First-grade Girls Research Articles

The effect of lowering school entry age on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder diagnosis

The school entry age was changed from 72 to 66 months in 2012 with a new education system adjustment in Turkey. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of lowering school entry age on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis and symptom severity. The records of children at first and second grade diagnosed with ADHD according to the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria in the Child Psychiatry outpatient clinic between January and July 2010 (when the old system was in use) and between January-July 2013 (when the new system was in use) were retrospectively screened to create the old-system and new system groups. Among the two groups, T-DSM-IV-S fulfilled by parents and teachers were used to assess symptom severity. The frequency of ADHD and ADHD predominantly inattentive subtype diagnosis we found to be significantly higher among the girls in the new system compared to old system (25.8%, 8.9%, p=0.027 - 56.3%, 0%, p=0.012). Additionally, mother’s subscale scores of T-DSM-IV-S were lower among the children in the new system compared to the ones in the old system. By lowering school entry age due to the new education system, frequency of ADHD diagnosis increased while symptom severity rates decreased among the first-grade girls. Thus, it may be suggested that despite decreased symptom severity, the girls who started school with the new system were diagnosed with ADHD more frequently due to a marked disruption in academic, social, and behavioral functionality associated with insufficient neurodevelopmental maturity.

Development of Math Attitudes and Math Self-Concepts: Gender Differences, Implicit-Explicit Dissociations, and Relations to Math Achievement.

Three hundred and ninety-one children (195 girls; Mage =9.56years) attending Grades 1 and 5 completed implicit and explicit measures of math attitudes and math self-concepts. Math grades were obtained. Multilevel analyses showed that first-grade girls held a strong negative implicit attitude about math, despite no gender differences in math grades or self-reported (explicit) positivity about math. The explicit measures significantly predicted math grades, and implicit attitudes accounted for additional variance in boys. The contrast between the implicit (negativity for girls) and explicit (positivity for girls and boys) effects suggest implicit-explicit dissociations in children, which have also been observed in adults. Early-emerging implicit attitudes may be a foundation for the later development of explicit attitudes and beliefs about math.

Breakfast skipping and overweight/obesity in first grade primary school children: A nationwide register-based study in Iceland.

Although several studies have revealed an association between skipping breakfast and overweight (OW) or obesity (OB) in older children and adolescents, less is known about that association in younger children. The purpose of our study was to assess the association between skipping breakfast and OW/OB in children in the first grade. The sample included 4360 children (51.5% boys) aged 5.6 to 7.4 years who participated in the annual health examination in Iceland during 2016 and 2017, completed by 91% of all first graders in Iceland. Binary logistic regression analysis with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was used to assess the association between skipping breakfast and OW/OB. Skipping breakfast was assessed as not eating breakfast on the day of the assessment, whereas OW or OB was based on measured height and weight relative to the International Obesity Task Force reference. The final analyses were adjusted for bedtime, well-being in school, commuting to school and physical activity. 7.2% of the boys (n = 162) and 7.5% of the girls (n = 158) had not eaten breakfast. After multivariable adjustment, a statistically significant association emerged between skipping breakfast and OW/OB in girls (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.17-2.36) but not in boys (OR 1.02, 95% CI 0.63-1.63). Because the study's results suggest an association between skipping breakfast and OW/OB only in first-grade girls in Iceland, sex-based differences should be further investigated to inform future strategies for preventing OW and OB in young children.

Girls’ Spatial Skills and Arithmetic Strategies in First Grade as Predictors of Fifth-Grade Analytical Math Reasoning

ABSTRACTThis study investigated longitudinal pathways leading from early spatial skills in first-grade girls to their fifth-grade analytical math reasoning abilities (N = 138). First-grade assessments included spatial skills, verbal skills, addition/subtraction skills, and frequency of choice of a decomposition or retrieval strategy on the addition/subtraction problems. In fifth grade, girls were given an arithmetic fluency test, a mental rotation spatial task, and a numeric and algebra math reasoning test. Using structural equation modeling, the estimated path model accounted for 87% of the variance in math reasoning. First-grade spatial skills had a direct pathway to fifth-grade math reasoning as well as an indirect pathway through first-grade decomposition strategy use. The total effect of first-grade spatial skills was significantly higher in predicting fifth-grade math reasoning than all other predictors. First-grade decomposition strategy use had the second strongest total effect, while retrieval strategy use did not predict fifth-grade math reasoning. It was first-grade spatial skills (not fifth-grade) that directly predicted fifth-grade math reasoning. Consequently, the results support the importance of early spatial skills in predicting later math. As expected, decomposition strategy use in first grade was linked to fifth-grade math reasoning indirectly through first-grade arithmetic accuracy and fifth-grade arithmetic fluency. However, frequency of first-grade decomposition use also showed a direct pathway to fifth-grade arithmetic reasoning, again stressing the importance of these early cognitive processes on later math reasoning.

