This study examined the development of reading and reading-related skills for native and nonnative speakers of English through the first and second grades. Tasks assessing reading, phonological, and language processing were administered to 36 native English speakers (NS) and 38 children who spoke English as a second language (ELL). Both ELL and NS…

This study was designed to increase student empowerment through the use of formative assessment. The targeted population consisted of first and fifth grade students in the same school. Evidence for the existence of the problem included teacher observation, students' lack of knowledge and skills to complete classroom assignments, and low test…

Society is becoming increasingly aware of the need for education to play a key role in integrating knowledge and understanding about sustainability into practical, vocational skills which can be used in the workplace. Education for sustainability is now a widely accepted concept which seeks to promote and develop sustainability skills and…

The mission statements of 34 four-year and of 68 two-year colleges in the State of Texas were examined for themes to determine the extent to which their themes were similar or dissimilar in nature. Although previous researchers have attempted to analyze and demonstrate that these mission statements often have reoccurring themes, only limited…

Forty-two rehabilitation counselors participated in a study regarding perceived training needs concerning alcohol and other drug abuse (AODA) treatment and assessment. Participants reported that 85% of consumers with whom they worked had AODA issues, yet over half rated their graduate training in AODA treatment and assessment as poor, and their…

In a 3-year longitudinal, mixed-method study, 67 children in two schools were observed during literacy activities in Grades 1-3. Children and their teachers were interviewed each year about the children's motivation to read and write. Taking a grounded theory approach, content analysis of the child interview protocols identified the motivations…

These 12 papers are part of the study materials for the one-semester distance education unit, Project Development Plan 2, in the Open Campus Program at Deakin University (Australia). They examine the breadth and depth of the actions and debates around the social construction of skill and the critical role played by the concept of skill in the…

As part of an effort to develop a skill-based education program for students that relates academic skills with workplace skills, the Community College of Rhode Island developed a working instructional model consisting of 6 areas, or strands, and 31 skills. The model is directed at students in grades 9 through 12 and recognizes the importance of…

A study examined the attitudes of individuals who had held positions in hotels or restaurants in which they received tips. Telephone interviews were conducted with 751 adults across the United States who were currently/formerly employed in a position in which gratuities constitute a significant portion of their compensation. The interview…

Five lesson plans, designed for integrated English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and content instruction at the kindergarten level, are presented. All have the general topic of animal life; the specific lesson topics include: animal characteristics and habitats; drawings of habitats; oral language, questions, and categories; caterpillar…

This report describes a practicum that was designed to improve the social skills of eight preschool children with autism or Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), through interactions with their typically developing peers. The children were taught in a classroom with eight typically developing children using a regular…

This project attempted to identify differences in the communicative skills of American Indians compared to other applicants for employment in the food service industry and conducted a demonstration training program to improve both verbal and nonverbal communication skills. The study developed out of a perceived lack of communicative competence…

This paper reviews research on the family's influence on adolescent academic achievement and other related school outcomes and the few existing empirical studies of relevant prevention and intervention programs. Research on family processes has identified salient factors that impact crucial features of the parent-teen relationship. These include…

A study was undertaken to investigate the validity of a progress test, the Maastricht Progress Test, that was designed to measure knowledge and clinical reasoning growth in a problem-based medical curriculum. Scores and subscores of about 40 students per year (total sample of 195) on the different categories of the progress test were compared with…

This text reviews academic, emotional, motivational, and social learning theories that help children to be their own teachers and teachers to be aware of the advantages of taking charge of one's own learning, rather than depending on teacher education methodology. Learning is described as more than learning facts and figures or directive…