This issue of "ETS Policy Notes" discusses gender differences in educational achievement. The first article--"The Gender Gap in Education: How Early and How Large?"--discusses the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which first measures achievement at age 9 years. Gender differences at that age are generally…

This paper discusses issues pertaining to at-risk students at the primary level, suggesting what can be done to keep pupils in formal schooling with an optimal achievement level. Topics discussed include: (1) probable at-risk primary pupils; (2) the domestic and societal causes of high risk in primary pupils; (3) approaches to guiding pupil…

Intended as an easy-to-use quick reference tool for finding good software packages to meet specific educational objectives in language arts, reading, and mathematics, this directory focuses on highly rated software designed to teach basic learning and thinking skills. Software listed in the directory is available from International Business…

H.R. 996 is a bill to strengthen the science and technology base of the United States by providing opportunities for talented young people to pursue postsecondary education in science, mathematics, and engineering. The bill establishes a Congressional Scholarship Program at the National Science Foundation to provide undergraduate 2-year and 4-year…

This publication lists basic skills curriculum objectives for kindergarten through eighth grade in the schools of the Addison-Rutland Supervisory Union in Fair Haven, Vermont. Objectives concern language arts, reading, mathematics, science, and social studies instruction. Kindergarten objectives for general skills, physical growth, motor skills,…

A mathematics methods course is a critical site for intervening on prospective teachers' past experiences with mathematics, which have often left them without a meaningful understanding of mathematical content, appreciation of what mathematics entails, or confidence in their own ability to do and to learn mathematics. This paper examines the role…

To continue upper division coursework past 15 credit hours, students at Southwest Texas State University must pass the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) General Examination in English Composition with Essay, with a minimum score of 421 and 45 semester hours of credit, and the CLEP General Examination in Mathematics, with a minimum score of…

The Association of American Medical Colleges is conducting research to develop, implement, and evaluate a Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) essay testing program. Essay administration in the spring and fall of 1985 and 1986 suggested that additional research was needed on the development of topics which elicit similar skills and meet standard…

This report presents information about the effectiveness of the District of Columbia's Gifted and Talented Education Program. Primary objectives included: information dissemination about the program within the school system and the community; continued above average academic performance and creativity of participating students and their…

A modified focus group approach was used to assess the perceptions of teachers involved in basic skills pilot site projects in Oklahoma after the second year. The two 5-year projects were implemented to develop, apply, evaluate, and advance approaches that strengthen basic competencies of students enrolled in vocational programs. Of the three…

Computer enhanced teaching of computational mathematics on a network system driving graphics terminals is being redeveloped for a mouse-driven, high resolution, windowed environment of a UNIX work station. Preservation of the features of networked access by heterogeneous terminals is provided by the use of the X Window environment. A dmonstrator…

Convergent validity and divergent validity were studied in several basic skill areas using the multitrait-multimethod procedure outlined by D. T. Campbell and D. W. Fiske (1959). The academic skill domains considered were: (1) reading; (2) mathematics; (3) writing and language arts; and (4) spelling. A total of 297 students in grades 1 through 5…

The effect of collaborative testing on junior high school students' scores was investigated. Twenty-two students in grades 7, 8, and 9 were given curriculum-based tests in their pre-algebra classes. Some tests were taken individually in the traditional manner, and others were taken collaboratively by students in pairs over a 10-week period.…

The concept of "preliteracy" is important for adult literacy programs. All illiterate adults can undertake their initiation into the world of letters and figures provided they are strongly motivated to do so. Experiments on motivation indicate that literacy programs must respond at least to one essential need of the future literate…

A model for use in identifying assessment needs in association with teacher-made mathematics and science tests at the secondary level was developed. The model focuses on the identification and narrowing of discrepancies between teachers' perceptions of their testing practices and actual practice. All 19 math and 16 science teachers at a 4-year…