The bilingual reading practices and performance of two Hispanic first graders

ABSTRACTThis qualitative study used a sociocultural lens to examine how two bilingual Hispanic first-grade girls demonstrated bilingual reading practices (i.e., heteroglossia and translanguaging) as they discussed and read texts in Spanish and English. One girl predominantly received school reading instruction in Spanish, while the other received school reading instruction in English. They both participated in Spanish reading at home. The school reading instruction employed Spanish or English versions of Success for All, and emphasized word recognition strategies appropriate for the language of instruction along with meaning-making strategies. In April, the two girls scored mid- to end-of first grade on a curriculum-based reading assessment in the language of instruction. Neither of them received biliteracy instruction. Their reading levels in the instructional language and exposure to the other language appeared to be sufficient for them to develop and demonstrate heteroglossic practices. Bilingual dynamic reading assessments and home reading sessions with a bilingual researcher revealed that both girls utilized bilingual reading practices to discuss and comprehend texts in their non-instructional or alternate language. One of the girls also used bilingual reading practices to discuss texts in the instructional language. To read in the alternate language, they both employed word-recognition and meaning-making strategies, which had been emphasized in their school reading instruction. However, one girl’s attempt to use a decoding strategy she had learned in English (i.e., onset-rime) to decode unfamiliar Spanish words did not work effectively. Implications are delineated for the bilingual reading instruction and assessment of young bilingual children.

Programming experience promotes higher STEM motivation among first-grade girls

The gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) engagement is large and persistent. This gap is significantly larger in technological fields such as computer science and engineering than in math and science. Gender gaps begin early; young girls report less interest and self-efficacy in technology compared with boys in elementary school. In the current study (N=96), we assessed 6-year-old children’s stereotypes about STEM fields and tested an intervention to develop girls’ STEM motivation despite these stereotypes. First-grade children held stereotypes that boys were better than girls at robotics and programming but did not hold these stereotypes about math and science. Girls with stronger stereotypes about robotics and programming reported lower interest and self-efficacy in these domains. We experimentally tested whether positive experience with programming robots would lead to greater interest and self-efficacy among girls despite these stereotypes. Children were randomly assigned either to a treatment group that was given experience in programming a robot using a smartphone or to control groups (no activity or other activity). Girls given programming experience reported higher technology interest and self-efficacy compared with girls without this experience and did not exhibit a significant gender gap relative to boys’ interest and self-efficacy. These findings show that children’s views mirror current American cultural messages about who excels at computer science and engineering and show the benefit of providing young girls with chances to experience technological activities.

Classroom-level adversity: Associations with children's internalizing and externalizing behaviors across elementary school.

Concerns regarding the social-behavioral maladjustment of U.S. youth have spurred efforts among educators and policymakers to identify and remedy educational contexts that exacerbate children's anxiety, depression, aggression, and misconduct. However, investigations of the influence of collective classroom student characteristics on individuals' social-behavioral functioning are few. The present study examined concurrent and longitudinal relations between adversity factors facing the collective classroom student group and levels of children's internalizing and externalizing behaviors across the elementary school years, and whether the pattern of relations differed for girls and boys. First-, third-, and fifth-grade teachers reported on the extent to which adversity-related factors (e.g., home/family life, academic readiness, social readiness, English proficiency, tardiness/absenteeism, student mobility, health) presented a challenge in their classrooms (i.e., classroom-level adversity [CLA]). Mothers reported on their child's internalizing and externalizing behavior at each grade. Autoregressive, lagged panel models controlled for prior levels of internalizing and externalizing behavior, mothers' education, family income-to-needs, and class size. For all children at each grade, CLA was concurrently and positively associated with externalizing behavior. For first-grade girls, but not boys, CLA was also concurrently and positively associated with internalizing behavior. Indirect effects suggested CLA influenced later internalizing and externalizing behavior through its influence on maladjustment in a given year. Discussion highlights possible methods of intervention to reduce CLA or the negative consequences associated with being in a higher-adversity classroom. (PsycINFO Database Record

Experiencing early childhood programs that promote students' developmental and educational outcomes

