The effects of a language intervention program on the phonological and word awareness skills of language-delayed kindergarten children

Over the past decade, research has suggested that phonological and word awareness skills (i.e., the ability to reflect on and manipulate the components of language) are important for early reading acquisition. This study examined the phonological and word awareness skills of language-delayed kindergarten children at the beginning and end of a language intervention program using five tasks. The results were compared to the performances of average kindergarten children who did not participate in the language intervention program. There were significant performance differences for all tasks, favouring the average children, at the beginning of the intervention program. However, at the end of the training interval, the languagedelayed children performed as well as the average children.

The effects of day care at the kindergarten level : day care centre versus in-home care

Two groups of nonmaternal day care providers, one made up of in-horne caregivers, and the other of providers of day care in centres, were asked to focus on their goals for the children in their care. A group of kindergarten teachers was asked to consider any differences they noticed in children in· the two types of day care mentioned above. It was found that in-horne caregivers, through flexibility, meet the developmental goals of the children in their care. Providers of tlay care in centres used a more structured and social program in order to meet the overall developmental goals for the children in their care. It was found that the kindergarten teachers noticed differences in the children in their classes in terms of their attitude and social behaviour. The type and quality of care were seen as possible influences on this outlook of young children in kindergarten. The one common element that each group highlighted with respect to the effects of day care at the kindergarten level was the important role of the family in the child's development not only in day care, but also in kindergarten class. There is still a strong need to determine the effects of various types of day care at all levels, and specifically at the kindergarten level. The more the kindergarten teacher is able to understand about the child's day care experience, and his or her own life,the better off these children in day care will be. This study confirmed both the importance of quality in child care, and the important role of the family in the child care decision.

Exploring an emotion intervention for preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder /

The purpose of this multiple case study was 1) to explore the effectiveness of an emotions recognition program for preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), and 2) to investigate one parent's perception of the emotions program. To address these objectives, the emotion unit scores of 7 preschoolers with ASD aged 3 to 5 years old (1 female, 6 males) were graphed and analyzed using visual inspection. In addition, the mother of 1 participant was interviewed to explore her perceptions of the emotions program and emotional learning. Overall, results revealed that participants' emotion recognition scores increased over the course of the emotions unit. The parent reported improvements in her son's expression and understanding of emotion, but noted that he continued to have difficulty with regulation of emotion. Implications for theory, education, and future research are discussed.

Chapman family home, Fullerton, California, 1908

Chapman family residence, Fullerton, California, ca. 1908. Mounted on heavy weight card stock with small calendar for 1908. "Miss Ethel Chapman" written in ink on top of calendar.

Garden party at Charles C. Chapman's home, Fullerton, California, 1914

Garden party at Charles C. Chapman's home, Fullerton, California, September 5, 1914.

Garden party at Charles C. Chapman's home, Fullerton, California, 1914

Garden party at Charles C. Chapman's home, Fullerton, California, September 5, 1914.

Garden party at Charles C. Chapman's home, Fullerton, California, 1914

Garden party at Charles C. Chapman's home, Fullerton, California, September 5, 1914. Seated under a canopy with unidentified others are Mr. Harry Dierker and Mrs. C. O. Goodwin.

Family members at Charles C. Chapman's home, Fullerton, California, 1914

Family members seated outdoors at Charles C. Chapman's home, Fullerton, California, 1914. Left to right: C. C. Chapman [seated], Samuel J. Chapman with his wife standing behind him, Frank Chapman? and rest unidentified.

Home of Charles Clarke Chapman, Fullerton, California, 1914

Home of Charles Clarke Chapman, Fullerton, California, 1914.

Home of Charles Clarke Chapman, Fullerton, California

Home of Charles Clarke Chapman, Fullerton, California. Photographic postcard with "Faculty parties in May each year 1933-1940" written on back.

Formal garden of the Charles C. Chapman home, Fullerton, California

Formal garden of the Charles C. Chapman home, Fullerton, California, in the 1920s.

