The effects of four major types of expository text on the comprehension performance of 69 third and 69 sixth graders were investigated. Results suggest that knowledge of discourse types underlies effective expository comprehension and that this ability increases as children reach the upper elementary grades. (BS)

Describes a study of mothers' observations of fourth-grade boys' reading habits. The results indicated that the boys' reading did not really decrease as they grew older, but rather, that their interests were expanding into what is considered a "male literacy," which begins to include less and less sharing of reading experiences with their mothers.…

Traces the process of gender identity through the period of development and links it to social competence. Describes three stages--gender awareness, gender orientation, and gender identity--and outlines their characteristics. Discusses implications of this view, especially in relation to Bem's concept of androgyny. (Author/KH)

Observations of four students, from their second through fourth grades, as they evaluated compositions revealed, among other findings, that (1) affective responses tend to dominate quality judgments, (2) the number of criteria children used in arriving at quality judgments increased over time, and (3) evaluation criteria are used in both planning…

This annotated listing cites resources on geography and geographical education from the ERIC data base. Resources for both elementary and secondary teachers, including classroom materials and background readings, are provided. (RM)

Results showed a number of significant developmental changes in students' nonverbal communication as perceived by teachers. (PD)

Supports findings from earlier research showing that older students are more aware of organizational structure, more precise in assessing information, and better able to deal with logical relationships than are younger students. (FL)

As a result of discussions at a 1983 Social Science Research Council meeting, a study group was convened to bring together all the professionals currently examining maturation timing. This interdisciplinary group reports findings in two issues of this journal, and its work is introduced in this paper. (LMO)

Dr. Jeanne S. Chall discusses her research on the stages of reading development from prekindergarten through college and its implications for classroom teaching. (MBR)

Reveals no gender segregation in peer groups until age six, through observations of 152 rural Kenyan children, 18 months to nine years of age. Developmental trends in gender segregation of children's peers are correlated with systematic changes in their environments. (Author/AS)

Tests seven- , 10- , and 13-year-olds for developmental differences in processes and strategies involved in geometric matrix solution and the relationship between strategy differences and item complexity. (AS)

Describes a classroom project for middle school students where developmental theory was translated into instruction promoting cognitive development. (MD)

Employs a well-developed information-processing task to assess the nature of the representation and activitation of letters and geometrical figures and the changes that occur with reading development. (FL)

Career development literature suggests that faculty evaluate and redefine their life structures throughout their careers. As a result, there are age group differences in teaching interests, performance, and overall personal investment in their colleges. Longitudinal research should begin to collect data to differentiate between developmental and…

Determined if differences in performance on a posttest (in which sections differed in use of manipulative models to answer questions) were attributable to differences in reasoning levels of chemistry students (N=105). Results indicate that reasoning may affect performance under conditions of constant instruction. (JN)