This report describes the development and implementation of an intervention for improving students' interest and academic achievement in social studies. The targeted population consisted of first and fourth grade students of different socioeconomic levels in northwestern Illinois. Problems were documented in student surveys, teacher observations,…

This report describes a program for improving literacy skills, such as expression, fluency, and comprehension through the use of drama in the reading curriculum. The targeted population consisted of kindergarten and first grade students, both in middle class communities, located in two northern suburbs of Chicago. The problems of reading ability…

A research project involved a program for increasing student transfer of knowledge and skills across content areas. The problem of knowledge and skill transfer across content areas was determined through anecdotal records, researcher observation, and a survey of teachers in interdisciplinary programs. Analysis of probable cause data revealed that…

This action research project described a program for improving reading skills in the identified primary classrooms. The targeted population consisted of students in first and third grades. The third grade classrooms were located in a low socioeconomic area within an urban community of Illinois. The first grade classroom was located in a higher…

Noting that poor student motivation and problematic social skills may interfere with the academic growth of elementary school students, this action research project examined the impact of a multifaceted intervention on student motivation and achievement. Participating in the study were second and third graders from 3 schools. The 12-week…

This study described a program for improving students' study skills aimed at improving academic performance. The targeted population consisted of students in two public high schools and one parochial grade school in a medium-sized metropolitan area located in central Illinois. The lack of these skills by students at all levels had been…

This report describes a program for improving student vocabulary skills. The targeted population was fifth and sixth grade students in two growing middle class communities located north of a large midwestern city. The problem of low vocabulary skills was documented through observation of student reading and writings, teacher surveys, classroom…

This paper describes a program designed to compare students' attitudes towards the use of traditional and alternative assessment practices. The targeted population consisted of a second and third grade general education class, a third grade physical education class, and an eighth grade applied technology class in three communities in northern…

This report describes a program implemented to improve the social skills of students with moderate to severe cognitive delays. The targeted population consisted of five elementary-aged students at site A and five high school-aged students at site B, both Chicago Public Schools. Analysis of probable cause data revealed that social skills issues…

A research project implemented a program to increase skills in critiquing art at the elementary level. The targeted population consisted of students in fifth grade in a lower-to-middle-class community located in western Illinois. Evidence used to support the problem's existence included the local visual art assessment test, teacher observations,…

This study describes and evaluates a project designed to increase the low reading ability which interferes with the academic growth of the targeted kindergarten, second-, and fifth-grade classes in a suburban Chicago (Illinois) community. The problem of low reading ability is documented through data revealing the number of students who received…

This report describes a program for integrating visual art into the core curriculum of sixth grade students, in a growing, upper middle and middle class, suburban community, elementary school located in a northwest suburb of Chicago (Illinois). The problem was noted originally by the teachers, who found the students unable to apply skills learned…

A study investigated the severity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Austrian elementary classrooms and evaluated how teachers help their students when they encounter ADHD related symptoms. Subjects were 37 Austrian elementary teachers and their 750 students. Participating teachers completed the survey by reporting their…

An action research study implemented a program for improving the reading ability of first-grade students who enter school with low reading readiness skills. The targeted population came from a mid-size, middle-class town in northern Illinois that has experienced recent growth and socioeconomic changes. The problem was evidenced by teacher…

This project paper described a program for increasing reading comprehension. The targeted population consisted of sixth grade students at River Bend Elementary School in a middle class community located in western Illinois. The problem of a steady decline in reading comprehension was documented by the Illinois Goals Assessment Program, Iowa Tests…