This report is the first in a series of five reports considering career-readiness features within high school assessments. Utilizing feature analysis and cognitive lab interviews, the primary objective of this study was to verify and validate the existence of specific career-readiness features in select math and English language arts (ELA) test…

This report is the second in a series considering career-readiness features within high school assessments. Experts in English language arts and math were trained to rate a selection of active Grade 8 and Grade 11 Smarter Balanced items using feature set lists that were refined within the items' respective content areas (30 features for ELA items;…

This article describes an instructional model for integrating children's literature and language arts into the elementary school science curriculum. This science-literacy instructional model is an adaptation from the original 5E model of scientific inquiry. The model demonstrates how reading, writing, listening, and speaking can be incorporated…

As technologies have become an integral part of our lives, the way we read and understand text has changed drastically. In this paper, we discuss how various technologies support learners' reading and writing skills within the context of meaningful learning. Next, using elaborated cases, we argue that situating learners in problem solving…

The author discusses the importance of the ability to think logically and solve problems with fundamental communication skills and with the ability to make decisions and adapt to change. Five thinking skills are examined: making decisions, planning and organizing, managing time, proofreading, and using proper language arts composition skills. (CT)

Student research programs offer students the principles and concepts of science, but also the opportunity to develop skills in other curriculum areas, including reading, language, problem solving, and writing. The brochure contains sections which specifically address the educational value of such programs, science days, project components, and…

This brief guide is designed to help teachers learn how to integrate content and problem solving skills in the social studies curriculum. Problem-solving skills include analyzing an in-depth question/problem, selecting a format for recording information, gathering and recording information, and writing a summary. Materials in the guide include: a…

This booklet provides a brief overview of the Connecticut ninth-grade proficiency test by listing the skills to be assessed on the test. Sample questions exemplifying each skill are also included. Areas assessed include: (1) basic writing skills in the language arts (mechanics of written expression, composing and organizing skills, and library…

The methods for teaching language arts presented in this book are based on the premises that creative problem solving is the key motivation to the mastery of language and that when teachers and children work at mastering communication skills through solving problems creatively, they use basic mental skills--attentiveness, fact recall--or skills of…

The Copernicus Project is a multi-district effort designed to incorporate technology, specifically the laptop computer, into the instructional and learning process of the public schools. Participants included six school districts in Washington state, the Toshiba and Microsoft Corporations, and parents. The project called for a 1 to 1…

This guide presents writing-focused learning projects and accompanying inquiry activities to help students pass the language arts/writing portion of the General Education Development(GED) Test 2002. The Introduction relates GED as project to the writing portion of the GED and explains how inquiry activities used Official GED Reading Practice Test…

This guide is intended to assist vocational educators in providing computer-assisted basic skills instruction to students in special vocational education programs. Addressed in the individual units of the curriculum are the following topics: components and use of the TRS-80; self-assessment; reading (job clusters); language arts (business letters…