This longitudinal study was designed to investigate the nature and extent of sex differences in both verbal and spatial abilities among black and white children. Six scales of early cognitive functioning were administered at three times (at 8 months, 4 years and 7 years) to 3,013 children. Two major hypotheses were examined: (1) if cognitive…

Two way analyses of variance and cross-group descriptive comparisons assessed the effectiveness of the Siop Poison Prevention Program, which included an educational program and the use of warning labels, on improving verbal and visual discrimination of poisonous and nonpoisonous products for preschool children. The study sample consisted of 156…

In an attempt to explore a systematic approach to language expansion and improved sentence structure, echoic and modeling procedures for language instruction were compared. Four hypotheses were formulated: (1) children who use modeling procedures will produce better structured sentences than children who use echoic prompting, (2) both echoic and…

The precision and efficiency of a cognitive test constructed by three different methods of item analysis was compared, using the verbal aptitude subtest of the Florida Twelfth Grade Test. Classical item analysis, factor analysis and the Rasch logistic model were used in the construction of 15 and 30 item subtests and replicated for samples of 250,…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between student verbal ability and performance in an introductory United States history class at a comprehensive community college. For the purposes of this study, performance was defined as grade point average and rate of persistence. Because of degree requirements, students at…

In this 4-part study, 1970 test data from 45 American Indian youth (aged 11-15) attending Riverside Summer Institute in Anadarko, Oklahoma, were examined. Part 1 of the study sought to identify the pattern of strengths and weaknesses on the "Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children" (WISC) of Indian students with average intelligence and…

When 340 extremely mathematically or verbally talented 13 year olds were compared to 111 modestly gifted students, no differences were found in group activity participation or personality traits. In their ratings of peer perceptions, the modestly gifted exceeded the extremely gifted in being considered athletic and popular and in social standing.…

Verbal-retelling abilities for social-studies lectures were examined in 20 adolescent boys with language-learning disabilities and 29 with normal language abilities. Lectures had either a comparison expository discourse structure or a causation discourse structure. Results indicated that the comparison discourse structure facilitated more…

Vocabulary fixed-item (FIT), computerized-adaptive (CAT), and self-adapted (SAT) tests were compared with 121 college students. CAT was more precise and efficient than SAT, which was more precise and efficient than FIT. SAT also yielded higher ability estimates for individuals with lower verbal self-concepts. (SLD)

Background: This study presents two experiments that investigated whether children with autism were susceptible to the Thatcher illusion. Perception of the Thatcher illusion requires being able to compute second-order configural relations for facial stimuli. Method: In both experiments children with autism were matched for non-verbal and verbal…

In light of the correlation between musical and linguistic skills, a program of musical activities was designed to promote discrimination of rhythmic and melodic elements and the association of auditory stimuli with visual stimuli and motor activities. The effects of the program on the vocabulary of preschool children were evaluated and compared…

This paper examines cognitive processing problems associated with attention deficit disorders (ADD) and their relationship to learning disabilities in elementary and secondary students. Children with ADD, medicated (N=20) and unmedicated (N=21), were compared on the Raven test of Progressive Matrices and other tests with children who had been…

The relationship of verbal skills to performance on the National Teacher Examinations Core Battery Test of General Knowledge was examined, using data from the June 1986 national administration. Differences in General Knowledge scores for self-identified Black and White examinees were found and were shown to interact with levels of achievement on…

To investigate the speech of black college students for nonfluencies--linguistic elements breaking the flow of words or ideas--and to ascertain if students' attendance of a largely black or largely white university influenced their use of nonfluencies, 21 black students at a predominantly black university and 25 black students at a predominantly…

The 1980-1981 Graduate Record Examination General Test verbal and quantitative ability scores were examined for four age groups of test takers (those age 22 or less, 23-29, 30-39, and 40 or more), and two groups returning to graduate study many years after completing the bachelors degree. The late returners were those 9-15 years beyond the…