Describes a study of fifth- and sixth-grade students that investigated the patterns of peer interaction among students working cooperatively in small groups on a computer-based problem-solving task and the effects of gender and group composition on peer interaction. Suggestions for future research are included. (Contains 86 references.) (LRW)

Reports on a study of the effects of a peer-mediation training program among 92 elementary school students. Finds that the training program was successful in teaching negotiation and mediation procedures and skills. Reports that the training dramatically reduced the number of conflicts referred to teachers and principal. (CFR)

This study examines the association of demographic, psychological, and environmental characteristics of a sample of low socioeconomic status, Mexican American students and their reported use of nine substances. Results indicate that a specific combination of variables predicted both minor and major substances used. The authors offer suggestions…

In order to investigate the text structure/reading comprehension relationship, this paper reviews recent research on text representation theories. Text structure investigation--research on semantic memory as it is concerned with meaning from the word level through the inference level--follows the premise that sentences are understood in the…

Previous research has examined whether manipulation of one environmental element, such as sound, significantly affected group norms for achievement. This investigation examined the relation of preferred and actual acoustic environment on reading performance. Subjects were 32 male and 32 female sixth-graders from a suburban school in New York State…

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…

Change in middle school students' sense of school belonging was examined in relation to grade point average, motivation variables, and teachers' promotion of mutual respect in classes. Survey data from 618 students collected in three waves during the sixth and seventh grades were submitted to growth curve analysis. On average, students' sense of…

This study examined the attitudes of fifth and sixth grade students from Chicago (Illinois) toward classroom climate in an effort to better understand factors that would encourage greater self-concept, higher achievement, and student and teacher behaviors. The study population included 185 fifth and sixth grade students attending the Philip…

Describes a study that compared the effects of cooperative and individual learning on fifth and sixth grade student performance and attitudes during interactive videodisc instruction for science. The use of heterogeneous ability groups is discussed, time on task is examined, and further research is suggested. (22 references) (LRW)

Discussion of the authenticity of materials contained in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) textbooks for elementary/secondary school use focuses on content designed to accelerate academic language development and highlights the experiences of one teacher with one textbook. The approach taken is that integrating language and content, while taking…

Gifted students represent an under-served population in the education system, especially at the middle school level. These students require special attention in regard to their social and emotional needs. The first section of this paper explores the literature pertaining to the education of gifted middle school students and the definition and role…

Maintains that children with disabilities increasingly are attending schools and classrooms they would attend if they did not have disabilities. Reports that educational research indicates little evidence that ability grouping improves academic achievement among these students. (CFR)