Presents a study measuring levels of anxiety experienced by 11-year-olds in Year 6 of primary school, specifically investigating the effect of high or low anxiety on student performance in the eleven-plus tests (the tests students take before entering secondary school). Finds no correlation between anxiety and test performance. (CMK)

Discusses instructional psychology and teaching reading. Focuses on Early Reading Research (ERR), a 2-year study following a sample of 433 children as they progress from reception into Year 1. Reports on the first year of research when children were in either six experimental classes (implementing ERR reading framework) or six comparison schools.…

Examines the relation between a play-based assessment tool, specifically the PLAY observation system, and a standardized assessment of cognitive and social skills of preschool children. Recorded the level of play each child exhibited. Play behaviors reflected the child's cognitive and social developmental functioning. (CMK)

Presents a study in which 56 students in two Year 1 classes were taught a series of arts lessons on three-dimensional clay modeling. One class was taught using traditional practices and the other using social modeling and cognitive learning. The social learning group evidenced strong gains in measures of creativity. (CMK)

Examines how the wording of statistical problems affects 11-12 year old children's answers. Ninety-six children were given statistical problems on two statistical concepts (base-rate and the law of large numbers). Indicates that the children had a high level of statistical intuition and knew when to reason statistically. (CMK)

Three experiments involving a total of 137 undergraduates examined processing and recall differences associated with two types of seductive details, highly interesting but unimportant text segments. Context-dependent and context independent details were distinguished, with context-independent seductive details recalled better than dependent…

Eighth graders (n=138) and college students (n=49) read and recalled four complex moral narratives in which moral arguments at different Kohlbergian stages were embedded. Participants with higher reasoning scores on a test of moral judgment development reconstructed more high-stage moral arguments during recall. (SLD)

English-speaking college students (n=103) enrolled in a German course read a German story presented by a computer program which allowed them to choose a verbal or visual (picture or video clip) translation. Students remembered word translations better when they saw both annotations. Implications for a theory of multimedia learning are discussed.…

How classroom discourse contributes to the content students learn was studied with eighth graders in social studies classes taught by two teachers. Content learning differences were associated with the forms of discourse used within curriculum events and the system of classroom discourse that evolved during a unit. (SLD)

The amount of homework assigned and completed, and attitudes about homework, were studied through questionnaires completed by 709 students, their parents, and 82 teachers. Differences in student, parent, and teacher perceptions of the amount of homework assigned and completed are discussed. In the lower grades, amount of homework completed helped…

The relations of motivational variables to self-reported cheating behavior and beliefs in science were studied with 285 middle school students. Students who reported cheating in science perceived that their classrooms were extrinsically focused. The use of deep cognitive strategies was related negatively to cheating. (SLD)

The relation between achievement and self-regulated learning (SRL) was studied through the self-descriptions of 222 seventh graders, all high achievers. Students ranged widely in their use of SRL strategies, suggesting that SRL strategies are not necessary for high achievement. Mastery goal orientation and gender were significantly related to SRL.…

Whether students' verbal and mathematics self-concepts were indeed positively correlated after an external comparison, and negatively correlated after an internal comparison, as predicted by the internal/external frames of reference model (H. Marsh, 1986), was studied with 383 high school students. Results support most of the model predictions.…

A model of school achievement that included intellectual ability, preschool behavior, and cognitive self-control was tested through structural equation modeling with 291 kindergarten children. Children who were less aggressive or more prosocial exerted better cognitive self-control over their school tasks, and cognitive self-control was positively…

The relationships among transitional first-grade referrals, school characteristics, and children's personal and school readiness characteristics were studied with 223 students referred to developmental first-grade programs. Results indicate the complexity of referrals to transitional first-grade programs and identify characteristics of children…