This study aimed to investigate the effect of passing preschool course on boy and girl first grade students adaptive behavior and academic achievement with the intelligence control. The research method was ex-post facto. The populations studied in this research concluded all first elementary school boys and girls students(N= 1800) in Behbahan city in the academic year of 2012-2013 . The study sample consisted of 320 first grade students selected by stratified sampling technique . They were divided into two groups of students who have passed the pre-school period (160 total, 80 boy and 80 girl ) and the students who have not passed it (160 total, 80 boy and 80 girl ). The Rutter Children’s Behaviour Questionnaire (Rutter, 1967) is a form by behavioral problems children aged between 6 to 13 identified by teachers or parents was completed by only teachers in this study . student academic performance was measured through their correct answers to the standard questions developed by Department of Education with regard to content and purpose of the training of first class . Raven’s colored Progressive Matrices Test ( Raven et al., 1990) was also used in this research . Results showed that first-grade girl students who have passed the pre-school had significantly higher academic performance and adaptive behavior than those students who have not passed with the intelligence control . Similarly , significant difference was found between first-grade boy students who have passed the pre-school and the students who have not passed it in terms of academic performance and adaptive behavior with controlling IQ. Key words: Preschool course, Academic Achievement, adaptive behavior intelligence

Renovation and Rejuvenation of Education system

Passing preschool course on boy and girl first grade students adaptive behavior and academic achievement with the intelligence control. The research method was ex-post facto. The populations studied in this research concluded all first elementary school boys and girls students(N= 1800) in Behbahan city in the academic year of 2012-2013 . The study sample consisted of 320 first grade students selected by stratified sampling technique . They were divided into two groups of students who have passed the pre-school period (160 total, 80 boy and 80 girl ) and the students who have not passed it (160 total, 80 boy and 80 girl ). The Rutter Children’s Behaviour Questionnaire (Rutter, 1967) is a form by behavioral problems children aged between 6 to 13 identified by teachers or parents was completed by only teachers in this study. student academic performance was measured through their correct answers to the standard questions developed by Department of Education with regard to content and purpose of the training of first class . Raven’s colored Progressive Matrices Test ( Raven et al., 1990) was also used in this research . Results showed that first-grade girl students who have passed the pre-school had significantly higher academic performance and adaptive behavior than those students who have not passed with the intelligence control. Similarly, significant difference was found between first-grade boy students who have passed the pre-school and the students who have not passed it in terms of academic performance and adaptive behavior with controlling IQ. Key words: Preschool course, Academic Achievement, adaptive behavior intelligence

A longitudinal analysis of early spatial skills compared to arithmetic and verbal skills as predictors of fifth-grade girls' math reasoning

This study was designed to examine early predictors of later math reasoning in girls. Specifically, girls' first-grade spatial skills were compared with first-grade verbal and arithmetic skills as predictors of spatial and verbal–analytical math reasoning in fifth grade (N=79). The first-grade girls were given assessments measuring: (1) spatial skills (WISC-IV Block-Design subtest, and 2-d and 3-d mental-rotation tasks), (2) verbal skills (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test), and (3) arithmetic skills (addition/subtraction). In fifth grade, girls were given a math-reasoning test, assessing both math reasoning-spatial (geometry/measurement items) and math reasoning-analytical (number/algebra items). The estimated path model accounted for approximately half the variance in math reasoning. First-grade spatial skills were the strongest predictors of both types of fifth-grade math reasoning. First-grade arithmetic skills significantly predicted math reasoning-analytical. Early verbal skills were not directly related to fifth-grade math reasoning, although there was an indirect pathway connecting them through early spatial skills. Thus, spatial skills, assessed by first grade, already function as key long-term predictors of analytical as well as spatial math-reasoning skills as late as fifth grade.

Spatial skills as a predictor of first grade girls' use of higher level arithmetic strategies

Girls are more likely than boys to use counting strategies rather than higher-level mental strategies to solve arithmetic problems. Prior research suggests that dependence on counting strategies may have negative implications for girls' later math achievement. We investigated the relation between first-grade girls' verbal and spatial skills and the strategies they used to solve arithmetic problems. The present findings are consistent with our hypothesis that individual differences in girls' use of higher-level mental strategies are related to differences in their spatial abilities. Spatial skills positively predicted frequency of use of both higher-level mental strategies (retrieval and decomposition), while verbal skills only contributed to the use of decomposition. Furthermore, the rate of use of the least sophisticated counting strategy was negatively related to spatial skills.

Longitudinal association between childhood impulsivity and bulimic symptoms in African American adolescent girls.

