In this discussion, we argue for those who are literacy educators to reframe gossip as a dialogic, feminist act in their teaching and interpretation of gossip as framed in the literature they teach in secondary English language arts (ELA) classrooms. Reframing gossip as a feminist act invites meaning-makers to view those conversations and…

This study examined the nature and frequency of error in high school native English speaker (L1) and English learner (L2) writing. Four main research questions were addressed: Are there significant differences in students' error rates in English language arts (ELA) and social studies? Do the most common errors made by students differ in ELA…

To make a spelling program more effective, use the children's spelling tests to analyse their errors and indicate spelling patterns. (JH)

A checklist is provided for assessing common errors in speech and language arts. Columns list matched sets of target skills and possible problem behaviors for educational diagnosis and intervention. Skills are divided into sections on language, articulation, voice, fluency and nonverbal communication including prosody, kinesics, and proxemics. (PB)

A table is presented to facilitate error analysis for students experiencing spelling difficulties. Common error patterns are listed along with possible sources of errors and sample words illustrating both stimulus and response according to the erroneous pattern or habit. The three most common error patterns are identified. (PB)

A checklist is presented to help structure systematic observation and diagnosis of students' handwriting. A breakdown of handwriting skills is accompanied by possible problem behaviors and related factors (such as grasp of writing instrument and motor skills) to consider in error analysis. The most common elements diminishing legibility are…

Discusses a study of fourth-grade students' spelling ability that was conducted in response to reports that students in a particular school district had poor spelling skills. (JC)

Reports on the effectiveness of a theoretically based computer spelling program designed to help learning disabled students practice lists of words. The program employs a type of computer response called Imitation-Plus-Modeling. (AEA)

The consistency of student response patterns on a test of language arts was examined in a set of studies as a first step toward designing a computer adaptive test to diagnose errors. (Author/LMO)

Grammar instruction has long been a troubling issue for many language arts teachers. This collaborative research between an elementary classroom teacher and university faculty, based on the assumption that grammar is most effectively taught in reading and writing, looks into the short- and long-term effect of error-based grammar instruction on the…

This paper describes the development of a language arts test to assess the consistency of student response patterns and the feasibility of using the test to diagnose students' misconceptions. The studies were part of a project to develop computerized adaptive testing for the language arts with software to diagnose student errors. The…

This chapter provides an overview of statistical issues arising in work on educational assessment and school accountability, organized around some of the most consequential misunderstandings. The article proceeds via a series of nine vignettes describing misunderstandings of statistical uncertainty in educational assessment and school…