This digest links the development of listening comprehension to the emerging reading comprehension of young American Indian students, and suggests ways that teachers can use locally produced materials to enhance young students' emergent literacy. Reading comprehension is the key to literacy, and prior knowledge supports listening and reading…

This book of instructional activities for grades seven through eight contains Delaware's State Content Standards for English Language Arts. The standards were developed in 1985 by a committee of teachers representing all grade levels. Used as a basis for curriculum planning in school districts throughout Delaware, the standards were designed to…

The Rasch model for test analysis is a latent-trait model, which specifies the relationship between observable test performance and the unobservable traits or abilities assumed under test performance. In most cases, the test constructor has no clue as to whether the latent traits postulated by the model are indeed the abilities he wants to…

A replication of a previous study assessed the construct validity of a national test for academically oriented Swedish upper secondary students. The analysis consisted of a comparison of test results of 10 percent of the Swedish test population to results obtained from a sample of native English speakers of the same age. Analyses of the Swedish…

A discussion of pronunciation instruction in English as a second language begins with comments on preparing for pronunciation work in the classroom and goes on to examine the rhythm of English and the characteristics of intonation. The chapter on preparing for pronunciation work focuses on: accounting for learner variables, motivating learning,…

Ranging across the language arts spectrum in the elementary school curriculum, this compilation of 36 essays is divided into eight main sections: (1) issues, theory, and philosophy of a language arts curriculum; (2) reading (includes "Developing the Reading Curriculum,""Determining Reading Levels," and "Reading: Basics versus Problem Solving)";…

Prepared for intermediate and secondary teachers and students, this unit is intended to improve public speaking, listening, and memory skills of students and to teach them about the Ojibwe tribe, its leaders, and the values expressed in their speeches. Introductory material provides a brief history of the Ojibwe tribe and discusses the oral…

This paper presents an instructional model for thinking skills and discusses implementing the model. Based on a unitary theory of human cognition and some basic assumptions about the conditions for successfully intervening in public education, the model can be implemented at any grade level within any instructional framework. Currently used models…

This syllabus will assist administrators and teachers in New York state in helping students meet the Regents Action Plan requirement for one year of high school music. Each student must acquire the knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the artistic, cultural, and intellectual accomplishments of civilization and develop the skills to…

Junior Great Books discussions were used to teach critical thinking skills and independent learning behaviors to learning-disabled 5th-grade students. In baseline observations, the seven learning-disabled students exhibited active off-task behaviors and disruptive behavior causing dismissal from the group, while seven students in a…

This curriculum guide provides teachers and ABC's: Accountability, Basics, Citizenship. Basic Education (ABE)/General Educational Development (GED) students. Chapter 1 provides guidance/evaluation procedures to help the teacher maintain and document the entrance level and progress of the students. Chapter 2 focuses on specialized guidance…

In this module, developed by the Research Applications for Teaching (RAFT) project, preservice teachers study the major types of classroom interactions which occur between teachers and students and review the research findings showing how these interactions are related to effective teaching. Much effort is spent on describing procedures for…

The communication activities described in this guide for English as a second language students emphasize functional competence over passive knowledge and focus on verbal strategies which enable students to interact. Communicative competencies are highlighted through stress on developmental levels (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and…

The curriculum guide for the French communications course is provided by Nova Scotia's secondary schools for students not wishing to complete the core French curriculum. A program giving experience in French communication useful for employment and leisure and allowing for flexibility in high school course selection is outlined. Its objectives…

Divided according to grade level, the objectives in this elementary school language arts curriculum guide cover such categories and strands as reading readiness, word analysis, obtaining information, studying, listening, written expression, speaking, literature, and linguistics. Each objective in the guide is coded for the narrower subskills…