(2009). A Descriptive Analysis of the Impact of Co-Teaching on the Reading/Language Arts and Math Achievement of Selected Middle School Students in a Middle Tennessee School District. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Tennessee State University. This research examined the impact of collaborative teaching (co-teaching) on the Reading/Language Arts and Math achievement of Middle Tennessee students in grades 5-8, as measured by the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) Achievement test. Within the context of this study, the co-teaching model of instruction is defined as the special and general educator, referred to as co-teachers, sharing equitably the tasks of the lesson planning, implementation, and assessment. Six schools participated in this study. Three of the schools implemented co-teaching practices at the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year. The remaining three schools did not implement co-teaching practices at the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year. The dependent variables were students' Reading/Language Arts and Math TCAP Achievement test scores over a two year period. The independent variables were gender, ethnicity, disability categories, type of classroom (one with co-teaching practices and one… [Direct]
(1983). Observing Change in the Family Therapy Supervisory Relationship. A common assumption in family therapy supervision is that the relationship between supervisor and supervisee changes over time, following a developmental continuum from the tentative competency of the supervisee as a therapist to relative competency. In particular, Ard (1973) theorizes that supervisees and supervisors move steadily together through preceptorship, apprenticeship, mentorship, sponsorship and finally to peership. Everett (1981) presents a different model that likens the process of supervision to that of differentiation, such as the process of moving from childhood to adulthood, with \stormy\ transition periods. To examine whether this process of change occurs as presumed by either model, a coding system of 15 response styles was developed for categorizing both the content and intention of statements made by supervisors and supervisees. Using audio tapes from supervisory sessions, the interactions of three supervisors and five trainees were analyzed over a 1-year…
(2006). 9/11 to the Iraq War: Using Books to Help Children Understand Troubled Times. Childhood Education, v82 n3 p145 Spr. Four years after the 9/11 attack on the United States, the country continues to be in considerable turmoil. Children have lived through the devastation of the September 11th attacks, the panic over the anthrax mailings, the hunt for terrorists in Afghanistan, elevated homeland security threat levels, the war in Iraq, the tsunami disaster, and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Not surprisingly, many children feel anxious and afraid, and some have personally experienced the death of a loved one due to these events. In her 1977 book, Bernstein stated that reading books as a form of therapy (bibliotherapy) gives children the opportunity to identify with others undergoing the same problems, helps them realize that they are not alone, provides catharsis, and facilitates the process of sharing their problems with others. In this article, which gives detailed descriptions of books written about the September 11th attacks, the Iraq War, and other disastrous events, the author shows how children's…
(1984). Talk to Me: A Language Guide for Parents of Blind Children. This brochure published in 1984 for parents of blind infants and young children offers suggestions for building the child's language and social skills through talking to the child and interacting in a variety of ways. The importance of talking to the young infant, even though he/she doesn't respond with eye contact, and of learning to recognize the infant's efforts at communication is stressed. Other suggestions include avoiding the over-stimulation of constant television or radio, describing family activities to the child, helping the child to explore his environment, including the child in family activities, sharing in the child's experience of the world, helping the child become aware of his/her feelings, and asking the child many questions. (DB)… [PDF]
(1989). Whole Language–Writing: The Critical Response. MRA (Minnesota Reading Association) Highlights, v11 n2 p5-7 May. Writers of all ages and abilities come to the act of writing with three critical needs: (1) they need a commitment of time; (2) they need ownership over their topics; and, most important, (3) they need a response to their personal revelations. Sharing and responding to student writing can take place in writers' circles and writers' conferences. In a writers circle, students gather in small groups and share their writing processes or products and receive responses from their peers. The most effective writers conferences are brief and focus on what the writers are communicating rather than on the perceptions of the respondent. The writer is the informant as open-ended questions are used to expand or to focus the conference. (RS)…
(1987). Using an Inter-University Network for Research. An inter-university network of computer centers, the "Because It's Time NETwork" (BITNET), is described. Specific guidelines and format requirements for using BITNET, with sample commands, are presented. More than 1,800 computers at over 600 institutions of higher education and research centers in Europe, Asia, and North America are linked in this "store-and-forward" network. Users must have access to a main-frame computer located in a BITNET member institution. Users share information via real-time terminal messages and electronic mail. Other applications of BITNET include document transfer, program sharing, data exchange, and access to BITNET data services. Four maps of regional BITNET nodes in the United States and other parts of the world are included. (SLD)… [PDF]
(1985). When Theory and Intuition Meet: An Approach to Composition Instruction. Two teachers of English as a second language composition discuss, in dialogue form, their intuitions about writing and some of the theories of language learning and writing advanced in recent years. Among the topics addressed are the following: self-consciousness; the importance of developing self-confidence in writing; finding a balance between the \what\ and the \how\ of composition; learning on the right side of the brain; finding or establishing good, nonjudgmental conditions for writing practice; learning to write through free-writing; good teacher intentions that do harm to student writing; getting over the obstacle of the blank first page; finding the potential for growth in composition; sharing and discovery as objectives of writing; and the role of the subconscious. (MSE)… [PDF]
(1978). Continued Focus on Families for Cultural Appreciation, Curriculum Planning, and Tutoring in Reading. There are a number of ways in which parents can serve as role models in helping children to value reading, including parent-child sharing of culture through family rituals, reading aloud to children or having the children read aloud, tutoring at home and in the schools, using home learning kits for skill development and to provide a carry-over of skills learned in school, and serving as paid or volunteer teacher aidesreceiving training and becoming vital participants in reading programs in the schools. Parents are often in a good position to discover children's interests and to perceive their emotional reactions toward the reading situation. They should be encouraged to visit and observe school reading programs and to act as volunteers or as resource persons. (TJ)…
