Describes an activity in which students observe pairs of students engaged in conversation. Observations of "body language" are made, shifts in stance, and duration of stance. Discusses the application of this type of study to other species. (TW)

A pair of 9-year-old boys with socioemotional and interpersonal difficulties was observed unobtrusively in 35 weekly hour-long therapy sessions over the course of 2 school years. A transcript/narrative analysis technique was used to identify all interpersonal negotiation strategies each child used within each session. Strategies were classified…

The article describes the pilot testing of a direct observation procedure for observing social interactions of mentally retarded and non-retarded workers in supported work settings. The instrument was found to be capable of assessing such interactions and was readily utilized by practitioners. (DB)

The Preschool Interest Inventory (PSII) has been developed to meet the need for an informal measure of the interests, play behaviors, and communication skills of young children between the ages of 2 and 6 years, particularly those exhibiting delays in language development. The first step in the Inventory process is the Caregiver Interview. In the…

Describes results of an analysis of children's knowledge and use of social representations of gender. Reports that researchers observed four first-year primary school classes in England. Concludes that boys and girls possess similar knowledge of the relationship between gender marking of social category membership and material culture. (SG)

A code to systematically observe preschool settings in which handicapped children were placed was designed to determine the types of interaction and play behavior that occurs in these settings. The code records the following information: play area the child is in, how many children are in the same area, the play behavior the child is undertaking,…

The impact of the educational programs of zoos on the recreational visitor is addressed in this report. Unobtrusive or nonreactive research methods were employed as primary evaluative techniques by graduate social science students conducting six research projects at the Los Angeles Zoo. These studies were designed and implemented to examine: (1)…

Reports a study of kindergarten children's strategies for acquiring and protecting status in interactions with peers. Focusing on children's negotiations of relative social standing in face-to-face interactions, discusses strategies children used to improve and defend their relative positions in the social structure of their peer group. (NH)

Techniques for categorizing the social and cognitive aspects of children's play on an observational instrument are outlined in this article. Correlates between social cognitive aspects of play and other measures of educational attainment are mentioned. Implications for teacher educators are discussed. (Author/DF)

This study of 10 aggressive and 9 nonaggressive preschool boys found that both groups attempted the same repertoire of social goals and used the same social strategies, but with varying relative frequencies. Aggressive children sought to stop or prevent action more often and used intrusive strategies more often than nonaggressive children.…

Few studies have comprehensively examined possible gender differences in the school functioning of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study investigated differences in academic, social, and emotional and behavioral functioning between 133 male and 42 female elementary school students who met research diagnostic…

This module (part of a series of 24 modules) is on teachers' use of systematic observation records of social behavior to aid in assessing students' special needs and in evaluating the effects of specific programs. The genesis of these materials is in the 10 "clusters of capabilities," outlined in the paper, "A Common Body of…

Recounts a series of teaching exercises designed to develop a critical awareness of attitudes toward gays and lesbians. The first set consists of short, active-listening exercises between students. The second involves observation and comparison of public displays of affection between heterosexual couples and gay couples. (MJP)

In this study an observation schedule was developed and used to compare activities and behavior of 77 New Zealand children with disabilities who had been mainstreamed into special groups within preschools and play centers and 77 non-disabled peers. The development of the schedule is described, results are given, and advice is offered to…