The mathematical word problem-solving performance gap between children with and without math difficulties: does working memory mediate and/or moderate treatment effects?

This study determined the extent to which working memory (WM) played a moderating and/or mediating role in word-problem-solving (WPS) instructional outcomes between children with and without math difficulties (MD). A randomized pretest-posttest control group study investigated the effects of 8-week strategy instruction in one of four treatment conditions on WPS accuracy of third graders with MD (N = 136) when compared to children with (N = 28) and without MD (N = 43). Comparisons were made of three strategy conditions that included overt cues (e.g. underlining key sentences, filling in diagrams), another treatment condition that removed the overt cues (material-only), and two control conditions (children with and without MD). Four important findings emerged. First, posttest WM significantly predicted posttest WPS, computation, and schema accuracy independent of pretest and treatment conditions. Second, posttest WM mediated posttest WPS treatment outcomes when the control conditions included children without MD. Third, strategy conditions that included overt cues (e.g. crossing out irrelevant sentences) decreased WM demands compared to the Materials-Only condition (without overt cues) for children with MD. Finally, incremental attention allocation training within treatment conditions improved posttest WM in children with MD but not posttest WPS. Results indicated that WPS differences between children with and without MD across treatment conditions were mediated by posttest WM performance.

Technical adequacy of measuring teachers' knowledge of dyslexia.

Given the rapid growth in educational policies targeting educators' knowledge of dyslexia, this study explored the technical adequacy of a common instrument for measuring that knowledge. The responses of 1141 preservice teachers were scored in three ways: polytomously with the original 4-point Likert scale, dichotomously as true-false, and dichotomously as though the options were multiple choice. An exploratory factor analysis suggested at least one-third of the items needed to be removed. Confirmatory factor analyses suggested a one-factor model with polytomous scoring had the best fit to the data, but only six items loaded. All models demonstrated unacceptable internal consistency reliability (<0.70). Because no technically adequate version of the measure was identified, questions remain about basing policy on scores from these instruments. However, the findings indicated ways this type of measure might be improved.

The relation of bilingual cognitive skills to the second language writing performance of primary grade students.

The purposes of the current study were to examine the effects of cognitive and reading skills (i.e., working memory [WM], oral language development [OLD], and reading skills) on second language (L2) writing performance as well as the changes in these relationships across different grades among Spanish-speaking children learning English. A battery of measures assessing English and Spanish WM, OLD, reading skills, and English writing were administered to 494 English learners in Grades 1 to 3. Path analysis was conducted for each grade separately in both English and Spanish models. The findings indicated that the relationships between English writing performance and English cognitive and reading skills became stronger as the grades increased. However, the relationships between English writing and the Spanish cognitive and reading determinants were mixed, indicating a statistically significant relationship with Spanish WM and reading skills for Grade 2 and 3 students but not with OLD across all grades. Implications for L2 writing development are discussed.

Resiliency and vulnerability in early grades writing performance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To explore potential pandemic-related learning gaps on expressive writing skills, predominantly Hispanic (≈50%) and White (≈30%) primary-grade students responded to grade-specific writing prompts in the fall semesters before and after school closures. Responses were evaluated with an analytic rubric consisting of five traits (focus, organization, development, grammar, mechanics), each scored on a 1-4 scale. Data first were analyzed descriptively and, after propensity score weighting, with ordinal response models (for analytic scores) and generalized linear mixed effects models (for composite scores). Compared to first graders in 2019 (n = 310), those in 2020 (n = 203) scored significantly lower overall as well as on all rubric criteria and were more likely to write unintelligible responses. Second graders in 2020 (n = 194) performed significantly lower than those in 2019 (n = 328) in some traits but not all, and there was a widening gap between students who did/not score proficiently. A three-level longitudinal model analyzing the sample of students moving from first to second grade in fall 2020 (n = 90) revealed significant improvements, but students still performed significantly lower than second graders in the previous year. Implications for student resiliency and instructional planning are discussed.

Potential scoring and predictive bias in interim and summative writing assessments.

