foster Georgiana E.
Published: February 2009

This article describes a simulated reading activity which LD teachers can use to help classroom teachers experience the same anxieties, frustrations, and failure that learning disabled children experience every day under group norm instruction. This activity helps teachers develop insight into children's attitudes toward the learning task, their fellow students, the teacher, and the instructional methods and materials which are used. The activity also enables an awareness of differences In learning styles among participants.
A Note on Reading Tests and Their Role in Defining Reading Difficulties
Authors: Silberberg Norman E. , Silberberg Margaret C.
Published: February 2009

An emerging concern has been the lack of a replicable definition of learning disabilities. One way in which LD is often defined has been by the concept of “reading level,” typically defined by a test score. This paper explores the definition of learning disability, compares certain group and individually administered reading tests, and concludes that the concept of “reading level” is almost as amorphous as that of “learning disability.”