The purpose of this study was to identify and describe teaching actions--embedded in the "Science Writing Heuristic approach," a systematic teaching approach that integrates literacy instruction and argument-based inquiry learning of science--supportive of the cross-disciplinary literacy expectations necessary to compete in the 21st…

Increased diversity in our schools and changes in legislation have prompted educators to address the needs of all students (U.S. Department of Education, 2003, 2008, 2009; State of Hawaii Department of Education, 2009). Two major responses have emerged to do this. One is to deliver the same curricula in the same way to all students (Cooper,…

The purpose of this study is to impact the teaching and learning of math of 2nd through 4th grade math students at Porfirio H. Gonzales Elementary School. The Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) model serves as the independent variable for this study. Its intent is to promote math instruction that emphasizes problem-solving to a greater degree…

Due to the controversial nature of previous research it is unclear whether music has positive or negative effect on cognition. Previous studies tested different styles and tempos of music, and have found that songs with faster beats distract learning. There have been numerous studies and each study refutes another study. Research has been done on…

As evidenced by the poor mathematics performance in American schools, specifically in the school district in the current study, providing identical educational opportunities for diverse students does not necessarily increase academic achievement for everyone. Differentiation is an instructional method that has been found to be successful in…

Background: The research on diagrammatic representations highlights their importance for the teaching and learning of mathematics. However, the empirical evidence to support their use in the classroom is mixed and somewhat lacking. Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop the use of diagrammatic representations of mathematical concepts in…

Though research has validated a link between principal leadership and student achievement, questions remain regarding the specific relationship between the principal and high-achieving learners. This association facilitates understanding about forming curricular decisions for high ability learners. The study was conducted to examine the perceived…

This mixed methods study examines factors associated with student learning outcomes for Mexican American students in the public elementary schools. The problem of disproportionate identification of cultural and linguistically diverse students in special education is addressed. This study looks at 23 third and fourth grade students by means of a…

This mixed methods case study examined the implementation of a 1:1 iPad initiative in a suburban, co-educational, independent, preK-4th grade elementary school in the United States. This article focuses on how teachers used iPads to differentiate instruction and across multiple content areas. Findings show the processes by which teachers employed…

School reform programs focus on making educational changes; however, research on interventions past the funded implementation phase to determine what was sustained is rarely done (Beery, Senter, Cheadle, Greenwald, Pearson, et al., 2005). This study adds to the research on sustainability by determining what instructional practices, if any, of the…

Teachers have the responsibility to educate a diverse group of students in heterogeneous classes. One way in which teachers meet this challenge is to differentiate the curriculum to meet the needs, interests, and abilities of each student. One particular group of students in need of a differentiated curriculum to maximize learning potential is the…

The focus of this study was to explore the relationship between the use of cooperative learning strategies and student achievement, and student perceptions of self-efficacy and motivation in mathematics. Teacher perceptions of the impact that cooperative learning strategies have on student achievement, intrinsic motivation, and self-efficacy were…

In this article, we present the results from a mixed-methods research study aimed to document indoor and outdoor fifth grade science experiences in one school in the USA in the context of accountability and standardized testing. We used quantitative measures to explore students' science knowledge, environmental attitudes, and outdoor comfort…

Since the beginning of the Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) program in the Study School District there has not been an evaluation of its effectiveness in reducing student discipline referrals and student suspensions and its success in promoting a positive learning environment leading to improved academic achievement. This study…

Context: The desire to provide useful, research-based information to policy makers and teachers poses a series of challenges for education researchers. These challenges include striking a balance between complexity and simplicity in the portrayal of teaching, addressing the potential conditional nature of what constitutes quality teaching, and…