Argues that both personal and text-based essays should be used in teaching writing to students in developmental composition courses. Suggests that combining the two approaches and using short fiction or fictive autobiographies as course readings helps to initiate the student's transition from personal to text-based writing. (Contains 21…

Responds to the argument that college standards must be made tougher to, in turn, force high schools to improve. Argues that tougher standards would result in the elimination of developmental education and discusses the value of developmental programs. Includes excerpts from papers written by the author's students refuting the argument. (AJL)

Third in a series of columns focusing on teaching students to think critically, this column provides three templates useful in helping students practice analyzing and assessing the logic of a text. Discusses how to analyze an article, essay, or chapter; comprehend the logic of a textbook; and evaluate an author's reasoning. (NB)

Describes how a program at Dorchester High School in Boston, Massachusetts--the College Opportunity and Career Help (Coach) program--aims to find the best way to get more low-income students to apply for higher education. (EV)

Offers suggestions for using folk tales from around the world and story-telling for classroom instruction. Because folk tales are ultimately about communication and the way people in a society interact, a multi-cultural class can make good use of them. Offers examples for application to language arts and social science courses. (Contains 9…

Remedial instruction in higher education heightens the tension between access and quality and raises questions about how to prepare underprepared students without watering down the degree, who should provide remedial programs, and who should pay for them. States have adopted a variety of solutions, and the most serious are costly. (MSE)

Describes a state survey conducted to assess the effectiveness of postsecondary remedial education programs in Texas. Reviews current practices and offers recommendations with respect to student assessment and placement, remedial course offerings, program evaluation, and curricular coordination. (DMM)

Identifies and refutes seven myths regarding developmental education. Indicates that developmental education programs have a long history in America, raise academic standards, contribute to retention, are cost-effective, serve a diverse population, should not be limited to community colleges, and do not repeat high school course offerings.…

In the intensive Summerbridge program at San Francisco University High School, high potential middle school and high school students from minority groups work together to prepare for academic high schools. The teachers are high school and college students who serve as role models and learn to love teaching. (MSE)

Arnold Mitchem, executive director, National Council of Educational Opportunity Associations (NCEOA), answers questions concerning key educational issues, the federal government's educational agenda, the Higher Education Act's reauthorization, federal policy influences on developmental and minority education, faculty retraining, financial…

J. Robert Hanson responds to questions concerning the "learning style" and "perceptual and judgement functions," styles common among developmental students and members of particular ethnic/social groups, the modification of teaching styles to accommodate students, coownership of the classroom, and ways teachers can facilitate…

Describes several models for the design, evaluation, and delivery of developmental programs, including the Expanded Individualized Prescriptive Instruction system (which includes placement, counseling, and intervention phases), and the Developmental Pyramid Model (which includes diagnosis, prescription, evaluation, and advising/tutoring). (DMM)

Describes the development and implementation of state-of-the-art hardware and software for New Jersey's Kean University ESL Program, aimed at transforming the program into a model for computer-assisted interactive language learning. Discusses changes in students' language skills including production of more written language, frequent global…

Presents an interview with Edward Morante, Dean of Student Services and Learning Resources at College of the Desert (California), regarding the needs of high-risk community college students. Morante focuses on assessment, placement, basic-skills courses, student-support services, the learning-community concept, student involvement, and evaluation,…

Describes the implementation of a comprehensive developmental-mathematics program at Onondaga Community College (New York) that provides students with assistance, from the evaluation of their entry-level skills through their transition to credit-level courses. Discusses key elements of the program, such as placement testing, diagnostic services,…