These booklets are intended for students in Alberta, Canada, taking the Grade 12 Diploma Examinations in English 30. The readings booklet presents 7 reading selections from fiction and nonfiction literature. After instructions for students, the booklet presents: (1) Lance Morrow's essay "Metaphors of the World, Unite!"; (2) Carl…

This institutional study examined multiple facets of the Wytheville Community College (Virginia) Dual Credit English program and outlines both the strengths and weaknesses of the initiative. The author provides historical data on the rationale for the program and presents perspectives from various constituencies. The study found that both the…

In the wake of the federal No Child Left Behind legislation, standardized tests have become increasingly high-stakes. Yet English language learners (ELLs) typically score far below native English speakers, creating pressure to "teach to the test." This article shares findings from an intensive year long study in 10 New York City high…

A model exit examination for a community college English composition course is presented, along with a discussion of the evaluation criteria used and the content areas assessed by the examination. First, methods of objectively evaluating written examinations are discussed, and analytical scoring methods are contrasted with the holistic scoring…

Designed to determine the professional reading backgrounds, habits, and interests of secondary English teachers, this study surveyed the amount of reading done in three areas: professional journals, books about the teaching of English, and books on general education. Titles of selected books (with authors) and journals are presented, along with…

Redesigned to reflect a more standards-driven as opposed to course-driven approach, the Applied Literature and Composition courses (I and II) described in this paper not only prepare the two-year college/technical school students for entering the real world of work, but also for post-secondary and college level work. It notes that the course is…

This study examines the impact of 2 professional learning community (PLC) classroom practices on the English Language Arts achievement of California's most at-risk subgroups between selected higher- and lower-performing elementary schools in a southern California school district. The conclusions from this study agree with the body of research,…

Intended for students taking the Grade 12 Diploma Examinations in English 30, this "questions booklet" presents 70 multiple choice test items based on 8 reading selections in the accompanying readings booklet. After instructions for students, the booklet presents the multiple choice items which test students' comprehension of the poetry,…

Intended for students taking the Grade 12 Diploma Examinations in English 30, this "readings booklet" presents 8 reading selections from fiction and nonfiction. After instructions for students, the booklet presents (1) Robert Penn Warren's poem "Summer Afternoons and Hypnosis"; (2) an excerpt from an interview with William…

Students in a senior (grade 12) basic English class were not motivated to read books unless required to do so by their teacher; they did little or no reading for pleasure. To increase recreational reading and instill a love of reading in the 17 subjects, a practicum, in the form of a reading program lasting about 2 months, developed strategies…

This final report is the second of three reports (Preliminary, Final, and Summary) of the findings of the 1988 Provincial Writing Assessment in Manitoba, Canada for grades 4, 8, and 11 of French Immersion schools. It contains an overview of the purposes, procedures, and a detailed presentation of the findings and recommendations of the Writing…

This final report is the second of three reports (Preliminary, Final, and Summary) of the findings of the 1988 Provincial Writing Assessment in Manitoba, Canada for grades 4, 8, and 11 of Franco-Manitoban schools. It contains an overview of the purposes, procedures, and a detailed presentation of the findings and recommendations of the Writing…

The Portland Chapter 1 Early Childhood Education Program is one of three arrangements in the district to offer education for preschool children. Together, the programs enrolled 1,500 students during 1986-87. Although there are some differences among programs, the one located at Kenton School is typical of most. It consists of 3 classrooms, each…

The academic characteristics and language skills of foreign born Asians at the University of California (UC), Berkeley, were studied in 1981. The 694 respondents were polled concerning factors that contributed to their knowledge of English, their current proficiency with English, and whether their ability with English influenced their choice of…

Current literature indicates a growing interest in the development of individualized, self-paced, learning systems within community college courses in order to accommodate the differing learning abilities of non-traditional students. To assess student preferences for such instruction as opposed to traditional, lecture/discussion teaching, an…