Developed by classroom teachers during the development phase of Minnesota's Graduation Standards, this performance package is made up of locally designed assignments that, taken together, show whether a student has learned and can apply the knowledge and skills related to answering questions using information gathered through direct observations,…

This thematic curriculum unit on the adolescent novel, "The Outsiders" (S.E. Hinton) discusses issues that are relevant to students' lives and important to their future decisions. In the unit, students will discuss issues relevant to the novel and will use the novel as a bridge to analyze their own lives. The unit, with an overall theme…

Based on James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier's novel "My Brother Sam Is Dead," this lesson plan presents activities designed to help students understand that one way to learn about the past is to read historical novels; and that some people take one side or another in a war or other conflict, and some find themselves caught in the…

A study reports on the first 3 years of a 5-year study focusing on characteristics of educational practice that accompany student achievement in English language arts in middle and high schools. The study attempts to specify features of instruction that make a difference in student learning by comparing high-achieving and under-achieving schools…

Reports on a survey of English, social studies, and science teachers about perceived and actual classroom writing instruction practices. (RL)

Suggests that a remedial English classroom should be simple, emphasize respect, and make students comfortable. Notes that regardless of the special challenges each student may bring to the classroom, basic language skills improve through practice. Describes a remedial English class, which incorporates journal writing, reading aloud, sustained…

A survey of 71 day and residential schools found 19 identified themselves as bilingual-bicultural (BiBi) programs. Of the 19 programs, 37% reported use of manually coded English. Fluency in American Sign Language of instructional and support staff varied, with 47% reporting no more than half of instructional staff were fluent. (Contains…

Classroom assessment procedures of 36 teachers in grades 2 to 12 were studied to determine the extent to which they measure students' higher order thinking skills in mathematics, science, social studies, and language arts. A striking finding was the absence of evaluation of comparative and evaluative thinking. (SLD)

Investigates the relationship between field independence and language measures. Results indicate varying relationships of field independence with cloze, dictation, and multiple-choice language tests. These relationships also differ for native speakers in regular or remedial English classes, and for nonnative speakers. 53 references cited. Cloze…

Criticizes recent revisions in the National Curriculum for English in Great Britain. The author deplores that the new National Curriculum has not seized the opportunity of recognizing Britain as a multilingual, multicultural society and provides practical strategies for implementing the new English orders for both quality and equality. (GR)

Considers the position of specialist and mainstream teachers of bilingual pupils, the recent training initiatives, and the current constraints affecting implementation of coherent programs. The article outlines a Local Education Authority inservice package for both specialist and mainstream teachers. (GR)

Discusses a case study of an English teacher, the methods of teaching, and the difficulties encountered by the researcher in the study. Emphasizes the structure that an underlying pedagogical theory supplies for research, enabling the researcher to see, categorize, and analyze the content that teachers present to students. Discusses models of…

Presents an interview between a researcher and a teacher who was the subject of two studies. Discusses the teacher's impressions of each study, the researchers, and what was learned from each experience. Describes problems with research methods and interpersonal factors. Concludes that participating in research is a valuable experience for…

Examines how rural-urban, nonconformist-Anglican dichotomies characterized Welsh educational history. Discusses how nineteenth-century industrialization and social status encouraged Anglicization of Welsh schools and society. Analyzes subsequent developments that reawakened national consciousness, and demands for Welsh language instruction, now…

Describes a study conducted in Northern Ireland that investigated the impact of personal computers on pupils' cognitive and affective development. Topics addressed include attitudes toward English, math, or science; gender differences; process-based work versus content learning; and treatment of experimental and control groups. (Contains five…