set 1982 : no. 2

Browsing is the most common way of choosing what book to read. Coming closely behind is selecting an author, and selecting a subject. However, men put choosing the subject first, and browsing wins only by averages. Those who read a lot mentioned more ways of choosing what to read than those who read less. Young adults have a wider range of ways of choosing than older people. Selecting a book because its author is known is most common amongst the over-sixties. The youngest age group is least… Read more

On June 12, 1982, a little book with a long title, Ko Ngā Kupu Pū Noa o te Reo Māori: The First Basic Māori Word List, was launched by the New Zealand Council for Educational Research. The 'basic-ness' of the words included in the book (there are about 800 of them) was determined by a combination of how often they occurred and how well they were distributed in the sources from which they were gathered. This article outlines the way in which the Basic Word List was developed and… Read more

It describes different types of solvent abuse, lists some of the signs and symptoms of sniffing, and makes some practical suggestions about ways of dealing with sniffing 'epidemics'. It is intended primarily for teachers and principals, but other professionals, including  those in health areas, may find it useful as background, especially in advising and counselling worried parents.

Of course fathers are important - aren't they? Fathers have always been important. Fathers provide for their families. Fathers supervise, discipline and train. Fathers teach children skills and how to survive in a harsh external world. Fathers, as Talcott Parsons said, play the instrumental role in a family leaving mothers the luxury of expressiveness.

Young children often play fantasy or pretend games. It's especially common between about 2 and 7 years or age. It starts in simple  ways. The Swiss psychologist, Jean Piaget described how as early as 15 months his daughter Jacqueline lay down on a cloth, sucked her thumb and blinked her eyes. Piaget thought she was pretending to go to sleep, and indeed Jacqueline laughed at the same time indicating that she was not being serious. The next day her mother's coat collar became… Read more

The term 'non-verbal test' is used to describe a range of paper-and-pencil tests designed to tap a selection of cognitive processes that are unlikely to involve verbal language. This does not mean that verbal instructions and verbal strategies have been entirely eliminated for all those who take these tests; it simply means that no words are included in the tests, the test content is of a non-verbal nature, and the responses to this content are unlikely to involve language.

The most gratifying academic research is that which helps to confirm something we already suspected to be true. That is why Dr Scott Armstrong, Associate Professor of Management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, has enjoyed so pleasing a response to his latest paper, at least from laymen.

In order to convey information and notions about time adults use a complex set of conventions. Of interest is children's ability to grasp and use these conventions.

Pupils with IQs in the range 70- 90 are usually in regular secondary school classes. They make up some 5% to 10% of the average first year high school intake. Such pupils are frequently reported to have difficulty with the traditional secondary school curricula, but their teachers seldom have any special training in the teaching of low ability pupils.

These scales are designed to obtain teacher estimates of a student's characteristics in the areas of learning, motivation, creativity, and leadership. The items are derived from the research literature dealing with characteristics of gifted and creative persons. It should be pOinted out that a considerable amount of individual differences can be found within this population; and therefore, the profiles are likely to vary a great deal. Each item in the scales should be considered… Read more