Students with significant cognitive disabilities (SCD) almost always lack independence compared to their same-aged typical peers. To increase the independence of students with SCD, a dissertation project was conducted in the William Henry Middle School (WHMS) Intensive Learning Center - Academic (ILC-A) special education classroom. The purpose of…

Public school teachers are responsible for their students' academic achievement. Their primary role is to deliver academic material in a structured and safe learning environment. One thing that hinders their ability to execute this, however, is having to intervene on behaviors that interfere with optimal learning. These interfering behaviors,…

Many urban schools, throughout the United States of America, experience major academic challenges in preparing Kindergarten students to become proficient readers, to achieve academic success throughout the formal educational process. The purpose of this research study was to examine how the implementation of the Wilson Fundations Program, in an…

The capacity to read nonfiction text with understanding is of obvious and vital importance, yet many students struggle to do so. This randomized control trial extends previous research by contrasting the efficacy of a standard, or Comp, tutoring program with a second Comp tutoring program that included strategies for transferring learning to new…

This study presents the qualitative results of seven parents who taught their preschool-aged children reading skills using a Direct Instruction book, "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons" by Siegfried Engelmann, during a 2-month time frame. The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to explore the lived experiences of…

This mixed-methods outcomes study investigated the number of in-school and out-of-school suspension reports before and after the implementation of a preventative-based discipline method, classroom circles. The study was guided by five research questions, (1) What is the relationship between the use of classroom circles school-wide and ISS and OSS…

The ability to self-regulate one's learning is crucial to the success of all college students, but is particularly important to those who are considered to be underprepared; it puts students on a path towards successful course completion, subsequent course enrollment, and eventual graduation from a postsecondary institution. Those enrolled in…

The purpose of this experimental research study was to investigate the effects of using academic science-term vodcasts to provide vocabulary instruction, and more specifically, comprehension support in science to middle-school adolescents with and without LD. A total of 105 suburban middle school students, of which 17 presented with LD, were…

Classroom management is one of the most important factors contributing to positive learning outcomes for students. Despite its importance, many teachers report receiving no or insufficient pre-service training in evidence based classroom management practices (Darling- Hammond, Wei, Andree, Richardson, & Orphanos, 2009). New teacher attrition…

The purpose of this program evaluation was to evaluate the Direct Instruction programs, Reading Mastery and Corrective Reading, from SRA McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, which were being used as a school-wide reading intervention. These programs were implemented at a small elementary school in the Piedmont area of North Carolina beginning in the…

Many adolescent disruptive youth in Pennsylvania are removed from traditional school settings for externalizing behaviors including aggression, defying authority, poor relationships with peers and adults, disruptive behaviors, and bullying. Post-school outcomes of adolescent disruptive youth remain dismal, and these students are the most…

To attain academic goals, school personnel must effectively manage 20% of students who engage in the disruptive behaviors that interrupt instruction, create teacher stress, and contribute to poor student outcomes. Without effective strategies, school personnel often respond to disruptive students with ineffective authoritarian tactics,…

The purpose of this quasi experimental research study was to examine the effects of two direct instruction programs, SRA Reading Mastery Signature and SRA Reading Success on reading comprehension skill acquisition of middle school students who qualify as a student with a specific learning disability. Furthermore, the study was used to compare the…

Student misbehavior in the classroom is often reported as an area of concern for teachers. Having to focus on classroom management rather than content results in a loss of important instructional time, which can have a deleterious impact on student academic achievement. The purpose of the study was to examine whether a character education program…

Research and history has demonstrated the overwhelming disparity and gap of mathematical achievement between African Americans and their White counterparts. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the achievement gap on a national level is prevalent. The USA jurisdiction has Black 8th grade math students results at 12%…