Interim and summative assessments often are used to make decisions about student writing skills and needs for instruction, but the extent to which different raters and score types might introduce bias for some groups of students is largely unknown. To evaluate this possibility, we analyzed interim writing assessments and state summative test data for 2,621 students in Grades 3-11. Both teachers familiar with students and researchers unaware of students' identifying characteristics evaluated the interim assessments with analytic rubrics. Teachers assigned higher scores on the interim assessments than researchers. Female students had higher scores than males, and English learners (ELs), students eligible for free or reduced-price school lunch (FRL), and students eligible for special education (SPED) had lower scores than other students. These differences were smaller with researcher compared to teacher ratings. Across grade levels, interim assessment scores were similarly predictive of state rubric scores, scale scores, and proficiency designations across student groups. However, students identified as Hispanic, FRL, EL, or SPED had lower scale scores and a lower likelihood of reaching proficiency on the state exam. For this reason, these students' risk of unsuccessful performance on the state exam would be greater than predicted when based on interim assessment scores. These findings highlight the potential importance of masking student identities when evaluating writing to reduce scoring bias and suggest that the written composition portions of high-stakes writing examinations may be less biased against historically marginalized groups than the multiple choice portions of these exams. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Effects of Professional Development on English Learners' Problem Solving.

Teacher preparation for problem-solving instruction is essential to meeting the math needs of English learners (ELs) with math learning disabilities (MLD) in U.S. public schools. In investigating this instruction with Hispanic ELs with MLD, this study focused on how professional development supported one special educator's implementation of effective practices for both academic language and problem-solving instruction. The professional development prepared the teacher for instructional and cooperative learning phases that faded prompting as students achieved independence in applying the problem-solving strategy. A multiple-baseline design was used to assess nine third-grade Hispanic ELs with MLD. As compared with the baseline phase, instructional scaffolding increased word problem solving for all the participants. All students' level of probe performance was maintained during follow-up sessions. The results suggest the intervention facilitated improved math problem-solving performance.

Shared Reading and Science Vocabulary for Kindergarten Students.

Kindergarten students commonly receive a limited amount of exposure to scientific concepts and informational texts. The present study used a multiple probe design across participants to determine the effects of shared reading instruction on three kindergarten students' science-related vocabulary acquisition in a virtual classroom during the Covid-19 pandemic. The interventionist delivered explicit vocabulary instruction by reading aloud a science picture book and intentionally pausing to define, explain, and discuss vocabulary words that were unfamiliar to young students. Researcher-developed vocabulary probes were administered every fifth instructional session and measured specific words taught during instruction. Results of virtual shared reading instruction indicate positive effects (Tau-U = 0.222-0.933) on kindergarten students' science vocabulary learning. Students, their instructor, and caregivers all perceived the shared reading instruction as beneficial for science vocabulary development. These findings suggest explicit science vocabulary instruction during shared reading is beneficial to students and feasible for teachers to implement in a virtual classroom. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10643-021-01288-w.

Farm Dinner Theater: Testing an innovative health and safety intervention among older farmers and their families.

PURPOSE: The effectiveness of a novel intervention for increasing health and safety behaviors of older farmers was tested. Blending didactic and readers' theater techniques, Farm Dinner Theater (FDT) engages farmers in discussions of health and safety in a nonthreatening social atmosphere supportive of potential changes. METHODS: Through community collaborations, farmers 45 years and older were recruited in 8 communities for the FDT. For each site, 3 scripts were prepared highlighting health and safety issues especially relevant for older farmers. The brief plays were performed in a dinner theater format, with group discussion following each play. Printed educational packets (EPs) addressing the same topics were mailed to comparison groups of participants in 9 communities. In telephone interviews conducted 2 weeks and 2 months later, 870 participants (553 FDT and 317 EP) reported health and safety-related changes they had made in their farm operations. FINDINGS: FDT participants were more likely than EP participants to report having made any changes and reported making more changes on both the 2-week and 2-month follow-up assessments. This outcome occurred when analyzing all farms and when considering only farms with at least 1 participant who spent 10 or more hours per week farming. CONCLUSIONS: FDT is a fun, relaxing intervention; it is acceptable to farming communities; and it is more effective in producing health and safety-related changes than the common approach of providing printed materials. FDT not only had a greater impact than EP, but it has the potential to reach larger audiences due to its greater appeal.

Ergonomic Auditory Alarm Signals for the Oil and Chemical Processing Industry.

