Some children require a great deal of assistance to overcome difficulties in taking in and responding to information from their senses, and to achieve the levels of self-regulation they need to interact with and explore the world around them. This monograph, targeted to a wide array of disciplines from the medical, therapeutic, educational, mental…

This thematic curriculum unit on the adolescent novel, "The Outsiders" (S.E. Hinton) discusses issues that are relevant to students' lives and important to their future decisions. In the unit, students will discuss issues relevant to the novel and will use the novel as a bridge to analyze their own lives. The unit, with an overall theme…

This study explored the effects of three teaching approaches on the task performance, motivation, and private speech (self-talk) of low-income Latino preschoolers. The three approaches varied in terms of teacher-imposed structure and child autonomy (teacher-directed, scaffolding, child-centered). Sixty-one preschoolers were seen individually as…

This paper seeks to extend the application of Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods in item response theory (IRT) to include the estimation of equating relationships along with the estimation of test item parameters. A method is proposed that incorporates estimation of the equating relationship in the item calibration phase. Item parameters from…

This technical report describes the development, pilot testing, and revision of a survey instrument designed to measure secondary school teachers' perceptions of their efficacy working with students from diverse backgrounds. A brief review of relevant literature frames the current study in the context of survey development that is technically…

Grading work is one method that provides students with feedback to know how well they are doing in a course and for teachers to know how well their students are comprehending the material they have taught. In the literature, there was one recurring idea for the type of grading that appeared to be successful for high school English Language…

We, the two authors of this article, have used dialogue journals for many years: Pearly with primary school students and George with secondary, tertiary, and adult students. Below, we share our ideas and those of others about this valuable learning tool. In the examples from our students' journals, names have been replaced with letters. [This…

In connection with the new SAT that was introduced in March 2005, research has been under way to investigate the feasibility of providing examinees with score reports that contain feedback on skills measured by the critical reading, mathematics, and writing sections of the test. The main purpose of this study was to estimate the reliability of the…

Situations in which sighted people behaved inappropiately toward blind individuals were recalled by 60 blind subjects, who described their reactions and feelings and offered suggestions for sighted people. A lack of knowledge and understanding of the skills, abilities, and feelings of visually impaired individuals were revealed. (SEW)

Offers basic guidelines for college teachers in responding to students' writing in the disciplines, with the central principle that teachers' comments should reflect their instructional goals for individual students. Suggests that fewer, more carefully designed comments are likely to be more effective than many unfocused responses. Examples of…

Outlines a comprehensive political science final examination that covers the wide range of material found in introductory courses. The final examination consists of a single question that asks students to propose a solution to a major social problem. Their answer must incorporate political ideology, economic impact, and media representation. (MJP)

Discovers that female high school teachers, regardless of seniority levels, experience higher levels of stress during school inspection than male teachers. Both male and female teachers felt more nervous when dealing with inspectors of a different gender. Includes statistical tables and possible explanations. (MJP)

Examines the development of a class at Brigham Young University (Utah) that blends distance and face-to-face students in a synchronous class. This case study focuses on how this blended learning environment was experienced by the distance and face-to-face students, as well as by the instructor. (MES)

The use of response cards during classroom review sessions was examined in an earth science class of 23 secondary students, 8 of whom had learning disabilities, mental retardation, or behavior disorders. Results indicated achievement of higher test scores by all students, including those with disabilities, when students had used response cards in…

This study assessed the nature of response bias in a two-stage data-collection design (telephone interviews followed by a questionnaire mailing), which was used to examine the effectiveness of a state-level pharmaceutical assistance program for the elderly. Demographic and health factors affecting response (N=1,705 elderly persons) are discussed.…