The study had mentally retarded and nonretarded perceiver children (n=40; 9- to 14-years old) converse with a child described as a special or regular education student. Results suggested that stereotypes about children with and without learning problems may become self-fulfilling prophecies by altering how children treat each other and how they…

Summaries of seven ERIC documents and four journal articles are given. These documents and articles concern issues related to children's social development. (BC)

Eleven learning-handicapped students (ages 8-13) worked in dyads during a microcomputer-based writing activity, and their behaviors were coded as initiations/responses, verbal/nonverbal. Overall, student interactions had a negative impact on story production. Students exhibited higher levels of assertive, demanding behavior than requests for peer…

Social status of learning-disabled (LD) elementary students served by the Integrated Classroom Model was compared to that of LD elementary students in a regular class with resource room support. Results suggest that, although both groups had lower social status than nondisabled peers, ICM students blended into the classroom better. (Author/PB)

Examined the effect of observation of gender-related information in the peer group on preschoolers' attention to toys that were not clearly delineated as appropriate for one sex or the other. Contemporaneous peer involvement was significantly associated with children's toy adoption, but cumulative peer involvement was not. (Author/BB)

A meta-analysis of studies examining the interrater reliability of the standard practice of peer assessments of quality of care was conducted through the use of several databases. The mean weighted kappa of 21 findings from 13 studies was 0.31, which suggests that the interrater reliability of peer assessment is limited. (SLD)

If college faculty were encouraged by leadership to share their teaching experiences and insights, good teaching could flourish. Useful conversation topics include critical moments in teaching and learning; the human condition of teachers and learners; metaphors and images of the teaching process; and autobiographical reflection on great teachers.…

Regardless of sustained interest in abstinence-based sex education programs, a substantial portion of the teenage population engages in behaviors placing them at risk for HIV infection. At present, educating students and changing their unsafe voluntary behaviors is the only "cure" for AIDS. An effective education program is built around the peer…

Effects of cooperative and individual review of lecture material on subsequent free recall performance were studied with 109 undergraduate students in 4 experimental conditions. Although the cooperative review group did not significantly outperform the individual review group, the direction of mean score differences suggests that cooperative…

Although interdisciplinary approaches to complex problems are not new to Harvard University (Massachusetts), there is new interest in structured faculty collaboration. Some of the barriers to faculty teamwork are explored, models that enable interaction outside traditional departmental confines are examined, and some ways that other colleges and…

Describes the development of a New Jersey adventure program for homeless teenagers. Discusses the developmental tasks of adolescence--separating from family, forging a healthy sexual identity, preparing for the future, and developing a moral value system--and the positive impacts of adventure on these tasks. Addresses the issue of closure and…

Addresses the various issues associated with friendship and conversational skills in youth with externalizing and internalizing behavior disorders. The need for assessment techniques and intervention programs to encompass measures and training strategies targeting conversational skills and the type and nature of the dyadic relationship are…

Fifty-two students with learning disabilities, behavior disorders, or mild mental retardation answered questions relating to special education. Students indicated the best part of school was socializing with peers, a particular class or teacher, and sports, whereas the worst part was being in particular classes, dealing with…

Two interventions (environmental modification and adult prompting) were evaluated for promoting conversations between three preschoolers with and six without disabilities. Three conditions were used: classroom baseline, theme boxes, and system of least prompts. Use of the system of least prompts produced increases in rates of conversation, turns…

Examined the complex interactions among student engagement, scientific-thinking practices, and student role taking and social interaction in the context of school-based science lessons. Found that students in an intellectual-roles plus audience-roles condition were more active in initiating engagement episodes than those in intellectual roles only…