The Additional Support for Learning Act is a key piece of legislation in Scotland's efforts to achieve a more inclusive society and to give all young people the access to the learning opportunities they need in order to meet their potential. The Act also has a key role to play in the day-to-day preventative action that schools can take to be…

A longitudinal investigation determined the growth of reading comprehension from third to fifth grades in a cohort of students who received Language Enrichment (LE), an Orton-Gillingham-based literacy program, during first and second grades. The LE instruction was provided by regular education teachers who received comprehensive training in…

Teacher shortage in rural localities is a long-standing issue in New Zealand. This paper reports on an attempt to reduce the impact of shortages by redesigning the way pre-service teacher education was delivered. Called the Mixed Media Programme (MMP), this is a primary (elementary) teacher education programme that was established in 1997 in New…

Northern Thailand is home to many hill tribes, who have lived for hundreds of years as subsistence farmers or nomadic hunters. In the 1940s, communist insurgencies drove many hill tribes from China, Burma, and other nations south into northern Thailand. Uprooted from their native lands, the hill tribes left behind ties to economic resources and,…

This article describes a number of internal organizational initiatives within an urban teacher education program designed to foster inclusive, responsive practices by newly licensed general and special education teacher candidates. After implementing a merged preparation program for both special and general educators, we captured faculty and…

This practicum identified the problem of inconsistent use of developmentally appropriate practices by staff in an early childhood center and implemented an inservice program to increase the use of activities based on individual appropriateness rather than on age alone. The solution strategy utilized a self-assessment survey of classroom practices…

This study investigated the needs of low-literate students participating in a Human Resources Administration/City University of New York (HRA/CUNY) program offering English-as-a-Second-Language and employment-related training to low-income Hispanic women receiving welfare. It identified participants in need of literacy instruction based on grade…

Kaleidoscope is an innovative approach to an arts-based early childhood program, combining visual arts, music, dance and language arts. The program's principal goal is to promote the learning and development of low-income, inner-city children who are attending preschool and kindergarten. Kaleidoscope's three objectives are: (1) to provide children…

This book describes a highly successful mentorship program in "how-to" terms that are easily applied and adaptable to a variety of situations. Following an introduction, chapter 1 addresses the question: When does a student really need the help of a professional mentor? Chapters 2-7 examine the underlying principles of the mentor program. Chapter…

In spring 1988, Moraine Valley Community College (MVCC), in Palos Hills, Illinois, implemented "College Success," a course to increase student academic performance and improve college retention. Students in the course learned a variety of techniques to help them succeed in college, including note-taking skills, time management, memory…

In fall 1991, the faculty and staff of New Mexico State University-Alamogordo (NMSU-A) designed and implemented a strategic planning process which incorporates a comprehensive annual review of various aspects of student academic achievement (SAA). The faculty-based SAA assessment process includes activities focused on classroom instruction,…

Comparing Ute Mountain Indians, Hispanics, and Anglos within several communities, this study examined: (1) ethnic differences in the structure and function of parents' support networks; and (2) the relation of social support to parental feelings of competence and parenting behaviors. From 4 sites in Colorado, 484 parents or guardians of 2- to…

In an effort to improve communication and interaction between students and instructors, improve the presentation of course material, and assess the cognitive development of students, a Quasi-Mastery Learning System (QMLS) of instruction was developed for a community college course in General Chemistry (GC). The QMLS incorporates eight features:…

In an effort to prevent substance use and abuse by children and adolescents, the California Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Education (DATE) Program was initiated in 1991. This report evaluates the program from perspectives of school district personnel, and students, generating an explanation of the "whats" and "hows" of drug…

The Weekend College (WEC) at Virginia's John Tyler Community College (JTCC) is an 8-week program offering classes every other weekend as well as student-directed learning activities outside the classroom. The program was begun in spring 1995, offering 9 courses and enrolling 152 students. To judge the effectiveness of the WEC, data were collected…