Mind In Children Research Articles

Neural bases of Theory of Mind in children with autism spectrum disorders and children with conduct problems and callous‐unemotional traits

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have difficulty understanding other minds (Theory of Mind; ToM), with atypical processing evident at both behavioural and neural levels. Individuals with conduct problems and high levels of callous-unemotional (CU) traits (CP/HCU) exhibit reduced responsiveness to others' emotions and difficulties interacting with others, but nonetheless perform normally in experimental tests of ToM. The present study aimed to examine the neural underpinnings of ToM in children (aged 10–16) with ASD (N = 16), CP/HCU (N = 16) and typically developing (TD) controls (N = 16) using a non-verbal cartoon vignette task. Whilst individuals with ASD were predicted to show reduced fMRI responses across regions involved in ToM processing, CP/HCU individuals were predicted to show no differences compared with TD controls. The analyses indicated that neural responses did not differ between TD and CP/HCU groups during ToM. TD and CP/HCU children exhibited significantly greater medial prefrontal cortex responses during ToM than did the ASD group. Within the ASD group, responses in medial prefrontal cortex and right temporoparietal junction (TPJ) correlated with symptom severity as measured by the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS). Findings suggest that although both ASD and CP/HCU are characterized by social difficulties, only children with ASD display atypical neural processing associated with ToM.

Islamic Education and Multiculturalism: Engaging with the Canadian Experience

Canada has a long history of immigration by diverse ethnic minority groups arriving in the hope of establishing economically successful – yet socially and culturally distinct – communities based on particular values and beliefs not necessarily shared by the ethnic majority. In recent years however the arrival of new immigrants whose values differ from the mainstream has intensified the multicultural debate, as the aspirations and needs of ideologically-motivated minorities feel current policies and institutions marginalize their values and beliefs (not dissimilar to that historically encountered by Canada‘s indigenous people). As a result of these social divergences, the secular state and orthodox religious groups often compete for the hearts and minds of children. Consequently as Muslim communities in Canada seek to protect their children and youth from perceived negative outside influences so Islamic schools have been established. Such schools face particular challenges in negotiating the tensions between their aspiration to preserve Islamic values and wider socio-political pressures to integrate into Canada‘s multicultural society as a whole. This article engages with this tension to uncover and explore the nature of Islamic education and its potentially contested relationship with Canada‘s multicultural ideals. In concluding it reflects on possible ways in which multicultural-Islamic education tensions might be ameliorated.

Calming a Child's Mind

Calming a Child's Mind

Understanding minds: Early cochlear implantation and the development of theory of mind in children with profound hearing impairment

ObjectiveThe present study investigates how auditory stimulation from cochlear implants (CI) is associated with the development of Theory of Mind (ToM) in severely and profoundly hearing impaired children with hearing parents. Previous research has shown that deaf children of hearing parents have a delayed ToM development. This is, however, not always the case with deaf children of deaf parents, who presumably are immersed in a more vivid signing environment. MethodsSixteen children with CI (4.25 to 9.5 years of age) were tested on measures of cognitive and emotional ToM, language and cognition. Eight of the children received their first implant relatively early (before 27 months) and half of them late (after 27 months). The two groups did not differ in age, gender, language or cognition at entry of the study. ToM tests included the unexpected location task and a newly developed Swedish social–emotional ToM test. The tests aimed to test both cognitive and emotional ToM. A comparison group of typically developing hearing age matched children was also added (n=18). ResultsCompared to the comparison group, the early CI-group did not differ in emotional ToM. The late CI-group differed significantly from the comparison group on both the cognitive and emotional ToM tests. ConclusionThe results revealed that children with early cochlear implants solved ToM problems to a significantly higher degree than children with late implants, although the groups did not differ on language or cognitive measures at baseline. The outcome suggests that early cochlear implantation for deaf children in hearing families, in conjunction with early social and communicative stimulation in a language that is native to the parents, can provide a foundation for a more normalized ToM development.

A New Look at Theory of Mind in Children with Ocular and Ocular-Plus Congenital Blindness

Introduction Delays in theory of mind (ToM) of children who are congenitally blind have often been attributed to the absence of visual and social experiences. However, these delays could also be partly due to neural factors. In some children, the blindness itself has neural causes (ocular-plus blindness). Children whose blindness has an ocular-plus cause may be more delayed in ToM than children with blindness due to ocular causes. Methods In the current study, performances of children with congenital ocular-plus blindness ( n = 22) and congenital ocular blindness ( n = 9) were compared with sighted children ( n = 103) on ToM tasks designed for children with blindness. Results Compared with sighted children, ToM performance was delayed in children with ocular-plus blindness, but not in children with ocular blindness. Discussion ToM development in children with congenital blindness could be related to factors other than the loss of a sensory function and the lack of visual social and communicative experiences. Implications for practitioners The specific ToM deficits in children with ocular-plus blindness may help in developing new research paradigms that consider delays in ToM in children with congenital blindness.

Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Revealed by Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis in a Child

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a severe life-threatening disorder, responsible for extensive phagocytosis of hematopoietic cells and causing a multisystem organ failure. If lymphomas are common causes of HLH, the association with Hodgkin's lymphoma is rarely described in children. We report a case of a 9-year-old boy presenting with HLH as an initial manifestation of Hodgkin's lymphoma. He has been suffering from persistent high fever, asthenia, weight loss, and hepatosplenomegaly with no lymphadenopathy. The diagnosis of HLH secondary to infectious disease was initially worn. The patient received high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin with broad-spectrum antibiotics. However, his state got worse with the onset of dry cough and pleural effusion. Histopathologic examination of pleural fluid showed the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells. The outcome was favorable after treatment by corticosteroid and chemotherapy. Hodgkin's lymphoma revealed by HLH is a source of delayed diagnosis and should be borne in mind in children.

Cytomegalovirus Retinitis in an ALL Child during Maintenance Therapy Treated Successfully with Intravenous Ganciclovir.

Purpose. In here we described cytomegalovirus retinitis (CMVR) in 12-year-old male patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who was on maintenance phase therapy. Methods. He was referred to our clinic for seeing of spots with the right eye for 3 days. At presentation, his best corrected visual acuity was 20/20 in the right eye and 20/20 in the left eye. Slit-lamp biomicroscopic examination of the anterior chamber of the left eye was within normal limits, whereas we observed 3+ anterior chamber cellular reaction in the right eye. On retinal examination, we found active retinitis lesions (cream-colored lesions associated with hemorrhages) and perivascular cuffing in the retinal periphery in the right eye. Left eye was normal. Results. On the basis of clinical picture, we made the diagnosis of CMVR in the right eye. Vitreous aspiration was performed and 23096 copies/mL of CMV DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. The patient was successfully treated with intravenous ganciclovir for two weeks and discharged with oral valganciclovir prophylaxis. Conclusion. CMVR should be in mind in children with ALL on maintenance phase therapy even in those without hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. These patients can be treated successfully by intravenous ganciclovir alone.

Clinical characteristics and outcome of children with electrical status epilepticus during slow wave sleep.

Background:Electrical status epilepticus in slow wave sleep (ESES) is a rare, age-related, self-limited disorder characterized as epilepsy with different seizure types, neuropsychological impairment in the form of global or selective regression of cognitive functions, motor impairment, and typical electroencephalographic (EEG) findings of continuous epileptic activity occupying 85% of nonrapid eye movement sleep.Aims:The aim is to examine the clinical and electrophysiological findings and treatment modalities of children with ESES and to evaluate the outcome of the disorder.Materials and Methods:Fourteen patients with a diagnosis of electrical status epilepticus during slow wave sleep and followed-up at least 2 years were included.Statistical Analysis:Pearson correlation test was used in the study.Results:Among the 14 patients, eight of them had normal mental development before ESES. Twelve of the patients mentioned cognitive impairment and decline in school performance during ESES. After ESES, seven patients had mental retardation in different severity. One of these patients was diagnosed with benign partial epilepsy of childhood with centrotemporal spikes and had normal intelligence quotient level prior to ESES. The diagnosis of ESES was made after newly occurred different seizure types in four of the patients while two of the previously known epileptic patients presented with only severe psychiatric impairment. Valproic acid and carbamazepine were the mostly frequently used drugs before the onset of ESES. After at least 2 years of follow-up, seven patients were seizure free, but still taking antiepileptic treatment. Five patients were seizure free, while two of them had ongoing seizures despite antiepileptic therapy.Conclusion:ESES should be kept in mind in children with unexplained regression or stagnation of development associated with seizures or not. Sleep EEGs should be performed for timely diagnosis, proper treatment and prevention of permanent cognitive impairment.

