This study investigates primary teachers' and elementary principals' perspectives on alternatives to the traditional model of student progression in school and whether these options may improve the acquisition of skills needed for advancing into upper grades. Primary mastery of basic skills is essential to learning; however, with rigorous federal…

Those who decide to keep a child in an elementary grade for an additional year do so despite very persuasive research evidence that negative effects consistently outweigh positive outcomes. Retention suggests the student is solely responsible and is therefore a punishment rather than a solution. (MT)

This book focuses on how elementary school teachers and administrators can make sensible, well-reasoned, and defensible retention and promotion decisions. The book contains a reproducible retention/promotion checklist made up of questions selected on the basis of factors that have an impact on school success or failure. Checklist summary and…

Education is the key to young people becoming full partners in shaping a global future and in shaping the nation's future. Quality basic education for young people is key to maintaining Alberta's standard of living and ensuring competitiveness in the world market. The education system must focus on what all students need to learn and be able to…

In this article, the author discusses the dilemma between retaining and promoting students who are unprepared for the next level, and offers a solution to this dilemma. In a perfect world, every student would be academically prepared for the next grade, and there would be no need to choose between holding students back and passing them on…

This teacher's guide reviews the literature on grade retention and promotion to help teachers make decisions concerning students in the primary grades. A brief introduction provides a statement of the problem; outlines the purpose, organization, and limitations of the study; and presents a glossary. Annotated citations for 34 studies are…

Reveals significant correlation between older Maltese students and high test scores on their examinations to enter junior high. Older students are those born in the early months of the year. Study found little difference in scores between genders, although girls were more likely to pass the examination than boys. (MJP)

The education of students is fundamental to shaping a preferred provincial, national and global future. It is also essential in maintaining Alberta's standard of living and ensuring its global competitiveness. The education system must simultaneously prepare the citizens of tomorrow while equipping the students with the knowledge and skills they…

Intended to enable parents to support and advocate for their children during transitions, this guide contains training activities and hands-on action tools to help parents and staff work in partnership as children transition into and out of Early Head Start, Head Start, child care settings, and elementary schools. The guide is divided into three…

This general review of the relative merits of social promotion and retention examines research on the benefits of each, describes current strategies for resolving the policy dilemma involved, and considers issues raised by abolishing social promotion and establishing remedial programs. A summary of the history of the widespread adoption of the…

Each year, many teachers face the problem of where to place children who do not fit into the rest of the class. Retention is an option that is frequently considered for these children. Children considered for retention often have poor academic skills, are small in stature or the youngest in the grade, have moved or been absent frequently, do…

Materials designed to enable regular classroom teachers and teachers of English as a second language (ESL) to meet the needs of limited English proficient (LEP) students in elementary school are presented. The guide contains an introductory section for teachers, followed by sections on: adapting reading materials for LEP students; identifying LEP…

This book, which is intended primarily for volunteers, tutors, and staff at Great Britain's further education colleges, adult education centers, and training schemes, provides introductory information on teaching basic skills to adults with learning difficulties. Among the topics discussed in chapter 1 are the following: literacy/numeracy needs,…