According to a survey of Fortune 500 executives, American schools should teach analytical, higher order, conceptual, and problem-solving skills; reading and writing proficiencies; and effective communication skills. Schools should also provide apprenticeships for high schoolers and stress interpersonal skills (especially cooperation in diverse…

The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is focusing on interactive and multimedia technologies, within the framework of a virtual commons, to promote the study of people, their environments, and their resources. (AEF)

Observed the playground behavior and social interaction of 27 kindergarten children in a university laboratory school, focusing on the children's ability to successfully negotiate social interactions. Found that communication skills, ability to recognize and understand others' emotions and needs, and self-confidence are critical to positive social…

Social competence of elementary students (n=141) with learning disabilities, low achievement, or average to high achievement was examined. Ratings of social skills, peer acceptance, behavior problems, and self-perceptions were gathered from students, teachers, parents, and peers. Learning disability and low achievement groups were…

Teachers rated social competence and academic achievement of Bermudian children exposed to various amounts and qualities of day care. Found that quality of care was important to children's intellectual and social development while in day care but not after one to four years of primary schooling. Family background, not day care, predicted primary…

Children who are deficient in social skills or who have developed inappropriate communication skills may be at risk in school and disruptive to family dynamics. To prevent crises developing in adolescence, the Stop-Think-Do social skills program, first developed in Australia, provides a method of reinforcing cooperative behavior and…

Includes "Young Men Learning: Informal Education and Drug Abuse" (Ellis); "Young Women Learning: Participative Women-Only Group Work" (Gregory); "City Challenge and Capacity Building: Developing Communication Skills" (Smith); and "Social Education with Disaffected Young People: The Padstow Challenge and…

Two studies with four adolescents with behavior disorders investigated the relationship between antecedent events and aggressive behavior in school and home settings. The use of videotape recordings and behavioral rehearsal of alternative responses resulted in decreases in the frequency of aggressive behavior and associated antecedent events. (DB)

Investigates the relationship of children's self-understanding to social class, community type (modern or traditional), and teachers' ratings for 73 12 year olds in Reykjavik (Iceland) and 21 12 year olds in traditional villages in Iceland. Children in higher social classes offer more psychological descriptions. The inadvisability of generalizing…

Ten first grade teachers completed rating scales for 39 at-risk students. Analysis suggested that teacher recommendations for special needs placement were strongly related to student academic functioning, modestly related to student emotional development, and not significantly related to student social and behavioral competence. (Author/JDD)

This study follows up a study examining use of self-monitoring to remediate social skills of a young man with Down syndrome in supported competitive employment. The study demonstrates the efficacy of the follow-along component of supported employment and the use of a criterion-referenced assessment and treatment package to retrain technical job…

Identifies psychological characteristics of 49 male and 8 female Latin American youth who were primarily responsible for their own lives. The subjects' capacities to adapt to their different environments and the conditions in which they live are discussed for their implications for social and substance abuse prevention programs. (SLD)

This article discusses assessment and intervention efforts for young children with disabilities, based on an approach to children's peer-related social competence which stresses developmentally appropriate practices. Application of the model to children with Down's syndrome illustrates the model's appropriateness to the special needs of children…

Social interactions between children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and their teachers, peers, and parents are discussed. Problematic interactions may depend on social skills deficits. Changing the focus to ADHD children who are not experiencing social skills deficits may prove beneficial. A review of the previous literature…

Reports results of 2 studies on the relationship between social competence and social-cognitive development in children aged 9 to 12 years. There were reliable age differences in interpersonal negotiation strategies in thought and action. Both measures were associated with behavioral adjustment and social status. (GH)