Aligned with its 1998 standards for first- and second-language learning, Alberta Learning has published lesson plans that aim for a closer relationship between learning and evaluation. Each volume in this series presents a specific task for students that involves planning, carrying out and evaluating their work. The task for eighth grade students…

The report, entirely in French, describes Alberta's curriculum for high school French native language instruction, as revised in 1998. An introductory section offers background information on the curriculum's design, links between the core curriculum and French native language instruction, underlying principles of language instruction, the…

This study examines the success of community colleges in providing students with adequate college-preparatory instruction. Research focuses on the place of remedial writing instruction in two California Community Colleges, one large and urban, the other smaller and suburban. The study used transcript analysis to investigate how well students from…

This practicum was designed to use directed writing strategies to teach writing skills to middle grades language arts students who frequently failed to make average or above scores in essay writing assignments. The program included three specific strategies. The first strategy was to teach higher-order thinking and metacognitive strategies related…

A checklist of criteria for determining a text's appropriateness is provided. Suggestions assume four needs: current methodology, guidance for nonnative teachers, students' special needs, and relevance to the sociocultural environment of instruction. Criteria cover general considerations, speech, grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing, and…

Presents a method of evaluating writing that (1) reduces teachers' marking time; (2) facilitates rather than judges student writing; (3) emphasizes performance rather than finished product; (4) provides double feedback, before and after revision; (5) helps bridge successive drafts by requiring immediate revision; and (6) improves student writing.…

Describes efforts to design a method of assessing community college students' entry-level writing skills, which compared the predictive validity of three methods of evaluating writing skills: writing samples, objective tests, and self-assessments. Results of these scores were correlated with students' success in writing courses. (CAM)

Examines methods by which test researchers and practitioners might respond to social and educational demands. Reports on the research which examines human cognition and development. Suggests that understanding how these abilities are acquired can facilitate their acquisition. Proposes a research agenda to redress social problems concerning testing…

Discusses the changing job requirements and educational needs of future communication specialists and presents a model curriculum from Behrend College of the Pennsylvania State University at Erie. (PD)

Provides data and discussion about the effect of different kinds of testing upon the distribution of scores for racial minorities. Also considers the issue of direct versus indirect measures of writing ability and the place of usage testing in the measurement of writing ability. (RL)

This study compared the effects of two computer-based writing tools (text-based "FrEd Writer" and graphics-based "Once Upon a Time") on the story-writing skills of nine students (grades four through eight) with language-related learning disabilities. Group results did not clearly favor either tool; however, individual…

A study investigated the standards used in refereeing scholarly journal articles to judge qualitative research methods. Examination of reviewers' critiques of 57 manuscripts submitted to the "Review of Higher Education" revealed 7 themes that reviewers focused on, and also found reviewers emphasized good writing and clear articulation of…

Proposes that the development of content-based courses for overseas students is best achieved by an integrated English for Academic purposes/subject content course. The article describes the techniques used in integrating language and content and the usefulness of this approach academically and culturally. (one reference) (Author/CK)

Investigated the relative cognitive impacts on black students' attendance at historically black colleges versus predominantly white colleges. Using numerous data types, found that black students attending black colleges did as well or better than their counterparts at the white institutions on standardized measures of writing skills and science…

Recommends beginning classes in history with a short unit on historiography (why and how we study history). This not only provides a context for the succeeding material but also allows for a discussion of inquiry and research methodologies. Defends history-social science as a foundational skill. (MJP)