Investigated the effects of a peer network strategy on the duration of social interaction and social communication skills for three elementary students with autism. Results indicate increased social interaction time and use of an augmentative communication system for all three students, with increased expressive language for two students.…

A sub-group of at-risk learners consists of students who have demonstrated academic capability yet begin to fail in their senior years. Describes the achievement perspectives of three such students using qualitative interviews. Results reveal that academic, social, family, and peer factors influenced their decision making. Suggests ways to modify…

Investigates the effectiveness of peer facilitator interventions with disruptive middle school students. Provides evidence that eighth-grade peer facilitators can be effective with sixth-grade problem behavior students. Facilitators demonstrated that they could help students who are having problems adjusting to school, especially in terms of their…

Investigated linkages between aspects of emotional competence and preschoolers' social skills with peers, as well as parental emotion socialization practices as predictors of social skill. Found that emotional competence variables were meaningfully related to the peer variables and that, for non-constructive anger reactions, maternal reports of…

Examined the mechanisms of peer influences on fifth-grade children's drawings. Observed the socio-collaborative processes by which children influence each other's artistic styles; found gender differences in content, technical quality, and meaning. (JPB)

Examines the historical and conceptual foundations of friendship research. Areas addressed include functions of friendship, study of peer relations and peer systems, associated methodological and measurement challenges, and the study of friendship today. The discussion is framed around the "Harry Potter" (by J. K. Rowling) phenomena. (SD)

Using structural equation modeling and data on 10th-grade students from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth, a model was developed to show the relationship to career aspiration of eight indicators of "educational productivity": mathematics achievement; motivation; instructional quantity and quality; home, class, and peer environment; and mass…

Compared impact of maternal influences and impact of peer influences on eating problems among Japanese adolescent girls. Found greater impact of peer interactions in grades 10 and 11, while maternal influence was stronger in grades 8 and 9. Measured participants' sensitivity to social evaluation and found no effects of grade in this area. (SD)

Describes how to motivate students to learn by having them teach back to the class what they have just learned from the teacher. Students break into small groups and brainstorm how to teach what has just been presented, then the teacher picks one group to teach back to the class. (SM)

Presents a case study of a multiethnic, inner-city secondary school to determine features of masculine construction within the lives of two groups of adolescent males. It reveals the way in which a selection of masculine forms may evolve according to differing internalized value structures and how the institution itself influences the personal…

Self-managed peer group discussions were used to examine achieving high school seniors (n=40) peer relationships and attitudes toward school. Interviews, student-shadowings, field notes, and 25 hours of open student talk were analyzed. Findings are discussed in terms of overall communicative actions, content, group life, group culture, and…

Forty Australian physical education student teachers participated in a weekend adventure education course that placed them outside their comfort zones and made them understand how less confident, lower-skilled students feel in physical education classes. Reflective writing exercises revealed participants' awareness of supportive environment, peer…

Used self-reports and reports from friends to explore gender differences in the impact of risk and protective factors on adolescent deviant behavior. Both family and school factors reduced adolescent delinquency and substance use and protected adolescents against the impact of having deviant friends, though school factors were more consistently…

This article describes how a program to involve peers without disabilities in the delivery of incidental information to students with disabilities was implemented in elementary and secondary classrooms. Guidelines are presented for peer presentation of nontargeted information, along with examples ways in which students with disabilities have…

Examines the cross-situational patterns in rural and urban communities at school entry. Results show child behavior at school was heavily influenced by exposure to aggressive models and deviant peer support experienced by children in urban as compared to rural schools. This leads to higher rates of school conduct problems for children in urban…