In two studies, 18 middle school boys with serious emotional disturbances (SED) were taught to use a social skills curriculum to teach more positive peer interactions to peers with SED. Results indicate the desired effects of the peer-based social skills instruction, with some evidence of behavior maintenance and transfer. (Contains references.)…

A visit to a Montana one-room school reveals the characteristics and advantages of one-room schools. Small schools are crucial to student success in early grades and students from small schools tend to outperform their peers. Large schools are borrowing features such as multiage classrooms, peer tutoring, and interdisciplinary projects as they…

Eight classrooms of third graders (n=111) and their teachers were provided with two intervention strategies, partner reading intervention designed to enhance fluency, or collaborative strategic reading, designed to enhance comprehension. Over time, there were statistically significant effects for rate of reading for both interventions for low- to…

Describes the prominent place of teacher training in the Duncanville (Texas) Independent School District's technology planning. Research based on teacher post-test and survey results overwhelmingly concludes that professional development for teachers is an essential ingredient for effectively integrating technology in instruction. (MLH)

Presents a study that measured the impact of a peer-assisted learning (PAL) program on student academic performance, and evaluated student and faculty feedback regarding their experiences with the program. Reports that PAL participants had a significantly higher course success rate than non-participants, and a significantly lower withdrawal rate…

Librarians at the University of Florida partnered with the Anthropology department to develop a peer-to-peer program to provide outreach to undergraduates taking anthropology courses. Discusses the development and implementation of the peer instruction program and presents results of the surveys that evaluated the program. (Author/AEF)

Peer coaching empowers teachers as change agents when integrating innovative practices. This paper describes a model for peer coaching that encourages collegial interaction. Strategies for application include the following: selecting coaching teams, observing, describing implementation procedures, designing an observational instrument, monitoring…

A study investigated the perceptions of general education high school students who participated in a structured peer buddy service learning program designed to increase their social interactions with students with severe disabilities. Participants reported having positive attitudes toward their peers with severe disabilities and experienced…

Effects of peer versus teacher delivered individualized instruction when teaching basic sight words with a constant time delay procedure to four secondary students with moderate/severe disabilities are compared. Results show that, while both modes of delivery are effective, teacher instruction was slightly more efficient than peer tutor…

Describes a specific structured procedure for peer assisted learning in writing, Paired Writing, and its effects on the quality of writing and attitudes toward writing in primary school children. Reports on three action research projects. Finds the Paired Writing method proved practical and robust, adaptable to different classroom contexts, and…

Direct instruction was effective in teaching second grade students to identify and report peers' day-to-day prosocial behaviors. Interdependent reinforcement and publicly posted progress feedback procedures were effective in increasing and maintaining these behaviors. Discussion focuses on developing and implementing proactive programs to prevent…

Developments in forms of peer learning 1981-2006 are reviewed, focusing mainly on peer tutoring, cooperative learning, and peer assessment. Types and definitions of peer learning are explored, together with questions of implementation integrity and consequent effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. Benefits to helpers are now emphasised at least as…

Academic and student affairs leaders long have acknowledged that much of students' learning takes place in cocurricular and extracurricular settings dominated by their peers. That fact has quietly grown in importance in recent years as educators, student affairs leaders, and student health officials increasingly have recognized that peers can play…

Research shows that educational outcomes are no different for pupils in single-grade and multigrade classes. However, little is known about the instructional practices of multigrade teachers. What is known suggests that multigrade teachers tend to employ instructional practices that are not likely to facilitate effective teaching and learning. The…

When Joanne Rooney, a principal, asked 17 tenured teachers who were due for their formal supervisory visits at Pleasant Hill School in Palatine, Illinois whether her annual visits and follow-up conferences help them become better teachers," her question was met with muffled laughter. They knew that her rushed, mandatory visits and conferences…