Relationship between Music Education and Attentional Control: Evidence from an Eye Tracking Study in Primary School Children

Background: Gifted Children are among learners who have potentials to show a higher performance in comparison with other students in term of skills.
 Objectives: This study investigates teachers’ awareness of gifted children and availability of learning resources to meet learning needs of children identified as gifted in public primary schools in Tanzania taking a case of Tabora municipality. The study was guided by the following objectives. To determine the level of teachers’ awareness of gifted children among pupils in government primary school in Tabora. To explore the role of teachers trained in special education in government primary school in Tanzania. To examine strategies used by teachers in teaching gifted children in government primary schools in Tabora.
 Materials and Methods: The study employed mixed paradigms. A number of 50 teachers were involved in the study. The study adopted cross-sectional survey methods designs. Data was collected by using questionnaires and interview. Research instruments were piloted validated and reliable; the result showed a C alpha equal to 0.81 which is establishing that research tools are reliable and acceptable to be used in the study. Purposive sampling techniques were used in this study where in-depth interviews were employed. The data were analysed thematically based on the study objective.
 Results: results shows that the level of Teachers’ awareness of gifted children and the availability of learning resources among pupils in government primary schools in Tanzania is low. Furthermore, results from the field revealed that trained teachers play a significant role in the education of gifted children in school contexts; some of their role is to develop teaching and learning resources, creating a warm and conducive classroom, providing guidance and counselling to the learners. The findings of this study show that the most and well known strategy that teachers use to teach gifted children in primary schools was grouping strategy, enrolling gifted children in to the upper class, use supplementary reading sources to teach the gifted children in their classes, as well as individualizing teaching strategy in their instructions
 Conclusion: Findings revealed that majority of teachers have insufficient awareness about gifted children in public primary schools in Tanzania. The study suggest that in order to develop a clear awareness of gifted children in public primary schools, teachers should be trained in order to teach gifted learners. Professional development for teachers about gifted education should be conducted frequently. Moreover, to enhance effective learning, a teacher requires to significantly recognize with learners’ concerns and try to understand things from the learner’s perspective and choose the suitable way of instruction.

Connectivity supporting attention in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate executive control in adults who stutter (AWS) and adults who do not stutter (AWNS) via a nonspeech paradigm, wherein eye movements were monitored (i.e., antisaccade task). Processes involved in an antisaccade task include working memory, attention, and voluntary motor control, but the task primarily provides insight into inhibitory control. Method Seventeen AWS (14 men, three women; M = 23.41 years) and 17 AWNS (M = 23.29 years) were presented with a combination of prosaccade (i.e., looking toward a target) and antisaccade (i.e., suppress a reflexive saccade toward the target and look in the opposite direction) trials. The distance of the target from the center of the screen was also manipulated (i.e., 5.5o = short distance and 10.8o = long distance). Data for accuracy and reaction time of the first accurate saccade were collected and analyzed. Results No difference was found between AWS and AWNS in accuracy or in reaction time. Both groups were more accurate in the prosaccade than the antisaccade trials and in the long compared to the short distance trials. Furthermore, both groups demonstrated longer saccade latencies for long compared to short distances and for antisaccade compared to prosaccade trials. Conclusions Preliminary results do not support deficits in inhibition in AWS during a motorically simple, non-speech-related oculomotor task, but additional research is warranted.

