Communicative tasks are defined as activities in which meaning is primary, there is a goal which needs to be worked toward, there is a real world relationship and the interaction among students is the means for achieving the task outcome. However, it was assumed that adopting communicative tasks alone is not adequate as it leads the learner to…

This report presents results from research into the effects of early childhood programs on their participants, particularly low-income and at-risk children. The studies described offer evidence on the long-term effects of high quality early childhood programs. Such programs can have long-lasting positive effects on children and their families,…

This action research project implemented and evaluated a program to enhance students' prosocial behaviors. The targeted population consisted of students in two second and one third-grade classrooms in a declining urban area of a large midwestern city. The problem of inappropriate behaviors was documented through discipline reports, anecdotal…

The Home Care Challenge was a 4-year National Workplace Literacy Grant project conducted by Carroll Community College in partnership with Carroll Hospice, Carroll Lutheran Village, and Home Call to provide workplace literacy education for health care workers in these agencies. The project's goals were as follows: improving reading fluency, problem…

The New Leaders Academy (NLA) is a national leadership training program aimed at ensuring the continuity of effective leadership of, and improved practices within, youth employment and development programs. The first NLA residential training session, held at Gallaudet University (Washington, DC), enrolled and trained 31 participants (called "New…

With greater demands being placed on postsecondary education as employers report that graduates have inadequate skills, interest has been generated in assessing student academic achievement in reliable and valid ways. A descriptive case study was used to outline the process that has been developed to identify and implement program outcomes for 55…

The 11th Annual Building on Family Strengths Conference was held from May 6th through May 8th, 2004, in Portland, Oregon. Highlights included: (1) The revival of a pre-conference training session; this year featured "Understanding Research and Evaluation in Relation to Social Change," presented by Elaine Slaton and Shannon CrossBear of…

A language-based social skills instruction intervention used to prepare middle and high school students with emotional/behavioral disorders for return to less restrictive public school placements was evaluated. The daily 50-minute intervention focused on repetitive readings, recitations, and role-playing of skill step procedures until students…

This study examined the effectiveness of the Too Good for Violence Prevention Program (TGFV), a multifaceted interactive intervention. Grounded in Bandura's Social Learning Theory, the TGFV curricula focus on developing personal and interpersonal skills to solve conflict non-violently and resist social influences that lead to violence.…

A project was conducted for the following purposes: (1) improve the productivity and efficiency of 21 companies by providing workplace literacy instruction to workers lacking basic skills required for their jobs; and (2) improve the capability of educational providers to meet the basic skill needs of the manufacturing and financial services…

The California Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS) Project was undertaken at San Diego Community College to provide effective assessment materials and procedures for placing, measuring the achievement of, and certifying the attainment of competencies by adult students enrolled in adult basic education (ABE) and English as a second language…

The Roseville Area Schools' secondary career education project was based on a broad definition of career education, emphasizing career development as a lifelong process. About thirty community members, students, and district staff participated on project advisory or task force committees. About one-third of the professional certified district…

An evaluation was conducted of the fourth year of Project Future, implemented in the Bremerton (Washington) School District. The project objective was to provide pilot class students at four grade levels (grades 3, 6, 9, and 12) with career education learning experiences which used commercial and teacher created classroom activities and materials,…

The KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) Diamond (Daring Individual Achievers Making Outstanding New Dreams) Academy, housed in Cypress Junior High School in Memphis, Tennessee, opened in the summer of 2002. KIPP goals include enhancement of academic achievement and promotion of positive student leadership through an innovative redesign of…

This action research project implemented and evaluated an intervention program to reduce disruptive behavior interfering with students' academic growth. The targeted population consisted of students in four primary classrooms in a large urban center in central Illinois. The problem of disruptive behavior was documented by means of a behavior…