Rena B. Lewis

Resilience and coping: Implications for gifted children and youth at risk

The large body of literature on resilience and coping gives promise to finding specific ways in which teachers, counselors, and schools can enhance success among gifted and talented children and youth placed at risk. While high intelligence is not a requirement for resilient outcomes, cognitive ability appears to be a supporting factor, especially as it relates to problem solving and coping. To the extent that low‐income and culturally diverse children and youth have more experience overcoming adversity, they may possess a greater range of and flexibility in coping strategies that can be shared with others. This article summarizes findings from resilience literature relevant to the development of children and adolescents and derives specific strategies for enhancing outcomes for gifted children and youth most at risk for encountering adversity.

Assistive Technology and Learning Disabilities Today's Realities and Tomorrow's Promises

Many forms of technology, both “high” and “low,” can help individuals with learning disabilities capitalize on their strengths and bypass, or compensate for, their disabilities. This article surveys the current status of assistive technology for this population and reflects on future promises and potential problems. In addition, a model is presented for conceptualizing assistive technology in terms of the types of barriers it helps persons with disabilities to surmount. Several current technologies are described and the research supporting their effectiveness reviewed: word processing, computer-based instruction in reading and other academic areas, interactive videodisc interventions for math, and technologies for daily life. In conclusion, three themes related to the future success of assistive technology applications are discussed: equity of access to technology; ease of technology use; and emergent technologies, such as virtual reality.

Psychological intensities in gifted adults

This study investigated affective characteristics of academically gifted adults using two models: Clarks (1983) notion of concomitant problems and Dabrowskis (Piechowski, 1979) construct of overexcitabilities, concepts collectively referred to as “intensities.” The population studied was adults who had demonstrated high academic achievement by successfully competing for admission to a doctoral program in Education. Thirty‐one doctoral students responded to a researcher‐developed questionnaire designed to measure intensity characteristics. A subset of 11 students participated in focus groups conducted to investigate qualitatively their perceptions of the concept of psychological intensities. Focus group data supported the constructs of intellectual and emotional overexcitabilities and concomitant problems. Factor analysis of questionnaire responses produced five factors. Subjects perceived themselves as different from typical persons on factors reflecting internal motivation, positive aspects of overexci...

Musings on Technology and Learning Disabilities on the Occasion of the New Millennium.

Almost 30 years ago, I bought an IBM Selectric typewriter for about

Learning Disabilities and Reading: Instructional Recommendations from Current Research:

500. I still use it occasionally and it works perfectly. Almost 20 years ago, I bought my first home microcomputer, an Apple II Plus, for about

Examining the Relationships Between Reading Achievement and Tutoring Duration and Content for Gifted Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students From Low-Income Backgrounds

5,000. The system included a monochrome Zenith monitor with an amber display, an Apple disk drive, and an Epson dot matrix printer, all state-of-the-art equipment. It also included a shift key modification so that both upper and lowercase letters would appear on the screen. The BASIC programming language was resident in ROM. I had to purchase software to run on the microcomputer, and my first purchase was the Apple Writer II word processor. This computer system is gone from my life; its too old even to be stored with the “antiques” in the rafters of my garage.

Changes in Technology Use in California's Special Education Programs

This review of research addresses the teaching of reading, one of the most common concerns in the education of students with learning disabilities. First, past conceptualizations of the condition of learning disabilities are considered, then rejected in favor of the notion that learning disabled individuals are characterized by a failure to deploy cognitive resources effectively. Next, recent research on teacher effectiveness and the technology of direct instruction is examined in relation to current understandings of the nature and treatment of learning disabilities. Finally, empirically based instructional strategies for the teaching of reading to the learning disabled are suggested.

Correlations of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, and Slosson Intelligence Test for a Group of Learning Disabled Students

This article describes a study designed to examine the relationship of tutoring in specific reading comprehension strategies to gains in reading achievement for children enrolled in self contained classrooms for gifted students from low-income, culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and heterogeneous with respect to reading achievement. Participants were 58 students in grades 3–5, including 12 English learners. Eleven adult tutors received training in decoding and 3 basic and 3 higher level reading comprehension strategies consistent with the districts reading program and adapted to include increasing levels of challenge and support for English learners. Scores on a standardized reading achievement test and an assessment of reading fluency served as outcome measures. Findings suggest that tutoring in decoding and higher level reading comprehension strategies supported gains in reading achievement. Gifted students who are English learners appear to benefit from tutoring in decoding and the full range of lower and higher level reading comprehension strategies.

Labelling and Recall in Learning Disabled Students

Abstract This study investigated changes in technology use in californias special education programs between the late 1980s and mid-1990s. two groups representing districts that participated in an earlier study were surveyed: special education administrators (n = 149) and special educators who routinely use technology in instruction (n = 189). Results suggest that computers and other technologies are more available today and used more often by administrators, teachers, and students with disabilities. Students are more likely to have technology goals on their individualized education programs, interact with technology in general education settings, and use computers as tools rather than for drill-and-practice. Administrators and teachers remain enthusiastic about technologys benefits. However, although technologies used in school programs have become more sophisticated and more plentiful, barriers to full implementation still exist.

Leisure Preferences of Elementary-Aged Learning Disabled Boys

This study compared scores on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, and Slosson intelligence test for 64 students (45 boys, 19 girls) who ranged in age from 7–3 to 13–2. Mean IQ on the Peabody was significantly higher than the mean IQ on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised and on the Slosson. The mean IQs were 95.0 for the Peabody, 89 0 for the Slosson, and 87.8 for the Wechsler Full Scale, with standard deviations of 12.3, 11.7, and 7.0, respectively. Highest correlations of IQs were between Verbal Scale of the Wechsler and the Slosson (.81) and between the Verbal and Performance Scales of the WISC-R (.73).