(1974). Building Independent Learning Skills. This book provides over 100 ideas and activities developed and tested by teachers to help students become independent learners. Specific strategies are suggested that may aid students in defining problems, planning individual studies, finding information, and recording, reporting, and evaluating results. The six chapters are \Independent Learning,\ which distinguishes between independent, individual, and isolated learning; \Communication,\ which lays the groundwork for critical investigation and idea sharing; \Investigation and Organization,\ which details ways to lead children into the use of a variety of exploration tools; \Analysis and Evaluation,\ which suggests activities that help students anticipate problems, search for solutions, and recognize trends and causes;\Transformation,\ which suggests ways to help students develop their own unique learning systems; and \Resources,\ which lists supplementary media for teachers and students. (KS)…
(1975). Developing a Sense of Community. A Report on the Master Plan of the Oakland Unified School District. Working Papers. Over a four-year period from 1971 to 1975, the Oakland (California) School District, with the assistance of the Rockefeller Foundation, made a concerted effort to bring parents, students, organized community interest groups, religious and service organizations, and school staff members into a decision-sharing relationship. The Master Plan Citizens Committee was established to investigate a broad set of issues in the areas of curriculum and instruction, finance, multicultural education, management and administration, buildings and maintenance, and community relations. This publication is a social history of Oakland's Master Plan Citizens Committee. It approaches the committee's work from the perspective of the participants and examines what the experience has meant to them and what they feel the Master Plan effort has meant to the Oakland schools. (Author/JG)…
(2005). Connecting with New Social Movements. Adults Learning, v16 n7 p18-19 Mar. In this article, the author discusses the emergence of unions and social movements which provide opportunities for adult educators in forwarding their adult literacy campaigns. The author describes the recent World Social Forum (WSF), held at the end of January in Porto Alegre, that provides ample opportunities for adult educators to make connections with new social movements. The forum drew 100,000 people to register in over two thousand seminars, workshops and activities. The author mentions that the WSF is a place to learn. Sharing information and learning about action that changes policy and transforms lives and communities is what the WSF is about. The World Social Forum shows that, despite globalisation and the decline in socialist politics, new and inventive social movements cannot be kept down…. [Direct]
(2004). Just Do It: Supporting a World of Difference. Kairaranga, v5 n2 p25-27. As Physiotherapist and Occupational Therapist in Tai Tokerau, we have worked in collaboration with CCS Northland over the last two years to facilitate two day workshops for students attending mainstream schools that have moderate to severe physical disabilities. We chose venues that were community based so that the students could be out of their normal school environments. We used worksheets, discussion, guest speakers, group games and activities, the performing arts and adventure as tools to reach our objectives. The aim is to bring students together for mutual sharing and support to strengthen and empower. Students and their parents acknowledged and appreciated advantages of time together to share experiences, struggles and aspirations. This has led to friendships, networking for all and a request for continued workshops…. [PDF]
(2005). Teaching Catholic Social Teaching through Communitarian Sensibilities. Current Issues in Catholic Higher Education, v24 n2 p101-126 Fall. As much as Catholic social teaching is sometimes referred to as "our best kept secret" (Henriot, DeBerri, and Schultheris 1987), in recent years it has been gaining a renewed emphasis in Catholic higher education. This "renaissance" of Catholic social teaching integrates well with the self-evaluation of Catholic higher education over the past decade from at least two distinct directions. First, "Ex Corde Ecclesiae" (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops 2000) without a doubt has generated a lot of debate over the Catholic identity of Catholic universities. Indeed, a great deal of debate has especially ensued over the provision that theologians need to have a mandate from ecclesial authorities. But rather then getting sidetracked by the politics of this particular debate, for the purposes of this essay, I submit that that the overall discussions incited by "Ex Corde Ecclesiae" and then subsequent Church documents such as "Sharing… [Direct]
(1974). General Revenue Sharing in American Cities: First Impressions. Too much of the debate over the five-year, 30 billion dollar program of State and Local Assistance has focussed on its presumed or theoretical impact. Too little has dealt with what actually happens when the quarterly Treasury checks arrive at the local level. Local-level studies that are under way concentrate heavily on the fiscal impact of revenue sharing, but at least three other issues are of major concern: the amount and quality of citizen involvement in GRS decision making; the efficacy of mandated protections against discrimination; and, the extent to which GRS is being used to meet the needs of the poor and near poor. In order to clarify such issues the National Revenue Sharing Project has conducted an intensive, 18-month survey of GRS in some 60 localities. The survey was carried out by local members of three organizations. The citizen monitors worked from a very detailed, demanding survey instrument. They collected comprehensive demographic and budget data, looked into… [PDF]
(1996). The Unified Language Testing Plan: Speaking Proficiency Test. Russian Pilot Validation Studies. Report Number 2. The report describes one segment of the Federal Language Testing Board's Unified Language Testing Plan (ULTP), the validation of the speaking proficiency test in Russian. The ULTP is a project to increase standardization of foreign language proficiency measurement and promote sharing of resources among testing programs in the federal government. In the validation study, about 200 Russian-speaking subjects were tested. Results show increased reliability of the Russian test over the previously validated Spanish and English tests. It is concluded that the new test meets many of the oral proficiency testing needs of participating government agencies. The report details the test's design, chronicles its development, including procedures resulting from development and pilot testing of the Spanish and English versions, describes the validation study's design, and explains and summarizes the results. Appended materials (comprising over half of the document) include the examinee… [PDF]