Cheryl Maykel

Biological Gender Differences in Students’ Errors on Mathematics Achievement Tests

This study investigated developmental gender differences in mathematics achievement, using the child and adolescent portion (ages 6-19 years) of the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement–Third Edition (KTEA-3). Participants were divided into two age categories: 6 to 11 and 12 to 19. Error categories within the Math Concepts & Applications and Math Computation subtests of the KTEA-3 were factor analyzed and revealed five error factors. Multiple ANOVA of the error factor scores showed that, across both age categories, female and male mean scores were not significantly different across four error factors: math calculation, geometric concepts, basic math concepts, and addition. They were significantly different on the complex math problems error factor, with males performing better at the p < .05 significance level for the 6 to 11 age group and at the p < .001 significance level for the 12 to 19 age group. Implications in light of gender stereotype threat are discussed.

Do the Kinds of Achievement Errors Made by Students Diagnosed With ADHD Vary as a Function of Their Reading Ability

A large body of research has documented the relationship between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and reading difficulties in children; however, there have been no studies to date that have examined errors made by students with ADHD and reading difficulties. The present study sought to determine whether the kinds of achievement errors made by students diagnosed with ADHD vary as a function of their reading ability. The participants in this study were 91 students in the ADHD clinical validity standardization sample of the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement–Third Edition (KTEA-3), as well as a control group of 63 students selected from the larger standardization sample. Students with ADHD and reading difficulties demonstrated a statistically significant greater amount of errors across tests of academic achievement. Findings from the study are discussed within the context of past research, as well as implications for the field of school psychology and practitioners.

Thinking in New Ways and in New Times About Reading

Over the years, the annual What’s Hot, What’s Not survey by Jack Cassidy has served as an important indicator for issues in the continuously changing landscape of literacy education within North America. In “Beyond the Common Core,” Cassidy, Ortlieb, and GroteGarcia (2016) note the meteoric rise of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in recent annual surveys. They suggest that “. . . the intense focus on CCSS by those in the field has pushed the needs of the literacy-challenged to the background” (p. 100). They worry that research-based initiatives such as early intervention, literacy coaches/reading specialists, motivation/engagement, response to intervention, and differentiated instruction may be lost in discussions about what the standards should be and how they should be assessed. We agree. Cassidy, Ortlieb, and Grote-Garcia’s concerns for closing reading achievement gaps in this fashion are especially timely given an increasingly diverse population, increasing recognition of the needs of second language students, and growing income inequality in the United States. We worry, however, that both the approach proposed by Cassidy et al. (2016) and by the Common Core (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers [NGA Center & CCSSO], 2010) do not fully address the reading challenges that our students face today. Neither addresses the new reading skills, strategies, dispositions, and practices required for successful online reading. Since students from ages 8 to 18 spend more time reading on a screen than they do with traditionally printed text (Rideout, Foehr, & Roberts, 2010), we must begin to consider both offline and online reading achievement gaps.

Students with Cancer: Presenting Issues and Effective Solutions.

Practitioners working with children diagnosed with cancer in the school environment must consider several facets in order to effectively work with the child and family. The remission rate for children with cancer is relatively high, so one must consider whether the child is anticipating treatment, actively in treatment, or posttreatment when one thinks about the potential stressors and cognitive impacts of cancer on the childs education. This article focuses on facts associated with childhood cancer that are relevant to school-based practitioners, common stressors for children and adolescents with a personal cancer diagnosis in their lives, research-based interventions, and accommodations and modifications to consider.

Psychologically Based Therapies to Improve Lung Functioning in Students with Asthma.

Asthma is a common, chronic respiratory disease that can be costly to both society and the individual. In addition to increased absenteeism, children with asthma may also be at a greater risk for developing comorbid anxiety and depression. Various complementary psychological treatments have been effective at reducing both asthmatic symptoms and psychological distress. Although the research in the area of mind-body treatments as it pertains specifically to persons with asthma is still developing, this article will describe several promising alternative treatment methods, many of which have already been, or could be easily be applied for use in a school setting.

Interdependent Group Contingency to Promote Physical Activity in Children

As the number of children affected by obesity increases in the United States, it is necessary to intervene with preventive and intervention techniques that will enact change. Because children spend a significant amount of their time in school, it is of particular interest to target strategies during the school day. Given the recommendations for the total duration and intensity of physical activity children should participate in, recess period is a means of acquiring a portion of this daily recommendation. Contingent reinforcement is a technique that is consistently used in schools to promote behavior change. One of these techniques, group contingencies, has repeatedly been shown to increase desired behavior and decrease inappropriate behavior in schools. In the present study, a multiple baseline design was utilized to investigate the use of interdependent group contingencies in physical activity performance during recess, as measured by pedometers, with one class from each of the third, fourth, and fifth grades at an elementary school. Some of the variability existed in gender- and body mass index-specific (BMI) subgroups, in regard to the effectiveness of the intervention and continued maintenance of increased physical activity levels, following the removal of the intervention. However, the overall results support the use of an interdependent group contingency intervention to increase the amount of physical activity students engaged in during recess.

Mind-body health in the school environment

An integrated mind-body approach to treating both mental and physical disorders is certainly not a novel concept, though it has recently been gaining momentum in the scientific literature across se...