This report describes a program for increasing reading fluency through the implementation of leveled books. The elementary students of the three targeted regular education classes exhibit low fluency rates which impedes them from becoming independent readers. Evidence for the existence of the problem includes words read per minute on a grade level…

This study describes a program designed to increase student achievement in reading. The targeted population consisted of two first grade classes and one second grade class in a small central Illinois community. The median household income was in the lower range. Evidence of the existence of the problem included the April 2000 standard testing…

Students entering first grade are not prepared to read. They lack the readiness skills that provide the foundation for success. Learning to read and write is a struggle, particularly for those students who have not had a variety of experience with reading and writing prior to entering school. In an effort to increase the readiness skills of…

This report describes a program for improving student independent reading skills through direct phonics instruction. Students were exhibiting inadequate reading skills, which interfered with academic achievement. The targeted population consisted of second and third grade students from a northwestern Illinois city of about twelve thousand.…

This action research outlines an early reading intervention project for improving students' reading skills and promoting the implementation of early reading intervention programs. The targeted population includes first and second grade students in one school located in the suburbs of a major city in Illinois. The problem of early reading…

This research project seeks to implement journaling as a means of improving oral communication in the classroom. The student population will consist of an elementary reading class, a junior high art class, and a high school math class. The probable cause literature gathered revealed a lack oral communication occurs in the classroom during…

This research provides information for improving organizational skills in writing through the use of graphic organizers. The targeted population consisted of second, third and fifth grade students in a suburban community. Evidence for the existence of this problem included anecdotal records, teacher observations, student surveys, and assessments…

This report describes a program for improving student abilities and attitudes toward writing through increased writing time and opportunities. The targeted population consists of second, third, fourth, and fifth grade students at the elementary level in a growing middle class community located in the northwest suburban area of Chicago, Illinois.…

Three teacher researchers conducted research to help motivate, encourage, and raise achievement of all students involved in the study. There were three fifth-grade classes involved of approximately 30 students per class, ages 10-11. The elementary school involved is located in Bolingbrook, Illinois: Wood View Elementary. The researchers conducted…

This report describes a program for improving social skills while incorporating cooperative learning in the curriculum. The targeted population consisted of third grade students in a regular classroom and fifth grade students in physical education classes at two different elementary schools in the same district. The schools were located in a…

This report describes a program for the development of language arts skills through the reading and writing connection. The targeted population is a split third and fourth grade class, a third grade class, and a high school cross-categorical special education class. The difficulties in the area of language arts development and student…

This report describes an early intervention program to elicit emergent literacy skills in Potentially English Proficient kindergarten students. The school is located in a suburb of a large city near a naval base. The problem, lack of literacy readiness skills, was documented with a battery of tests given prior to entrance in kindergarten and the…

This report describes a program that was implemented to improve student assessment through the use of portfolios. The targeted population consisted of a first and third grade classroom in a suburb of a large Midwestern metropolitan area. The problems related to assessment were documented by state mandated test scores, teacher determined grades,…

Discusses action research case studies of representative children and changes to classroom teaching. Notes that children were given the opportunity to: write about things that mattered to them; write as experts; hear their writing read aloud; and experience genuine response to this writing. Finds boys made most progress when given the opportunity…

The "Researching numeracy" project aimed to identify effective classroom teaching approaches in mathematics for students in the early years (Prep-Year 4) and the middle years (Years 5 and 6) in a range of Victorian schools. The action research component of the project involved the research team working with teachers from sixteen research…