Donald T. Mizokawa

Theory-Based Diagnosis and Remediation of Writing Disabilities.

Abstract Writing disabilities have received far less attention than reading disabilities. This relative neglect is concerning because children are routinely referred to school psychologists for assessment of writing problems that range from poor handwriting or spelling to failure to complete written assignments to inability to communicate in grammatical, coherent written text. To assist school psychologists in better serving the needs of writing-disabled children, this article (a) briefly reviews recent trends in the research on writing, including a change in emphasis from the product to the process of writing; (b) introduces a theory-based model that is being developed for differential diagnosis of writing disabilities at the neuropsychological, linguistic, and cognitive levels; (c) presents cases and patterns in cases that illustrate differential diagnosis of writing disabilities at the linguistic level; and (d) suggests possible interventions for specific

Special Education and Social Structure: The Commonality of “Exceptionality”

Although special education classifications have been frequently divided into “subjective” and “objective” categories of disability, the dominant paradigm sees the two types of classifications as occupying opposite ends of a continuum that ranges from mild learning impairment to severe physical and mental disability. The appropriateness of the objective disability paradigm for mild learning problems was tested by correlating the prevalence of subjective and objective disability with 13 social demographic variables using the 50 states and Washington, DC as cases. Multiple regression analyses using aggregates of social variables as predictors were conducted for classifications that were significantly related to social variables. None of the objective classifications could be related to social structure, but two subjective classifications, educable mental retardation and learning disabilities, were strongly and inversely associated with socioeconomic indicators. These classifications appear to be qualitatively distinct from objective disability classifications. Policy should be changed to direct attention away from presumed deficits of individuals and toward identification and treatment of the full range of factors that may cause mild learning problems.

INTRAINDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN LEVELS OF WRITTEN LANGUAGE

Intraindividual differences across different levels or units of written language — the word, the sentence, and the paragraph — in sequencing the elements of written language were examined in intermediate‐grade children. Both Experiment 1 (N = 72 good readers) and Experiment 2 (N = 102 readers of varying ability) confirmed the main hypothesis that performance at the word level does not predict performance at the sentence or paragraph levels and that performance at the sentence level does not predict performance at the paragraph level. The hypothesis was confirmed for both an expressive, production task and a receptive, metalinguistic judgment task. A secondary hypothesis, tested only in Experiment 2, that metalinguistic judgment and production are related was supported at the word and sentence (but not paragraph) levels of language in intermediate‐grade writers. Results have implications for (a) individualized educational programming that takes into account the developing writers profile of levels of writ...

Self-Concepts of Japanese-American Children

The self-concept of Japanese-American and White American fourth- through sixth-grade children was measured using a modification of the Piers-Harris Childrens Self Concept Scale. This study centered upon comparisons between the two ethnic groups, with special interest in the physical self-concept. Nine items dealing with the physical self-concept that were thought to be especially sensitive to Japanese-American populations were used with the original Piers-Harris Childrens Self Concept Scale. Significant results between the two groups were found only on the three physical self-concept scores. The Japanese-American children scored significantly lower than the White American children on all three physical scores. No significant differences were demonstrated on any of the other subscales or the composite score.

Cross-Situation Variability of Attributions for Success and Failure A Cross-Sectional Study

Although attributional research has attempted to explore general rules for causal beliefs, cross-situational variation has been ignored Because attributions can be argued to be related to self-concept, the findings of self-concept influences across academic contexts and age also may be replicated in parallel studies of attributional beliefs. This study compared cohorts on their attributions for success and failure in two school-subject content areas: math/science and language arts/social studies. The 1,829 White-students in Grades 4 through 11 took the Survey of Achievement Responsibility. Overall, older students evinced greater differentiation between content and outcome for effort and ability attributions than did youngerstudents. Thefindings supportedpredictions derived from self-concept research. Also, the attributions for math became increasingly negative across age cohorts, whereas those for language arts became more positive. A perceived hierarchy of ability, wherein math and language abilities do not enjoy the same status, may explain the content differences.

SOME ISSUES IN THE EDUCATIONAL GERONTOLOGY OF JAPANESE‐AMERICAN ELDERS

Given the relative infancy of educational gerontology, attention should be addressed now, in the still formative years, to the educational gerontology of Japanese Americans. Elders in the Japanese‐American community are still largely Isseis, first‐generation immigrants from Japan. Their cultural history, social conditions, language, values, and conflicts with younger Japanese‐American groups are discussed, with the intention of increasing awareness of this minority within a minority. It is hoped that educational programs being established now will be able to deal more effectively with the needs of Japanese‐American elders.