Professional development (PD) is one way to maintain or increase teacher effectiveness in any number of domains. However, PD comes in many formats and with a wide range of evidence on its effectiveness -- both of which can shape teachers' perspectives of the PD even before they participate. The purpose of this research was to examine how…

The current paper retrospectively evaluates the efficacy of implementing a large-scale music education program into a regional cluster of Victorian primary schools. The program's primary aim was to increase access and quality of music education for students in these rural schools. The methods utilized to evaluate the program and the discrepancies…

Describes several types of literature-based language arts programs, and addresses major issues related to implementing such programs. Specifies the most significant characteristics of successful programs: those related to the classroom and the school, those related to the teacher and parent/caregiver, and those within the learner. Presents some…

To be effective in providing a writing literacy program, regardless of communication approaches, educators should establish program-wide conditions that promote English writing literacy over time. The researcher's purpose for this study was to identify shared characteristics of writing intervention programs in three different communication school…

Three comprehensive health education programs in Michigan were studied to examine curricular content, student outcomes, and cost-effectiveness. Programs differed in areas of teacher training time, materials, cost, and length of implementation time. Results are presented. (Author/DF)

This design for the second year of a study of elementary school reading instruction conducted by the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools' Department of Educational Accountability is based on knowledge gained from the first year of the study which examined not only reading comprehension instruction in the elementary school, but also school…

Presents survey results of 183 teachers in 13 elementary schools regarding read-aloud practices, stated benefits of reading aloud, favorite titles selected for reading aloud (grades k-6), and recommendations for planning read-aloud sessions. (NH)

This report describes compensatory education (CE) programs and compares their classroom activities with those of regular instruction programs. This report is part of an extensive series of studies on CE and its long-term effects. Data were collected through interviews, structured observations, and the generation of narrative protocols based on…

Argues for the consideration of five major components that must be addressed within each local school or school system: 1) curriculum; 2) methodology; 3) organization; 4) administration; and 5) staff development. Emphasizes the support and active involvement of the local superintendent of education in this reading improvement process. (RAE)

An examination of family literacy programs was made in this newsletter issue to reveal the trends and practices of these programs and their contribution to the development of children of refugee parents. The examination found that most effective and innovative programs recognize that literacy instruction is more effective when it is content based…

A discussion of the immersion approach to second language instruction contains: a description of the approach and its goals; a brief history of its introduction into public schools; a description of the most common immersion program designs (early total, early partial, middle or delayed, and late); a review of available information on program…

This study examines two types of inservice activities in the Netherlands. With the first, school-focused inservice education, continuing education activities are focused on the interests, needs, and problems directly related to one's role and responsibilities in a specific school setting. This focuses on teachers' concerns and needs as well as on…

Meta-analysis of 17 studies was conducted to determine the effectiveness of retaining elementary school students in grade. Calculations with data from the 17 studies produced 217 effect size measures, most of which were measures of differences in reading and mathematics achievement. Some measures of differences in social adjustment, behavior, and…

Project IRIS (Improving Reading Instruction School-Wide) is one school district's effort to improve reading instruction. The project's first three years have produced median reading gains of one year or more per student per year. Although the most important aspect of Project IRIS is school-wide commitment to improving reading instruction, other…

Developed for use in New York State elementary school social studies program evaluations, this guide outlines procedures and suggests the design of forms for identifying key questions, gathering and analyzing relevant data, and developing plans for program improvements. It is intended to assess strengths and weaknesses within current programs as a…