The High/Scope educational approach emphasizes child-initiated learning activities for preschool/elementary school children. A research study shows that compared to children receiving direct instruction, High/Scope kids later showed more prosocial and less antisocial behaviors. Another study showed that poor High/Scope students had better…

Although at-risk students often begin school academically behind, Direct Instruction's highly structured approach can help them catch up. Skills are presented orally. Outcomes of Project Follow Through show that children starting Direct Instruction in kindergarten were accelerated about seven months over those who started in first grade. (MLH)

A visit to Ketchikan, Alaska, reveals a floating, one-teacher logging-camp school that uses multiage grouping and interdisciplinary teaching. There are 10 students. The school gym and playground, bunkhouse, fuel tanks, mess hall, and students' homes bob up and down and are often moved to other sites. (MLH)

Virtually every public issue depends on data, projections, inferences, and systemic thinking. Besides basic mathematics skills, numeracy (quantitative literacy) encompasses estimating tolerances and errors, constructing complex computer simulations, using flowcharts, drawing inferences, and calculating in three dimensions. The narrow…

Most U.S. students are failing to learn much that is useful in science, mathematics, and technology. Curricula must emphasize depth of knowledge, not breadth of information. Two American Association for the Advancement of Science reports stress basic, universal scientific literacy, curriculum benchmarks, foundations for further study, and…

Within a generation, everyone will access calculators, word processors, and video cameras as easily as paper, pencils, and books today. Information technologies will predominate. People will be expected to use several symbol systems, apply knowledge, think strategically, manage information, and create as teams. Implications for educators are…

Considers three broad, interconnected types of literacy: alphabetic (text-based), representational, and tool. Teachers can help support literacy for learning regardless of the medium--print, visual, video, audio, or electronic. School leaders can define and develop a literacy-for-learning mission by taking five strategic steps. Contains 13…

In this interview, a neuroscientist explains possible applications of brain-imaging techniques to diagnose children's reading difficulties. When good readers do phonologic processing, they activate areas in the back and front of their brains. The brain systems of poorer readers process incoming print information differently. (MLH)

"Decodable text" devotees say phonics is scientifically superior to the whole-language approach, which supposedly lacks research validation. However, 60 years of research supports holistic, literature-based approaches to literacy. Whole-language instruction is further validated by research on independent reading, cooperative learning, Reading…

Reading researchers are under attack by policy makers and others outside the field who want a quick, easy method for teaching students to read. Although common ground exists, nothing points to any single best way to teach reading. What matters most is the teacher, flexible approaches, and student interests. Contains 17 references. (MLH)

Preschool and kindergarten teachers can help young learners meet early literacy standards without sacrificing developmentally appropriate practice. Several professional associations have described appropriate expectations for children of different age levels known as milestones, developmental accomplishments, and benchmarks. (MLH)

Three Chicago schools have adopted the Junior Great Books Program, allowing students and teachers to mine a wide range of literature on themes of fairness, justice, cleverness, greed, love, friendship, and respect. Program success hinged on engagement, shared leadership, professional development, and a multiyear adoption plan. (MLH)

Faced with low literacy levels, four schools in Santa Clara, California, decreed that every entering kindergartner would be a competent reader by the end of second grade. The schools then implemented the 1,000 Days Network--an uninterrupted morning literacy block tailored to children's needs. Preliminary results are encouraging. (MLH)

In an innovative urban literacy program, K-3 students create a working community, complete with a store, newspaper, post office, museum, and economic system. Using TRALE (Technology-Rich Authentic Learning Environments), teachers create meaningful instruction through authentic, problem-based learning activities using educational technology when…

The senior project, which allows students to select a topic, study it in depth, and produce a culminating exhibition, is one vehicle for promoting information literacy in high schools. Success means using the talents of the teacher and teacher-librarian to coordinate lessons, accomplish assessment, and arrange for use of school facilities. (MLH)