EPA-0936 - Stimulants improve theory of mind in children with attention deficit/hyperactive disorder

Impairments in ‘theory of mind’ (ToM) were linked to social cognition and reciprocal relationships deficits in children with attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Twenty-four children with ADHD (13 with inattentive type and 11 with combined type, mean age 10.2 years) completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), a self-reported empathy questionnaire. All children performed the ‘faux pas’ task and a computerized ToM task in two different sessions either with or without administration of methylphenidate (MPH). Administration of MPH was associated with an improvement in cognitive and affective ToM. Children with ADHD-combined type had significantly lower scores in total IRI and the fantasy scale compared to children with ADHD-inattentive type. We conclude that deficits in empathy and ToM may play an important role in the impairments in social cognition and peer relationship in children with ADHD, especially children a hyperactive component. Stimulants may improve ToM and empathic functions. Future studies including larger samples and additional cognitive tasks are warranted in order to generalize these results and to identify possible underlying mechanisms for improvement in ToM following the administration of MPH. Baseline With MPH Post-hoc t tests P-value Faux Pas Recognition Accuracy Overall Score, mean (SD) 8.87 (1.15) 9.54 (0.83) n/a Control stories 4.66 (0.48) 4.79 (0.41) -1.00 0.32 Faux Pas stories 4.21 (0.78) 4.75 (0.53) -3.41 <0.01 ToM computerized task Overall Score, mean (SD) -0.0996 (0.57) 0.1900 (0.52) -2.64 0.02 Cognitive Index -0.0079 (0.30) 0.1279 (0.29) n/a Affective Index -0.0917 (0.29) 0.0621 (0.25) n/a

EPA-1660 – The child is father of the man

’The Child is father of the Man,’ thus goes a famous line in William Wordsworth's celebrated poem,’My Heart Leaps up when I Behold.’ It is not that a child gives birth to an adult, as is obvious, but that events in childhood shape adulthood, the adult personality; its worldview, its emotions, interpersonal relationships and – unfortunately – its pathology. There has been an on-going controversy between the roles of nature versus nurture in the development of personality. The tabula rasa theory maintains that the child's mind is like a blank slate on which experience writes the personality. On the other hand, the epigenetic model says that the personality and its pathology are already pre-conditioned, but they unravel in the due course, like the unpeeling of an onion, or blossoming of a flower. Our own Hindu concepts have many things to add to this. Our sanskara theory says that everything is important and contributes to the personality. In a way, it can be viewed as a holistic theory of genetics.

The CID Lens: Looking at Children’s Drawings Using Content, Interpretive, and Developmental Methods

For many years, researchers have tried to comprehend the meaning of children's drawings (Kindler, 2010). They assumed that children express their emotions and their personality in their pictures, including conscious and unconscious fears, hopes, trauma, conflicts, and fantasies, opening a window to a child's mind and soul (Cox, 1992; Di Leo, 1983; Kavanagh, 1998; Kolbe, 2005; Krenz, 2004; Malchiodi, 1998). However, as Rubin (1984) observed: deciphering a child's symbolic art messages is a complex, shifting and variable (74). The aim of this research was to critically analyse relevant interpretations of children's art, to find commonalities in various methods and to determine their effectiveness in particular for the analysis of children's drawings. Further, it aimed to find a workable method for educators to interpret children's drawings. The research employed a qualitative approach, using comparative document analysis to critically examine methods for analysing children's drawings. Several methods of analysing children's drawings have been suggested, including looking at drawings in relation to a child's development, classifying the content of the artworks, and trying to understand children's art from various other perspectives and interpretations. This resulted in the identification of three method categories for analysing children's art: developmental analysis, content analysis, and interpretive analysis, with three approaches from each method selected and trialled with children's drawings. The research question was: How can we, as educators, make sense of children's drawings? Findings from this study demonstrate a need to move from monopolistic to holistic methods of interpreting children's drawings, from a content-dominated analysis to one that includes interpretive and developmental methods. By combining existing methods into an easier-to-apply form, teachers will be better equipped to take on the task of interpreting children's drawings. The content-interpretive-developmental (CID) method of analysing children's drawings was created as an outcome of this study, with suggestions for approaches within this method to get a rich understanding. Further, this research suggests that children's art provides great insight into children's learning and development; and that children need to be guided beyond stereotypical drawing. The arts, often overlooked in schools, need to be seen as important components of curriculum, as they offer great benefits for the developing child. Educators would be interested in the meanings and messages of the child's artwork as a way of understanding the whole child and as a way to support the child's learning in an individual and personalised way.

