This manual documents the technical aspects of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS). In May 1999, Massachusetts public school students in grades 4, 8, and 10 participated in the second annual administration of the MCAS tests in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science & Technology. This report provides information…

This paper reviews the research on use of American Sign Language in elementary classes that do not include children with hearing impairment and also reports on the use of the manual sign language alphabet in a primary class learning the phonetic sounds of the alphabet. The research reported is overwhelmingly positive in support of using sign…

This publication from the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is designed to inform parents about the department's Grade Three curriculum standards in four major areas: language arts/reading, mathematics, science, and social studies. The integrated language arts/reading standards include the study of roots, prefixes, and suffixes to…

In response to the growing achievement gap between English Learners (ELs) and non-ELs, standards-based instruction and assessment have been promulgated at the state and federal level. Yet, the consequences of standards-based assessment reforms for ELs have rarely been systematically studied. The work reported here represents the initial study of a…

Exemplary teaching aids--games, workbooks, student and teacher resource books, reading materials, and records--are recommended by subject area and grade level. Materials include an ice cream cone game for mathematics, a "Life Skills Reading" book on telephone usage, a "Dictionary of Recent American History," and many other items. (PP)

Presents a policy statement by the National Council of Teachers of English that identifies the ways in which the study of English contributes to the knowledge, understanding, and skills of those who will make up the society of the future. (HTH)

Elementary students' progressive disinterest in school can be partially explained by study results showing a slight but significant relationship between teacher interest in and student attitude towards four subject areas. Conveyance of teacher interest or disinterest in a subject may be significant in student attitude development. (SB)

Reports on how one teacher created a classroom environment in which the "Standards for the English Language Arts" were put into action through modeling and offering particular kinds of written language activities and other strategies that created opportunities for students to use written language for many purposes. (SR)

Uses the author's experience writing, "Harriet Beecher Stowe: A Life," as a centerpiece for an examination of the art and craft of biography. Discusses some of the pitfalls and problems, not only in research and representation, but also in the critical reception and intended audience of a biography. (MJP)

Describes an online exchange project between middle school students and college English Education majors being introduced to middle school language arts teaching. Specifically details: (1) preparation for an online exchange; (2) goals for the project; (3) the exchange going online; (4) questions college students asked; (5) what all the students…

This study explored possible predictors of failure to pass state proficiencies in English/Language Arts and Mathematics by more than 6,000 Indiana students in 2000-2002. Data explored included early test results, school attendance, grade point averages, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Predictors included early poor achievement,…

Computer programs covering several subject areas and grade levels are reviewed. The programs include multimedia courseware, simulations, and interactive software. Teaching tips which suggest methods of utilizing the programs are offered. (IAH)

Argues that language programs should result not only in competent language use but also in reading for enjoyment. The advantages of a whole language approach in achieving this goal are discussed. Strategies for incorporating this approach into traditional programs by developing literature-based reading units as extensions of basal readers are…

Describes a video/language arts curriculum for at-risk students, based on Paulo Freire's "education for critical consciousness." Discusses students on a Navajo reservation learned basic literacy skills while drawing on their personal experiences. Shows how Freire's pedagogy of listening, dialogue, and action were incorporated into all…

Suggests titles and learning activities to promote the use of children's books in the elementary school classroom. Language arts topics addressed include language skills; vocabulary enrichment; distinguishing between reality and fantasy; the concept of point of view; poetry; creative writing; and reading. (six references) (LRW)