Reviews the basic tenets of achievement goal theory, analyzing research in physical education that focuses extensively on instructional practice and strategies that may improve the quality of students' motivation. Comments on the potential utility of adopting an achievement goal approach to understanding and enhancing motivation in physical…

Analyzes the structural and thematic elements of three stories written by a sixth-grade Navajo girl to challenge the notion that a linear pattern of growth is followed by all children as they learn to write stories. The results question the assumption that certain kinds of narratives and their American Indian authors are less able or less…

Describes a variety of devices that can assist students with disabilities. Highlights recently developed devices for students with specific learning disabilities, and with vision, hearing, health, physical, and speech and language impairments. The devices can help rehabilitate, reeducate, facilitate normalcy, or augment current functioning. (GLR)

Focuses on the history of the whole language approach, which arose out of the ancient notion of teaching as an art rather than a science. The approach is unable to demonstrate its superiority with statistics, a requirement for introducing radical changes in education. The tendency to avoid substantial change in second-language teaching is expected…

Examined interventions and strategies used by Chapter 1 Program Improvement (PI) schools to improve academic program and Chapter 1 services. Site visits to 15 California elementary and middle schools show that schools engaged in change have common elements: strong leadership, quality core curriculum, school autonomy, district support, and parent…

This study is intended as a resource and a tool for those involved in the evaluation, monitoring, or self-review of school management teams. The information presented is based on first-hand experiences of n = 838 elementary and middle school teachers from 55 schools who were directly involved with the implementation and operations of school…

This paper describes the approaches being taken in 11 school districts that are located in California, Nevada, and Arizona to help disadvantaged newcomers within the districts, contrasts these approaches, and relates them to achievement-gain scores. The study's objective is to gauge whether school districts that were classified as high performers,…

Key facts are provided about the Northeast Regional Credential program which allows greater transportability of teacher certification across state lines. Tight and exclusionary teacher certification rules are seen as related to the high numbers of teachers leaving the profession. This regional credentialling program is an agreement among seven…

This research was an exploratory study of which teachers, students, and teacher-student combinations benefit most from a particular aspect of computer-assisted instruction. The study is based on teacher and student evaluations of different teaching styles while using instructional software. Three teaching styles (monitoring, coordinating, and…

This report characterizes the student population served by the Migrant Education Program (MEP), describes services provided through MEP, and suggests policy options to improve targeting and accountability. Despite legislation that requires currently migratory children to receive priority for MEP services, over half of those served are formerly…

This paper presents the findings of a literature review undertaken to identify behaviors and practices demonstrated by successful urban teachers in their preparation for teaching and interacting with students. The literature search focused on competencies for urban teaching and on urban education. The search yielded two broad areas of competence:…

This paper examines the moral reasoning of preservice and inservice teachers; reviews and summarizes empirical studies that have examined teachers' levels of principled reasoning; relates that information to the construction of democratic classrooms, which are a critique of both authoritarian and status quo democratic systems; and presents…

This bibliographic essay and research review investigates four areas: (1) the characteristics of elementary writing instruction prior to the 80s; (2) the factors which changed writing instruction in the 80s; (3) the characteristics of elementary writing instruction in the 80s: and (4) the place of elementary and pre/in-service textbooks in the…

This memo contains a comprehensive review of past, present, and likely future conditions related to the supply and demand situation of public school teachers. Primary emphasis is placed on the quantitative rather than the qualitative aspects of the teacher supply and demand picture. Section I summarizes and presents highlights of findings on: (1)…

The social science curriculum must be supported by four pillars, the first of which represents value awareness. Social science programs must deal with values in order to help students set goals for themselves as individuals and as members of society. Students should be taught the importance of the values of this democratic society. The second…