Using a longitudinal design, the authors of this study examined the relationship between externalizing problems and impulsivity in early childhood and symptoms of disordered eating in late adolescence. Participants were urban, African American first-grade girls (N = 119) and their parents who were participating in a longitudinal study examining the prevention of disruptive behaviors. Impulsivity, conduct problems, and oppositional defiant behavior were assessed by parent report via structured interview questions. At 9-year follow-up, bulimic symptoms were measured by the Eating Disorder Inventory. A hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to determine the longitudinal association among impulsivity, conduct problems, and oppositional defiant behavior and bulimic symptoms. Parental report of impulsivity in first-grade girls, but not conduct problems or oppositional defiant behavior, was associated with self-reported bulimic symptoms in the girls in late adolescence (p < .04). These results extend previous findings of a concurrent relationship between impulsivity and dysfunctional eating behaviors to a minority sample and further indicate that behavioral impulsivity in early childhood may be used to identify children for targeted prevention of disordered eating.

Young girls’ arithmetic and spatial skills: The distal and proximal roles of family socioeconomics and home learning experiences

Abstract The present study addressed girls’ ( N = 127) early numerical and spatial reasoning skills, within the context of a critical environment in which these cognitive skills develop, namely their homes. Specifically, proximal links between distal family socioeconomic conditions and first-grade girls’ arithmetic and spatial skills were examined (mean age = 6.72 years; SD = .34). The proximal roles of two factors were considered: the general learning characteristics of girls’ homes, and the kinds of math and spatial learning activities in which girls participated. General quality of the home learning environment and specific math activities mediated the relation between family socioeconomics and girls’ arithmetic skills. In contrast, socioeconomics and home learning experiences were related to girls’ spatial skills indirectly only through their verbal skills; spatial activities were not proximal predictors of spatial skills. For both arithmetic and spatial skills, mothers’ spatial skills were a strong predictor. Future research and intervention implications of these findings are discussed.

The Effects of an Instructional Intervention on Dual Language Development Among First-Grade Hispanic English-Learning Boys and Girls: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study

ABSTRACT In this article, we explore oral and reading development in Spanish and English for a sample of 70 first grade Hispanic English-learning boys and girls receiving a longitudinal English intervention and a comparison group of 70 boys and girls. Students were assessed at the outset of kindergarten and first grade, and the exit of first grade. Results showed that, on average, treatment students scored significantly better in dual oracy and Spanish literacy than control students. Girls demonstrated a faster rate in dual reading comprehension than did their boy counterparts. When the effects of treatment and gender were jointly examined, it is apparent that the treatment effect contributed to a larger proportion of variance compared to gender.

Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I Don't) (review)

Reviewed by: Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I Don't) Jeannette Hulick Bottner, Barbara . Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I Don't); illus. by Michael Emberley. Knopf, 2010. 26p. Library ed. ISBN 978-0-375-94682-0$20.99 Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-375-84682-3$17.99 R 5-7 yrs The first-grade girl who narrates this story is not a fan of the printed page, despite the best efforts of her enthusiastic school librarian, Miss Brooks, who regularly dons elaborate costumes and reads the class a dismaying (to the narrator) variety of books. When our protagonist has to find a story she likes to share with the class (and wear a corresponding costume) for Book Week, the girl grumpily despairs, until a comment by her mother ("You're as stubborn as a wart") finally leads her to her kind of book: William Steig's Shrek. Filled with new purpose, the girl happily practices her presentation, even making stick-on warts for her classmates to wear, and both librarian and student rejoice at this newly kindled passion for a book. Head and shoulders above the usual purposive pro-library materials, this will undoubtedly resonate with children who just haven't bought into the pleasure of books yet and also with the librarians or other adults trying to win them over. Bottner's comically wry, no-nonsense text ("I ask my mother if we can move to a new town. My mother says there's a librarian in every town") is a stitch to read aloud. Emberley's illustrations (drawn with pencil, then scanned and printed onto watercolor paper and painted with watercolor) are cheerfully casual, with the figures posed against lots of refreshing white space. The bespectacled girl in her slouchy striped sock cap, bedraggled brown hair, and overalls is clearly one tough (if short) customer, while Miss Brooks is a long, tall figure with a riot of sproingy brown hair (frequently bedecked with theme-appropriate accessories) and colorfully eccentric costumes. This would make a great beginning-of-the-year class read or preparation for a Book Week celebration for aficionados and resisters alike. Copyright © 2010 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Changes in physical activity in pre‐schoolers and first‐grade children: longitudinal study in the Czech Republic

