There is considerable debate about the relative importance of family versus school factors in producing academic and nonacademic student outcomes, and whether and how their impacts vary across different student groups. In addition to critically reviewing and synthesizing earlier work, this study extends the literature by (a) using the ECLS-K, a…

Regular physical activity participation throughout childhood provides benefits to physical (Malina, Bouchard, & Bar-Or, 2004), physiological (Andersen, Wedderkopp, Hansen, Cooper, & Froberg, 2003), and psychological health (Mutrie & Parfitt, 1998). In recognition of these benefits, guidelines have been published in the United States…

A random sample of primary-grade teachers from across the United States was surveyed about within-class ability grouping in reading. Sixty-three percent of participants reported using within-class ability groups. Groups are smaller and more flexible than those formed in the past, with teachers emphasizing teaching comprehension, reading…

Examined effects of problem size in mental addition among elementary children in China (n=104) and Missouri (n=105) and among undergraduates in China (n=26) and Missouri (n=35). For all Missouri subjects and Chinese through first grade, larger-valued numbers took longer and induced more errors. (Author/NBI)

Trained observers conducted direct observations of Thai and American children's school behavior and obtained teacher reports on the same children. Observers reported twice as much problem behavior and off-task behavior in American children as in their Thai age-mates, contradicting some earlier studies. Findings support the value of direct behavior…

Examined Korean second and third graders' understanding of multidigit addition and subtraction. Korean children showed exceptional competence in multidigit addition and subtraction, and their solutions were based on quantitative understanding of multidigit numbers. Results are compared to the literature on the performance and conceptual structures…

The purpose of this study was to examine the measurement (configural, metric, scalar, and residual) and structural (factor variance, factor covariance, and factor means) invariance of parent ratings of the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder-inattention (ADHD-IN), ADHD-hyperactivity/impulsivity (ADHD-HI), and oppositional defiant disorder…

This collection of chapters presents research focused on emerging strategies, paradigms, and theories on the sources, experiences, and consequences of stress, coping, and prevention pertaining to students, teachers and administrators. Studies analyze data collected through action research, program evaluation, surveys, qualitative interviewing,…

This study compared the creative thinking areas of flexibility and fluency of fifth grade Japanese and American children. A new instrument for cross-cultural settings, consisting of ten flexibility items and six fluency items, was constructed and administered to fifth graders. The results indicated that there were no differences in fluency between…

A reading test was constructed in English, Japanese, and Chinese to assess the validity of the claim that children learning to read Chinese and Japanese do not evidence reading disabilities. Large samples of fifth-grade children in Japan, Taiwan, and the United States were given the test along with a battery of 10 cognitive tasks. (Author/RH)

Two experiments examined causal links among age, processing time, articulation time, and memory span in elementary school children. Found that age was correlated posssitively with memory span but negatively with processing and articulation times and that age-related change in processing time was associated with a decrease in the time required to…

Performance of U.S. first and fifth graders was consistently inferior to that of Chinese children on both problems requiring computation and problems requiring application of knowledge about mathematics. The poor performance of U.S. students appeared to be attributable to low motivation of students, low standards of parents, and low interest of…

Examined education of children in Tanzania, United States, and Canada and immigrant parents' views on their child's transition to new educational system. Found that Tanzanian children who came to North America to continue schooling came mostly from public schools or child care centers, most with high educational aspirations. Factors inhibiting…

Temperament styles of 600 Zimbabwe children are described and compared to those of 3,200 U.S. children. Gender and age differences are described for children in Zimbabwe and compared to U.S. children. Results indicate that Zimbabwe children generally prefer extroverted to introverted styles, practical to imaginative styles, feeling to thinking…

Interviewed 519 children between the ages of 5 and 13 from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Liberia, and the United States. Fifteen fears cited most often were identified. Age differences and some cultural differences were found; little difference between genders was found. Results suggest shift toward increasing fears of people and of being alone.…