This article reviews recent efforts to implement the William & Mary English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum within the Paradise Valley Unified School District gifted programs. The programs include self-contained gifted, as well as content replacement programs in Title 1 and Non-Title 1 schools. Each delivery model modified the constructs of the…

Purpose: In January 2015, the Northwest Board of Cooperative Educational Services (NW BOCES) received a five-year Investing in Innovation (i3) grant to develop and implement the System for Educator Effectiveness Development (SEED) program--an innovative professional development (PD) system designed to provide geographically isolated educators an…

English teaching and learning has taken an interesting shift in Hong Kong schools with the implementation of the New Senior Secondary (NSS) curriculum under the "334" education reform. Situating the paper within the broader considerations of the intersection of Cultural Studies and English teaching, this paper examines the challenges and…

The Common Core State Standards for the English Language Arts, together with the new tests being developed to assess them, are placing a greater emphasis on writing in elementary schools than in the recent past. This article explores similarities and differences of the standards with past state standards, explaining the reason both for why things…

"Teach For America" ("TFA") is a highly selective route to teacher certification that aims to place non-traditionally trained teachers in high-need public schools. The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) identified seven studies of teachers trained through "TFA" that both fall within the scope of the Teacher Training,…

In this update the National Governors Association presents the testimony of Honorable Bill Ritter, Jr., as submitted to the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee. Ritter speaks about the Common Core State Standards Initiative, a joint project by the National Governors Association (NGA) and Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) to…

This in-depth case study explores a modern approach to education: the benefits of using film, technology and other creative, non-conventional pedagogical methods in the classroom to enhance students' understanding of literature. The study explores the positive effects of introducing a variety of visual-based (and auditory-based) teaching methods…

Focuses on one elementary school teacher during the Language Arts lessons of her student teaching, and focuses on a single conflict she had with the values of the school. Suggests alternative approaches emphasizing the importance of creating settings that support teachers who wish to teach in ways that their school structures discourage. (SC)

This study evaluated the William and Mary curriculum units in science and language arts for high ability learners after 3 years of implementation in several suburban elementary and middle schools. Findings suggested that the curriculum was viewed positively by relevant groups, that the innovation had been integrated into district policies, and…

After implementing changes in language arts instruction, the principal--who is in a key position to sustain or institutionalize the changes--faces several responsibilities. Factors involved in directing innovations to become "built in" to school programs include solving specific problems, sharing decision-making responsibilities, upgrading and…

Amateur radio is a technology and activity that offers great potential when integrated into academic or vocational curricula. Programs with electrical, electronics, and electromechanical content can benefit from the use of amateur radio, and can also enhance language and communications skills. The biggest value of amateur radio may lie in its…

An 18-month qualitative study examined the process of designing, developing and evaluating a video-case laserdisc-based instructional support program for the professional development of English/language arts teachers and focusing on the application and practice of the reading/writing workshop approach. The first step was the creation of a…

Project CHILD (Computers Helping Instruction and Learning Development) is a major research project designed to develop an innovative computer-integrated instructional program for the elementary school. It has been a four-year effort funded by grants totalling $1,055,000 from the Florida Department of Education with additional support from 7…

Results are reported from 12 on-site visits and from mailed questionnaire returns regarding the continuing effects of the Elementary Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title IV-C, Innovative Exemplary Program, on education in Kansas. At each district visited, information was obtained, and verified when possible, regarding the changes resulting from…