The Statewide Assessment Program, administered by the Alaska Department of Education, tests all fourth and eighth graders in math and reading biennially. In 1985, the Department's Office of Evaluation, Assessment and Research undertook an evaluation of the assessment program to identify procedures which needed improvement and to determine the…

A study investigated the use of a narrative discourse task to test oral English proficiency in non-native speakers for screening and placement. The subjects were Japanese university freshmen entering a five-level course in spoken English. The subjects were shown an animated cartoon of a Japanese folk tale, with narration in Japanese, and later…

The six chapters in this report focus on: (1) a basic orientation for a focused research agenda; (2) research on reasoning (considering the development of competence and the search for generality in reasoning skills); (3) research on instruction (examining research on teachers, curricula and curricular materials, and testing); (4) research on…

The Test Resource Guide (TRG) is designed to provide professionals in the New York City (New York) Public Schools with a compendium of assessment devices for use in decision making; specifically, determining eligibility for special education services, planning an instructional program, and charting progress. The introduction to TRG describes: (1)…

This publication summarizes the achievement results of the Austin (Texas) Independent School District (AISD) for grades 1-12 in reading and mathematics for 1975 through 1985. In 1975, the California Achievement Tests (CAT) were administered to students in grades 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9. However, in 1976, the testing program was expanded to all…

Three newsletters focus on disability issues. The first provides an overview of the nature of learning disabilities (LD) and intervention approaches for the condition. Research on effective educational methods for use with LD students is reviewed for such topic areas as the transition from school to work and independent living. Suggestions for…

A discussion of the use of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines in teaching and testing less commonly taught languages (LCTL) describes a two-year project on that topic and looks at specific problems with four languages or language groups. The project was to familiarize LCTL teachers with the…

Presented here is a collection of assessment and evaluation abstracts of local, State and Federal programs in the Clark County School District in Nevada. In the first section, the district-wide aptitude and achievement testing measures are described, and the results of testing are presented. Section two provides information on program evaluations…

Perspectives on testing and grading are considered; and strategies, reference materials, and sample test items are presented. Attention is directed to specific impacts of testing and grading on students and teachers, purposes of testing and grading, and common complaints of students and teachers. Extra activities proposed for the teacher include…

The 1981-82 Austin (Texas) Independent School District Title I Migrant Program consisted of seven components: three instructional components--prekindergarten, communication skills, and summer school; and four support components--health services, parental involvement, migrant student record transfer system (MSRTS), and evaluation. The major…

This test manual provides information on the development, characteristics, and use of the Individualized Instruction Inventory (III), a 64-item behavioral instrument designed to assess the extent to which community college instructors use individualized instruction in the classroom. The manual begins by providing a brief overview of the III,…

This collection of 10 papers aims to provide teachers at all levels with ideas on a number of important aspects of mathematics education. The Report of the Committee on Inquiry into the Teaching of Mathematics (Cockcroft Report) has provoked wide discussion in England, and the papers examine some contemporary issues in school mathematics in light…

The materials presented were developed for use in a series of conferences on testing and instruction sponsored by the National Institute of Education, with the United States Office of Education, the UCLA Center for the Study of Evaluation, and a network of research and development agencies. They are intended for use by school practitioners and…

This is the first in a series of annual summaries that will make available detailed profiles of the ethnic, racial, male, and female populations from the Admissions Testing Program (ATP) of the College Board. This report is the most comprehensive of all ATP summary reports: It is based on the records of all high school seniors in the United States…

The book addresses common concerns of parents regarding the emotional needs of gifted children. Chapter I gives an overview of giftedness along with underlying myths and stereotypes that exist about gifted childre. Chapters II through XII focus on specific characteristics, frequently occurring problems, and particular suggestions for modifying…