INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN RISK TAKING WERE STUDIED IN A SAMPLE OF 162 MIDDLE-CLASS CHILDREN IN GRADE 5. MEASURES OF ANXIETY, CREATIVITY, DEFENSIVENESS, INTELLIGENCE, AND RISK TAKING WERE ANALYZED TO DETERMINE CERTAIN SELECTED RELATIONSHIPS. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDED THAT CREATIVITY BEARS A MORE POWERFUL RELATIONSHIP TO RISK TAKING THAN DOES…

Chinese students, in this study of fifth-, eighth-, eleventh-graders, were consistently lower in test wiseness than their American counterparts. (MJB)

Describes a study based on the premise that social variables should be considered along with cognitive variables when children are grouped. Changes in sociometric status and self-image of students in grades 4, 5, and 6 were measured over a three year period. (GO)

Studies the effects of two comprehension training methods (one based on imagery and inferencing, the other based on text structure) on various aspects of third and fifth graders' reading performance. Results indicate that neither method had a measurable impact on reading comprehension nor on metacognitive knowledge of the reading process. (RS)

Investigates the relationship of out-of-school activities to reading achievement. Finds a wide variation between children in amount of out-of-school reading. Concludes that reading books was the out-of-school activity that had the strongest association with reading proficiency, but that on most days most subjects did little or no book reading. (MM)

Conducted a group experience for fourth and fifth grade children (N=17) whose parents had been divorced 2 months to 2 years previously and who were recommended by teachers or parents for divorce adjustment concerns. Results showed parents rated children less distractible and as having fewer problem behaviors; teachers ratings did not change with…

Describes a study in which videodisks were used to teach fractions, decimals, and percents to fifth graders. Student scores on mastery tests are reported, and the reactions of teachers and students to the technology are described. (8 references) (CLB)

Potential interactions between four factors of educational interest within small group research were studied: (1) type of problem; (2) group composition; (3) group norm; and (4) group productivity. Reliable interactions were obtained for: (1) sex x group norm; (2) sex x group norm x productivity; and (3) type of problem x productivity. (Author/LMO)

An index of student patterns of item response, when aggregated to the class level, was shown to identify classes that have a poor match between test content and instructional coverage. The mean caution index for a class can best be interpreted knowing the within-class standard deviation of the index. (Author/LMO)

Reports on a study that investigated the span of letter recognition (the region of text from which letter information is used during a fixation) for good and poor fifth-grade readers during a reading task. (HOD)

A five-week course for fourth- and fifth-grade students (titled "Chemistry for Kids") was developed. Each class session consisted of a brief lecture, a demonstration, and one or more experiments. An outline of concepts fostered, instructional strategies, and procedures used is provided. (JN)

Harter's Perceived Competence Scale for Children was administered to 714 Taiwanese fifth graders; results were compared with those from American samples. Cultural differences were found. Results among Chinese replicate the measures' factorial validity and, across the two groups, indicate a high correlation between perceived cognitive competence…

Path analysis of data collected on fifth grade boys indicated that mothers' educational expectations were strongly related to sons' academic performance. Results were related to a model which conceptualized two classes of parental behaviors as determining children's academic achievement: instigating behaviors and responsive behaviors. (Author/DST)

Describes a "Talents Unlimited" program, based on the work of Calvin Taylor, that was used successfully in a class of fifth-grade remedial readers. Includes some of the activities devised by members of the class. (FL)

Describes a study devised to determine what changes occur in young adults' attitudes toward computers as a result of a computer training program and whether attitudes of boys and girls differ significantly before or after a computer training program. Data indicate girls on average have decidedly less positive attitudes than boys. (MBR)