Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, developed a preservice teacher education program that holistically assesses the skills of teacher candidates to better identify prospective teachers from underrepresented racial, ethnic, and disability-related groups. Careful attention is paid to the admissions process, and program applicants are assessed…

Part of a series that provides practical resources to transition personnel on topics essential to the process of preparing individuals with disabilities for adulthood, this manual focuses on transition issues related to students with visual impairments. Chapter 1 discusses the nature of visual impairment and reactions to visual impairment. Chapter…

This action research project sought to increase the use of appropriate social skills by middle school students through an increased instructional emphasis on social skills. The specific social skills addressed were listening, encouraging, self-control, appropriate manners, and accepting others' ideas. These skills were introduced using M-charts…

This action research project examined the effectiveness of a program to improve kindergartners' prosocial behaviors. Students' lack of social skills was documented by means of teacher and parent surveys, teacher anecdotal records, and behavioral observation checklists. The intervention had four components. The teacher directly taught social skills…

A survey of 108 undergraduate students (32 males, 76 females) revealed 24 features of an ideal college professor, in three general categories: personal; interpersonal; and related. The prototype included 11 verbal and nonverbal communication behaviors. Female and male students differed in the ranks they assigned to both the general categories and…

Effects of a school-based program to prevent antisocial behaviors that could lead to conduct disorder were assessed among 34 target students and 15 role-model peers in urban Head Start programs. Target students showed patterns of social interaction that began to mirror those of role-model peers, while nonparticipating control group students…

Examined effects of problem-solving training on acquisition of interpersonal problem-solving skills by kindergartners. Consisted of pretesting, training, and post-testing activities. Showed that problem-solving training was effective in helping children acquire interpersonal problem-solving skills, specifically an increase in solutions generated…

Examines joint construction of narratives in the classroom, presenting narratives from two ethnographic studies. The preschool narratives illustrate how peer culture, friendship patterns, and identity are socially constituted through discourse. Fifth grade narratives illustrate ways in which students view their bilingual class community as jointly…

Rates of change in behaviors in relation to community adjustment were examined for 292 participants in the 7-year longitudinal National Adolescent and Child Treatment Study (NACTS) as they transitioned to the adult world. Participants with initially higher social-adaptive behavior and whose behavior improved over time attained higher adjustment…

A study examined characteristics common among young offenders from rural communities who were involved in multiple-fatality school shootings. Data on six cases involving eight offenders revealed six common offender characteristics: verbal threats, peer rejection, interest in violent media, previous violent behavior, suicidal ideation, and violent…

Compared the competence and self-esteem of 136 Australian primary school-aged children from different single-parent residency arrangements to those of a matched sample of two-parent children. Found that overall, single-parent children were not significantly different from two-parent children in competence levels and self-esteem. Found subtle…

Evaluated social competence and problem behaviors of 200 Japanese preschoolers. Found anxiety-withdrawal, anger- aggression, and social competence factors as well as age and gender differences in emotional and behavioral problems and social competence. Found consistency with previous findings from U.S. and Canadian samples. (DLH)

This study solicited 56 teachers' perceptions of nonacademic skills of students with behavioral disorders (BD) and learning disabilities (LD). Regular class teachers perceived differences in nonacademic skills demonstrated by BD, LD, and normally achieving students. Differences were also found between regular and special educators' assessments of…

Cross-sectional and longitudinal study of one- to six-year-olds in full-time child care assessed sequences and individual differences in development of social competence with peers. Study collects most extensive and varied data to date. Findings concern stability of individual differences, social classifications, influences of variations in…

Alverno College students receive no grades and do not compete with each other, but to graduate, they must demonstrate competence in eight "abilities": communication, analysis, problem solving, valuing, social interaction, taking responsibility for the global environment, effective citizenship, and aesthetic response. (MSE)