This study: (1) examined assumptions made about development of second-language writing skills by the teaching profession, as reflected in the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency guidelines, and (2) investigated the relationship between those assumptions and actual skills development, as reflected in the work…

Multicultural growth in teachers is measured through their level of cultural self-awareness, their emotional response to difference, their mode of cultural interaction, and whether their teaching approach is ethnocentric or multicultural. Overt racial issues in education include racial differences in standardized testing, gifted and remedial…

This study used data from a 4-year longitudinal study of students at the University of Missouri, Columbia, to explore differences between males and females in their decisions to seek bachelor's degrees. The study focused particularly on three mediating variables: (1) performance levels, (2) expectations, and (3) attainment values. Data were…

A semi-annual refereed publication of research and instructional practices in English/language arts and allied fields, preschool through adult levels, this volume of "Maryland English Journal" presents articles on a variety of subjects and showcases the work of young writers. Articles in volume 29, number 1 are: "Expertise in…

In this study 83 regular class teachers (RCTs) evaluated potentially irritating behaviors of special educators. In addition 64 special educators also attempted to predict these ratings using a parallel instrument. Results indicated that RCTs' ratings of special educators' irritating behaviors were lower than predicted by the special educators…

The purpose of this experimental study was to determine the behavioral effects of Yoshukai karate on four dependent variables: (1) student behavior as related to classroom discipline; (2) teacher attitudes toward at-risk students; (3) students' self-concepts; and (4) academic achievement as determined by scores on a standardized diagnostic test.…

Based on a review of current literature, this report provides information on the impact of heterogeneous grouping versus homogeneous grouping on secondary student performance. Following a definition of ability grouping and arguments for and against its employment in current educational practice, the document examines five significant factors…

Combining three strategies, a composition instructor has attempted to bridge the gap between peer response and teacher expectation in the first-year writing course taught at Florida State University. The focus is on writing that is exploratory and based on personal experience. The instructor: (1) establishes a criteria for producing and evaluating…

This study explored how past experiences, current career development, and expectations for assistance impact the service delivery of computer-assisted career guidance systems. The subjects (N=4) were selected from adults who had sought services from a university-based career center and who were voluntarily participating in a research project…

This paper discusses the Building Strong Families parenting program, which combines findings from recent attribution research with traditional ideas. Attribution is defined as the process by which people assign cause to behavior. The role of expectancy in attribution and the role of attribution in the relationship between parent and child are…

Since 1980, Loevinger's Sentence Completion Test has been used to explore the relationship between ego development and managerial effectiveness in the context of Boston College's Masters of Business Administration (MBA) program. According to the theory of ego development developed by Loevinger and others, most adults either inhabit one of four…

Since student ratings of teacher effectiveness are instrumental in faculty promotion and tenure decisions, the assets and limitations of such ratings must be understood. To investigate the impact of three personality factors (ability, locus of control, and self-esteem) and academic performance on expectation and attributions of performance, 212…

This document is the complete Indicators of Quality Schools assessment instrument. The instrument is a series of checklists of school practices found in schools known to have an effective instructional program organized under 12 topic areas (with subitems listed under each area): curricular congruence; assessment; leadership of the principal; high…

Issues concerning performance expectations in American education are summarized in a staff report of a panel of the National Commission on Excellence in Education. Discussion topics included: who is responsible for stating expectations for student learning; whether expectations for the American educational system differ significantly from those of…

Sections of this report introduce many of the activities undertaken in 1982 within the purview of the Mt. Druitt (Australia) longitudinal study. Included are reports of (1) the 1982 math investigation, (2) a longitudinal study of child growth and development and the incidence of physical defects at ages 9 and 10, (3) an investigation of classroom…