The purpose for this study is to look at the effects of a specific comprehension strategy---Reciprocal Teaching (RT; Palincsar & Brown, 1983,1984) on the performance of intermediate elementary students in the intermediate elementary grades on a standardized literacy assessment. The study was carried out in two implementation stages: a pilot…

Early detection of loneliness in children, especially children with special needs who are at greater risk for loneliness, is crucial for planning appropriate interventions. A review of studies regarding the assessment of loneliness in children reveals the Children's Loneliness Scale (CLS) is commonly used in other cultures whereas information…

This study utilized a causal comparative (ex post facto) design to determine if a consistent relationship existed between fifth-grade students' success on the Science Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) at the elementary (K-5) level in comparison to fifth-grade students' success on the science TAKS at the intermediate (5-6) level. The…

Although several different reading fluency intervention approaches appear promising for adolescents who are struggling readers, few studies have directly compared various approaches. The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to determine the relative effects of word-oriented, fluency-oriented, comprehension-oriented, and multi-component…

Problem: The problem of this study was to determine the difference in Bible comprehension scores among gender-based groups of older children using selected passages from three Bible translations: the Children's Bible, the Easy Bible, and the New Revised Korean Bible. Procedures: A total of 288 older children in three churches (Beautiful Baptist…

Can prospective elementary teachers "unlearn" harmful algorithms used with fractions as they are invited to develop fraction number sense? This study examined the development of prospective elementary teachers' fraction number sense during an intermediate (grades 5-8) mathematics methods course. During this course, participants' were involved in a…

The purpose of this study was to determine if grade level configuration and student achievement in science, specifically fifth grade Science TAKS scores are related. This study utilized a causal comparative (ex post facto) design to determine if a consistent relationship existed between fifth grade students' success on the science TAKS at the…

This study addressed predictors of the development of word problem solving (WPS) across the intermediate grades. At beginning of 3rd grade, 4 cohorts of students (N = 261) were measured on computation, language, nonverbal reasoning skills, and attentive behavior and were assessed 4 times from beginning of 3rd through end of 5th grade on 2 measures…

The purpose of this study is to examine how the 1:1 laptop initiative impacted student achievement for the students at a single intermediate school (grades 4-6) in Mooresville, North Carolina. Researchers Dunleavy, Dexter, & Heinecke, 2007; Mouza, 2008; O'Dwyer, Russell, Bebell & Tucker-Seeley, 2005 have called for additional research…

Purpose: The purpose of this dissertation was to determine the extent to which school instructional calendar configuration (i.e., year-round or traditional) influenced Grade 5 student academic performance as reflected on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test as a function of student ethnicity (i.e., Hispanic, White, and Black)…

With increased pressures on school districts to enhance student achievement, administrators are implementing professional learning communities (PLCs) as one method to improve student performance (DuFour & Eaker, 1998, Hord, 1997, Thompson, Gregg, & Niska, 2004). Educators working within a PLC experience a shared ideology, supportive…

The stability of subskill scores on the Reading Comprehension Test of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills was studied. It was concluded that the subskills are of limited use in diagnosing specific strengths or weaknesses in a student's reading comprehension skill development. (Author/GK)

Eight fifth-grade children were tested in three contexts to determine the effects of adult support and regulation on their ability to read words in isolation and to read connected discourse. Findings are discussed in terms of Vygotsky's zone of proximal development. (Author/MT)

This study, conducted in Knox County, Tennessee, compared retention scores of students using traditional learning methodologies to retention scores of students taught using cooperative learning strategies. Participants (n=23) remained the same during both phases of instruction. A comparison of posttest scores of a fifth grade social studies unit…

Focuses on the collaborative processes used by fifth-grade English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learners in content classrooms. Analysis of learners' helping strategies during cooperation indicated that training had been successful, and comparison of scores on vocabulary tests based on the text revealed significant gains.(Author/VWL)