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…

A study of 2 groups of children (mean ages 7.47 and 9.04 years and reading ages of 7.27 and 9.48 years) showed a word type effect attributable to the more skilled readers. Regular-consistent words were read more accurately than regular-inconsistent and exception words; the latter two did not differ. Familiar words are appended. (Contains 57…

This study tested the hypothesis that there is a developmental shift in the perceptual weighting of acoustic parameters that results from experience with a native language. Comparison of 17 3-year olds and 16 adults found that age-related differences in auditory sensitivity did not fully account for age-related differences in perceptual weighting…

Investigated developmental differences in implicit memory performance. Subjects ranged in age from second grade to college level. Results suggested that there are two different components in implicit memory, one that shows no developmental difference and relies heavily on perceptual processing and one that shows an age-related or…

A study of 31 typical children aged 5-10 engaged in child-to-child social interactions, found joint attention was positively related to age and activity, eye gaze was low relative to joint attention and object engagement, and eye gaze was significantly less than what has been reported for adult-child and adult-adult dyads. (Contains references.)…

Examines the construct of emotionality, developmental relations between cognition and emotion, and neural plasticity and frontal cortical functioning. Proposes a developmental neurobiological model of self-regulation skills development, noting implications for children's school readiness. Suggests direct links among emotionality, use-dependent…

Addresses the importance of client conceptualization skills in counseling as well as the limitations of child conceptualization skills in counseling. Provides a rough overview of the applicable points in Piaget's theory of cognitive development and a discussion of how these points relate to conceptualization skills in counseling. (RS)

A study of 335 German 10th graders who applied for apprenticeships showed that they adjusted their aspirations from "dream job" to "a job I am interested in" as deadlines approached. They matched their school performance to the prestige of the apprenticeships they applied for. (Contains 47 references.) (SK)