Hebrew words are known to be composed of roots, entities of three or four consonants that are combined in different patterns. Roots form an integral part of Hebrew morphology and the knowledge of extracting them is essential for high-school matriculation exams. Even though these skills are formally taught starting from second-grade, students still…

Character encompasses six basic virtues. These virtues can be listed as wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence. Each virtue comprises various character strengths that are creativity, curiosity, open-mindedness, love of learning, perspective, honesty, bravery, perseverance, zest, kindness, love, social intelligence,…

This paper reports on the longitudinal results over 12 months of 342 Grade 1 children from 57 schools in Sydney, Australia, who participated in the "Extending Mathematical Understanding" (EMU) Intervention Program. Their vulnerability in four whole number domains is described, and the extent to which this changed after 12 months. Overall…

This study explored factors that are associated with calculation development among 176 children at-risk for learning difficulties. Data were collected on working memory, language, non-verbal reasoning, processing speed, decoding, numerical competence, incoming calculation, SES, and gender at the beginning of 1st grade and on calculations over 4…

This study considers whether children who have kindergarten and first grade teachers with certification in early childhood education experience greater gains in reading and math achievement compared to children whose teachers have only elementary education certification. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K), the study…

This paper compares the counting and whole number knowledge and skills of primary school children in Australia and Germany at the end of Grade 1 and Grade 2. Children's learning was assessed using the Early Numeracy Interview and associated Growth Point Framework. The findings highlight substantial differences between the two groups that vary for…

Going beyond measuring accuracy of teachers' judgments of students? achievements, this paper focuses on how prospective elementary teachers proceed in one-on-one diagnostic mathematics interviews. As part of the project diagnose:pro, prospective elementary teachers (PTs) conduct diagnostic interviews with children in grade one and reflect on…

Linear board games have shown great promise as tools to teach whole number concepts (Ramani & Siegler, 2008), but little is known about their utility for supporting negative integer concepts. This study sought to extend the use of linear board games to teach integer concepts. Forty-eight first graders (ages 6-7) counted along an integer board…

This paper reports findings from an activity implemented in the final year of a 3-year longitudinal study of data modelling across grades 1-3. The activity engaged children in designing, implementing, and analysing a survey about their new playground. Data modelling involves investigations of meaningful phenomena, deciding what is worthy of…

All too often, designers assume that complex science and cycles of inquiry are beyond the capabilities of young children (5-8 years old). However, with carefully designed mediators, we argue that such concepts are well within their grasp. In this paper we describe two design iterations of the BeeSign simulation software that was designed to help…

What first graders chose to put in their journals when given no direct suggestions for topics was studied during the 1985-86 school year in a suburban Birmingham, Alabama, classroom. Journal writing was scheduled for 30 minutes daily throughout the school year, but not all children chose to write every day. At the end of the year, all of the…

A study examined parent decisions prior to and during reading aloud events with their first-grade children. Subjects were the parents of 342 first-graders in a suburban public elementary school district. Multiple methods of data collection were used, including surveys, diaries, interviews, videotapes, and stimulated recalls. Based on an analysis…

The social context in which the teacher and children are mutually engaged in written language is examined to explain the teacher's use of sociocultural, sociopsycholinguistic,and sociopolitical knowledge bases. An explanation of the psychogenetic theory of the alphabetic writing system is offered, and one bilingual whole language first grade…

In a study investigating the hypothesis that verbal paraphrase and explanation tasks account for part of the difficulty that young children have with tests of metaphor comprehension, 32 six-year-old children were read short stories that ended with metaphorical sentences. Half of the children were asked to paraphrase the metaphorical sentences…

Draw-A-Person (DAP) techniques are often used as developmental screening measures of non-verbal cognitive ability, particularly for young children who are being screened for possible early intervention services. The validity of the interchangeable use of three DAP scoring systems for kindergarten students was investigated by comparing scores and…