By viewing standardized reading tests as a unique genre that could be taught, the author designed a two-week genre study for her reading workshop. The article describes how she planned, taught, and reflected on the unit. This genre study resolved some of the dilemmas she faced around preparing students for mandated testing. (Contains 1 table and 2…

This review looks at the reform movements in the nation's two most populous states--Texas and California. Both states are in a desperate pursuit to demonstrate student competency of standards and achievement by way of student performance on standardized tests to meet federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) compliance. In examining the accountability…

Information is provided on results from the Second International Mathematics Study conducted in 1981-82 in 236 eighth-grade classrooms in the United States. Content taught, teacher characteristics, types of instruction, attitudes, knowledge, and comparisons with students in other countries are discussed. (MNS)

In this theoretical article, we take an exercise to be a collection of procedural questions or tasks. It can be useful to treat such an exercise as a single object, with individual questions seen as elements in a mathematically and pedagogically structured set. We use the notions of dimensions of possible variation and range of permissible change,…

In the social studies classroom, study can be motivated through techniques that insure success. These include testing techniques that guide and guarantee success, inquiry teaching centering on challenging mysteries, attention-getting techniques, and information that allows students to "show off". (JH)

A three-factor design was used to determine the effects of testing frequencies and feedback delays on college students' achievement in a beginning calculus course. Four test-period frequencies--daily quizzes (5-10 minutes), weekly quizzes (20-30 minutes), three midterm exams, or one midterm exam--were used. Two feedback-delay-levels for test…

Several teaching conditions were employed with weekly testing or midterm-final testing used in each. Academic performance of students was found to differ significantly as a function of both teaching conditions and testing methods. Post-course student evaluation was significantly different as a function of the two schedules. (Author/DEP)

Suggests that giving students two copies of a language test allows the student the opportunity to check his answers, know his results immediately, and possibly add points to his original score through self-correction. (CHK)

"How can the children learn," parents ask, "when they are having so much fun? How can they learn when all they do is play?" Examines the work of educational theorists in answering such questions. (Author/RK)

Teachers who state lesson plan topics in the form of a problem, who state objectives in terms of specific skill performances expected, and who construct test questions to assess the skills involved are taking important steps towards maximizing their success as inquiry teachers. (Author)

Experience and insight derived from teaching literature are presented. (Editor)

Report describes and makes a preliminary assessment of a data simulation computer program at the University of Michigan. (MF)

Surveys the main results obtained in a study of syntactic ambiguities in English, and discusses their most important implications for general and applied linguistics. Concludes that awareness of the linguistic treatments of ambiguity can be of great help to the teacher in developing students' competence. (MES)