Sixteen graduates of rural high schools were interviewed and asked to describe specific interactions with adults during their high school days that had significantly affected their thoughts about themselves or their future. Brief discussions examine the reasons that teachers have an impact on rural adolescents, what constitutes a "rural"…

The guide is designed to assist second language teachers in developing and conducting reliable and valid assessments in their classrooms. A wide range of formal and informal evaluation techniques is discussed, including a number of alternative approaches. An introductory chapter gives an overview of the uses and aims of evaluation and previews the…

Because diversity is a fact of life in our rapidly changing, complex, and interdependent world, appreciating diversity is essential. This resource goes beyond teaching tolerance and understanding of diversity. It gives educators the tools for teaching children to value the differences between people. Using literature as a springboard, educators…

Science is viewed as a neglected subject in many U.S. elementary schools. Many elementary school teachers feel unqualified and uncomfortable when asked to teach it. A study looked at a teacher who is enthusiastic about teaching science at the elementary school level. The constraints the teacher faced and ways in she dealt with them in her teaching…

The Primary Mathematics Education Enhancement Program (PMEEP) is an early childhood teacher enhancement project funded by the National Science Foundation. It is a collaborative project of Kent State University and 11 school districts in a primarily rural midwestern county that has recently been classified as Appalachia. At the conclusion of 2…

The project group "Preparedness for Peace," at the Malmo School of Education (Sweden), studies possible ways of helping children and young people to deal constructively with questions of peace and war. As part of this work, the project group conducts interviews with people engaged in the problems of peace education. This publication…

The report evaluates "Hablar et Parler," a videodisc project that provides Spanish and French language training to elementary school age students under the supervision of a teacher who may or may not have a foreign language background. The project, which was developed by the Utah Videodisc Consortium, consists of a videodisc, a teacher's…

This English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) assessment kit was designed for use by teachers and program managers who are involved in the initial interview, assessment, and referral of students and who are responsible for placement of learners in programs and classes. Its aims are to help the interviewer to: (1) identify the relative priority of…

A task force was appointed by the Oregon Council for the Social Studies (OCSS) to study preschool/kindergarten through grade 3 social studies in Oregon and to make recommendations as to what OCSS could do to help improve social studies education. This report contains the findings and recommendations of the task force. A background statement based…

In 1992-93, high school and college forms of a questionnaire on rank in class (RIC), grade point average (GPA), and college admissions were developed and mailed to high schools and colleges. Usable returns were received from 2,175 high schools and 1,109 colleges and universities. To elaborate on questionnaire data, in-depth interviews were…

In 1989, the Hawaii State Department of Education initiated a study of the practices of successful kindergarten teachers involved in the Early Provisions for School Success (EPSS) program. Seven teachers identified as having a large percentage of students with language needs who progressed to the non-needs category were recruited from seven school…

This self-instructional module, the ninth in a series of 16 on techniques for coordinating work experience programs, deals with evaluating on-the-job training. Addressed in the module are the purpose of and procedures for evaluating students' on-the-job training and procedures for conducting evaluation interviews to discuss students' on-the-job…

Using technology to enhance student learning in social studies has become an important area for discussion and study within the field of social studies education. Handheld devices are one of the recently emerging technologies. This article describes an initial study of the TI-83 handheld device in the education of preservice social studies…

This document provides a report on the evaluation of STEPS (Surviving Today's Experiences and Problems Successfully), the Waters Foundation Curriculum for teaching thinking skills and expository writing. Data were collected during the 1983-84 academic year, using a junior high school as a field site. Four experimental classes were taught STEPS two…

This guide is a summary of ideas for enhancing the teaching of German through direct contact with Germany or German people without traveling abroad. The following ideas are highlighted: (1) correspondence (pen pals) with students in Germany; (2) audiotape recordings as an alternative to letter writing; (3) the exchange of videotape recordings with…