Predicting social and communicative ability in school-age children with autism spectrum disorder: A pilot study of the Social Attribution Task, Multiple Choice.

The Social Attribution Task, Multiple Choice is introduced as a measure of implicit social cognitive ability in children, addressing a key challenge in quantification of social cognitive function in autism spectrum disorder, whereby individuals can often be successful in explicit social scenarios, despite marked social adaptive deficits. The 19-question Social Attribution Task, Multiple Choice, which presents ambiguous stimuli meant to elicit social attribution, was administered to children with autism spectrum disorder (N = 23) and to age-matched and verbal IQ-matched typically developing children (N = 57). The Social Attribution Task, Multiple Choice performance differed between autism spectrum disorder and typically developing groups, with typically developing children performing significantly better than children with autism spectrum disorder. The Social Attribution Task, Multiple Choice scores were positively correlated with age (r = 0.474) while being independent from verbal IQ (r = 0.236). The Social Attribution Task, Multiple Choice was strongly correlated with Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales Communication (r = 0.464) and Socialization (r = 0.482) scores, but not with Daily Living Skills scores (r = 0.116), suggesting that the implicit social cognitive ability underlying performance on the Social Attribution Task, Multiple Choice is associated with real-life social adaptive function.

The Effect of Communication Strategy Training on the Development of EFL Learners' Strategic Competence and Oral Communicative Ability.

This study examines the effect of communication strategy instruction on EFL students' oral communicative ability and their strategic competence. In a 14-week English as a Foreign Language (EFL) course (English Use II) based on Communicative Language Teaching approach, 80 learners were divided into two groups. The strategy training group ([Formula: see text]) received CS training based on a training program designed for the purpose of the present research, whereas the control group ([Formula: see text]) received only the normal communicative course using Click On 3, with no explicit focus on CSs. The communication strategies targeted in the training program included circumlocution (paraphrase), appeal for help, asking for repetition, clarification request, confirmation request, self-repair, and guessing. Pre- and post-test procedures were used to find out the effect of strategy training on language proficiency and CS use. The effect of the training was assessed by three types of data collection: the participants' pre- and post-IELTS speaking test scores, transcription data from the speaking IELTS test, and 'Click On' Exit Test scores. The findings revealed that participants in the strategy training group significantly outperformed the control group in their IELTS speaking test scores. The results of the post-test transcription data also confirmed that the participants in the strategy training group used more CSs, which could be attributed to the CS training program. The findings of the present research have implications for language teachers, and syllabus designers.

La enseñanza postgraduada: garantía para aprender idioma inglés con propósitos específicos en enfermeros / Postgraduate teaching: a guarantee in the English language learning with specific purpose for nurses

En la Facultad de Enfermería de la Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Villa Clara se realizó una investigación de desarrollo de corte transversal durante el período de septiembre 2009 a noviembre de 2010 para contribuir al aprendizaje acelerado del idioma inglés con propósitos específicos en enfermeros. Se utilizó la metodología de la investigación cualitativa, con diferentes métodos, tanto teóricos como empíricos. El estudio arrojó un insuficiente desarrollo de las habilidades comunicativas en este rubro, por lo que se tuvo en cuenta la identificación de las necesidades de aprendizaje de estos profesionales en la enseñanza postgraduada y la carencia de propuestas de superación profesional en esta temática. Se elaboró un curso con los elementos antes determinados, este producto final fue valorado por especialistas seleccionados, ellos recomendaron su puesta en marcha.

At the Nursing Faculty in the University of Medical Sciences in Villa Clara, under the qualitative approach, a development study was carried out, to contribute to the accelerated learning of the English language with specific purposes in nurses. Different techniques were applied, for instance, questionnaires, interviews, etc. The results were contrasted. It was concluded that these professionals have not an appropriate level of development about the communicative competences in English. That is why, it was taken into account the identification of these professionals' learning necessities in the up-graded learning process and the lack of any other proposals. It was elaborated a course with the previous elements, accompanied by a material aid, and the methodological orientations. The final product was validated by selected specialists, they recommended its implementation at the University of Medical Sciences in Villa Clara.