Beginning in 1991-92, a local school district undertook a concerted effort to reduce class size in grades 1 through 3 to 1:15, the Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) Project. Achievement gains and research indicated that class size caused increased achievement and facilitated improved instruction. (SLD)

Reviews the 1886 reading research findings of J. McK. Cattell, and their confirmation by E. B. Huey in 1908; points to considerations that militate against accepting the Cattell/Huey evidence on word recognition processes as support for pedagogical practice. (GT)

This article reports on research on the effectiveness of a peer-assisted learning strategy (PALS) intervention to develop fluency in beginning readers with and without disabilities. Pairs of students complete phonically based activities and then repeated readings of a shared text. Evaluation indicated that the peer-mediated, repeated reading…

Neuropsychological research can provide a basis for learning how to interpret test data to help solve the problem of how to teach children who fail to read. Insights from brain research can be joined with diagnostic efforts and cognitive, language-based models of reading processes in order to move toward individual assessment and away from…

This article focuses on the link between changes in teachers' conceptual knowledge and student performance. It shows how teachers used the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills assessment system and describes significant change in teacher practice and student performance on foundational skills in early literacy. (Contains references.)…

The effects of performance assessments on student learning were examined in a year-long project to help teachers in 13 third-grade classrooms begin to use performance assessments as part of regular instruction in reading and mathematics. The essential research question was whether students learned more or developed qualitatively different…

This document presents 12 seminar papers describing research and development efforts in self-instructional programs being undertaken in six countries: the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Jamaica, Liberia, and Canada. The following are topics covered in the individual papers: research and development activities in primary schools; the technology…

In October 2003, the US Department of Education contracted with Abt Associates to design and conduct the Reading First Implementation Evaluation. This report focuses on the following questions: (1) How is the Reading First program implemented in districts and schools? and (2) How does reading instruction differ in Reading First schools and…