Academic vocabulary and middle school English learners: an intervention study

The goal of this experimental intervention study was to determine if evidence-based instructional strategies for general vocabulary words are effective with middle school English learner (EL) students and academic vocabulary words. Participants showed significantly more growth in their knowledge of academic vocabulary during the treatment condition than during the control condition. A secondary goal of this study was to examine the predictive utility of students’ English language proficiency, and students’ general vocabulary knowledge in English was a positive predictor for their academic vocabulary growth during the intervention. However, participants’ growth during the control period had the greatest predictive utility for their growth during the intervention. Furthermore, this relationship was negative, suggesting that the intervention had the greatest benefits for students who made the least progress in English vocabulary in the absence of the intervention. Implications for instruction, policy, and future research are presented.     

Gender,dialogue and discursive psychology: a pilot sexuality intervention with South African High-School learners

Good-quality sexuality education can be effective in reducing sexual health risks, but may also be disconnected from the lived realities of learners’ lives and reinforce gendered stereotypes. In line with the trend towards ‘empowerment’ in and through sexuality education, we implemented a pilot sexuality intervention with Grade 10 participants following a rigorous consultation process. Nine weekly group dialogues were held with 11 participants, with 2 follow-up sessions the next year. Freirian principles of critical consciousness and dialogical pedagogy, infused with discursive psychological understandings, were used to foreground gendered/sexual norms and to provide recognition for participants in a variety of gendered and sexual subject positions. Sessions were recorded, the facilitator kept a diary, and participants were asked to evaluate the intervention. The dialogical format of the group generated curiosity and engagement, and some participants took up a ‘responsible’ sexual subject position in a reflexive manner. A partial normalisation of some ‘hidden’ aspects of sex was enabled, and critical consciousness around some gendered inequities was promoted. We argue, first, that it is not so much sexuality education that young people need, but sexuality dialogues, and second, that a discursive psychology framework provides a nuanced and fruitful dimension to Freirean inspired ‘empowerment’ sexuality interventions.     

Effects of cognitive learning strategies for Korean learners: A meta-analysis

The purpose of this study was to synthesize the cognitive learning strategy intervention studies conducted in Korea between 1990 and 2006, using meta-analysis. By means of pre-established systematic criteria, 50 articles were selected and 97 effect sizes were calculated. Effect size was calculated using ‘the Cohen’s d’ (Cooper &; Hedges, 1994). The research questions of the present study were as follows: (a) Are cognitive learning strategies generally effective? (b) What type of cognitive learning strategy is most effective? (c) Are effect sizes of different types of cognitive learning strategies different according to the applied domains, grade levels, and achievement levels? The results of the study indicate that, first of all, the overall cognitive learning strategies (97 ESs) yielded a large effect size (ESsm=.96), which was not homogenous (Q=55.19,p <.05). Thus, in each subcategory of learners’ characteristics and applied domains, we calculated effect sizes and conducted the test of homogeneity separately. Except for grade level, the effect sizes were generally homogenous in each subcategory. The findings revealed that cognitive strategies had large effect sizes (.82–1.69). For average achieving students as well as underachieving students (Learning Disabilities), cognitive learning strategies were very effective (.82–1.42). The effect of cognitive learning strategies was very large in terms of students in all grades (1.02–1.34), except for middle school students (.70). Lastly, the implications for the application of different cognitive learning strategies were discussed.     

Strategies that promote historical reasoning and contextualization: a pilot intervention with urban high school students

Reading and Writing - The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two types of historical problem-solving instruction with advanced urban high school students’...     

Effects of a brief but intensive remedial computer intervention in a sub-sample of kindergartners with early literacy delays

Living Letters is an adaptive game designed to promote children??s combining of how the proper name sounds with their knowledge of how the name looks. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was used to experimentally test whether priming for attending to the sound-symbol relationship in the proper name can reduce the risk for developing reading problems in the first two grades of primary education. A Web-based computer program with more intensive practice than could be offered by teachers affords activities that prompt young children to pay attention to print as an object of investigation. The study focused on a sub-sample of 110 five-year-old Dutch children from 15 schools seriously delayed in code-related knowledge. Outcomes support the need for early remedial computer programs, and demonstrate that, without a brief but intensive treatment, more children from the at-risk group lack the capacity to benefit from beginning reading instruction in the early grades. With an early intervention in kindergarten, children with code-related skills delays gained about half a standard deviation on standardized tests at the end of grade 2.     

Effects of remedial numeracy instruction throughout kindergarten starting at different ages: Evidence from a large-scale longitudinal study

The aims of this study are to investigate the effects of remedial numeracy support throughout kindergarten, and to compare the effects of interventions from different lengths. Support occurred two times per week for either 1.5 (90 sessions: complete condition) or 0.5 school years (28 sessions: short condition). Below-average students were randomly assigned to complete intervention (N = 155), short intervention (N = 105), or control (systematically offered education-as-usual; N = 150). Accounting for achievements at pretest, children who received one of the interventions outperformed the control children in early numeracy at post-test and follow-up, suggesting that children internalized the learned knowledge. Transfer effects on simple arithmetic were only found in the complete support group, whereas both interventions were effective for complex mathematics.     

