This collection presents the best of 8 years of "Rethinking Schools," an education reform journal created in Milwaukee (Wisconsin) in 1986 by teachers vitally concerned with educational change. This volume contains 29 essays by classroom teachers, as well as pieces by such national reform figures as Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Herbert Kohl,…

This report is part of a multi-year project to examine the effects of standards-based assessment reform on schools and classrooms. During the past year, the project investigated school and classroom effects of assessment reforms in the state of Kentucky, a state that has been at the forefront of the standards-based assessment movement. This report…

Personality has largely been ignored or written off as a variable in second language learning. However, it should be considered as an alternative research perspective for four reasons: (1) the writing off of personality variables in second language research has been unjustified, and results from giving credibility to studies based on ill-conceived…

The purpose of this notebook is to assist educators who are designing and implementing inservice education programs to facilitate the effective use of computer integrated instruction (CII) in schools. It is divided into the following five sections: (1) Effective Inservice (a brief summary of inservice literature focused on inservice dimensions and…

Developed as part of a 310 Special Demonstration and Teacher Training Project undertaken at Brevard Community College in 1984-85, this training guide for new Competency-Based Adult Education (CBAE) teachers offers information on the CBAE concept, individualized instruction, selection of instructional materials, student orientation, and procedures.…

Communicative competence is often characterized as an integrated control of language reflected in the speaker's ability to understand and use language appropriately for communication in various situations. The theoretical basis for the communicative competence construct is the anthropological, sociolinguistc, and pragmatic view of language.…

Developed from a comparison of the writing performance of eighth grade students in Delaware with a representative national group, this writing resource guide provides a detailed description of the state's writing assessment procedure and offers educators guidance in evaluating student writing and improving student writing skills. After describing…

Based on research findings, public hearings, reports submitted by individuals and professional organizations, as well as on the training and experiences of the study committee, this report contains the findings and recommendations from a study of the English language arts programs in the North Carolina public schools. The first section of the…

Articulation remains a significant problem in language education as in education in general. The particular concern is that articulation is targeted toward programs and not toward learners. Specific language teaching methods, and use of more-uniform teaching materials and testing have been used to cope with the problem. However, a broader…

These proceedings of the Georgetown Round Table cover the international dimensions of bilingual education. The proceedings are divided as follows: (1) "Aspects of Bilingual Education," which includes discussions of models, bilingual communities, and positive bilingualism; (2) "Parameters of Bilingual Education Policy," which includes discussion of…

To meet the need for advanced placement (AP) calculus instruction in Virginia schools faced with a teacher shortage and small enrollments, the Virginia Department of Education in cooperation with schools and television stations is developing a high technology advanced placement credit course. The course has eight components: (1)…

Two studies were conducted to extend the application and explore the parameters of the concept tree and rational set generator instructional design techniques. The first study was conducted with high school English students. Results indicated that students who studied the concept tree performed no differently on the classification tests than…

This presentation attempts to describe the current situation of French language instruction in the United States. As far as materials are concerned, there is a general tendency to emphasize communicative skills. Less attention is paid to literature, and more to the day-to-day activities of young French or Canadian people. Textbooks are generally…

This guide attempts to help local planners develop and implement curricula which will provide each student in Connecticut with equal opportunity for a suitable program in foreign language instruction. With a focus on K-12 programs, the guide provides an overview of current philosophies, objectives, methods, and materials in the foreign language…

TO COMPARE THREE METHODS OF TRAINING FOR READING IMPROVEMENT, 56 EXECUTIVES OF ONE CORPORATION WERE DIVIDED INTO FOUR GROUPS, EQUATED ACCORDING TO READING RATE, READING COMPREHENSION, READING INDEX, MENTAL ALERTNESS SCORES, AGE, AND VOCABULARY. GROUP A WAS TRAINED WITH THE AID OF ALL AVAILABLE COMMERCIAL EQUIPMENT INCLUDING THE HARVARD FILMS, THE…