Performance-based, contextual assessments can highlight the academic and personal strengths of students that may be overlooked or judged pathological by traditional psychometric measures. This case study of a 10-year-old African American male special-education student illustrates how portfolio assessment improved the perception of his academic…

Studies the effects of social skills training on four behaviorally disordered male elementary school students. Finds that training effects decreased following training, and that there was no increase in positive responses from peers. Discusses the problems of social skills training in special education classes. (FMW)

Describes the use of cooperative learning centers (CLCs) in an inner-city fourth-grade classroom. These seven CLCs focused on mathematics, language, writing, learning with kindergartners, computers, interest group, and free reading, with students taking weekly turns at being the center "specialist" or group leader. The effectiveness of…

Critiques the concept of resistance in interpreting students' behaviors and attitudes, examining political, social, and psychological connotations of resistance and contradictory ways that educators employ the concept. The paper explains limitations imposed on education by the concept, noting the work of educators who reassess the implications of…

Examined six aspects of vocabulary instruction given to fourth and sixth graders prior to reading in two basal reading series. Found that words targeted for instruction were already known; instruction in the two series differed markedly; much of the instruction was not sufficient to improve comprehension; and instruction was not necessarily suited…

Reports a study of third- and fifth-grade students' perceptions of their physical education programs at two urban alternative schools. The students highlighted goals such as cooperating with others, challenging themselves, and taking risks. They reported several success factors, especially trusting each other, problem solving, attitudes toward…

Investigates the validity and reliability of performance assessments using data from over 300 fifth and sixth graders. Results demonstrate the gap between the reality of measurement through performance assessments and the political rhetoric that would institute these assessments in a national examination system in the immediate future. (SLD)

Presents profiles of Soviet elementary and secondary students, grades one through 10, based on the author's teaching experiences and informal discussions with other veteran teachers. Compares the contemporary profile with students from 20 years ago. Considers family, mass media, peer, and teacher influences. (CH)

Teacher ratings were obtained for 364 boys in elementary school special education classrooms using a rating scale of diagnostic criteria for disruptive behavior disorders from the revised Diagnostic and Statistical Manuals (DSM-III-R). Implications of prevalence, factor analyses, and conditional probabilities for school psychologists' practices…

Presents a framework of biliteracy development focusing on the following three continua: (1) the macro-micro continuum of policy; (2) the monolingual-bilingual continuum; and (3) the oral-literate continuum. These are discussed in the contexts of Cambodian and Puerto Rican students in two public elementary schools in Philadelphia. (SLD)

Discusses research on the importance of context and social interaction on the development of school literacy, particularly writing development, concentrating on five classes of Latino elementary school students. Specific features of institutional contexts that shape writing process instruction are identified. Necessary broadening of current…

A sample of 183 third through sixth grade students were administered the Revised Class Play (RCP). Seven years later, these children and their parents completed a questionnaire measuring the students' behavioral symptoms and social, athletic, and academic competence. The RCP scores were related to adolescent competence and psychopathology. (BC)

Examples from a multiyear project in a Los Angeles (California) school in a low-income Hispanic school district illustrate successes of a program to improve the early reading achievement of Spanish-speaking primary school children. The interplay of research, practice, and school improvement resulted in significant improvement in early Spanish…

An empirical test of a method of teacher evaluation by predicting student performance and comparing it with actual outcomes is described. Results from 6,249 urban fifth graders in 103 schools suggest that teachers can be evaluated in this way and that the best and worst teachers can be identified. (SLD)

Maintains that an overhaul of the public educational system is necessary to meet the needs of all students, including poor and minority students. (BB)