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONSAuditory alarm signals are a safety measure that would benefit from improvement across many industries. There is a considerable research base that can be applied to the development and testing of audible alarms, though this is rarely done in practice. We describe a process that can be adopted in any area where audible alarm signals are widespread. A comprehensive approach to updating and improving auditory alarms requires consideration not only of individual alarm sounds but also of how the alarm signals will work together. We show the development and design of alarm signal sets following best practices from acoustic, psychoacoustic, and psychological knowledge to ensure that the resultant alarms are localizable, audible, easy to learn, appropriately urgency-mapped, and differentiable. We also describe benchmarking tests, and a protocol for thinking about how auditory alarm signals might be implemented in control rooms of different sizes.

Obesity and Work-Related Injuries Among Farmers in Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a recognized risk factor for work-related injuries (WRI). Despite the inherent safety hazards associated with farm work, research on obesity among farmers is limited giving little guidance to occupational health providers on obesity as a risk factor in farm WRI. This study evaluated the association between obesity and farm WRI. METHODS: Cross-sectional data were collected from farmers (n = 100) in Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Data included a survey (demographic data, farm factors, health indicators, occurrences of work-related injuries consistent with the definition of Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA] recordable injuries) and direct anthropometric measures (height, weight, and waist circumference). Logistic regression was used to model any work-related injury, injuries consistent with the definition of OSHA recordables (herein called OSHA-recordable injuries), and recurrent injuries occurring during farm work performance on body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. FINDINGS: Twenty-five percent of the participants reported any injuries, and 18% reported OSHA-recordable injuries. Farmers with a BMI ≥30 kg/m2 had 3 times the risk for OSHA-recordable injuries and 5 times the risk for recurrent injuries. No significant relationship was identified between waist circumference and farm WRI. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that increased BMI is a safety risk for farmers. Prospective studies with a larger sample are needed. Occupational health nurses and providers should educate farmers on the potential safety risk of obesity and implement weight management programs addressing obesity in farmers.

Changing Health Practices Through Research to Practice Collaboration: The Farm Dinner Theater Experience.

Production agriculture ranks as one of the most hazardous occupations in the United States, with older producers suffering 3.5 times the fatalities compared with their younger counterparts. Previous interventions have not significantly improved the health or work behaviors of farmers. Through careful collaboration among academics and Cooperative Extension agents, we developed, tested, and expanded a unique educational experience, Farm Dinner Theater (FDT), for farmers aged 45 years and more and their families across three states (n = 8 communities, 573 participants). More than 50% of the participants made health or safety changes following the theater. Communities requested more theater events, noting the realism and applicability of the content and the engaging atmosphere for discussion. Participants remarked that the theater should be used across all age-groups. The FDT project created a community of "champions" that synergized the initial research project and fostered expansion and sustainability of the intervention. Process evaluation guided refinement of the theater intervention and built trust, respect, and further cooperative work among all collaborators. Members of the FDT partnership have received national recognition and funding to upscale the concept. The number of FDTs has expanded under local leadership. A toolkit that resulted from the project is available to the public and is constantly updated as more adopters contribute insight and scripts. This article describes the collaborative theater concept and demonstrates how sustained translation from research to practice can be accomplished through continued community engagement, collaboration, and outreach.

Automaticity as an independent trait in predicting reading outcomes in middle-school.

Many middle-school students struggle with basic reading skills. One reason for this might be a lack of automaticity in word-level lexical processes. To investigate this, we used a novel backward masking paradigm, in which a written word is either covered with a mask or not. Participants (N = 444 [after exclusions]; nfemale = 264, nmale = 180) were average to struggling middle-school students from an urban area in Eastern Iowa that were all native speakers of English and were roughly equally from grades 6, 7, and 8 (average age: 13 years). Two-hundred-fifty-five students qualified for free or reduced-price lunch, a proxy for economic disadvantage. Participants completed different masked and unmasked task versions where they read a word and selected a response (e.g., a pictured referent). This was related to standardized measures of decoding, fluency, and reading comprehension. Decoding was uniquely predicted by knowledge (unmasked performance), whereas fluency was uniquely predicted by automaticity (masked performance). Automaticity was stable across two testing points. Thus, automaticity should be considered an individually reliable marker/reading trait that uniquely predicts some skills in average to struggling middle-school students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Predictors of Job Satisfaction in Female Farmers Aged 50 and Over: Implications for Occupational Health Nurses.

