This paper discusses the use of learner-authored texts to encourage conceptual change in college English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, examining the process of and conditions for conceptual change and reasons to promote the use of student-authored texts. Participants were first-year accounting majors enrolled in a comprehensive EFL course…

This study, conducted by the San Diego Community College District in fall 2002, aims to answer the following research questions regarding student preparedness for courses in writing, reading, study skills, and composition: (1) Is there a relationship between instructor perception of preparedness and student performance? (2) Is there a relationship…

This report discusses assessment procedures for young children who are culturally and linguistically diverse and describes three practices that the authors feel should be added to the currently recommended DEC practices. In the first place, professionals should gather information prior to assessment to determine whether a child should be referred…

The recognition within the past few decades of the American Deaf Community as an indigenous cultural and linguistic minority group has altered the previous view of deaf individuals by the "hearing world" as being handicapped or disabled. The primary goals of this technical report are: (1) to compare a cultural view of deafness to the traditional,…

The purpose of this report is to review the existing literature on the use of interpreters, and to make recommendations that will promote effective communication among family members, professionals, and untrained interpreters during IEP/IFSP meetings and family conferences. Effective communication between professionals and families is crucial in…

This Brief summarizes findings from a new study that seeks to fill information gaps about older community college students. Researchers used student record information from the Washington State Community and Technical College System to examine the educational experience and attainment as well as the employment and earnings of a sample of adult…

Sixth grade marks the transition to middle school and, for many students, the transition to early adolescence. The sixth-grade classroom is a place where problem-solving and abstract thinking skills can flourish as teachers devise creative ways to integrate language arts with effective content-area instruction. This book walks the reader through…

These Proceedings document an educational research forum held at Wake Forest University (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) on December 8, 2004. Table of contents and 26 research studies of high school teaching are included. Studies include: The Use of Authentic Materials in the K-12 French Program (Katherine Elizabeth Baird), Surveying Students: What…

The purpose of this article was to clarify the seemingly contrary philosophies of learner centered and teacher centered teaching approaches. First, the benefits of both approaches are described. Examples of ways in which teacher centered classes using thoughtful questioning techniques or focused lectures enhance learning are presented. The…

This study was designed to answer two key questions about the fixed portions of the fourth, eighth, and tenth grade spring 2003 Idaho Standards Achievement Tests (ISAT) in Reading, Language Usage and Mathematics: (1) To what extent do test items exhibit substantive differences in functioning across student groups formed based on ethnicity and…

This report examines American River College (ARC), California, over a 5-year period from 1996-2001. It looks specifically at access, student assessment, overall student academic success, freshman success, performance in sequence courses, persistence, and rates for degrees, certificates, and transfer. ARC has experienced a 35.9% increase in…

This article summarizes software which can help to enhance both local and specific reading skills (often done through what is known as intensive reading) and global or general reading skills (known as extensive reading). Although the use of computerized bilingual dictionaries (CBDs) and translation websites of various types does not appear to…

Of the 22 million children currently enrolled in U.S. schools, more than 2 million have limited English proficiency. Preschoolers and elementary-age children make up the greatest proportion of the immigrant student population, and many teachers need support in educating these young, linguistically diverse students. This digest reviews proven…

Noting that the number of Samoan children in New Zealand receiving early childhood education in their heritage language has been increasing rapidly, this study examined the way the transition to primary school was organized for Aoga Amata (early childhood centers) children. Participating in the interview study were 39 parents, 14 teachers, 14…

This book is based on a series of four lectures, presented at National Taipei University, Taiwan, which reviewed the fundamentals of second language acquisition theory, presented original research supporting the theory, offered counterarguments to criticisms, and explored new areas that appeared to have promise for progress in both theory and…