Parasitic infection is still a serious public health problem in the world, especially in developing countries including Egypt. It represents a major cause of morbidity and mortality in childhood and among high-risk groups-in most parts of the world. This study detected the prevalence of parasitic infection among school children in-El-Wadi El-Gadded (the New Valley Governorate). A total of randomly chosen 1615 students aged from 6-16 years, (771 males & 844 female) from 12 primary schools and 12 preparatory schools related to four centers (El Dakhala, El Farfra, Paris and Platt) from the New Valley. Governorate. Each child was subject to: A questionnaire sheet, Urine examination through sedimentation methods, Stool examination using: Direct smear, Simple sedimentation method and Modified Ziehl-Neelsen Stain, Blood samples were collected randomly from 450 children and examined for Seropositivity of toxoplasmosis using (On-SiteToxolgG/IgM Rapid Test- Cassette) and examination of hair & clothes for ectoparasites (lice). The overall prevalence of parasites was (39.1%) among primary and preparatory school children. The helminthes were E. vermicularis (15.2% & 17.1%); A. lumbricoides (1.3% & 1.9%) and then H. nana (0.9% & 0.6%) and the protozoa were E. histolytica (14.1% & 13.2%), Giardia lamblia (3.8% & 3.9%), and then Cryptosporidium parvum (0.09%) and seropositivity of toxoplasmosis was in (3.0% & 2.7%) among primary and preparatory school children respectively. Mixed infection was in (0.4%) among primary school children. Head lice infestaiion was more prevalent among primary school children than preparatory school ones with a ratio (3.5% &0.2%) respectively, was nil among males.

This study aimed to determine the relationship between breakfast consumption and body weight status among primary and secondary school children in Malaysia. This nationwide cross-sectional study involved 5,332 primary school children aged 6 to 12 years and 3,000 secondary school children aged 13 to 17 years. Height and weight were measured and BMI-for-age was determined. Socio-demographic backgrounds, breakfast habits and physical activity levels were assessed using questionnaires. Breakfast frequency was defined as follows: breakfast skippers (ate breakfast 0-2 days/week), irregular breakfast eaters (ate breakfast 3-4 days/week) and regular breakfast eaters (ate breakfast ≥5 days/week). The overall prevalence of breakfast skippers and irregular breakfast eaters was 11.7% and 12.7% respectively. Breakfast skipping was related to age, sex, ethnicity, income and physical activity level. Among primary school boys and secondary school girls, the proportion of overweight/obesity was higher among breakfast skippers (boys: 43.9%, girls: 30.5%) than regular breakfast eaters (boys: 31.2%, girls: 22.7%). Among primary school children, only boys who skipped breakfast had a higher mean BMI-for-age z-score than regular breakfast eaters. Among secondary school boys and girls, BMI-for-age z-score was higher among breakfast skippers than regular breakfast eaters. Compared to regular breakfast eaters, primary school boys who skipped breakfast were 1.71 times (95% CI=1.26-2.32, p=0.001) more likely to be overweight/obese, while the risk was lower in primary school girls (OR=1.36, 95% CI=1.02-1.81, p=0.039) and secondary school girls (OR=1.38, 95% CI=1.01-1.90, p=0.044). Regular breakfast consumption was associated with a healthier body weight status and is a dietary behaviour which should be encouraged.

Appropriate spatial distribution of primary and secondary schools for relocated children of migrant workers (RCMW) is extremely valuable to ensure the fair education of special groups and improve the quality of their education. This study used concentration analysis, kernel density estimation (KDE), and coefficient of variation (CV) to measure the spatial agglomeration of these children and their primary and secondary schools in the districts and counties of Liaoning Province from 2008 to 2017 based on government surveys. The results showed that the number of RCMW children in primary and secondary schools increased during the research period and the growth rate of children in primary schools was higher than that of children in junior high schools. The number of primary and secondary schools has changed very little, while the number of secondary schools has dropped sharply. The spatial distribution of RCMW and that of their primary and secondary schools were characterized by a “dual-core” distribution and a three-level (county, city, and provincial capital) gradient aggregation. In addition, kernel density evolved from a balanced distribution to polar nucleus-shaped, clustered, and discretized distributions, respectively. Specifically, the “large” and “super-large” schools were mainly concentrated in cities, showing a clustered pattern. “Medium-sized” and “small” schools were mainly distributed in counties, presenting a discretized pattern. In addition, when the CV of the number of RCMW increased, the imbalanced distribution of schools became more significant. Furthermore, the spatial differentiation of primary and secondary schools for RCMW appeared to be affected by economic development, population size, and related policies in the region.

