New publications

This report, compiled by Access Economics, the Australian Childhood Foundation and Child Abuse Prevention Research Australia at Monash University, documents the financial, social and personal costs of child abuse. Abuse may be physical, sexual or emotional; it may involve neglect or exposure to family violence. Two different types of costs are calculated using two separate approaches. The first approach estimates the cost incurred by the Australian community associated with children who were abused or neglected in 2007. The second approach estimates the future costs to the community which will be incurred over a lifetime for the children who were abused or neglected for the first time in Australia in 2007. Adapted from executive summary.

The National Early Literacy Panel's (NELP) report in the USA provides recommendations for promoting the foundational skills of life-long literacy. The best early predictors of literacy include alphabet knowledge, phonemic awareness, rapid naming skills, writing (such as writing one's name) and short-term memory for words said aloud. Instruction on these skills may be especially helpful for children at risk of developing reading difficulties. More complex oral language skills also appear to be important. The report also identifies a wide variety of interventions and instructional approaches that improve a child's early literacy skills. NELP researchers looked as well at the role of environment and at child characteristics that may link to future outcomes in reading, writing and spelling. (Adapted from National Institute for Literacy news release, 9 January 2009. See also commentary in Education Week, 21 January 2009.)

This new edition of a popular text introduces and develops some of the important and beautiful elementary mathematics needed for rational analysis of various gambling and game activities. Most of the standard casino games (roulette, craps, blackjack, keno), some social games (backgammon, poker, bridge) and various other activities (state lotteries, horse racing) are treated in ways that bring out their mathematical aspects. The mathematics developed ranges from the predictable concepts of probability, expectation and binomial coefficients to some less well-known ideas from elementary game theory. The second edition includes new material on sports betting and the mathematics behind it; the Nash equilibrium concept and its emergence in popular culture; and internet links to games and Java applets for practice and classroom use. Adapted from publisher's description.

The Habits of Mind framework describes positive mental habits such as persisting, managing impulsiveness, listening with understanding and empathy, and thinking flexibly. This book provides descriptions and examples of the Habits of Mind; instructional strategies intended to foster acquisition of these Habits at school and at home; assessment tools that provide a way to gather evidence of student growth in the Habits of Mind; descriptions from schools, teachers and administrators about how they have incorporated the Habits of Mind into their practice; and examples of the effects that the Habits of Mind have had on students, staffs, individual teachers and their work, as well as on the culture of the school. Adapted from preface. See also selected chapters available online.

Copycats aren’t all the same. Some are dishonest, others merely confused. This is why Barry Gilmore presents a broad range of strategies for prevention. The book can be used to build students’ understanding of plagiarism and set expectations for academic honesty. Strategies are outlined to help students understand the seriousness of the issue, learn prewriting and research strategies that encourage originality, and write in their own voices. An accompanying study guide can also be used with colleagues to discuss and implement Gilmore’s prevention techniques. Adapted from publisher's description.

To resolve dramatic disparities in educational achievement and ensure that future workers are globally competitive, the US federal government needs to 'change the game' in public education. A robust new Office of Educational Entrepreneurship and Innovation within the federal Department of Education would expand the boundaries of public education by scaling up successful educational entrepreneurs, seeding transformative educational innovations, and building a stronger culture to support these activities throughout the public sector. Adapted from publisher's description.