Although literacy has become a multi-faceted aspect of education essential to students' future success, studies have found that many secondary students lack basic literacy skills. In the past, much of the blame for adolescents' literacy problems has been placed on elementary teachers, but recent research suggests that secondary teachers must share…

Despite the increasing relationship between literacy and economic opportunities, the time young adult males spend reading has fallen during the last 20 years, with a corresponding decline in their reading levels. One important factor influencing the appeal of reading material to males is whether it is "real"--whether males see themselves and their…

Korean American adolescents may find themselves caught between traditional Korean culture and demands for Americanization. Subsequently this population of students and parents may have very distinct needs in our schools as they are a growing population of students. This commentary discusses important considerations for teachers and administrators…

Improving the quality of secondary education in public schools requires involving all stakeholders in identifying and applying appropriate expectations. Many adult stakeholders are seeking action to eliminate the disparity between state and federal estimates of student achievement and to enable comparisons between the performance of students and…

Drawing on a variety of qualitative data, this case study explored one Chinese adolescent's decade-long educational journey at various American schools. The findings reveal academic triumphs, familial conflicts, and developmental dilemmas experienced by the student and the family across different sociocultural spaces. This research has…

As literature with postmodern characteristics becomes increasingly common, teachers of adolescents need to consider whether they should use these decidedly different novels and how they might do so effectively. This article identifies the characteristics of post modern novels and offers reasons for adding them to the curriculum. It also provides…

This study investigated the argument that schools that emphasize relational learning are better able to serve the motivational needs of adolescents. Matched-pair samples (n=80) from two public secondary schools were compared using the experience sampling method (ESM). Students attending a "non-traditional" school (which employed group decision…

Audiobooks may be used with adolescent readers to improve fluency, expand vocabulary, activate prior knowledge, develop comprehension, and increase motivation to interact with books. Removing the restraints of word recognition and decoding allows a very positive focus on the meaning behind an author's words. This provides an opportunity for many…

Studying the Holocaust provides an opportunity to explore a fascinating historical topic whose impact on the contemporary world cannot be overstated. As such, the topic is now an accepted part of the American secondary school curriculum. For such curricula to be of maximum benefit to students, clearly defined perspectives that direct the students'…

This study focuses on data collected at "Progressive Secondary School" in Southern California, a high school which uses narrative evaluations and other forms of alternative summative assessment on a school wide basis. Through a survey and personal interviews, students were asked to describe what they liked most and least about the use of narrative…

Researchers have suggested that self-efficacy and goal orientation are context specific variables. However, few researchers have addressed these variables in technology-enhanced learning environments. This study examined changes in 549 middle school students' goal orientation, self-efficacy, and science knowledge after engaging in science learning…

Twenty-seven special education students in self-contained classes whose behavior met DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) diagnostic criteria for an ODD diagnosis were matched according to age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, math and reading scores, and IQ with 27 special education students in self-contained classes who did…

Learning about students' literacy practices at a school for pregnant and parenting teens is a tool for educators and scholars in rethinking the identity of the pregnant and parenting student. Though this population of students has been historically marginalized in U.S. school settings, programs such as the one described here have the potential to…

This study evaluates the effectiveness of an experiential approach to teen pregnancy (TP) prevention called "Baby Think It Over," a computerized infant simulator, on adolescents' attitudes and behaviors regarding teen pregnancy and sexuality. Recently, a more realistic model called "Real Care Baby" was developed. The small amount of research on…

Through a project called "By Teens, for Teachers," 464 short essays were written by teenagers about issues specific to the experience of today's adolescents. In this descriptive study, participants chose from thirteen different writing prompts derived from an extensive literature review to reflect issues in adolescent development. Essays were…