With few exceptions, accountability systems for programs for English language learners (ELLs) have focused on the achievement patterns of ELLs who are still considered "limited English proficient" and program evaluations have been unable to answer the question whether ELLs actually catch up with English proficient peers after attending a bilingual…

This article reports the findings of a study examining the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) members' perceptions of what is required to become and to remain a highly-qualified teacher of the English language arts. An online survey was conducted to ten NCTE members: five teachers, and five university-based teacher educators. Findings…

The coeditors of the special Summit issue of English Education provide the context for the "crucial moment" that prompted the Conference on English Education (CEE) to take up the task of rethinking issues related to the preparation and continuing professional development of English language arts teachers and teacher educators. The process of…

This document records testimony regarding the Department of Education's slow pace in providing States the assistance they require to implement No Child Left Behind's provisions for English Language Learners (ELLs) and the status of recent efforts to correct that; practices for training teachers of ELL students and for improving their academic…

This textbook emphasizes practical guidelines and approaches that work with special students mainstreamed into regular classrooms. The background of the mainstream and inclusion movements and labeling practices is considered, along with specific exceptionalities and methods effective in teaching children who have learning disabilities, mental…

The evolution and implementation of a collaborative effort between an elementary school bilingual science education project (Process in Science Methods, or PRISM) of The Network, Inc., and a study of the educational effectiveness of community arts centers (Project Co-Arts) are described. With PRISM's focus on science and Co-Arts' concentration on…

In the 1992-93 school year, the 13th year of the Arizona Pupil Achievement Testing Program, the State Board of Education mandated testing at grades 4, 7, and 10. The Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) were administered to grades 4 and 7 and the Tests of Achievement and Proficiency (TAP) at grade 10. Pupil scores are reported by subject, subtest,…

Teachers conducting a thematically organized literature-based reading program centered around student-led discussion groups wanted to explore ways in which the values they wanted to promote could be reflected in the ways they assessed their students. This study considers how valuing a broader scope of language and literacy abilities and making…

This paper presents proven strategies and benefits of integrating technology into the language-arts curriculum and instruction. Benefits include creating a risk-free learning environment; increasing student empowerment; providing the opportunity for students to practice skills in meaningful contexts; and increasing interest in reading and writing.…

This study examines correlations between the Metropolitan Achievement Tests, seventh edition (MAT-7), and analogous portions of the 1995 Ohio Ninth-Grade Proficiency Tests. The MAT-7 scores of 156 eighth-grade students who had completed both test batteries were paired with complementary sections of the Proficiency test. Correlations between the…

Studies suggest that the transition to middle school is associated with a decline in motivation and performance for a number of children. This longitudinal study examined changes in motivation in English and mathematics across and after the transition from elementary to middle school. Of particular interest were changes in personal goal…

A study examined four exemplary elementary schools that have successfully implemented language development programs for limited-English-proficient (LEP) students as part of a school-wide restructuring effort. The schools are: Del Norte Heights Elementary (El Paso, Texas); Hollibrook Elementary (Houston, Texas); Linda Vista Elementary (San Diego,…

This handbook, the third printing of the original 1976 edition, presents an eclectic combination of activities gathered from parents and teachers of preschool children, with a focus on the process rather than the product of learning. Its goal is the establishment of positive experiences and sound interpersonal relationships between adults and…

This book, composed of nine chapters, provides a guide for creating an interdisciplinary literacy program for middle schools. The first part of the book, which incorporates chapters 2-4, describes the role of the media specialist when literature is the content to be taught. The second part, incorporating chapters 5-7 describes the role of the…

Designed to help teachers promote a teacher-parent partnership process, this manual describes the Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork (TIPS) program in language arts, science, and health. The manual covers the TIPS Interactive Homework Process, focusing on overcoming obstacles, TIPS activities, the process of informing parents, and students'…