Maintains that a fresh perspective is needed on secondary reading assessment. Discusses several factors that should be, but are not, included in secondary reading assessment, and describes barriers to advances in such assessment. (SR)

Forty-six Spanish-speaking children, ages 4-8, were asked to explain what happened in a silent film. Compared to younger children, older children demonstrated increased use of elliptical reference to refer to places in stories, an increase in appropriate phrases, and a decrease in ambiguities and additions. (Author/JDD)

Teaching assistantships can be a help or hindrance to a student's completion of a graduate degree and preparation as a teacher-scholar. The way in which graduate students are introduced to pedagogical scholarship and enabled to use that knowledge is critical. Different models are in use to train and mentor graduate students. (Author/MSE)

Emphasizes the role that motor development may play in determining developmental sequences in other domains, such as haptic or tactile perception and depth perception. Maintains that there is a high degree of fit between the developmental sequence in which certain perceptual sensitivities unfold and the ages at which the corresponding motor…

Evaluated chronological age and results of Gesell School Readiness Test as predictors of kindergarten performance as measured by Stanford Achievement Test. Results from 284 kindergarten children indicated that both chronological and developmental age provided good predictors of Stanford Achievement Test performance in kindergarten. Findings have…

Responds to previous article by Rigazio-DiGilio on Developmental Counseling and Therapy and Systemic Cognitive-Developmental Therapy as two integrative models that unify individual, family, and network treatment within coconstructive-developmental framework. Considers extent to which model breaks impasse in integrating development into counseling…

Follows 46 unselected children with various sex chromosome abnormalities using intellectual, language, and achievement testing. Notes that, although most children were not mentally retarded, most received special education help. Finds support for the inference that learning disorders were genetically mediated in this group. (RS)

Criticizes current prevention education efforts for retaining characteristics of older quantitative approaches to education. Suggests qualitative approach to prevention education be taken and discusses transactional model of substance abuse based on development of the child within both social and family context. Recommends approach that draws…

Presents a theory of cognitive development that postulates a general cognitive processing system, a hypercognitive system governing self-regulation, and specialized structural systems responsible for processing different reality domains. Suggests five principles that serve as organizational pivots of developing cognition. Reports the results of…

Applies two-axis model of human development to problem of suicide trajectory, in which organism begins each stage at negative or dystonic position in reaction to stage-initiating life event and must move ahead vertically to achieve positive syntonic quality and attain stage-specific syntonic equilibrium. Provides clinician with developmental guide…

Discusses development of symbolic thinking in toddlers as a step in language acquisition and skill development. Examines means of encouraging this symbolic problem solving, such as setting the stage for problems, helping children plan problem-solving strategies, and encouraging children in self-evaluating their skills. Examines development of…

Students, ages 12, 15, 18, and 23 (n=60 per group), wrote definitions for 16 abstract nouns. Responses were analyzed for Aristotelian style. There was an increasing tendency for students to mention the appropriate category to which a word belongs, core features of the word, and subtle aspects of meaning. (DB)

Describes infant and toddler biting behavior as related to developmental differences in exploring the environment, learning cause-effect relationships, and using power to elicit a response. Discusses ways to deal with biting at each level, how to support parents dealing with the behavior at home, and the importance of taking biting related to…

A study analyzed the acquisition of communicative functions and means in 15 children and youth with autism over a one-year period. Participants made advances in skills development in both functions and means. Functions appeared to follow a developmental sequence from behavior regulation to social integration to joint attention. (Author/CR)

A 13-month study investigated phonological abilities and reading acquisition in six 7-year-old Finnish nonreaders. Results found gradual progress at the group level; however, analysis of the individual profiles indicated large interindividual variations in the rate of improvement and in the relationship between different phonological manipulation…