This case study presents a portrait of one English teacher within her school and in her professional contexts. It is part of a series of reports investigating methods of successful English instruction which reconciles professional trends with individual practice. The case study examines data collected during 1996-1998 from the classroom of Gail…

This study compared data from an evaluation of one school district's teacher staff development programs, using the True Score Theory and Item Response theory. Participants were elementary school teachers who reported on 20 staff development programs in reading. They completed the Teachers' Perception of the Impact of a Staff Development (TPISD),…

A balanced, systematic, instructional reading program was designed to increase word recognition in beginning readers. The targeted population consisted of first graders in an upper middle class community located in the Chicago suburbs. The lack of word recognition was documented through assessments revealing students' phonemic awareness, reading…

A series of pilot studies was conducted to evaluate the instructional effectiveness of the Harcourt Reading Program. One of the studies was conducted in the fall of 1998-99 by Indiana University, and data were analyzed by them also. Harcourt School Publishers sought out teachers to participate. Teachers from New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and…

Addressing current research on the foundational skills of reading for the state of Alaska, this booklet is designed to get the most current information available about how children learn to read into the hands of everyone who can help children learn and grow as readers. It outlines previously researched core abilities including phonemic awareness,…

This paper provides a summary of well established, conventional thinking on the importance of writing to the language learning process. Writing is a central element of language. Any reading and language arts program must consider the multidimensional nature of writing in instructional practices, assessment procedures, and language development. The…

Learning environments have an impact on acquiring skills in reading as well as developing positive attitudes toward reading. Another variable that affects attitudes and aptitude toward reading is the "climate" or "environment" in which children learn their skills. This paper concentrates on the phenomenon that is reaching epic proportions in the…

This final report, covering the period September 1, 1997 to August 31, 2001, discusses the development, activities, and outcomes of Upgrading Preparatory Work To Augment Reading Development: UPWARD for Students with Disabilities, a multi-faceted program for providing children with disabilities intensive, phonological awareness and other early…

This thesis examined variations in the word decoding skills of children with reading disabilities. These variations were related to possible cognitive, developmental, and environmental causes of reading disability. Possible implications for educational interventions were also analyzed in the five studies. The thesis critically examines the…

This book offers guidelines for elementary school teachers for making adaptations in reading and mathematics instruction for students with mild disabilities in the general education classroom. Following an introductory chapter, Chapter 1 presents eight principles for materials adaption organized according to the acronym FLEXIBLE: F-feasible…

Designed to be used in conjunction with "On the Road to Reading: A Guide for Community Partners," this handbook focuses on the knowledge and skills necessary for tutors to help children from birth through third grade master reading fundamentals. The 5 chapters of the handbook present 11 training sessions for tutors, comprising 36 hours…

This paper discusses caring relationships and their importance in supporting student learning, examining a study conducted at a public elementary school. The first section describes a theoretical context for care in the school community and argues for its presence in capturing the essence of school reform. It explores one component of care,…

Reading is an important part of the modern child's environment. The number of things one must know about in order to understand this world has been enormously increased. No one can hope to learn of them all through first-hand experiences. Printed matter, which preserves and facilitates widespread distribution of knowledge, becomes a necessity. To…

Blind children are entering the Nation's schools in larger numbers than ever before. In addition to those blinded by usual causes, a new eye condition primarily affecting prematurely born infants swept the Nation between 1945 and 1955, leaving thousands of visually handicapped children. Most of these are attaining school age at this time. There…