Ten studies investigating the relationship between instructional time and achievement on elementary school reading and mathematics tests were reviewed. The studies involved general classroom research, instructional time research, and attention research. The review indicated that the relationship between academic achievement and instructional time…

Describes the use of mapping and portfolio assessment by school library media specialists to document changes in student reading, writing, and information use patterns. Topics discussed include new curriculum designs in language arts and social studies; information literacy; comparing earlier and later work; and student reflection. (Contains 37…

This study uses data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999 (ECLS-K) to examine how children's skills and knowledge at kindergarten entry predict their achievement in later grades. It extends previous research by examining longer-term achievement outcomes, namely test scores at the end of fifth grade, and…

Noting that accurate procedures for predicting reading ability in school settings are necessary for a variety of purposes, this paper reviews methods for predicting reading ability and presents a new, more precise model for use at the second grade level. First, the paper defines reading expectancy as an informed estimate of the level of reading…

Rauding theory states that two factors, accuracy and rate, explain nearly all the variance in the general reading ability of American schoolchildren (Carver, 1999). Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and regression, this dissertation investigated to what extent the Rauding model could be applied to 92 Japanese university aged young adults…

It is widely believed that television viewing has a negative impact on school achievement. This belief is supported by negative statistical associations sometimes found between school achievement and amount of television viewing; that is, heavy TV viewers tend to show poorer achievement than light viewers. One possible explanation of this…

With the mandate of "No Child Left Behind," high-stakes achievement testing is firmly in place in every state. The few studies that have explored the effectiveness of high-stakes testing using NAEP scores have yielded mixed results. This study considered state demographic characteristics for each NAEP testing period in reading, writing,…

Recent research on vocabulary development is reviewed, highlighting issues related to diverse learners. The review included studies of students who are low performers; learning or reading disabled; remedial readers; high achievers; and students who are culturally disadvantaged, language delayed, and linguistically diverse. Areas of convergence in…

This study sought to locate excellent readers and excellent reading courses among majors and courses chosen by college freshmen at three postsecondary institutions: a private, residential, suburban, four-year liberal arts college with religious affiliation; a two-year public (commuter) community college outside the same metropolitan area; and an…

A substantial body of reading research indicates that poor readers would become much more successful if teachers pretended that they were actually good readers. First, research suggests that teachers should provide poor readers with more silent and less oral reading time, thereby furnishing them with more reading experience that emphasizes meaning…

The Study of Adult Reading Acquisition (SARA) is a longitudinal research project designed to measure the development of reading subskills in adults enrolled in instructional programs. The study participants are all students enrolled in a variety of adult education sites and settings, including correctional institutions, community-based programs,…

Reform efforts to improve educational quality and outcomes in public schools in the last decade have focused on improving curricula and teaching methods, with outcomes being gauged by demonstration of improved math and reading scores. This article suggests that outcomes must be assessed for improved outcomes in mental health and classroom…

This report summarizes data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which has been monitoring the scholastic achievement of America's 9-, 13-, and 17-year-olds since 1969. The 1990 NAEP trend data provide several ways of describing changes in student achievement in each curriculum area. For science, mathematics, and reading,…

A review of literature relating to the use of Hawaiian pidgin and standard English and their relationship to school achievement was undertaken in response to concerns regarding state educational policy for language use and proficiency. The research reviewed includes pidgin and creole studies, second language acquisition research, and studies of…

The two mini reviews and two fact sheets contained in this collection synthesize basic information regarding four issues in rural education: special education, transportation, early childhood education, and reading achievement. Solutions to the special education problems of child identification, parent involvement, delivery of special education…