Impacts of Scary Television Programmes on children Psychology, Attitude and Behavior

The television programmes influence the perception, behavior and attitude of children negatively and positively. This study was conducted in the District Headquarter town in Dharamshala. The data was collected through circulating both Hindi and English questionnaires to the 100 children during their shopping, playing, and their free time hours at different places. The sample for this study was chosen randomly. The study finds out that scary television programmes have a negative impact on the children behavior, psychology and their attitudes specifically who watch more television than other children. The impact of these television scary programmes remains more than three months on children mind. The fear of unknown and darkness dominate their manner of study. Key Words: Scary, Psychology, attitude, horror, Television, Movies.

10.5937/specedreh13-5428 = Theory of mind acquisition in children and adolescents with mild intellectual disability

Theory of mind is the ability to attribute mental states (such as beliefs, desires, intentions and emotions) to self and others, in order to predict and explain observable behavior. The development of these abilities, which are essential for successful social interactions, social responsiveness and harmonious relations in everyday life, is delayed in persons with intellectual disabilities. The objective of this research was to determine the attainment of the theory of mind in school-age children with mild intellectual disability, using first order and second order false-belief tasks, as well as the relationships between theory of mind and age, sex, intellectual level and bilingualism. The acquisition of first and second order theory of mind was estimated on a sample of 120 children and adolescents with mild intellectual disability, aged 8 to 16, using Sally-Anne unexpected transfer test (Baron- Cohen, Leslie, Frith, 1985). More than two thirds (68%) of the participants were successful on the first-order theory of mind task, while 48% of them passed secondorder theory of mind task. The acquisition of the theory of mind follows normal course of development. The Chi square test revealed that there were no significant effects of sex, intellectual level and bilingualism on performances on either the first or second order theory of mind tasks. On the contrary, significant differences between studied groups were found with regard to certain indicators of their socioeconomic status.

BRAINSTORM Towards Clinically and Scientifically Useful NeuroImaging Analytics

Event Abstract Back to Event BRAINSTORM Towards Clinically and Scientifically Useful NeuroImaging Analytics Joshua Vogelstein1*, Sharad Sikka2, Brian Cheung2, Ranjit Khanuja3, Qinyang Li3, Yan Chao-Gan3, Carey Priebe1, Vince Calhoun4, R. Jacob Vogelstein1, Michael Milham3 and Randal Burns1 1 Johns Hopkins University, United States 2 Nathan Klein Institute, United States 3 Child Mind Institute, United States 4 Mind Research Network, United States We desire to transform clinical psychiatric practice to take advantage of the vast technological strides in contemporary neuroimaging. We propose three complementary steps will help facilitate this transformation. First, the construction of a computing platform to store and process large datasets. Second, methods to calibrate measurements across individuals and instruments. Third, tools to convert such measurements into clinically useful analytics. We are developing BRAINSTORM to address these three concerns. First, a high-performance compute cluster and associated scientific database, called "BrainCloud", for storing, managing, and efficiently querying both multi-modal neuroimaging and rich phenotypic data. BrainCloud will be seeded with data already available from the International NeuroImaging Data Initiative [1] as well as the Mind Research Network [2]. Moreover, BrainCloud will include a simple one-click upload interface so that additional research and clinical facilities can contribute to the growing data corpus. Second, a robust pipeline optimized to pre-process multimodal image data to infer multi-modal attributed connectomes (MACs). We are developing a highly configurable pipeline [3] that enables us to search for an optimal representation of data for subsequent inference via non-parametric reliabilities estimates. Third, streaming decision theoretic manifold learning algorithms [4] that yield clinically useful outputs, as well as provide insight into brain/behavior relationships. To date, most statistical and machine learning algorithms natively operate on vector valued data; but our data are far more complex: responses to psychological instruments and multimodal images. We are developing complementary tools that natively operate on non-Euclidean data and "stream", meaning that they continue to learn as new data becomes available. [1] http://fcon_1000.projects.nitrc.org [2] Scott, A et al. Front. NeuroInf., 2011 [3] Sikka, S. Resting-State, 2012 [4] Priebe, CE. arXiv:1112.5510 Keywords: Neuroimaging, Imaging Technologies, data storage, method development, Software Development Conference: 5th INCF Congress of Neuroinformatics, Munich, Germany, 10 Sep - 12 Sep, 2012. Presentation Type: Poster Topic: Neuroinformatics Citation: Vogelstein J, Sikka S, Cheung B, Khanuja R, Li Q, Chao-Gan Y, Priebe C, Calhoun V, Vogelstein R, Milham M and Burns R (2014). BRAINSTORM Towards Clinically and Scientifically Useful NeuroImaging Analytics. Front. Neuroinform. Conference Abstract: 5th INCF Congress of Neuroinformatics. doi: 10.3389/conf.fninf.2014.08.00057 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 21 Mar 2013; Published Online: 27 Feb 2014. * Correspondence: Dr. Joshua Vogelstein, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States, jovo@jhu.edu Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Joshua Vogelstein Sharad Sikka Brian Cheung Ranjit Khanuja Qinyang Li Yan Chao-Gan Carey Priebe Vince Calhoun R. Jacob Vogelstein Michael Milham Randal Burns Google Joshua Vogelstein Sharad Sikka Brian Cheung Ranjit Khanuja Qinyang Li Yan Chao-Gan Carey Priebe Vince Calhoun R. Jacob Vogelstein Michael Milham Randal Burns Google Scholar Joshua Vogelstein Sharad Sikka Brian Cheung Ranjit Khanuja Qinyang Li Yan Chao-Gan Carey Priebe Vince Calhoun R. Jacob Vogelstein Michael Milham Randal Burns PubMed Joshua Vogelstein Sharad Sikka Brian Cheung Ranjit Khanuja Qinyang Li Yan Chao-Gan Carey Priebe Vince Calhoun R. 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Heitor Villa-Lobos e Getúlio Vargas: Doutrinando crianças por meio da educação musical

