The Key Stage 2 Reading Standard Assessment Test (SAT) is a national test of reading comprehension taken by all 11-year olds in state schools in England. The results of this high-stakes test are used for accountability and comparative purposes. While it is acknowledged that these uses have a negative impact on both schools and pupils [Education…

Deaf students often differ from their hearing peers in written language development. Providing developmentally appropriate instruction is ideal, yet current methods of writing assessment do not provide teachers with sufficient information regarding the written language (i.e., syntactic) development of deaf students. In this research, we use a…

Complex problem solving (CPS) as a cross-curricular competence has recently attracted more attention in educational psychology as indicated by its implementation in international educational large-scale assessments such as the Programme for International Student Assessment. However, research on the development of CPS is scarce, and the few…

Although several different reading fluency intervention approaches appear promising for adolescents who are struggling readers, few studies have directly compared various approaches. The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to determine the relative effects of word-oriented, fluency-oriented, comprehension-oriented, and multi-component…

Within a Response to Intervention (RtI) framework, Tier 1 instruction requires the selection of research-based core curricula. However, many educators and administrators are not aware of high-quality core writing curricula. The authors assembled a rubric to assist schools in evaluating core writing curricula for Grades 3-5. Rubric components…

This study was designed to explore children's understanding of formative assessment and its effects on their learning, in order to establish what learners perceive as important to help them improve their learning. The study found that children have a good understanding of the concepts of feedback, and can articulate clearly the elements most…

Presents a set of criteria (formulated by students) for evaluating student projects. Notes that the method is called "FINE" (Facts, Interesting, Neatness, Effort). (SR)

A learning styles inventory listing 27 different classroom tasks in nine categories (including projects, acting, drill, and peer teaching) was administered to primary and intermediate students. Ss designated by their teachers as gifted indicated definite preferences different from nongifted students. (CL)

An extension of G. L. Cates et al. (2003) investigation was conducted to determine if students' cumulative learning rates would be superior for words read under a traditional drill and practice condition (as they were for spelling in the previous study) than under interspersal conditions of varying ratios of unknown to known words. Participants…

The validity of the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery was evaluated with a sample of 50 learning disabled fourth graders. In general, the Battery has some convergent validity but little discriminant validity relative to various cluster scores or specific uses. (Author)

Describes the creation of an opera based on Aesop's Fables which was written, composed and performed by middle school students. Student groups created scenes based on the fables and devised methods for realizing them musically. Activity organization and student evaluation methods are discussed. (AM)

The descriptive study assessed the effectiveness of teaching critical thinking skills by comparing student (n=10) perceptions of a critical thinking lesson with teachers' stated objectives. Findings indicated that middle school gifted students are able to identify teachers' intentions and articulate their own processes as they work through…

Comparative grading persists because society continues to value its selective function--allocation of scarce educational and economic resources to the most educable students. There is an unspoken consensus that grades are necessary to motivate students to learn. Educators should tap middle schoolers' internal and inherent motivators instead.…

The correlation of Guilford and Torrance measures over a two-year period and the relationship of teacher ratings of childrens' behavioral characteristics to creativity test performance over that same interval were examined. (Author)

Examined the construct validity of multidimensional self-concept scales in three different samples of fifth and sixth graders in Australia. Overall, student ratings of their own self-concepts were moderately correlated with teacher ratings of their self-concepts, with academic achievement tests, and with teacher ratings of academic abilities.…