BACKGROUND: Over the past three decades, the number of female farmers in the United States has increased to nearly 1 million, yet research on this occupational group is limited. Job stress arising from job dissatisfaction in other occupations is associated with both acute and chronic diseases. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations of demographic characteristics, agricultural occupational factors, and health indicators with farm-work satisfaction among female farmers. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from the Sustained Work Indicators of Older Farmers Study (2002-2006) was used to examine older female farmers (N = 332) from North Carolina and Kentucky. This secondary data analysis used farm-work questions adapted from the Kentucky Farm Health and Hazard Surveillance Project to measure demographics and occupational factors, the 20-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale to measure depressive symptoms, and a single item from the National Health Interview Survey to measure self-perceived health status. FINDINGS: Controlling for demographic characteristics, work factors, and health indicators, the female farmers were more likely to report satisfaction with farm work when they had performed a greater number of agricultural tasks in the past year and if they had lower levels of depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS/APPLICATION TO PRACTICE: This study provides an initial basis for further research with women working in agriculture. Occupational health nurses, particularly those practicing in agricultural areas, can enhance their quality of care by having a greater understanding of the factors associated with farming and farm life that affect female farmers' overall health.

Interpreting the effectiveness of a summer reading program: The eye of the beholder.

In applying a methods-oriented approach to evaluation, this study interpreted the effectiveness of a summer reading program from three different stakeholder perspectives: practitioners from the school district, the funding agency supporting the program, and the policymakers considering mandating summer school. Archival data were obtained on 2330 students reading below benchmark in Grades 2-5. After propensity score matching participants to peers who did not attend the summer program, the final sample consisted of 630 students. Pre-to-posttest growth models revealed positive effects in Grades 2-4 (standardized slopes of .40-.54), but fifth graders demonstrated negligible improvement (standardized slope of .15). The standardized mean differences of propensity score matched treatment and control group students indicated null effects in all grade levels (d = -.13 to .05). Achieving proficient reading performance also was not attributable to summer school participation. Findings underscore the importance of operationalizing effectiveness in summative evaluation.

Exploring How Initial Response to Instruction Predicts Morphology Outcomes Among Students With Decoding Difficulties.

Children with weak decoding skills often struggle to learn multisyllabic words during reading instruction. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which initial response to morphological awareness instruction, along with specific language and cognitive variables (i.e., phonological awareness, rapid naming, orthographic knowledge/awareness, verbal comprehension, working memory), predicts responsiveness to morphological awareness instruction for third-grade students who were at risk for reading disabilities. Thirty-nine third-grade students with decoding deficits were assessed on five independent variables identified as critical predictors of future performance on morphological tasks. A series of regression analyses showed that initial response to instruction, compared to other cognitive and language variables, predicted the most variance in students' morphological skills with prefixes. Furthermore, two cognitive variables, verbal working memory and comprehension, were predictive of performance on morphological tasks after accounting for initial response to instruction. Findings from this study suggest that students with decoding deficits may benefit from morphological instruction and those who demonstrate low response to initial morphological instruction or have weak verbal comprehension and verbal working memory abilities could be risk for failing to acquire morphological instruction as expected.

Risk for Depressive Symptoms and Suicide Among U.S. Primary Farmers and Family Members: A Systematic Literature Review.

Background: About 84% of the agriculture, fishing, and forestry occupational sector is comprised of farmers. This sector is at high risk for suicide in the United States. Recent disasters and trade upheavals may make farmers and their families more vulnerable to depression and suicide. This review focused on the risk for depression and suicide among United States' primary farm operators and their families. Methods: A systematic search of the literature published between January 2000 and June 2019, using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology was conducted. Results: A total of 30 articles met full inclusion criteria. Seventeen reports emanated from the midwest. Twenty studies used a cross-sectional design, primarily assessing a convenience sample or random stratified sample from a limited geographic area. We discovered only one intervention evaluation study. Depressive symptoms were assessed as part of the studies, but it was not the major focus. A variety of instruments measured depressive symptoms, with the Centers for Disease Control Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) Scale used more frequently than other scales. Thirteen studies focused on the relationship between pesticide/chemical exposure and depression or suicide risk. Increased stress, poor physical health, compromised financial position, and previous injury were among the leading indicators of depression. Conclusion/Application to Practice: The limited number of studies that was discovered identified the need for more robust science where the risk for depression and suicide is the primary focus of the study and for intervention studies grounded in science. Occupational health providers should be vigilant about farm exposure and be aware of factors that may influence depressive symptoms of workers who operate farm establishments.

The effects of varied practice on the oral reading fluency of fourth-grade students.