In Brazil, from 1932 to 1945, Heitor Villa-Lobos participated in the authoritarian regime of Getúlio Vargas as music educator and what could be construed as an indoctrinator of the regime's ideologies. Villa-Lobos implemented a program of music education in schools that sought to promote discipline among children while socializing them and educating them about aspects of the ethnic and socio-cultural formation of Brazilian people. Although Villa-Lobos had sketched his program of music education with ostensibly purely educational intentions, Vargas appropriated Villa-Lobos's program and used it as a tool to homogenize the government's nationalistic ideologies among children. This article demonstrates that, despite Villa-Lobos's original educational intentions, he increasingly aligned his program with the government's nationalistic ideologies and consciously instilled these ideologies in the minds of children, becoming, in essence, an indoctrinator of the regime.

From Greek ruins to a Child's Mind

Narratives have always been part and parcel of religious studies from great myths to the intriguing little stories we collect in the fileld. However, narrative is also used by researchers as a tool to reflect on theoretical issues. As researchers we are first and foremost human beings, and any human uses narrative in order to contruct meaning, raise questions, and connect broader reflexions with practical experience. This interview with Professor Armin W. Geertz is a narrative journey into the experiences and reflections of a researcher, who has left a clear mark on the dynamic research area: religion, narrative and cognition.

Adaptação curricular e o papel dos conceitos científicos no desenvolvimento de pessoas com necessidades educacionais especiais

http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1984686X7675O trabalho fundamenta-se na teoria histórico-cultural, a partir de Vygotski, e nos Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais: Adaptações Curriculares (1998), objetivando discutir a importância da aprendizagem de conceitos científicos (os conceitos aprendidos mediante instrução formal/escolar) para o desenvolvimento dos alunos com necessidades educacionais especiais. Caracteriza-se como um ensaio teórico, apoiado em pesquisa bibliográfica. O eixo da discussão está na ideia de adaptação/flexibilização curricular, uma vez que não há inclusão real sem considerar a individualização do ensino para atender às especificidades dos alunos. A importância atribuída ao currículo escolar e aos conceitos científicos nele visados assenta-se na premissa vygotskiana de que aprendizagem promove desenvolvimento – de acordo com Vygotski, a sistematização e conscientização entram na mente da criança através do aprendizado dos conceitos científicos. Devido à importância desses conceitos, é preciso cuidado ao pensar nas adaptações curriculares; sob justificativa de adequar o ensino e o currículo às especificidades dos alunos que apresentam necessidades especiais, muitas vezes, se abre mão dos conteúdos formais, pressupondo que não estariam ao alcance desse aluno, especialmente daquele em que as dificuldades são mais acentuadas. Concluiu-se que é a aprendizagem – aprendizagem de conceitos científicos – que alavanca o desenvolvimento cognitivo, então é nesse ponto que a escolarização deve investir. É imperativo lutar por uma escola inclusiva onde, de fato, se aprenda – aprenda conteúdos.

