Understanding a text requires more than the ability to read individual words: it depends greatly on vocabulary knowledge. This important book brings together leading literacy scholars to synthesize cutting-edge research on vocabulary development and its connections to reading comprehension. The volume also reviews an array of approaches to…

The guide is designed to encourage parents of children in elementary school French immersion programs to take an active role in the programs, and to provide practical information to support such participation. Sections address these topics: terminology concerning program types and other aspects of immersion instruction; the rationale for learning…

Based on the idea that parents are their children's first and most important teachers, this book gives practical suggestions for how parents can best nurture the qualities of initiative, thoughtfulness, curiosity, resourcefulness, perseverance, and imagination that are fundamental to all that children will do and become in their lives. Drawing…

This report explains proposed 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). After the proposed new law is presented, a summary of House action is provided along with a section-by-section analysis of the legislation. A statement from the Committee discusses its intention to review, strengthen, and improve IDEA to better educate…

This Spanish-language booklet is designed to provide parents of elementary and junior high school students with an understanding of the purpose and nature of homework along with suggestions for helping their children complete homework assignments successfully. Following a discussion of why teachers assign homework, how homework can help children…

This book offers an alternative to the traditional teacher-parent conference by giving the responsibility for assessment to the students. As students reflect on their own learning, seek out the views of others, and prepare their own portfolios, they come to know themselves as learners. The process combines assessment, teacher research, parent…

This paper illustrates the Clinical Model of Parents' Awareness (CMPA) for effectiveness of teaching Chinese Americans based on a previous research finding, the Patterns of Chinese Americans' Learning Chinese Learning Environment (PCACLE). The clinical model includes eight components: (1) prepare a teacher-parent conferences; (2) present 5…

To initiate a primary prevention program in a Midwestern urban community consisting primarily of Chicanos, needs were assessed by conducting focus group meetings with school administrators, teachers, parents, and children in a public school setting. In each student focus group, 8-10 children were selected from a seventh-grade classroom, an…

As part of the Clinton Administration's initiative to bring fathers back to the center of American life, a conference was convened in May 1996 at which federal staff members, practitioners, and researchers shared successful practices, identified challenges, discussed current research, and recommended future actions. This report summarizes the…

This final report describes the activities and outcomes of a service coordination outreach project designed to assist states in meeting their urgent needs for qualified and appropriately trained personnel to carry out their new roles as service coordinators in the provision and coordination of early intervention services as stipulated in federal…

Taking effect in Fall 2002, the No Child Left Behind legislation will help to enable a high-quality education for every child in America, regardless of income, ability, or background. The legislation gives states more flexibility on how they spend their education dollars, and in return, requires them to set standards for student achievement and to…

This book collects empirical research unique to the experiences and situations of black children and their parents, explaining that to be fully functional, they must develop the skills to succeed simultaneously in black and non-black cultures. The book explores the meaning of this duality in four distinct environments: socioeconomic, parental,…

When homeschooling parents discuss public schools, they often draw on their own notions of citizenship, and each parent's view of public schools is also likely influenced by his or her larger view of government's proper role in society. This article reports on a 3-year study designed to seek a better understanding of these issues. The study…

Reflecting upon and learning from one's working experiences in order to inform future practice is a mark of any professional. The dynamic structure of the early childhood classroom with its focus on the child within the broader context of the family and community makes the reflective process essential for all staff. This paper reports the outcomes…

This Digest summarizes requirements for individualized education programs (IEPs) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as amended in 1997. In addition to specific information the IEP must contain, it notes that the amendments require IEP teams to consider the child's strengths, the parents' concerns, and the results of the…