Describes "Biala," a strategy developed for systematic gathering of information from someone who knows how a person with an intellectual disability communicates, to ensure effective communication in meetings. The results of using Biala in hearings of the New South Wales Guardianship Board are reported; they suggest that Biala enhanced…

Ten phrases to help parents create confident, thoughtful children are as follow: thank you, tell me more, you can do it, how can I help?, everyone pitch in, how about a hug?, please, good job, it's time to..., and I love you. Phrases for special circumstances include the following: I'm sorry, no, that's enough, how do you suppose she feels?, and…

Work ethic attributes of 9th-grade students categorized by risk of school failure and by gender were measured using the Occupational Work Ethic Inventory. Results indicate significant work ethic differences in main effects of at-risk classification and gender for dependent variables of interpersonal skills, initiative, and being dependable.…

Explores explanations for interpersonal problems experienced by children with attention-deficit hyperactivity. Presents potentially relevant social skills training programs. Suggests that multimodal programs that rely on parent training, school-based anger-control, medication, academic skills tutoring, attributional retraining and perspective…

In two experiments, participants with and without mental retardation listened to vignettes depicting situations in which a protagonist was faced with a decision involving either a peer or an authority figure. Decision-making tasks were considerably more difficult for the participants with mental retardation. Women in both studies outperformed men.…

Studied the effects of an intervention designed to foster emotional, academic, and interpersonal skills on 22 elementary school students at risk of emotional and behavioral disorders. The intervention, which was designed to be culturally competent, was associated with decreased clinical symptoms and improved academic and behavioral performance.…

A veteran principal shares his gleanings about leadership. Administrators are advised to lead from the heart, understand their school's culture, learn to lead and develop staff leaders, garner staff commitment, make friends in high places, ensure adequate resources, make time for themselves, and share important lessons with others. (MLH)

Describes theoretical models of social-information processing which include goals as a crucial component. Reviews the research on children who are aggressive, withdrawn/submissive, or prosocial and finds relationships between children's goals, their strategies for coping with problematic social tasks, and their ultimate success or failure in…

Examines life-skills training in school-based, school-age child care programs in two southeastern states. The frequency with which specific life skills were provided by programs revealed several gaps in training related to safety, personal development, and interpersonal relations. Implications are discussed. (37 references) (MLH)

Reviews four norm-referenced instruments used to assess preschool and school-aged children. The Social Skills Rating System was found to be the most comprehensive; the School Social Behavior Scales and the Walker-McConnell Scale of Social Competence are useful for more limited school scope. (Author/JDM)

Presents research findings from a 1998 study on predictors of friendship quality and peer acceptance at summer camp. Discusses implications for two core areas of camp: staff training issues (management of group dynamics and providing social-skill-building opportunities for individual campers) and program philosophy as the backdrop for formation of…

Discusses the importance of cooperative learning, focusing on what is and is not a cooperative effort; types of cooperative learning; an example of integrated use of cooperative learning; cooperative schools; basic elements of cooperation; and what is known about cooperative efforts (related to achievement, interpersonal relationship, and…

A study involving 21 toddlers who were late talkers investigated the effects of early language intervention on various linguistic and social skills. Results indicated those who received early intervention demonstrated increased complexity, increased verbal output, higher lexical diversity, and improved intelligibility of spontaneous speech and…

Communicative functions, overall developmental level, and autistic features were studied in eight females (ages 11-36) with Rett Syndrome. Low levels of communicative abilities and overall functioning were demonstrated, and joint attention behaviors and expression of communicative intent were rare. Six subjects, however, showed clear examples of…

Linking the Interests of Families and Teachers (LIFT), a prevention program designed for delivery to children and parents within the elementary school setting, is described. Components include classroom-based child social and problem skills training, playground-based behavior modification, and group-delivered parent training. Successful results of…