A study examined the spelling of reading disabled (RD) and average ability students within the context of the developmental lag hypothesis, which was then contrasted with a developmental difference hypothesis. Subjects were 38 regular class third graders and 18 average intelligence fifth graders receiving resource room assistance for reading…

A study proposed a sequenced process for inferring word meaning from context in order to investigate experimentally where, within the process, differences between learners of varying skill occur, and to discover the kinds of information students need in order to acquire vocabulary most effectively. Six five-step tasks, each designed around an…

Research suggests that students make judgments about writing at a very early age, but their interpretations of what makes writing good or bad differs in important ways from those of teachers or professional writers. An understanding of how children's evaluative criteria develop is critical to teachers in helping children become better writers.…

A study examined the effectiveness of using volunteer reading tutors to work with students who have reading difficulties. Changes in academic engaged time, active responding time, achievement, and student attitude were assessed, along with information from tutor evaluations. Subjects, nine intervention and eight control students with mild…

The study examined relationships between children's mastery motivation, self-assessment of performance, and task-related help-seeking behavior during task performance. A total of 79 average-achieving black elementary school students in the third- and fifth-grades, who varied in mastery motivation, performed a multi-trial verbal task and were given…

A study examined the effects of multi-age/grade instruction, compared to the traditional single-grade approach, on the reading achievement of fourth graders. Subjects, 22 fourth-graders in a single-grade class, were divided into instructional groups based on chronological age while the instructional grouping for 22 students in a combined fourth…

An informal study examined the impact of a simple behavior modification procedure on the reading habits of second and fifth grade students. Behavior modification theory was pared down to two rules ("reinforce proper behavior" and "reinforce anything close to proper behavior") so that no additional burdens would be placed on…

In order to (1) determine the cross-situational generalizability of self-monitoring behavior and (2) explore the correlation of self-monitoring behavior with other cognitive skills and achievements, 96 fifth-grade children were given three tasks assumed to measure the ability to self-monitor knowledge state during learning. During the first of two…

The Comprehensive School Mathematics Program (CSMP) is a program of CEMREL, Inc., one of the national educational laboratories, and was funded by the National Institute of Education (NIE). Its major purpose is the development of curriculum materials for grades kindergarten through 6. This is a report of the first year of a 2-year evaluation of the…

One hundred twenty-three fifth grade students participated in a study that investigated the role of prosodic cues in children's comprehension of discourse. The subjects, both good and poor readers, read, listened to, or read and listened to a story in one of four modes of visual and auditory presentation: (1) no audio, (2) normally intoned, (3)…

A study was conducted to examine computer programming as a problem solving activity. Thirteen fifth grade children were selected by their teacher from an above average class to use Apple IIe microcomputers. The investigator conducted sessions of 40-50 minutes with the children in groups of two or three. Four problems, incorporating the programming…

Describes classroom discussions with third and fifth graders based on William Glasser's "Schools without Failure". These discussions encouraged the teachers and children to experience their own feelings and understand others and to engage in democratic problem-solving activities. (SDH)

Students in this remedial reading program were given a chance to "turnabout" through the use of innovative materials and methods used in the program. Remedial instruction in reading and all the language arts was provided. The program utilized three paraprofessionals. The Random House High Intensity Training System was used with 180…

Fifty-one fifth grade girls and 50 fifth grade boys participated in a study of the effects, on interest and comprehension, of stereotyped and nonstereotyped sex roles in reading materials. Reading materials consisted of eight 450-word stories about a main character who was either a pilot or a ballet dancer. Two plots were written for each…

Fifth graders (18 boys, 15 girls) listened to tape recordings of adult male-female speaker pairs reading an identical passage and selected for each pair the speaker they would prefer to have as their own teacher. Girls selected female significantly more often than male speakers, and boys selected male more often than female speakers, but not…