To improve oral reading fluency rate and promote its generalization to unpracticed texts, this study investigated a Varied Practice approach that involved passages with a high proportion of overlapping words (M = 85% unique word overlap). Fourth graders were randomly assigned either to the Varied Practice treatment (n = 405), where they read three different passages one time each, or the Repeated Reading comparison (n = 422), in which they read the same passage three times each. Both groups read with a partner for about 20 min, 3-4 times per week, over an average 12 weeks (30 total sessions). Results indicated that students in Varied Practice demonstrated significantly better fluency outcomes than students in Repeated Reading, but both groups demonstrated growth near the 90th percentile. Results of a quantile regression revealed that low-to-middle achievers benefited from Varied Practice the most. Overall, the findings suggest fluency approaches rooted in statistical learning hold promise as an alternative to approaches focused on practicing words in redundant contexts.

Enhancing the one health initiative by using whole genome sequencing to monitor antimicrobial resistance of animal pathogens: Vet-LIRN collaborative project with veterinary diagnostic laboratories in United States and Canada.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of bacterial pathogens is an emerging public health threat. This threat extends to pets as it also compromises our ability to treat their infections. Surveillance programs in the United States have traditionally focused on collecting data from food animals, foods, and people. The Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN), a national network of 45 veterinary diagnostic laboratories, tested the antimicrobial susceptibility of clinically relevant bacterial isolates from animals, with companion animal species represented for the first time in a monitoring program. During 2017, we systematically collected and tested 1968 isolates. To identify genetic determinants associated with AMR and the potential genetic relatedness of animal and human strains, whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed on 192 isolates: 69 Salmonella enterica (all animal sources), 63 Escherichia coli (dogs), and 60 Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (dogs). RESULTS: We found that most Salmonella isolates (46/69, 67%) had no known resistance genes. Several isolates from both food and companion animals, however, showed genetic relatedness to isolates from humans. For pathogenic E. coli, no resistance genes were identified in 60% (38/63) of the isolates. Diverse resistance patterns were observed, and one of the isolates had predicted resistance to fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins, important antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine. For S. pseudintermedius, we observed a bimodal distribution of resistance genes, with some isolates having a diverse array of resistance mechanisms, including the mecA gene (19/60, 32%). CONCLUSION: The findings from this study highlight the critical importance of veterinary diagnostic laboratory data as part of any national antimicrobial resistance surveillance program. The finding of some highly resistant bacteria from companion animals, and the observation of isolates related to those isolated from humans demonstrates the public health significance of incorporating companion animal data into surveillance systems. Vet-LIRN will continue to build the infrastructure to collect the data necessary to perform surveillance of resistant bacteria as part of fulfilling its mission to advance human and animal health. A One Health approach to AMR surveillance programs is crucial and must include data from humans, animals, and environmental sources to be effective.

Poor sleep quality is associated with obesity and depression in farmers.

BACKGROUND: Farmers' work schedules can result in inconsistent sleep patterns which negatively impact health. PURPOSE: To explore the relationships between sleep, obesity, and depression in working, older farmers and their spouses. Covariates included body mass index (BMI), age, and gender. METHODS: Sleep quality, BMI, and depression were assessed in farmers (n = 1,394) 50 years and older. Bivariate associations among all covariates (i.e., age, gender, BMI, sleep) and dependent variable (i.e., depression) were analyzed using Pearson's correlation. Multivariable associations of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD). BMI with other study variables were assessed using linear regression. RESULTS: BMI was positively associated with sleep apnea symptoms (p ≤ 0.0001) and CESD scores (p = 0.0006). Participants with difficulty falling asleep were more likely to have poor sleep quality (p ≤ 0.0001) and higher CESD scores (p ≤ 0.0001). Poor sleep quality was associated with higher CESD scores (p ≤ 0.0001). Increased age, female gender, higher BMI, sleep apnea symptoms, and poorer sleep quality were all predictive of higher depressive symptoms. DISCUSSION: Farmers have unique lifestyles that increase the risk of poor sleep. Screening for sleep pattern disruption and understanding its impact could result in lower rates of depression and obesity in this group of high-risk individuals.

Suicide: An Unrecognized Epidemic Among Farmers.

Stress and depression are prevalent among farmers, and suicide has reached epidemic status. Occupational health nurses are in key positions to recognize these mental health issues and use strategies to control this epidemic.