In the Netherlands today almost one million out of the population of fifteen million are of non-Dutch origin. Large concentrations of people from Turkey, Morocco and Surinam in particular, live in and around the cities. In Amsterdam, more than half the children in primary schools are of non-Dutch background. Similar situations exist in most other European countries. European culture has become multicultural by definition, and music education has to find answers to deal with the situation. The system of music education in the Netherlands can basically be divided into three levels: the conservatories of music, where students are trained to become professional musicians; the music schools, for people who want to learn music but have no professional aspirations; and music teaching in schools, where children are introduced to the general principles of music and music-making. Over the last fifteen years, national and local governments have devoted a great deal of money and effort towards integrating ‘minority arts’ into these institutions to very little effect at first. But since 1990 a new wave of activity has led to encouraging results and possible sources of inspiration for efforts on a European scale.

Top-Down Control-Signal Dynamics in Anterior Cingulate and Prefrontal Cortex Neurons following Task Switching

To estimate how many children in mainstream primary schools have cerebral visual impairment (CVI)-related vision problems and to investigate whether some indicators might be useful as red flags, if they were associated with increased risk for these problems. We conducted a survey of primary school children aged 5 to 11years, using whether they were getting extra educational help and/or teacher- and parent-reported behaviour questionnaires to identify children at risk for CVI. These and a random 5% sample were assessed for CVI-related vision problems. We compared the usefulness of potential red flags using likelihood ratios. We received questionnaires on 2298 mainstream-educated children and examined 248 children (152 [61%] males, 96 females [39%]; mean age 8y 1mo, SD 20mo, range 5y 6mo-11y 8mo). We identified 78 out of 248 children (31.5% of those examined, 3.4% of the total sample), who had at least one CVI-related vision problem. The majority (88%) were identified by one or more red flag but none were strongly predictive. Fewer than one in five children with any CVI-related vision problem had reduced visual acuity. Children with CVI-related vision problems were more prevalent than has been appreciated. Assessment of at-risk children may be useful so that opportunities to improve outcomes for children with CVI-related vision problems are not missed.

The purposes of this research were to describe the caries prevalence and caries index of children in primary school with UKGS (SD Kartini I) and without UKGS (SD 009 Bulang) in Kota Batam. Total samples of this research were 193 persons, it is consist of 107 persons from SD Kartini I and 86 persons from SD 009 Bulang. The Chi-Square Test and U Mann-Whitney Test were conducted in this research. The statistical analysis was significant for caries prevalence between children in primary school with UKGS and without UKGS with χ2table = 2.71 and χ2calculate = 3.73, whereas def-t index between children in primary school with UKGS and without UKGS was significant with - Ztable = - 1.96 and Zcalculate = - 2.91 with α = 0.05. The DMF-T index between children in primary school with UKGS and without UKGS was significant with Ztable = 1.96 and Zcalculate = 6.32 with α = 0,05. The conclusions of this study indicate that there were differences of caries prevalence and caries index between children in primary school with UKGS and without UKGS.

Relations between children's emotional self-regulation, attentional control, and peer social competence (as reported by both teachers and peers) were examined for 51 low-income, preschool-aged children enrolled in Head Start. Using a short delay-of-gratification task administered at Head Start sites, children's use of self- distraction was found to be positively associated with their success in handling the delay, replicating previous, laboratory-based research. Contrary to our expectations, children's use of self-distraction was found to be unrelated to their attentional control, as assessed during a computer task. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that children's use of self-distraction predicted significant variance in both peer- and teacher-reports of childrem's competence with peers, even after children's attentional control was statistically taken into account. These findings are discussed in light of current models of reactivity and regulation in predicting young children's social behavior, as well as in the context of early intervention efforts for children facing socioeconomic risk.