The impact of cognitive strategy instruction on deaf learners: an international comparative study

Teacher cohorts in England and China received special training in techniques for teaching higher-level critical and creative cognitive strategies to deaf learners. Both cohorts implemented the strategies in the classroom at least twice weekly for 6 months. Measures included Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices (1959), a systematic observation checklist for cognitive behaviors (Martin & Craft, 1998), and critical and creative problem situations to which students had to respond. Results were compared with those from a study of similar learners in the United States (Martin & Jonas, 1985), and little difference was found. Students in all three countries improved in reasoning, devising real-world problem solutions involving critical thinking (but not creative thinking), using cognitive vocabulary in the classroom, and expressing others' viewpoints. Postintervention focus groups showed teachers in China used a more invariant sequence in teaching the cognitive strategies, but teachers in all three countries experienced similar expansion in cognitive terminology and self-perceptions as teachers of problem solving.     

A Mathematics intervention for low-performing Finnish second graders: findings from a pilot study

Evidence-based practice is highly appreciated and demanded in the field of education, especially in relation to extra support provided for children struggling with learning. Currently, there is a lack of intervention studies in the area of mathematics. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a short mathematics intervention programme on second graders (M_age?=?8?years, 2?months) with low performance in mathematics, in a quasi-experimental, intervention-control setting. A group of low-performing second graders (LOWi, n?=?11) was taught twice a week for eight weeks on the mathematics topics of number word sequence skills, counting skills and conceptual place value knowledge. The intervention’s effectiveness was examined by comparing the mathematics performance of the LOWi group to those of two groups consisting of low performing (LOWc, n?=?13) and typically performing children (TYPc, n?=?64), who followed their business-as-usual mathematics instruction. The LOWi group made significant improvements in mathematics but did not show significantly better gains, compared to the LOWc and TYPc groups, immediately and three months after the intervention. We discuss the implications for educational practice and intervention research.     

A quasi-experimental study of a peer-assisted strategy-based reading intervention in elementary school

Promising methods of reading instruction for elementary school students incorporate peer-assisted learning routines and reading strategies. In addition, models of reading comprehension point to the importance of various determinants of reading competence such as reading fluency and vocabulary knowledge. Multicomponent reading intervention programs need to be evaluated to determine IF and HOW they unfold their effects on the reading competence of elementary school students on the basis of such theoretical and empirical models. Accordingly, the present study was designed as a quasi-experimental study of a 20-lesson peer-assisted and strategy-based multicomponent intervention for whole-class instruction in elementary school. Linear mixed models and latent growth models were used to analyze the longitudinal data (pre-, post- and follow-up test) on the reading competencies (reading fluency, vocabulary knowledge, reading strategy competence, reading comprehension) and intrinsic reading motivation of students in the intervention (N = 187) and control group (N = 177). The results showed an interaction between the groups and the change in reading comprehension, indicating a significantly increased score in the intervention group at the posttest (d = 0.15) but not at the follow-up test (d = 0.12). The results of the latent growth model point to the importance of designing interventions that explicitly integrate reading strategies, reading fluency and vocabulary knowledge and also foster intrinsic reading motivation. In addition, reading fluency was revealed to be the strongest predictor of reading comprehension and the change in fluency over time was closely linked to reading comprehension development.     

An investigation of extensive reading with remedial students in a Philippines secondary school

This chapter reports a 6-month study that used a matched-pairs pre-test, post-test control group design to evaluate the effectiveness of extensive reading with remedial reading students in a Philippines secondary school (n=60). Ninety percent of students at the school come from low-income homes where reading materials tend to be scarce. The dependent variable, reading proficiency, was assessed using the Informal Reading Inventory and the Gray Standardized Oral Reading Test. Each day, both groups received the same 40 min of English instruction, plus a remedial class. In their remedial class, the control group studied via a traditional approach, emphasizing intensive reading and phonics. For the extensive reading group, the remedial reading class involved reading self-selected materials and doing a variety of post-reading activities. Results suggest that extensive reading led to greater gains than traditional reading instruction. Details on how extensive reading was implemented and a rationale for extensive reading are provided.     

A grounded theory study of family coach intervention with persistent school non-attenders

Persistent school non-attendance (PSNA) is a widely acknowledged problem. Family coaches work intensively with families where a child or young person (CYP) has persistently poor or no school attendance and there is unemployment or anti-social behaviour. Their work extends across different systems, which gives them a unique, multi-factored understanding of the phenomenon of PSNA in coaching families. The aim of this grounded theory (GT) study was to draw upon the experiences and perspectives of coaches in one UK local authority, to understand what helps and hinders successful intervention. A GT emerged, in which PSNA in coaching families was a red flag, occurring when CYP felt unsafe. This was a product of the home environment not providing a secure base, parents having a diminished capacity and the CYP feeling that their situation was invisible. Successful intervention was relationship-based; improved the visibility of CYP; and increased parenting capacity. Intervention was constrained by conflicting systems that resisted or sabotaged change.     

