Background: There is a growing emphasis of evidence-based program requirements being integrated into social welfare policies for youth care services in the U.S. This trend highlights the need for increased practitioner understanding and involvement in the research process to develop and implement evidence-based programs for youth with emotional…

One of the most difficult challenges to effective substance abuse prevention is finding the right balance between maintaining the fidelity of a science-based model prevention program and promoting adaptation of that program to reflect the circumstances of the community where it is being implemented. This state-of-the-art review, prepared for the…

The first step to meeting the fundamental aim of any educational institution is to understand clearly what the students need. Needs assessment is a tool educators can use to help meet this goal. Needs assessment data suggest the basis for plans, strategies, and practices that may ultimately lead to school improvement. This chapter reviews issues…

Linking older people and school children provides benefits for both groups. Describes intergenerational education programs and lists resources to help school districts obtain information on model programs and apply for funding. (MLF)

Residential care must be redefined, free from jargon and rhetoric. Over the past 20 years, the social welfare approach, which encompasses the medical model, has dominated legislative and practical thinking about residential care. This theoretical thinking reached its culmination in the concept of the therapeutic community. The therapeutic…

Describes a system in which questions tailored to the examinee's capabilities are administered by computer. Enumerates possible benefits of the system, reviews the "state of the art," and predicts potential applications of computerized adaptive testing. (MCG)

In response to increasing costs and growing reliance on external funding for college faculty research, a plan for promoting faculty success in gaining financial support for research is proposed. The plan is based on information in the literature concerning prerequisites for success in getting external support. (Author/MSE)

A brief literature review and a bibliography comprise this resource for educators interested in improving their students' critical thinking skills. The review lists terms that have been used to describe critical thinking, instructional methods that can be appropriate, and suggested characteristics of a critical thinking program. The 11-item…

Research concerning the success factors in language immersion education is reviewed, focusing on five major schools of thought. First, the traditional model for immersion research, implemented in a Montreal (Canada) suburb is examined. Then three studies of the influence of affective variables in immersion program success are examined, and it is…

Experiences with family and intergenerational programs in English Second Language (ESL) literacy are reviewed, and factors that contribute to their success are discussed. It is suggested that as the notion of literacy expands, conceptual boundaries of the population of learners must expand also. While there is much to be learned from existing…

This paper reviews research on the effects of separation or divorce on children and adolescents, and describes a structured small group counseling program for school counselors working with adolescents from changing families. The stated goals of the group program are as follows: (1) to clarify participants' feelings toward divorce; (2) to help the…

While foreign language instruction for elementary school children is gaining attention, poor articulation is a problem that has become more complex because of the variety of foreign language program models being developed. Five main types are in use: total immersion, partial immersion, foreign languages in the elementary school (FLES),…

The characteristics of Canadian language immersion, bilingual education, and modified immersion programs are described, and their characteristics are compared with research findings on the characteristics of effective dual language programs. The information provided is intended to assist policymakers, educators, and community leaders in making…

Small, sometimes multi-cultural, rural schools need specialized preservice teacher education programs to prepare teachers. After outlining the classroom, school, and sociocultural characteristics affecting a teacher's success and survival in a rural community, this paper discusses the apparent lack of rural content in teacher preparation programs…

A discussion of the field of clinical linguistics outlines the scope of the discipline, notes its relationship to other speech- and language-related fields, and describes the components of an undergraduate program for individuals in a linguistically relevant clinical field. It suggests general linguistics curriculum components for clinical…