This article draws from a small-scale study of headteachers motivated to positively impact on the quality of pupil experience by involving all staff in a distributed perspective on leadership. Each headteacher perceived leadership as involving learned processes requiring support and experience, expending considerable effort in providing a fertile…

Analysis of scores for 70 nonhandicapped students (grades 1, 3, and 5) on the Teacher Checklist of School Behavior and a peer nomination sociometric scale revealed that Ss rated by teachers as having more frequent characteristics of emotional disturbance were likewise the students receiving the fewest nominations by peers. (CL)

This study examined reciprocal friendship and peer acceptance in eight children with specific language impairment (SLI) in regular elementary classrooms. Three of the children were less well accepted than typical peers and five children reported no reciprocal friendships. Suggestions for facilitating friendships in children with SLI are offered.…

The investigation compared the sociometric status of 37 learning disabled (LD) elementary grade boys and girls and their non-learning disabled peers. Findings indicated that the lower sociometric status of LD children was attributable to same-sex rejections of girls. LD children tended to play alone more often than non-LD children. (Author/DB)

A sociometric and observational analysis of the social environment of seven learning disabled (LD) and 90 regular class peers, in grades two through five, yielded results such as that nonhandicapped and LD students were accepted at an equal level by class peers. (Author/MC)

The study examined the social status of 43 elementary grade learning disabled (LD) students who, though based in special classes, joined regular classes up to 18 periods per week. Findings indicated both lower acceptance and lower rejection, suggesting that the LD students are simply not known to their regular class peers. (Author/DB)

Playground observations of 34 learning disabed and non-LD elementary children revealed few substantive differences between the LD and non-LD groups. Sociometric questionnaires indicated that LD Ss had lower status than the non-LD children, and that the non-LD children play with about half of the LD children for whom they expressed liking.…

The article recommends use of the classroom sociogram to help teachers form cooperative learning groups. The effectiveness of the cooperative learning method is enhanced when teachers balance cooperative groups with high group status children and mutual choice pairs. (DB)

Examined ways to increase consent rates and documented guardians' reasons for not consenting to allow children to participate in sociometric research. Findings from guardians of 376 elementary students, 30 of whom refused to give consent, revealed that reasons for nonconsent ranged from children not wanting to participate to parents/guardians not…

This study focused on the relationship between both achievement level and diagnostic label and sociometric status and self-image of students in Dutch elementary education. In particular, differences between students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) and students with general learning disabilities (GLD) were studied, in regular as well as…

The relationships between egocentrism and certain socialization variables were examined for a sample of first through fifth grade rural children. The most significant results were the high correlations of egocentrism scores, sociometric scores, and teachers' ratings of popularity with observed playground behavior. (Author/JKS)

Administered two sociometric measures to 463 second-, and fourth-, and sixth-graders from which 179 pupils were sociometrically identified as populars, rejecteds, neglecteds, and controversials. These subjects were subsequently administered the Purdue Elementary Problem Solving Inventory. Found significant differences in interpersonal…

Third- and fifth-grade children were given three sociometric measures and were later individually interviewed on two occasions in response to three cartoon themes: (1) a child being teased by peers, (2) a child being yelled at by a peer, and (3) a child having a schoolwork problem. (JMB)

Investigated stability of sociometric classification system. Found that, among 137 students in kindergarten through grade 4, scores upon which sociometric classifications were based were moderately stable, but sociometric status was unstable over 1-year interval. Reclassification rates for extreme groups (rejected, neglected, controversial,…

Suggests that small groups be established in the language arts classroom based on students' skill strengths and weaknesses and on students' preferred companions. (DD)