Teacher preparation programs have improved over the years (Wold, Grisham, Farnan, & Lenski, 2008), but one area that some teacher preparation programs are still working on is how much knowledge about reading does a teacher need to know to teach literacy effectively (Anders, Hoffman, & Duffy, 2000). The concern is strengthened with the research on…

This brief synthesis provides a summary of intervention practices that are supported by empirical evidence for promoting adaptive social-emotional behavior of young children in group contexts (e.g., pre-K classrooms; child care settings). The focus of the synthesis is on toddlers and preschool children who are identified as having disabilities or…

This study investigated effects of a Direct Instruction reading comprehension program implemented with students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and developmental disabilities (DD). There is little research in the area of reading comprehension for students with ASD and no research as to the effectiveness of reading comprehension Direct…

The manner in which teachers mediate children's learning varies across early childhood classrooms. In this study, we used a multi-element design to evaluate the efficacy of three commonly implemented strategies that varied in teacher directedness for teaching color- and object-name relations. Strategy 1 consisted of brief exposure to the target…

This article compares the academic performance and classroom behaviour of pupils when taught new concepts or engaged in problem solving in sessions organised either as cooperative group work or whole class, teacher directed instruction. Comparisons of attainment were made in classes of pupils aged 11 to 14 years (Key Stage 3) in English,…

An innovative, practical guide for middle and high school teachers, this book is packed with specific ways that technology can help serve the goals of effective writing instruction. It provides ready-to-implement strategies for teaching students to compose and edit written work electronically; conduct Internet inquiry; create blogs, websites, and…

The Community of Inquiry framework has become a useful instrument for exploring learning in online classes; however, the interactions between the constructs of teaching presence and cognitive presence remain relatively unexplored. This study investigated student perceptions of cognitive presence as explained by three teaching presence elements;…

This report is intended to provide a snapshot of public school services provided to kindergarten through twelfth (k-12) grade students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) across the state of Michigan (MI). The authors used a systematic sampling process to collect information from over 200 school professionals statewide, resulting in a high degree…

The need to improve math education around the country has been well documented, especially in urban school systems like Philadelphia. In Spring 2010, only 56.6% of students in Philadelphia Public schools scored proficient or advanced on the Pennsylvania State Standardized Assessment (PSSA). In Philadelphia Empowerment Schools, the 107 lowest…

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons" (Engelmann, Haddox, & Bruner, 1983), on the acquisition and maintenance of reading skills by a six-year-old female with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Cognitive Disorder, and Mixed Receptive Language Disorder. The skills evaluated for…

The author, a programme leader for a Post Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (PGCLTHE), hears a complaint from her colleagues that undergraduate students require "spoon-feeding". Accepting structuralism's argument that language does things, not just describe them, the author examines "spoon-feeding" in more depth.…

The goals of this research are two-fold: (1) to survey the literature comparing the effectiveness (as measured by student achievement on state tests) of scripted language arts/reading programs in low-performing schools, and (2) to compare middle school teachers' attitudes (measured in questionnaires, interviews and surveys) on implementation and…

Fourteen students with mild, high incidence disabilities were participants in a study that evaluated the comparative effects of the direct instruction of two reading strategies. Students had a mean age of 12.5 years and were included within two seventh grade general education classrooms with support from a special education teacher. The…

Literacy skills are fundamental for all learners. For students who require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), strong literacy skills provide a gateway to generative communication, genuine social networking, improved access to academic opportunities, access to information technology and future employment opportunities. However, many…

Children with hearing loss are best served through the collaborative efforts of their parents and a team of professionals. For communication development and educational achievement, speech-language pathologists and teachers of the deaf working together can have a profound impact. A collaborative approach to assessment, direct instruction, and…