Background of Study: Personal hygiene is very important in all stage of human life, but appropriate cleanliness habits should be started from childhood. Children are who learn about good hygiene practice it will be last longer the life and will carry during adulthood1. Hygiene guidance counseling should start as earliest possible along with parents so parents can teach about right hygiene to their children2.Objectives: 1. To assess the Knowledge regarding personal hygiene among primary school children. 2. To assess the Attitude regarding personal hygiene among primary school children. 3. To assess the practice regarding personal hygiene among primary school children. 4. To prepare and distribute a health education pamphlet on personal hygiene. Methodology: The Descriptive survey approach cross sectional study research design carried out for the study, Sampling method was Non Probability sampling technique Convenience sampling method Study population Primary and middle school children. (5th, 6th & 7th standard) Study Setting Rural Primary School Kheda District Study Size 100 School Children’s3.Results: Regarding the distribution of sample according to knowledge regarding hand hygiene where 3(10%) had Moderate knowledge, 27(90%) Had Adequate Knowledge and none of them had inadequate knowledge. Only 17.3 % children’s found that they does not used and cloth or tissue paper during sneezing or coughing and rest of para-meter regarding hand hygiene were founded that primary school children had good practice.

Individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) exhibit significant impairments in attention across multiple domains. Very little is known about the contributing neural networks. We used task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine dorsal and ventral attention networks during auditory oddball processing in children and adolescents with NF1 and typically developing controls. Significant differences in neural activation patterns were identified within brain regions supporting the ventral attention system. Children with NF1 demonstrated hypoactivation in the temporoparietal junction and the anterior cingulate cortex compared to typically developing children. Hypoactivation in the anterior cingulate cortex was associated with poorer selective attention and attentional control in children with NF1. Results indicate an abnormality in bottom-up attention networks in NF1 that may lead to inefficient and faulty suppression of stimulus-driven information outside the current attentional set that play a significant role in the NF1 behavioral phenotype.

Article History: Received 05.05.2014 Received in revised form 26.02.2015 Accepted 12.03.2015 Available online 01.04.2015 This research has been carried for the purpose of studying the form teachers’ views about the enrolment of children who are 60-66-month-old in a primary school. The study group of the research is composed of 20 form teachers, 8 of them are female and 12 of them are male, who work in Batman in 2012-2013 academic year. The research has been carried with the form teachers who teach 1st grade students in primary schools with different socio-economic levels which are selected according to maximum variation sampling method, and the phenomenological model of qualitative research approaches is used in this research. The views of three experts in this field are asked for the content validity of the questions in interview form, and necessary editions are made in accordance with suggestions. Also the comprehensibility of the questions in the interview form is checked by consulting five form teachers and the form is finalised. The data received from form teachers are analysed by using content analysis method. The research has shown that the enrolment of 60-66month-old children in primary schools has led them to face some cognitive, affective and psychomotor inabilities, that there are some people who think 60-66-month-old children’s enrolment in a school upon their parents’ request affects their success negatively besides some who think it has positive effects, before starting a primary school children should have pre-school education in order to ensure primary school readiness, that parents’ anxiety and their wish for getting benefit have an influence on the enrolment of 60-66-month-old children in primary schools, and some conscious parents want to enrol their children in school at early ages. © 2015 IOJES. All rights reserved

This study aimed to suggest an attention assessment tool using a Digital Pen for measuring the temporal-spatial parameters during the Number Cancelation Test (NCT), and then to establish the normative data for the NCT among children in kindergartens and primary schools in China by recruiting a total of 989 children (496 males). Four measures, i.e., selective attention (SA), speed of cognitive processing (SpC), averaged time of circlings (ATC), and averaged circumference of circled curves (ACCC), were proposed to evaluate the NCT performance. They basically have a development trend with fast speed in the beginning before Grade 1 or 2 of primary schools, and then enter an extremely slow development period (with ceiling or floor effect). SA and SpC have gender and grade main effects, while ATC and ACCC have the grade main effect, only. In particular, females have higher SA scores than males in middle class of kindergarten, and Grade 2–Grade 5 of primary school, but no gender differences in other grades; females have higher SpC scores than males in middle class of kindergarten, and Grade 3–4 of primary school, but no gender differences in other grades. More importantly, in clinical practice, if SA or SpC measure of a child is below than the 5th centile (i.e., p5 level) of his/her grade-specific normative data, then this child may be predicted to have a high-risk of learning disabilities. Findings suggest that the proposed method can be used for early screening of learning disabilities by setting appropriate cut-off values.