Reports on a survey of school administrators and teachers regarding the relationship between the status of elementary social studies and the goal of personal development for the greater good of society. Finds that competition for resources, low student interest, and an uneven curriculum have pushed social studies to the background. (CFR)

Action research, in which classroom teachers engage in systematic inquiry to develop new alternatives for approaching problematic classroom situations, is presented as a dimension of collaboration that has the potential to reduce teachers' resistance to changes in teaching practice as they work to accommodate diverse classroom populations.…

Instructional leadership is studied as practiced by 44 school site principals, all graduates of the California School Leadership Academy (CSLA), a 3-year program emphasizing leadership in the context of a state-initiated school reform strategy. The CSLA offers hope that effective training for instructional leadership can be broadly implemented.…

A four-year longitudinal case study of changes in the teaching of reading and writing made by one female elementary school teacher is described. Changes in the teacher's beliefs and practices and the influence of reflective thinking and collaboration promoted by a master's program and research project are described. (SLD)

Data from Pulap Atoll in Chuuk State (Micronesia) indicate ways in which indigenous culture can transform formal Western schooling. Although the educational system ostensibly derives from a U.S. model and occurs in a context that islanders recognize as nontraditional, many aspects of schooling continue to transmit Pulapese culture. (SLD)

Reports on a visit to Nepal to observe art education in rural and urban schools. Discusses art activities among rural families and in schools. Contends that art education is discouraged in urban or more modern school settings because of the influence of Western lifestyles. (CFR)

This article presents strategies for early intervention in integrated settings for children with disabilities. The strategies attempt to follow principles of both developmentally appropriate practice and effective special education. Strategies are grouped into four categories: (1) attention and responsiveness to the child; (2) environmental…

This article discusses assessment and intervention efforts for young children with disabilities, based on an approach to children's peer-related social competence which stresses developmentally appropriate practices. Application of the model to children with Down's syndrome illustrates the model's appropriateness to the special needs of children…

Describes the impact of the introduction of National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) in the United Kingdom on the field of child care and education. Explains the structure of NVQs; how to get an NVQ accreditation; Child Care and Education NVQs; the NVQ assessment process; the roles of assessors and verifiers; how the NVQ system works; and the…

Teacher testing-related attitudes and practices related to court-ordered achievement testing were studied through a mail survey completed by 79 elementary school teachers in a midwestern urban district. Teachers engaged in a large number of test preparation practices and reported finding minimal value in purpose or results of testing. (SLD)

Stability from morning to afternoon and from year to year of 25 kindergarten and first grade teachers was examined for time and frequency of interactions during reading, story reading, and all instruction. Possible reasons for the lesser stability of first grade teachers are discussed. (SLD)

Advocates the implementation of the same developmentally appropriate principles and practices that govern good preschool programs in elementary school programs as well. These practices involve understanding children and their levels of development, working with the whole child, fostering integrated learning, and encouraging parent participation.…

Suggests ways to eliminate ability grouping in the schools, and explores new alternatives to improve schooling for all students. Specific guidelines are given for the development of academically and racially heterogeneous schooling. The elimination of grouping practices that deny equal access to education is a goal worth pursuing. (SLD)

As part of the Chapter 1 program, the U.S. Department of Education conducts research activities and uses nominations from a variety of sources to identify promising practices and document their success. The department disseminates this information through its award process in the Chapter 1 School Recognition Program. (SLD)

Outlines components of a theory of multicultural society; and argues that the critical weakness of multicultural education in Australia is that it derives from undertheorized, conceptually inadequate, and confused understandings. Current approaches fail to address fundamental issues of difference in existing social relations. (SLD)