Twenty-three years of observation and testing of the communication skills of a male with agenesis of the corpus callosum and normal IQ revealed initial weakness in language. Difficulties with fluent speech persisted into young adulthood. With intensive intervention, communication and academic skills developed and the participant completed high…

Presents a method of assessing kindergarten children that includes assessment of school achievement and assessment of children's social competence with a combination of measures. Investigation results highlight the argument. (BB)

Redefines citizenship for a strong democracy. Notes that action-oriented citizens have a wide range of tasks such as debate and deliberation on policy, and formulating agenda. Contends that in order to effectively participate in the public realm and to take public action, citizens must learn how to engage in political or public talk. (SLM)

The degree to which tests of divergent production may be confounded by verbal ability and loquacity; and relationships among divergent thinking, social competency, and the syntactic complexity of prose written by 61 fifth and sixth graders were assessed. Complex thinkers may appreciate the value of simplicity in facilitating communication. (TJH)

Concluded that type of child care given 140 preschoolers (center-based, family day care, or in child's own home) had no apparent impact on children's sociability or personality maturity, as measured 24 months after the study began. However, the quality of care, family social support, and child gender helped predict personality maturity and social…

Studies the capacity of sex role stereotyped portrayals of men and women found in popular rock music videos to alter viewers' impressions of a man and a woman who subsequently were seen interacting. Concludes that the videos perpetuate traditional sex role stereotypes. (FMW)

The theme focuses on the importance of teaching in vocational agriculture. Includes 10 articles on effective teaching, essential elements of the problem solving approach in teaching vocational agriculture, establishing a classroom climate for success, the economics of agriculture, dealing with student behavior problems, the importance of…

The article identifies some of the problems with current cooperative-learning strategies and implementation, links those limitations to both the wider cooperative-learning movement and the nature of middle schools, and calls for conceptualizing and structuring cooperative learning within a much larger educational, social, economic, and political…

The New Smyrna Beach Employability Skills Training Program in Florida offers emotionally and behaviorally disordered adolescents the opportunity to learn basic academic, social, employability, and business skills through participation in a school-based business that models an actual job site. Comparative data for suspensions, dropouts, and…

Explored the connection between emotional expression in the child's family environment and children's social competence with school peers using direct observation of affective dimensions in naturalistic environment (n=50). Reported expressiveness and observed parental affect were both found to be meaningful predictors of children's sociometric…

Discusses effects of violence on children, focusing on steps that educators and child development professionals can take to mitigate the effects of violence on the development of at-risk children. Suggests that educators and professionals need to foster a caring educational environment, promote self-discipline, provide children with outlets for…

A social skills program for learning disabled children consisting of coaching, role-playing, and information sharing was implemented over a 6-month period by a clinical psychologist in collaboration with classroom teachers. When compared to the control group, participants in the experimental program demonstrated greater social acceptance and…

According to a survey of Fortune 500 executives, American schools should teach analytical, higher order, conceptual, and problem-solving skills; reading and writing proficiencies; and effective communication skills. Schools should also provide apprenticeships for high schoolers and stress interpersonal skills (especially cooperation in diverse…

The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is focusing on interactive and multimedia technologies, within the framework of a virtual commons, to promote the study of people, their environments, and their resources. (AEF)

Observed the playground behavior and social interaction of 27 kindergarten children in a university laboratory school, focusing on the children's ability to successfully negotiate social interactions. Found that communication skills, ability to recognize and understand others' emotions and needs, and self-confidence are critical to positive social…