Aims to provide school psychologists with valid instruments to assess goals and reputations of young children by determining whether Importance of Goals and Reputation Enhancement Scales could be replicated with a primary school sample. The factor structure proved replicable and reliable for the two scales. Second-order factor structure was only…

Examined the types of discourse structures emerging during peer learning and the ways in which these structures were related to learning for 105 fifth graders working in groups of 4 to learn about writing conclusions. Characterizes the discourse structure as a network of arguments and counterarguments, with argument quality positively related to…

Presents five ideas for helping second through fifth graders make important gains in reading fluency, including: model fluent reading; do repeated readings in class; promote phrased reading in class; enlist tutors to help out; and have a reader's theater in class. A sidebar offers poetry books for repeated and phrased readings. (SM)

Studied rater reliability, internal scale validity, and person response validity of the School Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (School AMPS) using results for 208 elementary school students, some with educationally related disabilities. Results support rater reliability, scale validity, and person response validity of the School AMPS as a…

Children from preschool through second grade were told four stories and were asked questions about the stories that were designed to elicit their understanding of second order mental states. Found that 90% of kindergartners and 40% of preschoolers were able to attribute second order false beliefs. (BC)

The activity orientation of technology education should be attractive at the elementary level. Once technology educators begin to understand the psychology of elementary school children, they should be able to use appropriate methods to reach them. (JOW)

The early childhood mathematics group has been working with BEAM to develop a set of early years' number track games. The games were written by experienced practitioners who know a thing or two about young children but, as always, we sent the boards and the games out for trialling. No matter how much you know, and how much you think about what you…

A parent telephone survey (n=300) was conducted to identify the primary customer of elementary school food programs. Results show that the decision to eat school lunch was most frequently made jointly by parent and child and the factor most frequently influencing the decision was the nutritional value of the meal. (Contains 15 references.) (JOW)

The Senior Pen Pal Program began as an exchange of letters between first graders and older adults. Structured group visits between the classroom and the senior center, a holiday concert, and assigned readings about aging expanded the reach of the intergenerational program. (SK)

This study examined the hypothesis that spelling errors involving vowels are linked to difficulties in vowel perception. Second to fourth graders (n=155) were grouped by reading skill and given vowel discrimination and identification tasks. Vowel identification errors were linearly associated with reading skill and with vowel spelling errors.…

Evaluated relative importance of relational and individual factors in accounting for aggression in third-grade boys' laboratory play groups. Found that relationship effects accounted for as much variance in total aggression and proactive aggression as actor or target effects. Mutually aggressive dyads displayed double the total aggression as…

Explores the phenomenon of math anxiety in a group of elementary school students by observing and conducting a survey to identify where students fit into the continuum of mathematics confidence. Discusses strategies to reduce math anxiety. (ASK)

Compared two different guided questioning strategies and unguided questioning and assessed the knowledge construction of 48 fourth and fifth graders in the questioning conditions. Results support the conclusion that questions designed to access prior knowledge and experience are more effective in enhancing learning than questions simply designed…

Presents unique ways to create special rituals that recognize individual students' achievements and milestones. Ideas include throwing a send-off party for a student who is moving; holding monthly birthday luncheons; choosing an ambassador to accompany new students around school; and making a lost tooth container that students can use to safely…

Studied the introduction of talk and writing to stimulate and sustain conceptual change in science in a class of 12 Italian fourth graders. Data show that reasoning and arguing collaboratively and writing to express and reflect on conceptualizations are useful tools in the knowledge revision process. (SLD)