Wake Up Missing by Kate Messner (review)

Reviewed by: Wake Up Missing by Kate Messner Alaine Martaus Messner, Kate Wake Up Missing. Bloomsbury, 2013 [272p] ISBN 978-0-8027-2314-7 $16.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 5-8 Ever since twelve-year-old Cat Grayson fell from a tree while birdwatching, the lingering effects of a concussion have left her dizzy and confused, easily tired and forgetful. So when Cat and her family hear about the revolutionary treatment for brain injuries available at the I-CAN clinic, deep in the Florida Everglades, they jump at the chance to participate, even if it means leaving Cat alone in the care of the clinic’s mysterious if friendly doctors. Before long, though, odd things about the clinic start to make Cat nervous, and with the help of a new friend, she uncovers a dangerous secret: the clinic is part of a covert government program designed to implant the DNA of famous scientists into the minds of children and raise a new team of super-geniuses who will develop weapons for the military. Soon Cat and her fellow patients are on the run through swampland infested with poisonous snakes and enormous alligators, desperate to save their minds and themselves by finding an adult who will believe them. This fast-paced, compelling science thriller offers up plenty of suspense and action designed to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Regular but subtle references to unsuspected traps create an undertone of lurking danger and, alongside Cat’s early suspicions, allow the tension to build from the very beginning. At the same time, Cat’s desperation to return to her old life makes it believable that she would maintain hope, even in the face of the increasingly undeniable truth. The DNA plotline heads toward over the top, but the underlying science of concussions is fascinating and likely to be of interest to young readers who have been warned about the dangers of not wearing a helmet. Copyright © 2013 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Off to Class by S. Hughes

Hughes, Susan. Off to Class: Incredible and Unusual Schools Around the World. Toronto: Owlkids Books, 2011. Print.The United Nations may have declared education a basic human right, but that does not mean it is accessible to all. Across the world over 100 million kids are not receiving a basic education. This photographic account will open the eyes and minds of both children and adults who will be amazed and inspired by stories of real children facing challenges in their quests to get an education in some very unconventional situations.Toronto-based author Susan Hughes has penned a very readable, interesting, and sometimes alarming collection of first-hand accounts. Divided into 3 sections (‘Working with the Environment’, ‘No School? No Way!’ and ‘One Size Doesn’t Fit All’) Hughes’ book details 23 schools in 14 different countries. Each school is presented in a 2 page spread with colour photographs alongside regional facts, imagery and often with an interview of a student or adult who has committed to make a difference in these children’s lives. A small colour map indicates where the school is which corresponds to a larger map of the world showing the locations of all schools highlighted.Many environmental issues are investigated, from schooling after a natural disaster such as Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana, USA and creating a ‘boat school’ in monsoon regions such as Bangladesh. Schools in refugee camps, caves, tree houses and portable schools made of bamboo are fascinating but tough educational issues are also discussed; poverty, homelessness, gender inequality and the impact of HIV/AIDS. Many Canadian students will be humbled to read about their peers around the globe.A section of follow-up resources and a brief index are included. This book is appropriate for school libraries and students in the upper elementary and middle school years.Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Debbie FeisstDebbie is a Public Services Librarian at the H.T. Coutts Education Library at the University of Alberta. When not renovating, she enjoys travel, fitness and young adult fiction.

The Emergence of Symbolic Principles: The Distribution of Mind in Early Sign Making

This paper considers the extent to which the earliest stages of learning about systems of inscription requires not just individual mental effort, but effort that is distributed across a wide physical and intellectual environment. It is particularly concerned with how children under the age of three learn about notational systems, including writing, and examines parallels with the evolution of written systems. It considers the position that children gain knowledge incrementally over the early months and years of life, supported by a commonly accepted view that learning is a mental activity in which knowledge accumulates hierarchically in the minds of individual children, starting with smallest parts of the system. The paper presents evidence to the contrary, suggesting that the early learning of inscriptional systems is associated not just with individual minds, but with social and cultural cognition that is dispersed across minds, bodies, tools, and material environments. It presents data and evidence from a small study of the sign-making of children under the age of three that indicates that children of this age already use notations purposefully in the construction of signs that are intentional, multimodal, and unbounded, and that already have features associated with conventional systems of inscription. In their early sign-making they use certain underlying principles of symbolic reference associated with conventional systems, including the use of ‘generic’ structures derived from social, bodily, and material experience. Central to this process are networks of interactions between co-participants, tools, materials, and the physical environment.