This study compared responses to a survey on critical social behaviors completed by 79 persons who had prior experience with employees with mental retardation and 59 persons without such experience. Findings revealed that prior experience did not appear to affect ratings though other factors, such as knowing the purpose of the survey, did…

Fifteen preschool children with mild mental retardation (developmental delays) were observed during play with nondisabled peers. Children with delays showed less social play, more disruptive entry, more regressive behaviors, and less positive affect; their level of social play related to developmental age and communication ability but not to…

Seven articles in this theme issue discuss how to enhance leadership skills through mentoring, the pitfalls of leadership education, teachers' role, leadership for handicapped learners, and the impact of Future Farmers of America on development of student leaders. (SK)

Examines age differences in control beliefs for several domains, including intellectual aging and memory, for 200 adults aged 20-89 years. In domains of health and intellectual aging, older adults have lower internal control and higher external control beliefs than young and middle-age adults. A memory training program is described. (SLD)

This study interviewed 56 resident advisors at the Rochester (New York) Institute of Technology to explore the integration of deaf and hearing students on campus. Hearing students identified specific factors as contributing to positive interaction, including awareness of cultural diversity, communication sensitivity, effective communication…

Three seven-year-old males with autism included in social skills groups with nonhandicapped peers were successfully trained in such social skills as initiating, responding, keeping interactions going, greeting, conversing, giving and accepting compliments, taking turns and sharing, asking for help and helping others, and including others in…

This study of three groups of students from kindergarten through third grade found that students with learning disabilities or with low achievement did not differ significantly on social skills or behavior problems over time, though both groups demonstrated more behavior problems and lower social skills than the average/high achievement students.…

Phase 1 of this study found that, among fourth and fifth graders, submissive children who were rejected by peers reported less positive beliefs about peers than did children of average status. In phase 2, no relationship between children's sociometric status and their beliefs about unfamiliar peers was found. (BC)

Peer nominations and teacher ratings of children's social behaviors were obtained for 36 preschoolers during their first, second, and third years in preschool. Peer nominations showed stability across time, and teacher ratings correlated with peer nominations. (MDM)

The Kentucky Beginning Principal Intern Program provides supervision, assistance, and assessment for determining the effective instructional leadership abilities of new/beginning principals, emphasizing instructional leadership, school management, interpersonal skills, and professional responsibilities. Supporting intern committees complete three…

Through cooperative games and play, children learn to share, empathize with others' feelings, and get along better. The article makes suggestions to physical educators on how to design games to teach students cooperative behaviors and how to incorporate them into class, noting four important game-design principles. (SM)

The Test of Practical Knowledge seeks to measure students' skills to handle everyday life situations by assessing three domains: personal knowledge, social knowledge, and occupational knowledge. This paper describes the administration of the test to students in grades 8 to 12, the summation of data, interpretation of scores, standardization,…

Obtained 4-year follow-up data regarding marital status and marital accord for 59 couples receiving either behavioral (BMT) or insight-oriented (IOMT) marital therapy in a controlled outcome study. Found no significant group differences between the two treatment conditions at termination or six-month followup; but by four-year followup, a…

Presents teaching tips for generating and reading class news in the English-as-a-Second-Language classroom, including a discussion of the rationale, materials, and procedures for generating and using the news. The process can improve not only writing skills but also leadership and interpersonal skills. (LB)

Describes the integration of skill development into the accounting curriculum based upon the recommendations of various professional accounting associations. Skills necessary for success in accounting are oral and written communication, analytic, computer, and interpersonal. (JOW)