Marijuana and alcohol use by high school students has continued to increase through the latter part of the 1970's. To gain information on the extent of this problem in their area, a school district in rural western Pennsylvania approved a study of drug and alcohol usage by the school district's 2,200 students. For reasons of confidentiality, all…

This evaluation study addresses the effectiveness of weekly attendance mailer letters sent to parents of students with irregular attendance patterns at 22 Detroit, Michigan, high schools. Three questions researched were: (1) Are the letters effective in reducing the occurrence of in-school truancy? (2) Are letters an effective means of…

Second language educators need to examine in greater depth the learning processes of young children in order to provide them with the kind of teaching they need in order to really learn. This means searching other fields to learn as much as possible about: questioning strategies and the development of critical thinking skills; hemispheric…

A study was conducted to determine which variables influence "high risk" women students to persist to graduation from a community college and which variables influence "low risk" women students to drop out of college. The study involved in-depth qualitative interviews with 17 returning adult women over 24 years of age. Study findings supported…

The development of fluency in beginning readers is a gradual process that often involves different oral strategies such as word-by-word reading, pointing to words, and reading aloud to oneself. A review of research related to these behaviors and to corresponding spelling behaviors suggests a number of implications for instruction, including the…

Two studies investigated the effects of training on how accurately observers (college students) decoded a complex nonverbal stimulus. In the first experiment, observers viewed silent videotapes of 16 third and fourth-grade school children who were listening to an easy or a difficult lesson. Half of the children were responding spontaneously, while…

A study was conducted in California to explore the extent of cheating, its relationship to personal and situational factors, and the actions of school personnel to promote academic honesty and responsibility. Questionnaires were completed by 1,037 sixth-graders, 2,265 secondary school students (mostly 11th-graders), and 109 school staff members.…

A study applied and evaluated an inservice model for teacher education based on Alderian techniques. Subjects were 24 elementary school teachers, in a southwestern metropolitan city, who volunteered for an inservice program. Teachers in this experimental group were matched to teachers in a comparison group on the basis of age range, sex,…

This report presents findings from the national research and reporting program, Monitoring the Future: A Continuing Study of the Lifestyle and Values of Youth, and is the sixth in an annual series reporting the drug use and related attitudes of high school seniors; the report covers the high school classes of 1975-1982. Two of the major topics…

A field experiment was conducted to determine whether descriptive-correlational results from classroom management research could be implemented by junior high school teachers, and whether such implementation would result in improved classroom management. An experimental group (18 teachers) received management manuals developed by researchers, and…

The goal of this unit is to assist students in understanding and practicing pro-social skills as alternatives to aggressive behavior. Intended for grades four to seven, the unit contains seven modules: (1) "Self-Appraisal"; (2) "Relaxation"; (3) "How to Listen"; (4) "Communicating Your Wants to Others"; (5)…

This manual describes a project developed to assist schools to help low-motivated students to increase their attendance and motivation, and to help reduce dropouts by enhancing students' self-image and increasing their success experiences in school. Each chapter contains a step-by-step outline for developing each stage of the program: (1) student…

The types of programs that can be established for behaviorally disordered (BD) students are discussed, along with behavioral monitoring systems and approaches to establishing staff and administrative support for programs. In addition, a checklist of program components for BD students is included. The following program alternatives are described:…

The teacher's role in documenting behavioral programs on individual education plan objectives for behaviorally disordered (BD) students is discussed, and assessment instruments are presented and reviewed. Student behavioral monitoring is examined using pre/post testing with standardized instruments, product measures that indicate progress or…

Difficulties of Puerto Rican children in adjusting to school in the U.S. mainland can be attributed to their family background and early schooling experience. Unlike the isolated, independent nuclear family unit usually found on the mainland, Puerto Rican families are extended and prize cooperation, socialization, respect for the male patriarch,…