Serious reading problems exist among middle school learners as evidenced by declining national reading scores and increased dropout rates. In response to the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) expectations in reading, several experts have promoted a scripted repeated reading strategy such as readers' theater as a possible approach to improving student…

The ambitious goal set by Colorado's governor to address the state's dropout problem is a model for the nation. Helping thousands of young people to receive their high school diplomas instead of leaving school without them is a crucial step in improving the quality of life for all Colorado residents. Accomplishing this goal will require focused…

In 2000, National Reading Panelists (NRP) reported that computer delivered reading instruction has potential for promoting the reading skills of students at-risk for reading failure. However, panelists also noted a scarcity of data present in the literature on the effects of computer-based reading instruction. This preliminary investigation…

Despite the lack of empirical evidence, the term "foreign language learning disability" (FLLD) has become popular in the learning disabilities (LD) and foreign language literature. I contend that there is not a unique "disability" for foreign language learning and suggest instead that foreign language skills run along a continuum of very strong to…

The issue of school failure at the 9th grade level is of great concern to educators. In this study, the author examined the use of cognitive, affective, and metacognitive questioning strategies in a 9th grade world history class as a means to increase student engagement and academic success. Through the use of structured journal questions over a…

Organizations spend as much as US$200 billion annually on training and development; however, much of this investment appears squandered on ill-conceived or poorly implemented interventions. Scholars have pondered the causes of failed training for decades, focusing on issues such as methods, program design, and trainee characteristics. Recent…

Alarms about a "literacy crisis" among young people have been sounded on a regular basis for more than a century. Yet as each generation of students matures, it is able to accomplish the reading and writing tasks necessary for society to continue. Perhaps then, rather than sounding more alarms, it is time to consider what anxieties, particularly…

The authors conducted a grounded theory study of academic procrastination to explore adaptive and maladaptive aspects of procrastination and to help guide future empirical research. They discuss previous research on the definition and dimensionality of procrastination and describe the study in which interview data were collected in 4 stages,…

Author's summary of his book, "Schools Without Failure, released January 1969, Harper & Row.

"Math anxiety" can be a lifelong stumbling block affecting the student's level of performance and willingness to go beyond the minimum courses required, and hindering career change or advancement. The cumulative nature of math learning, early insistence on the right answer with reasonable speed, paranoia that not understanding will result in…

The extent to which juvenile delinquents differ significantly from non-delinquents and probationary-delinquent adolescents in terms of self-esteem and self-concept levels, attitudes toward school, levels of school achievement and failure was investigated. Male students between the ages of 14 and 16 attending three schools in two towns in British…

In this speech, the author discusses the introduction of Doctor William Glasser's approach to humanizing education in Madison, Wisconsin, public schools and describes research conducted in a field setting to determine teacher attitudes to this new approach. Appended to the presentation is the teacher attitude survey instrument used. (Author/JF)

Article based on an address at the Department of Elementary School Principals (NEA) Annual Meeting, Las, Vegas, Nevada.

The transition to management is one of the most difficult challenges first-time managers face--almost half fail. First-time managers may experience disorienting dilemmas that trigger transformative learning. HRD (human resource development) practitioners can assist in reducing the failure rate of first-time managers when they better understand the…

Development of a shame-based identity, also known as "toxic shame," can significantly interfere with an adult's ability to form an intimate relationship with another. As adults find peace from their past using transactional analysis and mental imagery, they learn to empower themselves to form healthy, intimate relationships.