Trends for kindergarten through second-grade children were identified from data collected in a longitudinal study of how children develop science concepts. The study involved approximately 325 children from three school districts. A heuristic model of science learning was developed representing children's entering ability, home background, home…

To examine the influence of older siblings on the sex-typed toy play of younger siblings, a study was undertaken of 60 children, 2 to 5 years old, with equal numbers of boys and girls with older brothers, older sisters, and no older siblings. Children's toy collections were inventoried and classified into conventionally male toys, or toys of the…

A study examined factors that may foster advanced knowledge of literacy among impoverished preschoolers who are generally found to be academically at-risk in learning to read. Six preschoolers enrolled in a Head Start program were identified by teacher recommendation as showing profound interest in written language (looking at books, writing…

The purpose of a 1992 course on emergent literacy in early childhood education was to formulate a shared definition of literacy; create awareness of the developmental process involved; test previous assumptions, methods, and techniques in the light of new knowledge; and develop pedagogic approaches and curricula relevant to the existing conditions…

A study examined the association of reading instruction with the amount and breadth of students' reading activities, taking account of social, cognitive, and home factors in the educative process. A secondary analysis of a large national data base for students aged 9, 13, and 17 was conducted. Using answers from student questionnaires, conceptual…

This project identified statistically significant predictors of first-year retention among 1991-92 freshmen who were enrolled in a rural midwestern comprehensive college. Results of a step-wise discriminant analysis indicated that college grade point average (GPA) was the best overall predictor of retention of first-year students (n=376). Results…

The purpose of this guide for educators is to provide strategies that schools can adopt to discourage teenage pregnancy. The first section describes adolescent pregnancy in New Jersey, including education efforts to address adolescent pregnancy, and statistics on adolescent fertility. The second section addresses familial, media and peer effects…

This study gauged the effects of divorce and remarriage on the emotional adjustment of young adolescents. Using a large and nationally representative sample of eighth graders, the study investigated the incidence of school-related emotional and behavioral problems associated with variation in family structure. Data were collected on: (1) family…

The typical girl in distress in Israel comes from a Jewish family of oriental origin. Her distress is partially due to the strains of immigrating to Israel from, in most cases, North Africa. Authority models in distressed girls' families feature either the role of the father as the commanding familial authority figure; the mother as the dominant…

It was the purpose of this investigation to examine the effects of living with a male or female head-of-household upon the arithmetic performances of fourth graders. No significant differences were found in mean scores between male and female pupils. Significant differences were found favoring those pupils living with male heads-of-households.…

Considering both family and educational influences on socialization processes of a child, the author specifically examines school learning as a critical transition and gives observations of the familial process at the time of leaving school. (ND)

The etiology of homosexuality is probably best explained from a multidimensional framework which takes into account socialization, family background, and individual developmental factors. A research review was conducted to examine the influence of parental characteristics in the etiology of homosexuality. The findings of the review support the…

Highlighting the importance of media education in Latin America, this paper describes projects conducted by the Latin American Institute for Communicative Education and the National Council for the Population of Mexico to examine the family's influence in promoting critical television viewing. A theoretical model for media education is then…

Underachievers (N = 649) were defined to be those in a sample of 6,729 high school students whose grades were in the lowest 15 percent relative to what one would predict on the basis of standardized tests of mental performance. They were compared on demographic and personal-social variables during high school and educational and occupational…

Approximately 100 questionnaires were distributed to parents of children in primary grades in a study that explored social correlates of the interpretative abilities of very young children in the assessment of televised narratives. The questionnaires contained over 50 questions on home use of television. The second phase of the study involved…