The long-term effectiveness of Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) was assessed by contrasting drug use and other D.A.R.E.-related attitudinal latent variables among 356 12th graders who received the program in 6th grade with 264 students who did not receive the program. Results suggest a possible sleeper effect for the program. (SLD)

Describes a school in Quebec, in which students enrolled in an intensive English-as-a-Second-Language program (ESL) use English in a variety of communicative interactions inside and outside the ESL classroom. Assessment of students' performance indicates that they achieve higher levels of English than comparable students in other intensive ESL…

This study examined where, how often, and how effectively vocabulary instruction occurred in 23 ethnically diverse upper-elementary classrooms in Canada. Data revealed that only 6 percent of school time was devoted to vocabulary knowledge development, with 1.4 percent devoted to vocabulary development in academic subjects. Most instruction…

Investigates two questions: (1) the sex-related differences in Landsat Mastery, road map reading, and map drawing among adolescents and (2) the relationship between spatial ability and mapping skills. Replicates significantly lower female performance on parts of the Landsat tasks. Concludes that spatial ability correlations with mapping are too…

The effects of domain-specific and strategic knowledge on analogy performance were studied for 64 gifted and 64 non gifted sixth grade and high school students. Males (n=66) and females (n=62) performed comparably on almost all dependent measures. Implications for instruction and assessment of both types of knowledge are discussed. (SLD)

This article describes a meta-analysis of research on school integration in Israel. The analysis addresses the effects of the ethnic composition of fourth- and sixth-graders. Four of 15 studies involved met the criteria of the research design. Significant differences were found when comparing integrated and non-integrated classrooms. (TJH)

Describes study that was designed to compare student achievement scores from three different testing methods: paper-administered testing, computer-administered testing, and computerized adaptive testing. The California Assessment Program (CAP) item banks for grades three and six which this study incorporated are described, and results are…

Reports the findings of a descriptive case study carried out in Ontario, Canada, and designed to examine how a class of fifth- and sixth-grade students reacted to an integrated unit. Found that participating in the integrated unit was a positive experience for all the students interviewed. (KO)

Multivariate statistical analysis determined relationships between scores on the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test and the Stanford Achievement Test at grades 2, 4, and 6 for 272 students. The best predictor of achievement at a later grade was achievement at an earlier grade. Implications are discussed. (SLD)

Describes study that examined the effects of combining word processors, spelling checkers, and spelling drill and practice programs to individualize spelling instruction for fifth- and sixth-grade students. Treatments for the experimental and control groups are explained, selection of software is discussed, and suggestions for software development…

The degree to which tests of divergent production may be confounded by verbal ability and loquacity; and relationships among divergent thinking, social competency, and the syntactic complexity of prose written by 61 fifth and sixth graders were assessed. Complex thinkers may appreciate the value of simplicity in facilitating communication. (TJH)

Examines differences in home environments of higher and lower achieving Puerto Rican fifth- and sixth-graders in urban Pennsylvania. Investigates parents' aspirations, concern for use of language, parental reinforcement, knowledge of child's educational progress, and value orientations. Links home environment to achievement. Discusses implications…

Reports on a survey of 72 "recognized" middle schools and 83 randomly chosen schools, which indicates that most schools require reading instruction, especially in grade six. Finds that many offer remedial programs, but that practice has not responded to theoreticians' advocacy for reading in content areas. (RS)

Interviews with (n=21) fourth, sixth, and eighth graders, who were asked to construct their own notion of average and representativeness in open-ended problems, identified five basic constructions of average as mode, an algorithmic procedure, what is reasonable, midpoint, and a mathematical point of balance. (16 references) (MKR)

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)