Factors that influence and predict academic success of ESL students were studied to assist the Ministry with decisions related to curriculum development, resource allocation, and support provision. The comprehensive nature of this study is unique in that it presents the state of affairs of K-12 ESL education in Alberta. Best practice information…

This EdSource report summarizes the Initial Findings issued in October 2005 from a two-year study conducted by EdSource, Stanford University, University of California-Berkeley, and American Institutes for Research (AIR). In addition, this report includes information collected during the study but not previously reported (from superintendent…

I use the introduction of a competitive fellowship program for graduate students to test whether men and women respond differently to competition and whether this response depends on the gender mix of the group. Men experienced a 10% increase in performance in response to the program, with the largest gains for men in departments with the most…

Prejudice and discrimination against lesbian, gay and bisexual students, faculty, and staff on college campuses is an important issue that demands attention. Intolerance for the lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) community is often intensified by a lack of knowledge and understanding between heterosexuals and the LGB community, a problem that could…

In 1997, Vermont passed Act 60, which reformed its education finance system to achieve greater equality of spending. The reform encouraged wealthy towns to reduce spending; it was politically unpopular and was replaced, in 2004, by Act 68. We analyze the spending incentives created by the two acts and estimate the effects the change will have on…

The study investigated the effectiveness of a school-based movement programme for a population of 5 to 7 year old children. Performance profiles on the Movement ABC were used to classify the children and to assess skill changes over time. Children were assigned to four different groups: motor learning difficulty (n = 10), borderline motor learning…

This article presents a model of formative task-based language assessment implemented in the Chinese language program at the University of Iowa. The model was conceptualized from both empirical evidence, namely previous research done by other team members and me, and assessment theory, namely task-based learning and testing. Our formative…

This study aimed to provide an answer to whether a given seminar on total quality management (TQM) to primary school teachers can enhance their positive attitudes toward classroom management or not. The participants in this study were teachers working in Cengiz Topel Primary School and Yil Primary School. Both schools are located in Adiyaman, a…

This study examines two interventions for altering achievement goals in an effort to enhance academic success in struggling Introductory Psychology students. The procedures involved an in-class lecture and an interactive computerized tutorial. Both procedures were successful in altering motivation. This led to changes in study activities and…

The study of Jewish traditional texts in a "hevruta" learning setting (two people studying a text together) represents past as well as contemporary modes of Jewish religious and devotional study. More recently, "hevruta" learning has made its way into several contexts of professional development in Jewish education, including inservice settings…

This paper describes a Community Links Program (CLP) which preservice teachers completed as part of their third year early childhood Bachelor of Education course. The study examined preservice teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of the CLP in challenging them to reflect on their values and beliefs and in preparing them for teaching. It…

Second language anxiety has a debilitating effect on the oral performance of speakers of English as a second language. This article describes a research project concerning the conceptualization of second language speaking anxiety, the relationship between anxiety and second language performance, and the major reported causes of second language…

Preventative strategies are critical for the 5-15% of students at risk at the secondary level of intervention within the three-tier model of positive behavior support, and on the verge of developing more severe problem behavior. Two case studies illustrate how the use of social skills instruction and a self-management system can effectively…

A survey by the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) revealed that students' academic performance and interest in secondary school biology has been generally poor. This has been attributed to the current methods of instruction and the lack of instructional resources amenable to the study and proper understanding of such complex areas as cell…

This article focusses on defining the Parent Academy. The Parent Academy is a deeply ambitious, privately funded project aimed at improving students' education by improving their parents'. Since Miami-Dade County Public Schools superintendent Rudy Crew launched it last year, TPA has reached tens of thousands of parents through hundreds of free…