This study investigated the comparability of scores for paper and computer versions of a writing test administered to eighth grade students. Two essay prompts were given on paper to a nationally representative sample as part of the 2002 main NAEP writing assessment. The same two essay prompts were subsequently administered on computer to a second…

This article reports classroom research on learners' perspectives on Web-based instruction that utilizes the "Blackboard" course management system. The Web-based instruction aims to provide and support collaborative learning while fostering learners' autonomy and accountability. The article also provides a description of the course…

This pilot study investigated the effects of allowing sixth-grade students in a rural south Georgia school to use stress balls during direct instruction and independent practice. Data from learning style inventories, surveys, journals, teacher observations, and formal assessments were collected for 29 sixth-grade students in a language arts class.…

As a university instructor and a language arts middle school teacher, the authors have been working collaboratively for the last three years. This article describes their collaborative efforts, including what they have learned about their students and about the process of learning through the work they have done together. To introduce their…

Based on the National Communication Skills Modules taught at the TAFE (Technical and Further Education) level in Australia, this book is designed to enhance written and oral business communication skills. It covers interpersonal skills, teamwork, and presentation skills in six chapters on the following topics: workplace communication, writing…

One of the requirements for students majoring in Bible in the undergraduate school of Philadelphia College of Bible (Pennsylvania) is writing research papers. The papers are designed to promote information literacy by developing research skills, sharpening writing skills, encouraging critical thinking, and promoting problem-solving skills.…

The lessons are designed to give newly-arrived, limited-English-proficient Cambodian immigrants to the United States linguistic and practical skills for gaining employment. An introductory section, in both English and Cambodian, outlines the origins and design of the materials. Ten lessons follow, each accompanied by a teacher's guide giving an…

The lessons are designed to give newly-arrived, limited-English-proficient Laotian immigrants to the United States linguistic and practical skills for gaining employment. An introductory section, in both English and Lao, outlines the origins and design of the materials. Ten lessons follow, each accompanied by a teacher's guide giving an overview,…

This booklet provides practical exploration of the use of narrative in the classroom with students and in teachers' personal and professional development. The various narrative forms are described in boxes throughout the booklet and include letter writing, storytelling, autobiographical accounts and several others. There are four "Your…

This curriculum package on communication is a product of the Workforce 2000 Partnership, which combined the resources of four educational partners and four industrial partners in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina to provide education and training in communication, computation, and critical thinking to employees in the apparel, carpet, and…

A range of case studies is presented that describes the idea that literacy is embedded in social contexts in different cultural settings. Organized by theme, the book illustrates both the differences and connections between cultural groups. Although the case studies span the whole age range, the book focuses particularly on the variety of use of…

This study assessed the factor structure of the LanguEdge™ test and the invariance of its factors across language groups. Confirmatory factor analyses of individual tasks and subsets of items in the four sections of the test, Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing, was carried out for Arabic-, Chinese-, and Spanish-speaking test takers. Two…

This instructor's guide outlines a model program designed to provide middle school students with an opportunity to participate in exploratory activities regarding the world of work and to understand the relationships between education and work. Described in the first part of the manual are the following futures week activities: a job interviewing…

Designed primarily for English faculty at two-year colleges in California, "Inside English" includes articles on instructional innovations in teaching remedial writing, literature courses, and freshman composition, and on major curricular, administrative, and employment issues in the field. The four issues of volume 12 include the following…

Written to accompany the Adult Basic Education (ABE) Level III reading skills workbook of the PATHWAYS Curriculum, this teacher's guide contains brief explanations of the various skills presented in the workbook, suggested teaching strategies, answers to workbook exercises, and a list of available commercial materials that may be used to…