This study compared the cost-effectiveness of Life Skills Training (LST) to a LST curriculum infusion approach (I-LST) and to control schools. Male and female seventh graders from nine rural schools (3 in each condition) were followed for two years. Path models were used to test the main effect and were modeled separately for males and females.…

This appendix accompanies "Gaining Ground in the Middle Grades: Why Some Schools Do Better. A Large-Scale Study of Middle Grades Practices and Student Outcomes. Initial Research Report." This appendix focuses on the findings and domain comparisons of the study. This appendix contains the following: (1) Decision Rules; (2) Full Set of…

This case study characterizes the inscriptional practices demonstrated by seventh graders, particularly their use of data tables and graphs, in an inquiry-based learning environment. Using a naturalistic approach, we collected multiple sources of data during an 8-month instructional unit that emphasized water quality and relevant concepts. The…

This curriculum is designed to assist Catholic school teachers and parish catechists in their efforts to foster a pro-life attitude in students in grades 7 and 8. Following an introduction is the curriculum which features six lessons. These are: (1) Unique in all the world; (2) The first nine months of human life; (3) The hard facts about…

A study explored whether instruction involving an emphasis on study skills could help seventh grade students retain material encountered in science classes. Subjects were 32 students from two intact science classes in a predominately white, middle class school in New Jersey. The experimental group received an advance organizer as an overall…

This syllabus for grade 7 was designed to improve the problem-solving abilities of students while continuing a natural development of mathematical skills and concepts. Seven major strands are provided under the following unit titles: (1) "An Introduction to Problem Solving"; (2) "Number Concepts"; (3) "Ratio, Proportion,…

This study attempted to determine if students learn science concepts better when laboratories are used to verify concepts already intorduced through lectures and textbooks (verification laboratories or whether achievement and retention are improved when laboratories are used to introduce new concepts (directed discovery learning laboratories). The…

THROUGHOUT, UNITS ARE DIVIDED INTO TWO SECTIONS - PRACTICAL SKILLS OF ORAL COMMUNICATION AND BASIC SKILLS OF GRAMMAR AND MECHANICS. THERE IS GRADUAL DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS IN THE RESPECTIVE AREAS WITH REVIEW, DRILL, AND AN ADDED ACHIEVEMENT IN EACH UNIT. FOR EXAMPLE, ORAL COMMUNICATION STARTS WITH SPEAKING DISTINCTLY, AND PROGRESSES TO ORAL…

THIS STUDY REPORTS AN EXPERIMENT ON THE HYPOTHESIS THAT GRAMMAR-RELATED SENTENCE-COMBINING PRACTICE WILL MEANINGFULLY ENHANCE THE NORMAL GROWTH OF SYNTACTIC FLUENCY. TRADITIONAL STUDIES ON ERROR THERAPY AND SENTENCE STRUCTURE ARE REVIEWED, AND DESIGN AND RATIONALE ARE INFERRED FROM THE RESEARCH OF BATEMAN AND ZIDONIS. RULE LEARNING, PATTERN…

This study investigated the relative importance of the major factors associated with the habit of reading or nonreading. Some 2,731 seventh-grade students were the subjects of the study; from these, 487 were identified as either readers or nonreaders, and, from this group, 22 students were selected for additional in-depth case studies. From over…

Three instructional approaches on translating selected types of algebra word problems were investigated: direct translations, high imagery with materials, and high imagery with drawings. Participating were 366 seventh grade and 336 ninth grade students. Treatment effects by grade used multivariate analysis of covariance for student scores and…

Two new aspects of English composition were studied in a 10-week project involving 104 Grade 7 pupils and 4 teachers. One method, the Speaking-Listening-Writing approach involved the use of dictation equipment used by students and teachers in the audio-instructional program. The second experimental method of composition involved a transformational…

We report on one aspect of a longitudinal study which seeks insight into the ways in which spreadsheet experience and teachers' pedagogic strategies shape pupils' construction of meaning for algebra. Using data from stimulated recall interviews we analyse the evolution of meaning for variable through the mediation of the variable cell and the…

This teacher's guide, intended for the instruction of both French as a first language and French as a second language in an immersion setting, provides a host of strategies for teaching interactive oral presentation skills in the classroom (Grades 1 through 7). Section 1 is designed to bring the teacher's awareness to the training procedure,…

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the activities of collective learning structures. Drawing from ecological-complexity theory it elaborates on a theoretical framework for observing and acting upon collective learning. To interpret the relation between individual action, social interaction and the collective cognitive domain we adopt the…