This article describes briefly home activities that parents can use to foster the reading-writing connection. These include storytelling, working with opposites, riddles, birthday cards, limericks, and other activities. (MT)

For many years, homework has been a topic of heated public discussion and concern of students, parents, teachers, and administrators. Perhaps the most crucial question regards its efficacy for improving academic achievement. This book combines the results of research studies and exemplary practices to provide guidance about homework to…

A program to help a child develop a powerful vocabulary and become a better reader is described. A starter kit containing specific kinds of books and a notebook is used. Kit suggestions for students in junior high school, grades three or four, and grades five or six are offered. (MT)

This document, which is intended for individuals responsible for advertising at National Home Study Council (NHSC) schools, explains how to test home study advertising. Presented first are the success stories of four NHSC schools that experienced significant enrollment increases and/or cost savings by testing their advertisements. Discussed next…

As students reach junior high school, differences in science attitudes and abilities emerge between boys and girls. This paper highlights the most common differences between boys' and girls' attitudes towards science and discusses some factors that contribute to gender differences in science. Several activities that parents can do with their…

Summarizes arguments of advocates and opponents of homework. Stresses that timing of assignments, nature of and reasons for giving assignments, clarity and completeness of assignment explanations, and treatment of completed assignments must be considered for homework to be an effective, joy-giving tool. Offers nine ideas for making homework more…

Discusses the issue of timed tests. Includes a take-home page for families on the topic of speed or timed tests. (KHR)

This article discusses how one teacher uses a weekend study buddy as a portable learning center for students (ages 5-9) with mild disabilities. The study buddy is a colorful cloth or paper bag that the students take home over the weekend. It can also be individualized to target particular needs. (Contains 8 references.) (CR)

The relevance of homework in today's schools is explored in this bulletin. Following the introduction, chapter 1 examines the effect of homework on academic achievement and concludes that there is a lack of agreement on the benefits of homework and on the amount of time students should spend on it. Chapter 2 describes homework practices in some…

Presents ideas to help parents enhance their children's creative writing at home by building upon what they learned at school. Suggestions include modeling respect for written words, reading aloud, providing good tools and a comfortable location, selecting topics, hearing the message behind the written words, and publishing the child's work. (SM)

A positive, practical approach to parent tutoring of children is presented in this booklet. Suggestions for how to listen and react to one's child, how to use associations to promote easy learning, and how to reinforce positive behavior and encourage independence are provided. Each chapter sets out a step-by-step system. An easy collaborative…

The second of two volumes, this prototype home-based study course for library/media/information personnel is designed to provide a better understanding of the complexity of human behavior and the motivational climate in an organization, and to enable course participants to contribute to the effective development of human resources in the library…

Lifelong learning is a major challenge for today's professionals. This home-study learning program offers a cost-effective means that allows learners to pace themselves in learning a body of knowledge in relation to their individual needs. A self-assessment questionnaire allows readers to assess their strengths and weaknesses in relation to the…

This guide, which is intended for parents in New South Wales, Australia, provides a description of primary school and its curriculum and guidelines for conducting learning activities with children both at school and at home. Introductory sections briefly discuss the topics of parents as children's first teachers, knowledge about children's…

Guidelines are presented to assist special educators in implementing homework practices. They include determining the amount of homework, deciding on the content of homework, selecting the type of homework, explaining homework to students, assisting students with their homework, motivating students to complete homework, evaluating homework, and…