The transition from kindergarten to first year at school is associated with a variety of psychosocial changes in children. The aim of this longitudinal study was to identify the changes in children's physical activity (PA) upon entry to first year at school; and to identify the days of the school week that exhibit low PA. We monitored the PA levels of 176 children twice: initially in kindergarten and again in first-year classes at school. The age (mean +/- standard deviation) of children at kindergarten was 5.7 +/- 0.5 years and 6.7 +/- 0.5 years at the first year of elementary school. We evaluated PA employing the activity energy expenditure (AEE - kcal/kg/day) from Caltrac accelerometer and daily amount of steps (STEPS) from Yamax pedometer. Participants were monitored over 7 days to include a weekend. The mean AEE was 11.5 in pre-school girls and 12.9 kcal/kg/day in boys; and STEPS were 9923 steps/day in girls and 11 864 in boys on weekdays. At weekends, it was 11.5 kcal/kg/day in girls and 12.7 kcal/kg/day in boys and 10 606 steps/day in girls and 11 182 steps/day in boys. The mean AEE and STEPS in first-grade girls and boys was 9.9 and 9.8 kcal/kg/day respectively, and 7911 and 8252 steps/day respectively on weekdays, and 8.8 and 9.0 kcal/kg/day and 6872 and 7194 steps/day respectively at weekends. First-grade school children had significantly lower PA than pre-school children on weekdays (P < 0.0001) and at weekends (P < 0.0001). Decline in PA on weekdays was during time spent at school (P < 0.0001) and not during after-school children's leisure time. The parts of the week when first-grade school children show low PA are the times spent in lessons and in after-school nursery and at weekends. PA needs to be promoted using intervention programmes mainly during the after-school nursery programmes and at weekends.

Gender Differences in Arithmetic Strategy Use: A Function of Skill and Preference

This study was designed to examine whether first-grade boys' use of retrieval and first-grade girls' use of manipulatives reflected gender differences in their abilities to use these strategies or gender differences in preferences for strategy use. Eighty-four first-grade students, 42 boys and 42 girls, from two suburban elementary schools participated in this study. The children solved basic arithmetic problems under two conditions: a free-choice condition in which they were allowed to solve the problems any way they preferred and a game condition in which the children's strategy use was constrained so that all children used the same strategies on the same arithmetic problems. Strategy use during the free-choice session replicated the findings of earlier research indicating that girls tend to use strategies utilizing manipulatives and boys tend to use retrieval. During the game condition, when we controlled the types of strategies children used on different problems we found that boys were as able as girls to calculate solutions using manipulatives. Girls, however, were not as capable as boys in their retrieval of answers to arithmetic problems from memory. No differences were found in error rates or speed of retrieval. Gender differences were found in the variability of correct retrieval, with boys being significantly more variable than girls.

Nepali children's ideas about emotional displays in hypothetical challenges.

Although culture plays an important role in specifying socially prescribed ways to communicate and act in emotional situations, few cultures have been studied. This study describes the ideas of 50 first-grade boys and girls (aged 6-9 years) from 2 different Nepali cultures (Tamang and Chhetri-Brahmin) regarding how they would feel and act in 6 emotionally challenging situations (e.g., peer conflict, family conflict). Significant cultural differences were found. Chhetri-Brahmin children were more likely than Tamang children to endorse negative emotions and to report masking negative emotion. These differences appeared to be related to socialization processes in the respective cultures. Chhetri-Brahmin mothers reported teaching their children about emotion, whereas Tamang mothers reported that children learned by themselves. The children's responses may reflect ideas about emotion regulation that emerge from the differing socioreligious contexts in which they live.

The Goodenough-Harris Drawing Test as a measure of field-dependence/independence.

This paper describes the use of the Goodenough-Harris Drawing Test as a valid and reliable measure to assess field-dependence/independence of 240 first- and 240 third-grade pupils. Scores on the Goodenough-Harris Drawing Test were correlated .95 and .87 with scores on the Articulation of the Body-Concept Scale for the first-grade girls and boys and .94 and .97 for third-grade girls and boys. Scores were also correlated with those on the Children's Embedded Figures Test. Correlations between the Goodenough-Harris Drawing Test and the Children's Embedded Figures Test were of similar magnitude to those between the Articulation of the Body-concept Scale and the Children's Embedded Figures Test.

The Development of Competence in Deriving Meaning from the Written Word

Abstract The ability of beginning readers to respond to the symbolic meaning of written words was investigated. Symbolic meaning was defined as “operative understanding” and was contrasted with perceptual recognition defined as “figurative understanding.” First-grade boys and girls (N = 42) who represented two contrasting reading programs were instructed to read aloud and to classify vocabulary words of familiar objects. Results indicated that although the written words were read accurately by both groups, neither consistently classified the words according to operatively based meanings. However, those children participating in a Piaget-based curriculum were significantly more likely to adopt classification strategies which focused on the operative aspect of written words than were children from a “traditional” curriculum. When these same items were presented in a pictorial rather than the written-verbal mode, a shift to responses based on operative similarity occurred for both groups.