Purpose: This study was designed to investigate the frequency with which school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) used recommended practices when assessing the language skills of bilingual students. The study also investigated the frequency with which SLPs used formal, standardized tests versus informal, alternative procedures with this…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of action research by ten preservice teachers earning their associate's degree in early childhood education from a small university in the West. Their goal was to assess the impact of their teaching on student learning with children birth to 8 years of age. This study represents the use of…

This study explores teachers' informal formative assessment practices in three middle school science classrooms. We present a model for examining these practices based on three components of formative assessment (eliciting, recognizing, and using information) and the three domains linked to scientific inquiry (epistemic frameworks, conceptual…

The study reported differences in agreement among four experienced listeners who analyzed the articulation skills of 97 four- and five-year-old children. Place and manner of articulation revealed differences of agreement, whereas voicing and syllabic function contributed little to agreement or disagreement. (Author)

Thirty children from two age levels (4 to 5 and 6 to 7 years) with diagnosed language problems were tested with four informal methods of language evaluation: spontaneous language sampling, elicited imitation, sentence completion, and grammatical judgment. Overall comparisons between tasks revealed significant correlations between spontaneous…

A research study was conducted with campers at two public campgrounds regarding the campers' willingness to pay for public recreation. Both formal and informal interviewing techniques were applied. Results showed that major differences in willingness to pay were found between the interview types. (JN)

Although students definitely improve their spelling skills when exposed to the Morphographic Spelling program (a set of rules that helps students analyze virtually any spoken English word for correct spelling), there are several questions about the program still unanswered. A limited study in London, England, to determine the effectiveness of…

Twenty early childhood practitioners (ECPs) and final-year Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies students completed a questionnaire about their use (or planned use) of formal and informal child development assessment instruments, their choice of specific instruments, and factors influencing decisions to conduct child development assessments within…

Naturalistic inquiry is an alternative to traditional assessment and experimental methodologies for measuring the effects of early intervention programs with young handicapped children. Discussion focuses on (1) the inductive nature of the naturalistic method; (2) potential strengths and weaknesses; (3) procedures for data collection. (Author/JW)

A reliability study is illustrated in which subjects are judged on a dichotomous trait by different sets of judges, possibly unequal in number. A kappa-like measure of reliability is proposed, its correspondence to an intraclass correlation coefficient is pointed out, and a test for its statistical significance is presented. (Author/CTM)

Results indicated that untrained observers perceived the group of children as functioning at a somewhat higher level than did trained evaluators. (Author)

This action research project sought to enhance assessment for learning, focusing on a "mini-viva" whereby students explained and justified to the instructor selected aspects of their assignment after it was submitted but before grading. Found that student reaction was generally positive but there were some limitations of the method. (EV)

Three psychologists participated in an examination of the consistency and accuracy of subjective diagnoses of 20 institutionalized mentally retarded young adults and adults. The psychologists' informal ratings of the Ss' degree of retardation (mild, moderate, severe, profound) were correlated with one another and with the retardation levels as…

This investigation suggests that observation of children's language in an informal context generally provides more comprehensive information about a kindergarten child's communicative competence than formal oral language assessment instruments. (DD)

The aim of this research is to examine how social learning is connected to the acquisition of knowledge and abilities. One hundred and nineteen "A" grade students (60 boys and 59 girls) attending public primary school participated. The collection of data was carried out according to: (1) the "Athina" Test (AT) and (2) teachers'…