Studies how Singaporean children differentiate in drawing between a sphere and an elongated, straight-sided ovoid. Tests Piaget's and Inhelder's beliefs that very young children are unable to differentiate in their drawings between differently contoured shapes. Finds that children are able to show the difference in drawings between the two shapes.…

Conducted meta-analysis of experiments comparing duration judgments of children, adolescents, and adults. Found that children made larger verbal estimates, comparable productions, shorter reproductions of durations, and more variable judgments than did older participants. Concluded that explanations are needed for children's inaccurately learned…

Outlines theoretical perspectives of neo-Piagetians (Kohlberg, Peel, Labouvie-Vief), synthesizers (Kolb, Biggs, Pascual-Leone), and alternative theorists (Perry, Gilligan). Considers their applicability to adults and the implications for adult and higher education. (SK)

A study investigated elementary mathematical strategies used by 25 Hungarian children (ages 5 through 9) who are blind. Children dealt with numbers in five ways and experienced numbers in four ways. Although the children went through typical stages of development, their ways of dealing with numbers had some specific characteristics. (Author/CR)

Two studies examined developmental changes in handwriting variability. Results indicated that, between 3 and 5 years, the number of grip patterns that children routinely use declines and the variability associated with pen-surface positioning declines. Older 3-year-olds used an adult grip pattern more often and were less variable in pen-surface…

This cross-sectional study examined communicative function in children (ages 12-54 months either with profound hearing loss but learning spoken English for communication) or with normal hearing. Data suggested somewhat different patterns of communication function development between the groups. Also, the use of language for social purposes was…

Examined whether a detailed analysis of age-related changes in error patterns could reveal the mechanisms underpinning development in short-term memory. Tested developmental changes among 7- to 11-year-olds in their serial recall of lists of 6 letters, finding developmental differences in the patterns of errors. (JPB)

A study of 33 gifted children (ages 6-12) showed that external indicators of smartness were synthesized with internal factors of feelings and judgments about intelligence. A developmental progress in the children's understanding was found which suggests that age is a factor to consider when discussing giftedness with children. (Author/CR)

Examined how first, second, and third graders learned to spell and investigated other questions related to learning to spell. Data came from teacher notes, spelling pretests and posttests, and interviews about students' perceptions of writing samples and of themselves as spellers. Results indicated that spelling was a developmental process, and…

This study used longitudinal productivity criteria to establish the phonetic skill of 20 children (followed from 9 to 16 months). The number of specific consonants produced consistently across the months predicted referential lexical use at 16 months. Prior use of at least two supraglottal consonants characterized the children achieving…

Reviews literature on ego identity development. Presents a model of identity development as an iterative process of person-context transactions. Maintains that one's developmental trajectory is determined by the way conflicts arising through transactions are solved. Suggests that optimal development requires balance between assimilation and…

Recently, the International Technology Education Association and its Technology for All Americans Project published "Standards for Technological Literacy," specifying what every K-12 student should know and be able to do. Two Virginia Tech researchers have illustrated how the standards might work in a laboratory classroom using a…

Focuses on the proper place of interlanguage pragmatics in the realm of second-language acquisition (SLA). This introductory essay describes the thematic issue of the ensuing articles as an endeavor to move interlanguage pragmatics more closely toward the center of SLA. The research suggests that many aspects of pragmatic competence can be…

While research on functional decline in later life has expanded knowledge on aging, theories of functional transitions are needed. Proposes a conceptual model that views change as mobility between states. Exploring the analogy between geographic migration and functional change suggests several migration concepts that might be borrowed by aging…

Comparison of spontaneous language samples of 30 toddlers diagnosed with specific expressive language impairment (SLI) and language samples of typically developing toddlers found the SLI toddlers vocalized significantly less often, had proportionately smaller consonantal and vowel inventories, and used a more restricted and less mature array of…