Computer-assisted reading intervention in a secondary school: an evaluation study

There is widespread concern over literacy standards in UK schools and growing evidence that problems become increasingly intractable as children grow older. Computer-based reading instruction may provide a 'fresh start' that helps a child to rediscover the path to literacy. Recent controlled studies demonstrated that infant and junior school children could be given very cost-effective support using RITA, a computer-based literacy support system that assists, rather than replaces, the teacher in providing support tailored to each child's profile of reading attainments. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of RITA in secondary school with 8 children (mean age 11.7 years) who were initially very seriously disadvantaged in terms of literacy skills (mean reading age 7.3 years). The RITA intervention over a 10 week period led to effective and cost-effective literacy gains. Significant overall improvements were made in the skills targeted, including reading standard scores, and reading speed, accuracy and comprehension. All children reacted positively to the RITA lessons, and most made good progress towards their Individual Education Plans. It is suggested that computer-assisted reading support can be effective in supporting the majority of children with reading failure, even in secondary school.     

Effects of a preschool intervention on cognitive development among East-African preschool children: A flexibly time-coded growth model

The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of the Madrasa Resource Center (MRC), a child-centered intervention program, on East-African (Kenya, Zanzibar, and Uganda) preschool children's cognitive development. Altogether 321 children (153 non-intervention and 168 intervention) participated in a cross-sequential study over three time-points during preschool (mean ages 4.3, 6.0, and 7.1 years). A multilevel model (MLM; time-points nested within children nested within schools), in which time was coded flexibly (i.e., child's age operationalized as months from start of the intervention), showed a beneficial curvilinear effect of the intervention program on children's cognitive gains. A moderation analysis suggested that the effect of observed preschool quality (ECERS) was stronger in the intervention program. The findings are discussed within the context of East-African preschool policy.     

Video games vs. reading and school/cognitive performances: a study on 27000 middle school teenagers

Video games are a very common leisure activity among teenagers and the aim of this study is to analyse their relations with cognitive and school performances. This study is part of a broad survey, conducted on 27,000 French teenagers (14.5?years old) in middle school (9th grade). The survey contained both a questionnaire on leisure activities practised by teenagers and school/cognitive tests: Comprehension tests, Math, School Knowledge, and Reasoning. The activity frequency (‘never’ to ‘every day or almost’) is studied on five kinds of video games (i.e. action/fighting) vs. seven reading activities (i.e. crime/thriller/fantasy). Results show that there are no correlations or very slight ones between Video Games and cognitive/school tests. Reading activities have potentially important associations with cognition and especially school tests. To conclude, video games are primarily recreational activities and the cognitive stimulation they produce is very different from the one involved in specialised academic subjects     

The cognitive development of young dual language learners: A critical review

Dual language exposure and bilingualism are relatively common experiences for children. The present review set out to synthesize the existing research on cognitive development in bilingual children and to identify the gaps and the methodological concerns present in the existing research. A search of major databases for research conducted with typically developing, preschool-age dual language learners between 2000 and 2013 yielded 102 peer-reviewed articles. The existing evidence points to areas of cognitive development in bilingual children where findings are robust or inconclusive, and reveals variables that influence performance. The present review also identifies areas for future research and methodological limitations.     

Sensory integrative therapy as an intervention procedure with Grade One “at risk” readers ‐‐ a three year study

The study was concerned with assessing the effectiveness of sensory integrative therapy as an intervention method on a group of grade one children ‐‐ predicted to be “at risk” for later reading failure. Following two half‐hour therapy sessions per week over twenty‐four weeks, the experimental group performed significantly higher than the control group on measures of reading ability. These gains were maintained over a two‐year non‐intervention period.     

Effects of a divorce group intervention for elementary school children

The study investigated the effectiveness of a primary prevention educational support group for children of divorce. Subjects were 60 children, ages 9–11, paired for sex and time since parental separation. Experimental subjects participated in eight weekly group sessions while their yoked controls attended regular classes. Subjects completed pre-and posttest measures of depression, anxiety, divorce information, and feelings about divorce. The group intervention resulted in significant decreases in depression, anxiety, and negative feelings about divorce. Experimental group scores increased significantly on divorce information. The study suggests that preventive group interventions can result in improved adjustment outcomes for children of divorce.     

Healthcare career intervention with youth in a predominantly Latinx rural community: a pilot study of a creative approach

International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance - The present study discusses a pilot intervention for youth in a predominantly Latinx rural community in the U.S. The intervention...