The authors review some of the literature which discusses the controversy over the value of homework and then offer 11 prescriptions for teachers to follow when making homework assignments. They suggest the need for additional research into the learning processes in children. (KC)

This article reviews issues relating to using homework with students having learning disabilities and then identifies empirically validated and recommended practices, grouped into four categories: (1) management considerations; (2) assignment considerations; (3) student competencies; and (4) parent involvement. (DB)

Research findings indicate that homework gives parents a window on their children's school work and that families reshape their activities around homework. Principals, teachers, and parents need to cooperate in making homework policy and in deciding goals, evaluating present policies, and individualizing assignments. (MLF)

A synthesis of 15 empirical studies shows that homework consistently benefits elementary and secondary students' achievement and attitudes, especially if it is commented upon or graded. (MCG)

Increased pressure is facing many administrators today for teachers to assign more homework to students. Recent research is reviewed that correlates homework positively with student achievement, and the need for a homework policy in school districts is emphasized. (TE)

Three types of homework assignments are common in U.S. schools: practice, preparation, and extension. Reasons cited for assigning homework are: (1) Doing homework is useful as an act of intellectual discipline; (2) Homework eases time constraints on the amount of curricular material that can be covered; (3) Homework fosters student initiative,…

This report introduces the concept of syncretic literacy by examining an exchange in which a 6-year-old Samoan-American boy, in his urban Los Angeles (California) home, involves members of his extended family to complete homework. The study illustrates how English is sometimes used in ways that are consistent with the socialization practices…

This loose-leaf compendium, the first in a projected series of five, includes three types of brief research summaries: "topical synthesis,""close-ups," and "snapshots." The single topical synthesis, by Greg Druian and Jocelyn A. Butler is entitled "Effective Schooling Practices and At-Risk Youth: What the…

This article reviews the effects of homework on students with disabilities (especially learning disabilities or behavior disorders), the essentials of effective homework programs, and variables affecting home-school partnerships. It highlights three training packages: a cooperative learning teams-based approach for classrooms and two parent…

Discusses problems of sample selection in explaining student performance in economics classes. Reports on a study of student performance correlated with class attendance, course dropouts, and homework. Concludes that any researcher gathering data about instructional effectiveness must account for students who drop the class. (CFR)

This booklet is the second in a series on educational practices that generally improve learning. Based on the view that schools can work with families to improve the curriculum of the home regardless of the family's economic situation, the booklet focuses on parents as children's first and most powerful teachers and presents principles related to…