Discusses how interviews with fifth-grade students about their literacy journeys--the experiences that led them to where they are now in reading and writing--gave great insight (to their teacher as well as to many other teachers) into what makes language arts instruction "take." Conveys the importance of authentic literacy experiences. (SR)

Investigates students' causal beliefs about the relationship between variables in an electric experiment and the degree to which their tendency to make either idea-based or evidence-based statements depends on a prior belief about the causal efficacy of that variable. Reports that 34% of responses were idea-based despite the presentation of…

Observations of each child (n=24) in two sixth grade art rooms in Ankara, Turkey, and the building by students of 1/20 models of ideal art rooms found three elements of creativity (person, process, and product) were significantly different from each other. Process and product occurring within the same environment were highly correlated with each…

The three most common worries reported by the fourth grade subjects (N=56) of an ecological investigation of fears associated with school, home, and neighborhood fell into three categories: (1) grades and failing tests, (2) fear of relatives dying, and (3) fear of bodily harm caused by robbers and dangerous traffic. (IAH)

The percentage of students (n=1,605) and teachers (n=75) in grades three through six in the sample who report science as their favorite subject was determined. The results were compared to previous research. Results indicated that the proportion of students who reported science as their favorite subject was higher than the proportion of teachers.…

Investigates effects of explicit instruction in notetaking. Suggests that explicit instruction in notetaking is effective in improving sixth-grade students' lecture comprehension and attitudes toward notetaking. Notes that future research may emphasize a longer treatment period with a delayed comprehension measure. (RS)

At a Maryland middle school, teachers and students were asked how teachers routinely give medium-term and long-term assignments. Results showed that students, teachers, and parents would benefit from clearly written performance standards. The school's science fair assignment sheet specifies student and parent responsibilities, project completion…

Examined attitudes toward Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) issues among 224 fourth grade students. Student responses to 36-item questionnaire revealed that students had good understanding of 3 major modes of spreading AIDS. They perceived AIDS as real and formidable health problem and expressed fears and concerns about AIDS. Findings…

Investigates perceptions of social support behaviors exhibited by significant adults and peers at school among a group of students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) characteristics. Data indicates that children with characteristics of ADHD perceived lower frequencies of overall support, and that both the ADHD and control groups…

Reported are responses of fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students, their parents and teachers to a survey conducted to determine the need for a homework hotline. Discussion is based on data from 379 randomly selected parents of students in intermediate elementary grades of 21 elementary schools, 333 elementary school teachers, and 392 randomly…

Improvement in self-concept may facilitate improvement in other areas such as learning and achievement. If the self-concept is formed through experiences with the environment, interactions with significant others, and attributions of one's own behavior, then the classroom atmosphere may be influential in the development of a positive or negative…

Explores whether innercity children in the intermediate grades expressed a greater preference for reading stories and books which depicted innercity settings or pleasant middle-class settings. (RB)

One year after they had participated in the validation of the Estes Reading Attitude Scale, 75 fourth, fifth, and sixth graders were asked to respond to and comment on the questions in an interview situation. Thirty-six of these students had scored low on the attitude inventory but high on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills; 39 had scored high on the…

Administered Survey of Reading Attitudes and Bundy Reading Preference Survey to 130 fourth- and fifth-grade students. Significant moderate correlation between total score of Bundy Reading Preference Survey and the Reading as Enjoyment Dimension of the Survey of Reading Attitudes contributes to construct validity of both measures. (Author)

This study described the self reports of 189 sixth through eighth grade students regarding the extent to which specific life events were perceived as upsetting. Specifically, the study sought to compare and rank perceptions of male and female students to determine differences in perceptions that may be associated with sex or age. (DF)