Teaching communication skills to children with autism is a primary concern because speech and/or language delay characterize autism. One method of teaching verbal communication skills to children with autism is script fading. This study examined the effects of teaching children with autism to exchange information to peers about objects and…

How does geography play a role in student learning and teacher instruction? Limited research efforts reveal that the needs of students in rural areas are quite distinct from other settings (Muijs & Reynolds, 2003; Rice, 2003). It is not until exclusive qualities are determined in both rural and urban environments that instructional plans can…

The current study evaluated the use of a manualized social skills program, Superheroes Social Skills, to increase the use of prosocial behaviors and decrease the use of aggressive behaviors for children with externalizing behaviors. The training was implemented by a school psychologist in a pullout group with four children with high-incidence…

This teacher research study examines the literary talk and classroom community that emerged during Book Club meetings, fishbowl discussions, and a Retrospective Reflection session which transpired in my fifth grade classroom over the course of two thematic units. Themes of cultural awareness and belonging served to help students flesh out social…

The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between teacher perceptions of the frequency and effectiveness of principal instructional leadership behaviors and student achievement in high-poverty elementary schools. In order to accomplish the purpose, survey methodology was employed. Teachers from six high-poverty elementary schools…

The purpose of this study was to examine the elementary school assistant principals' attitudes and recommended instructional arrangement related to the inclusion of special needs students in the general education setting. The following six questions guided the study: (1) Are the attitudes of the elementary school assistant principals more positive…

Using data collected from surveys completed by grandparents for their grandchildren (N = 72), this quantitative study examines the effects grandparent primary caregivers have on the reading achievement of their African American grandchildren. The study sought to answer the following question: How do the six types of parental involvement (Epstein,…

The professional learning community (PLC) model for enacting school improvement through ameliorated educator leadership efficacy and instructional proficiencies has become one of the most popular methods for encouraging higher student achievement in public schools across the State of Missouri. By reviewing the current educational research on the…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact (positive, negative, or neutral) of Accelerated Readers (AR), a standard based intervention, on the academic achievement of English Language Learners at Carolina Herrera Elementary School. Carolina Herrera Elementary School, was analyzed using these specific lenses: (1) curriculum and…

The gender gap in administrative public school positions has been a perpetual problem throughout history. Although women have gained a foothold on elementary principalship positions, they have continued to lag behind men in secondary school principalship positions. The purpose of the study was to examine gender demographics and compare the results…

Using responses from a survey of elementary teachers from the state of Ohio, this study analyzed the influences of teachers' professional training (both pre-service training and in-service professional development), teachers' attitude towards ELLs, teachers' bilingualism, schools' percent of ELLs, and schools' resources (both socioeconomic status…

Informed by research studies that demonstrate a positive relationship between parent engagement and student academic attainment, state and national parent outreach initiatives have aimed to bridge the gap between Latina/o parents and schools. Such was the case with the Latina/o Family, School and Community "Avanzando" Project, which…

This study examined vocabulary acquisition of elementary students in grades kindergarten through fifth in one rural New Mexico school. The school had 277 students. Hispanic students comprised nearly 80% of the student body. All students received free lunch and breakfast. The 65 students who participated in the study were assessed using the…

This study examined whether a quality professional development course, "Infusing Technology", influenced the use of technology by elementary and middle school teachers in West Virginia. "Infusing Technology" was designed to help school-based team learning communities use technology in their instruction while engaging students…

The purpose of this research study was to understand the cultural adjustment of White female teachers to a diverse urban school environment. This research focused on what factors contributed to White teachers' successful, or unsuccessful, cultural adjustment to a school district that was predominantly of a differing cultural background. The…