Packed with useful tools, this practitioner guide and course text helps educators assess and teach essential literacy skills and strategies at all grade levels (PreK-12). All six literacy modalities are addressed--listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing, and visually representing. Chapters on specific literacy processes integrate…

The authors have been engaged in research focused on students' depth of learning as well as teachers' efforts to foster deep learning. Findings from a study examining the teaching practices and student learning outcomes of sixty-four teachers in seventeen different states (Smith et al. 2005) indicated that most of the learning in these classrooms…

This book provides a perspective on what standards for learning mean for daily practice in public education, offering teachers and administrators a four-part structure for organizing classrooms for teaching to the standards and giving teachers specific strategies for helping students reach the higher requirements. The four practices combine all of…

Assesses effects on student performance and retention of efforts to enhance learning in two introductory accounting courses through more opportunities for active learning, more frequent feedback on student progress, and better standardization of student performance evaluations. Reports improvements in student performance but no change in…

Contends that performance assessment, or authentic assessment, is changing the way teachers evaluate and grade students. Describes the differences between traditional assessment and performance assessment. Argues that performance assessment is particularly suited for the social studies curriculum. (CFR)

This book outlines 101 tried-and-true strategies for making teaching more effective. Grounded in research from the cognitive sciences and best classroom practices, the strategies are divided into the following areas: "Beginning With What Students Know: Activating Prior Knowledge" (e.g., visual sequencing, speaking categorically, and guided…

Contends that no single definition of critical thinking is widely accepted. Describes issues related to critical thinking and offers suggestions for demystifying the concept. Presents a framework for a psychology curriculum using performance-based assessment practices. (CFR)

Describes a technique using a color-coded holistic scoring system to achieve greater understanding of the assessment process on the part of students by having them score classmates' solutions to a problem. (MKR)

This booklet focuses on understanding authentic learning and assessment practices and their effect on students and teachers at the middle level. After an examination of what is meant by authentic learning, five guidelines are suggested for use in selecting authentic content for middle level students. Specifically, authentic materials: (1) should…

Provides of examples of performance-based assessments in three categories: (1) projects; (2) performances; and (3) question strategy sessions. Describes a typical performance-based assessment project including setting up the project, peer evaluation, the class presentation, and the test used. (CFR)

This book is intended to guide teachers as they include students with special needs. The 13 chapters are: (1) "The Foundation for Educating Students with Special Needs" (e.g., issues related to inclusion); (2) "Special Education Procedures and Services" (e.g., how students obtain special services); (3) "Professional…