A heterogeneous sixth grade class was divided into six competitive teams. Team members' individual grades were averaged to determine the day's winning team, which was rewarded with special privileges. Student enthusiasm and achievement improved. (SJL)

Noting that computer based environments for communication may have profound effects upon classroom social organization and the development of literacy, this paper reports on a project that used QUILL, a software system that includes both tools that facilitate writing and new environments for communication. Following a brief introduction to the…

A critical ingredient for understanding the experiences that students undergo in the transition from elementary school to junior high school is the students' changing perceptions. The Ecological Perspectives for Successful Schooling Practice Junior High School Transition Study tapped the perceptions of students in transition using data from two…

This volume, part of the Junior High School Transition Study which examined students' adjustment to junior high school, reports on findings related to instructional organization in elementary and junior high schools. Chapter 1 presents a brief overview of the project and outlines the theoretical framework used to describe and compare the ways in…

This report summarizes the findings of the Junior High School Transition Study. Section 1 describes the data base used in all three phases of the study. Section 2, "Organization of Instruction," discusses the instructional organization in grades six and seven and the implications for successful student performance in junior high/middle…