In 1985-86, Project COM-TECH offered bilingual individualized instruction to 300 limited-English proficiency students at two New York City high schools (Bushwick in Brooklyn, and Brandeis in Manhattan). Using an enrichment approach, the project provided supplementary instruction in English as a second language (ESL), native language arts, and…

Designed to give children a sense of the cultural heritage that fairy tales represent, this instructional unit was originally developed to motivate eighth-grade low-level readers and was later adapted for English as a second language classes and for a variety of elementary and secondary school learning levels. Objectives of the unit are to help…

With the purpose of addressing the area of language choice in computer programming, this paper specifically addresses the use of BASIC as a language for secondary level students. Perspectives are offered on: (1) the role of computers in science education; (2) the differences in quality and intent of PASCAL and BASIC; (3) the role of a…

A study examined the ability of 16 children in kindergarten, grade 2, and grade 4 to draw inferences based on the content of a narrative passage and to recognize inferences as derived from, rather than given by, text. An inference task, developed to assess the ability to make and recognize appropriate inferences, consisted of four orally presented…

Focusing on integrating the teaching of language arts through varying functions of language, communication modes and audiences, this curriculum guide emphasizes the importance of a language rich environment which will enable students to understand the purposes and power of language and to use it confidently and creatively. The guide provides…

A study examined the usefulness of two rules of syllabification: (1) if the first vowel or vowel digraph in a word is followed by two consonants that are not parts of a consonant digraph, the first syllable ends with the first of the two consonants, such as, nor-mal; and (2) if the first vowel or vowel digraph in a word is followed by a single…

In the 1984-85 school year, the 3-year Honors English course was initiated at Stonewall Jackson and Charleston High Schools in Kanawha County, West Virginia. Focusing on its humanities approach to language arts instruction, this curriculum guide outlines a sequential, thematic program designed to provide students with an historical background of…

A study of over 200 personal narratives, in which college freshman writers related their experiences of achieving literacy, offered insights into cultural differences in attitudes toward literacy. The activity of becoming literate was fundamentally the same for males and females, but the myths they used to understand and explain their experiences…

A review of research on reading and language development highlights the process of immersion, a concept posited by psycholinguistic theorists. Reading aloud, especially at an early age, significantly affects students as it bridges the gap between written and spoken language and familiarizes children with language patterns of literature, expands…

Two myths often surround discussions of literacy in the United States: (1) that the current school reform movement benefits minority students; and (2) that a technological and information age has emerged that requires new, higher literacy levels. Neither is accurate, for there is no economic imperative for the improvement of literacy, only an…

Arguing that listening is a skill that should be taught systematically in the schools, this paper presents a rationale and strategies for implementing listening instruction in the classroom. The paper first contrasts convergent and divergent thinking, noting that creativity and problem solving are in this latter mode. Next, it examines definitions…

A technique for teaching skills in reading in a foreign language is based on the assumptions that the development of foreign-language reading skills is similar to the development of native-language reading skills, that the purpose of reading is to integrate new and existing knowledge, and that the reader's knowledge, opinions, or experience should…

Designed as part of a 310 Special Demonstration and Teacher Training Project undertaken at Brevard Community College, this student services guide contains information to assist adult education administrators, counselors, instructors, and office personnel in meeting the needs of students enrolled in adult/community education schools. Primary…

This report summarizes the proceedings of a conference held at the Harvard Graduate School of Education which focused on the conceptual distinction between microworld software and expert system software in education. Microworld software is defined as software which lacks a specific teaching and learning agenda, and expert systems as software that…

Project SPEED, which is housed at Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn, New York, provides instruction in English as a second language (ESL) and in the student's native language, as well as bilingual instruction in social studies, computers, and typing to 366 students of limited English proficiency (LEP) in Grades 9-12. In 1983-84, all of the…