Quality communication is hindered with incorrect spelling of words. Thus, it behooves the teacher to develop a quality spelling curriculum for all students to become the best spellers possible to be able to communicate well in writing. The scope of the spelling curriculum answers the question pertaining to the "breadth" of spelling words…

Recounts how a teacher strove to give her remedial writing students a sense of self-worth as a prerequisite to improve their writing. (JL)

Suggests the study of academic development as a viable research agenda. Begins by examining the theme of schooling and knowledge, discussing an epistemological orientation and describing academic development (what it is, why it is important to pursue models of academic development, and how to overcome perceived barriers). Concludes that it is…

Students in the classroom should be provided with engaging activities for improving their computational fluency, making effective use of time, and as a medium of self-motivation. Games such as Contig, the 24 Game, and Number Jumbler are useful for practicing basic facts and computational fluency of mathematics.

While the last decade has been marked by widespread advocacy for integrating information and communication technologies (ICTs) across school curriculum, teachers' understandings of the nature of electronic literacies in the learning process have received far less attention. This has been the case despite the accelerated growth, miniaturisation and…

Progress in programs to identify and develop academically precocious youth are discussed while showing that the age-in-grade basis for education impairs learning quality and extent. A national search for talented youth is described, and a longitudinal mathematics team-teaching program is proposed. (CM)

When less able students receive favorable instructional techniques and an educational program organized by underlying principles, they may achieve at the higher mental and/or complex skill levels achieved by very able students. Organization of content in the areas of mathematics, psychomotor, and games is discussed. (RL)

The lack of an operational linkage between the educational forces of school, home, and community is a major part of the crisis in the schools today. To reach the widest number of children in the earlier school years, it is vital for schools to connect with the home. An ideal time to begin a coordinated, concerted national effort linking the…

Improvement in black students' test scores is occurring nationwide, and an increasing number of black students are enrolling in demanding academic courses. Test scores can be a force for eliminating educational inequities and strengthening educational standards. (MLF)

Describes a peer tutoring remedial reading program established at the high school level. Reports marked improvement in reading for both students and tutors. (RBW)

Discipline--the most serious problem faced by teachers today--has consistently appeared at or near the top of the public's attitudes toward the public schools. This paper discusses the difficulty of discipline and one of the most perplexing problems facing administrators today--the use of suspension as a discipline alternative. Out-of-school…

Mandatory continuing education is found to be generally inexpensive, not detracting from practice time, undertaken for a variety of positive reasons, and worthwhile for upgrading skills. Many states are increasing continuing education requirements as a means of increasing professional accountability. (MSE)

This book explores the key issues of learner assessment in terms of who it is for, what modes of assessment exist, what makes for sound assessment, why assessment is done, what agencies are promoting innovative methods of assessment, and the catalysts for change. Practical suggestions on how to assess more effectively are provided, including…

Guidelines for and obstacles to focusing on student learning outcomes as the primary educational goal are presented in this paper. Five obstacles that impede the focus on student outcomes are the beliefs that: learning should be normally distributed; education's purpose is to select talent; the purpose of testing is for evaluation only; curriculum…

Academic achievement is increasing in schools, but so is the dropout rate. Excellence in schools must be defined more broadly than the scores students earn on achievement tests. Concerns such as equity must be a part of the definition of excellence in education. It is essential that for some programs with disproportionate enrollments, educators…