The author asserts that, in both the junior high school movement and the more recent middle school movement, the ninth grade was considered expendable. He suggests that it is time to resolve the bothersome questions as to whether the ninth grade belongs in the junior or senior high school. (SJL)

Uses reading responses of a ninth grade class and a teachers' study group to examine the social memberships and constituencies that reading and discussion disclose through the response process. Maintains that teachers should base reading lists on an understanding of their own and students' memberships rather than on some abstract notion of…

Teachers at an Israeli junior high school observed and assisted examiners administering the oral Bagrut examinations and realized the importance of oral language proficiency as part of the final examination. Positive repercussions are discussed. (LB)