Coaching with live observation and immediate performance feedback is an effective means to train paraprofessionals, but might not always be feasible. We used a multiple baseline across participants design with six paraprofessionals who taught elementary students with severe disabilities to test the efficacy of two innovations designed to improve…

Coaching with live observation and immediate performance feedback is an effective means to train paraprofessionals, but might not always be feasible. We used a multiple baseline across participants design with six paraprofessionals who taught elementary students with severe disabilities to test the efficacy of two innovations designed to improve…

Success for All (SFA), one of the best-known school reform models, aims to improve the reading skills of all children but is especially directed at schools that serve large numbers of students from low-income families. First implemented in 1987, SFA combines a challenging reading program, whole-school reform elements, and an emphasis on continuous…

Success for All (SFA), one of the best-known school reform models, aims to improve the reading skills of all children but is especially directed at schools that serve large numbers of students from low-income families. First implemented in 1987, SFA combines a challenging reading program, whole-school reform elements, and an emphasis on continuous…

First implemented in 1987, Success for All (SFA) is one of the best-known and most thoroughly evaluated school reform models. It combines three basic elements: (1) Reading instruction that emphasizes phonics for beginning readers and comprehension for students at all levels, and that is characterized by a highly structured curriculum, an emphasis…

Classroom teachers play an important role in the success of gifted programs. During the past two decades, researchers (Bigelow, 1993; Bransky, 1987; Milligan, 2001; Tomlinson, 2001) consistently reported more support from classroom teachers for gifted programming when the teachers had a greater understanding of giftedness. On the other hand, when…

A description is given of a staff development program designed to bridge the gap between regular teachers and teachers of gifted children. The program is based on the following concepts: (1) teachers must be provided with practical ideas that can be put into place immediately in the classroom; (2) teachers must feel ownership of their own…

This report examines the first 2 years of the Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI), whose goal is 100% literacy for all Alabama's public school children using a balanced approach to reading instruction. It includes results from the external evaluation team, examples of changes in teaching practices and student behaviors, as well as the voices of…

This study analyzed the potential of peer clinical supervision as an effective approach to the supervision of teachers and examined the many variables that affect the model's effectiveness. Eleven volunteer elementary school teachers participated in three training sessions designed to explore the conceptual nature of clinical supervision and to…

The Emergency School Aid Act (ESAA) provides financial support to schools for desegregation efforts in Portland, Oregon. This project involves six elementary schools which plan and implement programs and activities to meet the needs of 3,394 students, 667 of whom are members of minorities. Under ESAA, each elementary school develops a program…

This paper describes a study which explored the variables of teacher knowledge of content, teacher attitude toward the content, and span of time with regard to implementation of selected teaching practices in the elementary classroom. The 32 elementary classroom teachers who comprised the sample received 2 days of training in instructional…

The Reading/K-5 Language Arts Program of the Des Moines (Iowa) Independent Community School District is directed by its mission statement to provide a quality educational program to a diverse community of students where all are expected to learn. In 1996-97, the elementary instructional materials selection committee studied students' achievement…

A study examined the changing conceptions about the writing instruction of three teachers who participated in the Teachers College Writing Project. Three New York City elementary school teachers were selected from a larger sample of 10 teachers who participated in a larger study of the same project. The teachers were selected because they had…

The Children's Art Carnival (C.A.C) is a community arts organization founded in Harlem in 1969. The organization aims to improve the language skills of pupils with low academic achievement through intensive participation in creative arts activities. In 1983-84, the program served 305 second, third, and fourth graders from eight schools in…

This is an evaluation report on the 1979-1980 school year activities of a Title VII program entitled Systematic Approaches to Bilingual Education (SABE) that served Spanish speaking students in grades 1-5 in New York City. The report provides information on: (1) program goals and administration; (2) site selection; (3) program activities; and (4)…