Original Chapman home ranch packing house, Santa Ysabel, California, ca. 1900

Original Chapman home ranch packing house, Santa Ysabel, California, ca. 1900. [copy print]

Chapman Family Home Movie

Excerpts from home movies taken of various Chapman family members, including Charles C. Chapman, during the 1930s and 1940s.

Exploring the potential of early identification and intervention within a college of applied arts

This study probed for an answer to the question, "How do you identify as early as possible those students who are at risk of failing or dropping out of college so that intervention can take place?" by field testing two diagnostic instruments with a group of first semester Seneca College Computer ,Studies students. In some respects, the research approach was such as might be taken in a pilot study_ Because of the complexity of the issue, this study did not attempt to go beyond discovery, understanding and description. Although some inferences may be drawn from the results of the study, no attempt was made to establish any causal relationship between or among the factors or variables represented here. Both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered during four resea~ch phases: background, early identification, intervention, and evaluation. To gain a better understanding of the problem of student attrition within the School of Computer Studies at Seneca College, several methods were used, including retrospective analysis of enrollment statistics, faculty and student interviews and questionnaires, and tracking of the sample population. The significance of the problem was confirmed by the results of this study. The findings further confirmed the importance of the role of faculty in student retention and support the need to improve the quality of teacher/student interaction. As well, the need for skills assessmen~-followed by supportive counselling, and placement was supported by the findings from this study. strategies for reducing student attrition were identified by faculty and students. As part of this study, a project referred to as "A Student Alert Project" (ASAP) was undertaken at the School of Computer Studies at Seneca college. Two commercial diagnostic instruments, the Noel/Levitz College Student Inventory (CSI) and the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI), provided quantitative data which were subsequently analyzed in Phase 4 in order to assess their usefulness as early identification tools. The findings show some support for using these instruments in a two-stage approach to early identification and intervention: the CSI as an early identification instrument and the LASSI as a counselling tool for those students who have been identified as being at risk. The findings from the preliminary attempts at intervention confirmed the need for a structured student advisement program where faculty are selected, trained, and recognized for their advisor role. Based on the finding that very few students acted on the diagnostic results and recommendations, the need for institutional intervention by way of intrusive measures was confirmed.

Bonds away : baseball mythology and the 2007 home run chase

In 2007, Barry Bonds hit his 75 6th home run, breaking Hank Aaron's all-time record for most home runs in a Major League career. While it would be expected that such an accomplishment would induce unending praise and adulationfor the new record-holder, Bonds did not receive the treatment typically reserved for a beloved baseball hero. The purpose of this thesis is to assess media representations of the 2007 home run chase in order to shed light upon the factors which led to the mixed representations which accompanied BOlTds ' assault on Aaron's record. Drawingfrom Roland Barthes ' concept of myth, this thesis proposes that Bonds was portrayed in predominantly negative ways because he was seen as failing to embody the values of baseball's mythology. Using a qualitative content analysis of three major American newspapers, this thesis examines portrayals of Bonds and how he was shown both to represent and oppose elements from baseball's mythology, such as youth, and a distant, agrarian past. Recognizing the ways in which baseball is associated with American life, the media representations of Bonds are also evaluated to discern whether he was portrayed as personifYing a distinctly American set of values. The results indicate that, in media coverage of the 2007 home run chase, Bonds was depicted as a player of many contradictions. Most commonly, Bonds' athletic ability and career achievements were contrasted with unflattering descriptions of his character, including discussions of his alleged use of performance-enhancing substances. However, some coverage portrayed Bonds as embodying baseball myth. The findings contribute to an appreciation of the importance of historical context in examining media representations. This understanding is enhanced by an analysis of a selection of articles on Mark McGwire 's record-breaking season in 1998, and careful consideration of, and comparison to, the context under which Bonds performed in 2007. Findings are also shown to support the contemporary existence of a strong American baseball mythology. That Bonds is both condemned for failing to uphold the mythology and praised for personifYing it suggests that the values seen as inherent to baseball continue to act as an American cultural benchmark.