Drawing on the bioecological theory developed by Bronfenbrenner, the researchers of this study examined four environmental systems--microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem--for gifted children in Israel as perceived by their parents, focusing on a comparison between rural and central contexts. The rural context comprises peripheral…

This study evaluated the efficacy of a newly developed Arab-Jewish Class Exchange Program (CEP) in reducing stereotyping and prejudicial attitudes between Israeli-Jewish and Israeli-Palestinian children. The CEP builds on the core principles of contact theory and is designed to help participants cultivate empathy and tolerance toward the other.…

In this research, we considered the different impact two methods of teaching had on pupils' ability to solve complex math problems. The methods considered were: self-regulated study and traditional teaching. We also examined the pedagogical consequences the differences made among the population of pupils with learning disabilities in special…

Early childhood education and school readiness is essential to preparing children to succeed in an increasingly competitive global economy. Compared to other countries, however, the United States lags far behind on preschool, trailing a number of other countries in enrollment, investment, and quality. In February 2013, however, President Barack…

Background: There is growing interest in school-based interventions for building resilience in children facing trauma and adversity. Recent studies focus on teacher training as an effective way to enhance resilience in their students, and emphasize the need for additional evidence-based practice. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate…

Positive and negative mood have often been considered indicators of wellbeing, affecting behavior and adjustment. This study evaluated the personal and familial predictors of positive and negative mood among 1,024 Israeli students (children with learning disabilities [LD]: 302 boys, 198 girls; children without LD: 308 boys, 216 girls). They were…

The authors investigated effects of metacognitive instruction at different phases of reading scientific texts on elementary school students' scientific literacy and metacognitive awareness. In all, 108 Israeli 4th-grade students in 4 science classrooms read the same scientific texts and completed the same scientific tasks. From them, 3 treatment…

There is growing interest in the role of emotional competence in middle school children's adjustment and functioning, yet many populations remain underresearched. Few studies have explored the emotional competence, especially emotion understanding, of children with, or at risk of, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and even fewer…

This study provides a comprehensive look at a constructivist one-to-one computing program's effects on teaching and learning practices as well as student learning achievements. The study participants were 476 fourth and fifth grade students and their teachers from four elementary schools from a school district in the Dallas, Texas, area. Findings…

This study sheds light on the achievement gap between two culturally diverse populations in Israel by employing a diagnostic model for analysing responses of a representative sample of Jewish and Arab fourth graders on a national mathematics test. The results indicated large significant differences, in favour of the Jewish group, on most…

An experiment involving fourth graders examined effects of syntactic context on auditory word identification and ability to detect and correct syntactic errors in speech. Severely disabled readers were inferior to good and poor readers in syntactic awareness and ability to use syntactic rules. (RH)

Most of the research into dyslexia has been carried out among children and has raised the question whether the characteristics of young dyslexics are similar to those of adult dyslexics. The aim of this research was, therefore, to confirm whether the cognitive deficits, which appear among young dyslexics on reading and reading related tasks, are…

Examined gender differences in spatial, verbal, and mathematical ability in 11,000 Israeli elementary school children. In each test the variance for boys exceeded girls by 10% to 20%. Consistent cross-grade differences in mean achievement were found only for mathematical ability. These results contradict American findings that show no gender…

Examines the distinction between moral and conventional norms between 60 boys and girls in the first and fourth grades in Israel. Results are interpreted in terms of two distinct orientations to social norms: one where the criteria for social judgment of behaviors are consequences to others and law; the other where norms have absolute validity.…

Studied popularity and aspects of self-esteem between girls evidencing more traditional masculine characteristics and girls with more feminine characteristics. Findings from 166 girls aged 9 to 10 years old reveal girls reporting both traits and behaviors considered traditionally masculine were less popular, had lower self-esteem, and were less…