This study explored regular classroom teachers' perceptions of highly able readers and their actual practice of gifted education in the educational contexts of China and Scotland. This study is qualitative in nature and questionnaires and interviews were used to gather data in Chinese and Scottish public primary schools. The analysis indicated…

Background: The Performance Indicators in Primary Schools On Entry Baseline assessment for pupils starting school includes an item which aims to assess how well a pupil writes his or her own name. There is some debate regarding the utility of this measure, on the grounds that name length may constitute bias. Purpose, method and design: The…

This article presents a critical review of the literature surrounding the potential impact of undiagnosed and untreated vision impairment on reading development in the early years of primary school. Despite pre-school screening programmes, it is still possible for children to enter school with undiagnosed, uncorrected vision impairments. This can…

Background: Large-scale randomised controlled trials are relatively rare in education. The present study approximates to, but is not exactly, a randomised controlled trial. It was an attempt to scale up previous small peer tutoring projects, while investing only modestly in continuing professional development for teachers. Purpose: A two-year…

Discusses a study of variations in Scottish elementary school children's reading attainment. Reports that, although individual student achievement varied with socioeconomic background, variations among schools did not appear to relate to schools' socioeconomic composition, size, location, or denominational status. Cites the need to evaluate such…

The majority of youth in corrections have had negative school experiences and below average academic achievement. Longitudinal research indicates that both academic failure and a negative life-long trajectory are a probability for many youth confined to correctional facilities. Given the high number of youth from ethnic and cultural minority…

The effect of reading difficulties and antisocial behavior on peer rejection and popularity was studied with 198 lower-class boys, grades 1 and 2. Poor readers who were stable and conformed to classroom requirements were no more rejected than good readers who conformed; however, they were less popular. (Author/CP)

A Scottish national study examined relationships between pupil background characteristics and performance in reading and mathematics at 80 primary and secondary schools. Age within the grade level, gender, and socioeconomic disadvantage had varying effects on achievement in different grades. School-level variations were more marked for primary…