This report summarizes AISD's 2007-2008 evaluation of year one implementation of the First Things First initiative at 3 high schools.

A study examined the effectiveness of the third year of implementation of the CONSULT-I program, which uses artificial intelligence with statistical pattern recognition in constructing a diagnosis and recommending treatment of reading difficulties. Six elementary classroom teachers at South Avondale Elementary School in Cincinnati, Ohio,…

Providing an international perspective on how children learn to read, this first of 2 volumes presents research studies and classroom experiences from the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Jamaica, and Israel, drawing on evidence from 18 countries. Essays in the volumes highlight implications for design, implementation, and…

This study was designed to improve the academic achievement of 35 third- and fourth-grade underachievers through improved self-esteem. Specific goals included focusing on self-concept and learning skills reinforcement, with the ultimate goal of increasing academic performance and motivation. Large group sessions with students focused on…

Using Jeanne Chall's widely applied model of reading development, this book examines the strengths and weaknesses in the reading, writing, and language development of children from low-income families to help identify the onset of their difficulties. The book shows how, in the transition from learning the medium to understanding the message, the…

A research project was undertaken to determine: (1) the relationships between scores on the Florida College-Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) and prior scores on corresponding entry placement tests; (2) the relationships between course completion patterns and performance on CLAST subtests; and (3) the relationships between grades in reading,…

Preliminary data was gathered to guide subsequent research that will shape training procedures and scoring practice for performance assessment activities that integrate multiple content areas. Content area integration is a key feature of many of the tasks in the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP), a large-scale assessment of…

The effects of a "school within a school" on the academic achievement of high school sophomores were studied in a Chicago (Illinois) inner-city public school, the Tilden Community Academy and its Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) program (school within the school). Of the 228 tenth graders, 49 were enrolled in the JROTC…

When teaching beginning reading, the use of certain children's stories, called predictable books, can yield higher reading comprehension skills, provide excellent practice for sight words, and teach good oral reading skills. A nurturing classroom environment is an important component of an effective beginning reading curriculum. An effective…

A study examined specific reading competencies after participating in Hmong literacy instruction in an after-school setting in the Thermalito, California School District, grades kindergarten through 4. Control and treatment groups were established to compare the English literacy skills of the Hmong students who participated in 40 hours of primary…

A study determined differences, if any, in attitude toward reading between remedial reading adult learners and reading proficient adult learners. Subjects, 129 adult learners from both the high school and college populations in New Jersey, completed an attitude survey using a Likert scale. Subjects were identified as remedial or proficient readers…

The Higher Order Thinking Skills Program (HOTS) is a computer-based program for teaching thinking skills developed by Stanley Pogrow at the University of Arizona. It is now used in over 800 U.S. schools. This study investigated the effects of the HOTS program versus the traditional Chapter 1 program on fourth and fifth grade students'…

A group of adult education teachers sought to determine if a readability formula applied to classroom materials provided a match with student reading levels. Cloze tests were used to determine whether students were able to understand the material. In three of the eight samples, the Cloze test showed that the readability test did not accurately…

A study compared an integrated language arts reading program and a strong phonics basal reading program. Subjects were first graders from five eastern Greenbrier County schools in West Virginia. The control group consisted of students in 15 classrooms, during the 1994-95 school year, when a strong phonics basal reading program was taught and…

New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) conducted a statewide telephone survey of 531 randomly selected kindergarten through fourth-grade public school teachers to obtain information on how schools prevent and address reading problems. Results indicated that (1) 95% of respondents said remediation should begin at grade 1 or earlier, but less than…