This study examined the relationship between end-of-year grades and the academic, behavioral, and social characteristics of rural African American youth. Participants included 392 7th and 8th grade students from 2 rural middle schools in the south. Participants were African American and were from 2 communities that have child poverty rates…

The UK reading literacy data from the OECD PISA 2000 study are analysed using multilevel methods. The main analyses focus on the composite reading literacy scale resulting from the study and the explanatory variables used are 16 of the scales derived from answers given to the pupil questionnaire administered as part of the survey, together with…

The purpose of this study was to inform early intervention practice by exploring the various adaptations families make to promote their child's learning, the supports they perceive as helpful in creating adaptations, and the supports they perceive as still needed. Holistic case studies were developed for 5 families of infants and toddlers with…

The concept of student-institution fit in higher education is clarified, and an approach that can be applied to different types of campuses is described. Also considered is the theoretical framework, including the concept of "person-environment interaction." Three sets of factors are important: student characteristics, institutional…

The physical, instructional, and attitudinal aspects of the learning environment in the West Indies are described, with emphasis on the problems West Indian students and their teachers must surmount in Canadian schools. (PMJ)

Discusses issues encountered by graduates of American-style overseas schools, both American citizens and foreign nationals, when coming to colleges in the United States. Based in part on a survey of guidance counselors in American overseas schools and over 1,300 of their graduates in U.S. institutions, student characteristics and perceptions about…

A study with 317 college freshmen found that the utility of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory to predict academic achievement, beyond that which could already be predicted by student background and entry-level variables, was quite limited. (MSE)

The Learning and Study Strategies Inventory was given to 156 early entrants at the University of North Texas. The inventory successfully identified 90% of students who subsequently had academic problems (based on first semester college grade point average). Successful and unsuccessful participants differed in concentration and attention, ability…

Surveys of York University (Ontario) freshmen, 1,093 at entry and 1,129 at midyear, found that minority students came from more disadvantaged families than nonminority students. However, minority freshman year experiences were not all negative, and majority student experiences were not all positive. In general, freshman year outcomes were not…

Analyzed one liberal arts college's transfer students' pre- and post-transfer GPAs, determining that no statistically significant decline was found between community college and four-year institution GPAs overall. Results did indicate, however, a statistically significant decline in GPA for math and science majors, but not for students majoring in…

The stories of 12 bilingual children in Massachusetts public schools, aged 6-14 and born in 9 different countries, are presented. The case studies were compiled through classroom observation and interviews with the children, their teachers, and their parents, and were conducted both in the child's native language and in English. The purpose was to…

While research has suggested numerous problems and adjustment difficulties faced by international students attending colleges and universities in the United States, cultural differences may be barriers for international students in their seeking and receiving help for such problems. This study was conducted to examine whether certain noncognitive…

This paper examines the various pupil characteristics that might determine academic performance in secondary school. The analyses seek to determine what measures or sets of measures have independent effects on achievement or progress in reading or mathematics. (Author/KC)

A study of 2,100 freshmen at a public university examined the relationship of financial aid at 3 levels (receipt of any aid, total amount of aid, type/amount of aid), grade point average, and full- versus part-time attendance to persistence from the first to the second semester. With the exception of scholarships, financial aid did not affect…

Development of a self-report rating scale providing information about students with academic/social integration difficulties is reported. The questionnaire was tested with 192 incoming first-year students at a technical institute for the deaf. Results show the instrument useful in early evaluation and diagnosis of adjustment problems and helpful…