John Filler

Effects of peer tutoring on young children’s social interactions

This study examined the effects of peer tutoring on children’s social interactions and compared social interaction behaviors between children who are English‐language learners (ELL) and children who are primary English speakers (PES). Single‐subject withdrawal design (ABA) was applied in this study and classwide peer tutoring was used as the independent variable. Seven ELL and seven PES from two early primary‐grade classrooms were selected as the participants. Participants’ ages ranged from six to eight years old. Results of this study showed that classwide peer tutoring was effective for both ELL and PES. The data also indicated that the intervention (classwide peer tutoring) was relatively more effective for the ELL group than for the PES group. In both groups, children were engaged in very few negative behaviors.

A Comparison of the Effects of Two Social Skill Training Approaches on Teacher and Child Behavior

Abstract The importance of social skills to achievement of important life outcomes has been long documented, as have the social skill deficits encountered by many children with disabilities. Numerous social skill interventions have been implemented in inclusive settings with young children with disabilities; however, many of the interventions were multi-faceted, making it difficult to identify specific intervention activities that accounted for behavioral change. The purpose of the present study was to compare two social skill interventions to determine whether changes in teacher behavior resulted in differential changes in preschool childrens social skill behaviors. The results indicated that teacher behavior could be modified and that praise was a strong component in facilitating change among children. The results also demonstrated that the inclusion of young children with disabilities in small-group art activities did not negatively impact the social behaviors of the group. However, neither intervention resulted in significant changes in the social behaviors of the young children with disabilities. Continued research is needed to identify interventions that teachers can readily implement and that will positively impact the social skill development of preschool-age children, with and without disabilities.

LRE re-examined: misinterpretations and unintended consequences

The least restrictive environment (LRE) requirement has been one of the major pillars of special education law in the USA since its enactment in 1975 and has proven to be one of the most contentious principles. Absent a decision by the US Supreme Court or further clarification in the wording of the law itself, it is likely that the debate will continue. This discussion is particularly important because misapplication of the LRE principle can result in a violation of civil rights and deprive children of a free appropriate public education. A review of the historical background of LRE, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and relevant court cases supports the contention that the general education setting is the LRE for every child but not necessarily the appropriate placement for all children.

Using Primary Language Support via Computer to Improve Reading Comprehension Skills of First-Grade English Language Learners

Through this exploratory study the authors investigated the effects of primary language support delivered via computer on the English reading comprehension skills of English language learners. Participants were 28 First-grade students identified as Limited English Proficient. The primary language of all participants was Spanish. Students were assigned to two groups for an 8-week intervention period. Treatment Group 1 used a computer-based literacy program with English oral language instructions. Treatment Group 2 used a computer-based literacy program with Spanish oral language instructions. Data indicated that all participants experienced significant growth in fluency, word reading, and passage comprehension. Results revealed no significant difference between the two groups in the areas of fluency or word reading. However, the students who received Spanish language support via the computer had significantly higher scores in the area of reading comprehension.

A meta-analysis of the effects of placement on academic and social skill outcome measures of students with disabilities

This study involved an investigation of differences between outcome measures of students with disabilities placed in more integrated settings with those of students placed in less integrated settings. A meta-analysis was conducted using the findings from 24 studies published in peer-reviewed journals from 1980 through 2013. Results from the analyses suggest that there were significant differences (p<0.0001) between placement settings with the majority of students with disabilities in more integrated settings outperforming those in less integrated settings on both academic and social outcome measures. Overall these findings, combined with those from two prior meta-analytic studies, provide evidence spanning over 80 years suggesting separate settings are not as beneficial as are more integrated settings. Implications related to practice and policy, as well as avenues for future study, are discussed.

An Alternative Undergraduate Teacher Preparation Program in Early Childhood Education.

The realities of a multi‐racial, multi‐ethnic, and multi‐ability student population demand a unique and nontraditional approach characterized by an individualization sensitive to group identity. The primary goal of this alternative Early Childhood Studies/Education Program with a degree of Bachelor of Science is to provide a comprehensive contemporary program of teacher preparation and education for inclusive early childhood settings. The goal is accomplished through objectives that provide students with opportunities in reflective thinking for personal and professional growth. This program is unique in several features such as activitybased programming, an emphasis upon functional skills, collaborative teaming, and using portfolios for selfassessment. The advantages of this alternative teacher preparation program over other teacher certification programs include more classroom experiences, a higher retention rate, higher motivation, and a better understanding of unified curriculum for typically developing children and children with special needs.

The Development of a Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood Education: Preparation for Teaching Inclusive Education

The article discusses the need for a unified curriculum to meet the needs of all young children ages birth to 8 years of age in inclusive settings. The description of the development of an early childhood teachers preparation program is provided. The programs purpose is to offer a comprehensive curriculum collaboratively between a community college and a university for prospective teachers of young children. The program incorporates practices reflecting pluralistic approach to both content and method and in teaching typical and atypical developing children. It addresses the accommodating of individual differences, learning and/or behavioral problems, and racial and ethnic diversities in classrooms. The programs requirements, goals, and stages of development are included.

A Comparison of Peer Network and Peer Video Modeling to Increase Positive Verbal Social Interactions in Young Children With Disabilities

The ability to engage in positive social interactions is an important goal for young children with developmental disabilities (DDs). Peer-mediated intervention (PMI), one category of interventions often employed with those who show social skill deficits, involves use of typical peers who live model appropriate behaviors. A second frequent category uses videos of actors who model appropriate behaviors, video modeling (VM). There were two purposes of this study. The first was to compare the relative effectiveness of peer networking (PN), a type of PMI, and peer video modeling (PVM), a type of VM, to determine which was better at increasing the number of positive verbal social interactions performed by young children with DDs. The second was to determine whether the positive effects of the best treatment generalized to the playground. Mixed findings revealed that PN was more effective than PVM for a child with autism and for a child with language delays with evidence of generalization and that both were equally effective for a third child. Neither was effective for the fourth and fifth participants.

Meta-Analytic Procedures for Career and Technical Education Post-secondary Researchers and Practitioners

Meta-analytic studies are syntheses of literature in which researchers use statistical means to summarize the findings presented across primary studies. They are of great interest in the fields of medicine and social sciences with numerous examples published in peer-reviewed journals. However, it appears that career and technical education (CTE) researchers are either not performing these research syntheses, or are not publishing their findings. Thus, there are three purposes to this manuscript. The first is to present CTE researchers and practitioners with a rationale as to why meta-analyses should be performed. The second is to provide guidelines that researchers and practitioners use to perform their own meta-analyses. The third is to provide suggestions that researchers and practitioners can use to disseminate the results of their meta-analyses. The manuscript concludes with a listing of suggested areas for future research.

Developing Teacher Portfolios.

Often administrators seek alternative methods of evaluating staff while staff are frequently searching for ways to represent the breadth and quality of their efforts. One method proving to be effective for gathering and organizing products of teacher activity is the portfolio. A portfolio is a structured collection of evidence of a teachers best work that is selective, reflective and collaborative. This article presents a description of the portfolio process used to build the portfolio. Typical products and documents that are included and the reflective questions that are used to select the entries are described. Portfolios provide a convenient insight into both the content and method of instruction used by the teacher and, by doing so, add an important qualitative dimension to many existing teacher evaluation systems.