Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between parents' involvement related to their alertness of what happens in school and their identification with school and their children's attitudes toward school, social adjustment, self-efficacy and academic achievements. Design/methodology/approach: Questionnaires were answered…

Four authors present arguments and counter-arguments on issues in gifted education, including student boredom, the atrophying of abilities not used, advanced classes which focus on ability but are out of step with student interests, problems of social adjustment in grade-skipping, etc. All authors stress the importance of the whole child. (JDD)

A parent, who is also an educator, describes her concerns about her gifted daughter's lack of challenge in school in spite of accelerated activities. After the student skipped a grade, other concerns resulted, such as the impact on academic adjustment, social adjustment, peer acceptance, motivation, gaps in skills, etc. (JDD)

Genetic diseases in children present difficulties to the children themselves and to their families. This article reviews the features of genetic disease, stresses surrounding diagnosis, difficulties associated with each developmental stage, other sources of psychosocial stress on the family (e.g., finances, hospitalization, placement decisions),…

A coat was adapted for a 20-year-old severely handicapped woman to control her practice of "mouthing" her hands and clothing. Velcro strips attached to the coat held the student's arms down long enough to allow for differential reinforcement of appropriate behavior, which successfully reduced the rate of mouthing. (JDD)

Factors that influence and predict academic success of ESL students were studied to assist the Ministry with decisions related to curriculum development, resource allocation, and support provision. The comprehensive nature of this study is unique in that it presents the state of affairs of K-12 ESL education in Alberta. Best practice information…

This book is specifically written for dyslexic or learning disabled individuals seeking insight into their disorder and its effects on their lives. The material is divided into 52 chapters, which are written expressly so that they will not be intimidating to learning disabled individuals. The chapters are drawn from issues that the author is asked…

A physically disabled adolescent describes how, as a middle school student, he formed a wheelchair club to provide support and a forum for shared experiences among similarly disabled peers. Eventually, club members invited guest speakers and developed several disability awareness programs for their nondisabled classmates and teachers. (JW)

The article discusses four major objectives of programs in the state of Oregon for students with severe disabilities: building social skills and a social network; building community competence; building a work history; and ensuring that parents have an active involvement in their children's program and future. (Author/JW)

Practical information on children with muscular dystrophy is intended to help parents and teachers facilitate their inclusion in mainstreamed classrooms. Major topics addressed include the following: transportation arrangements; providing full information to the teacher regarding the child's specific abilities and physical limitations;…

This self-teaching workbook is designed to provide parents of developmentally disabled adolescents with basic information about the transition of severely handicapped youth from secondary school into community living. An initial parent quiz is followed by six chapters which address the following topics: (1) "What Is Transition?"; (2)…

Intended as a guide to help parents of children from birth to age 5 teach their children the skills needed to make kindergarten a experience, this book consists of an introduction and seven chapters on various aspects of preparing young children for kindergarten. Checklists for parents are included in each chapter. The Introduction discusses what…