Suggesting that a whole language approach can build a foundation that gives all primary students an opportunity to succeed, this book presents nine thematic units (with suggestions for presenting specific skills on a weekly basis) designed to support the skills necessary for creating a strong literacy foundation. Lesson plans in the book are keyed…

Noting the crucial role parents play in their child's academic success, this book offers parents guidance in supporting their child's education in the primary grades. The book's chapters are: (1) "Learning in the Early Grades," including questions parents ask, what 6- to 8-year-old children are like, principles that make learning effective, why…

This report evaluates the effectiveness of the Academic Volunteer and Mentor Program at Giano Intermediate School in California. It presents program goals and objectives, and evaluation findings and conclusions. Mathematics and reading test data are presented and evaluated. This report is made up of a series of tables and charts filled with test…

This study followed up gifted Finnish students who participated in Olympiad mathematics and scientific competitions during the years 1965-1997. Survey responses were received from 158 former Olympians (150 males, 8 females) and 169 of their parents. The responding Olympians had competed in mathematics (N=73), physics (N=50), and chemistry (N=35)…

The Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative (AKRSI) implements initiatives to document the indigenous knowledge systems of Alaska Natives and develop pedagogical practices and school curricula that appropriately incorporate indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing into the formal education system. These initiatives foster interconnectivity between two…

The primary goals of the Texas Education Agency's Educational Technologies Providing Increased Learning Opportunities for Texas Students (Ed Tech PILOTS) are to employ technology to more efficiently and effectively delivery information to students and teachers to enhance the efficacy of classroom instruction. This interim report discusses the…

This booklet provides teachers with information about the No Child Left Behind Act and how it supports teachers. It includes an overview of the law's "highly qualified" teacher provisions as well as information about other aspects of the law. The booklet offers: "Foreword" (letters from the President of the United States and the Secretary of…

This sampler of student responses to mathematics and science items was assembled to show how student responses differ depending on whether students are tested in English or in their native languages. The sampler aims to promote awareness among teachers and assessment developers that low language proficiency in English is a factor that can penalize…

This guide shares information about the South Carolina Curriculum Standards with parents. The standards outline state requirements for children's learning, and what students across the state should be able to do in certain subjects. The guide lists seven key reasons for parents to be aware of the new curriculum standards, and then presents a…

This guide shares information about the South Carolina Curriculum Standards with parents. The standards outline state requirements for children's learning, and what students across the state should be able to do in certain subjects. The guide lists seven key reasons for parents to be aware of the new curriculum standards, and then presents a…

This report describes a decision-making tool designed to inform special educators of the most up-to-date participation and test accommodations guidelines and to assist educators in the process of making informed decisions. It reports on the results of a study that examined the tool's feasibility and practicality. The decision-making tool is an…

This document, which was developed as a resource kit for Australian teachers of adult learners working toward a Certificate of General Education for Adults (CGEA), contains checklists for use in assessing and recording students' progress in their courses. The kit includes three types of records: assessment records (intended for detailed individual…

"Living in Water" is a classroom-based, scientific study of water, aquatic environments, and the plants and animals that live in water. The lessons in this curriculum integrate basic physical, biological, and earth sciences, and mathematics. The integration of language arts is also considered essential to its success. These lessons do not require…

This study examined the impact of students' background characteristics (English language proficiency) on the level of effectiveness of various types of testing accommodations. Data were collected from 946 eighth graders, some of whom were English language learners. Four accommodation strategies were used: (1) modified (simplified) English language…

A study undertaken in Western Australia, the Western Australian School Effectiveness Study, explored the characteristics of effective high schools by investigating factors influencing science and mathematics achievement. A multilevel analytical model was used in the longitudinal study that focused on 1,024 students in 21 rural and urban high…