Examined the effects of mothers' negative junior high school experiences on their childrens' junior high school experiences. Mothers first tested in 1971 were subsequently interviewed in the 1990s, along with their children. Results revealed a significant relationship between mothers' negative school experiences and those of their children, which…

Investigated differences in motivation to learn high school science related to science class type (biological versus physical), gender, and academic ability. Student surveys indicated that there were several differences between higher and lower achieving students and between students in biological versus physical science classes. Sex stereotypes…

Describes theoretical and practical problems facing the field of early reading, examining: readers and texts (reader processes, text difficulty, linguistic and cultural knowledge, and unique learners); home and school (home-school match, communities and reading, preschools as contexts for reading acquisition, and best practices); and policy and…

Examines studies on the nature and function of literacy activities at home, identifying barriers contributing to the separation of home and school, particularly for children from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds (e.g., different literacy practices and discourse patterns). Ways to facilitate home-school connections are presented. Studies conducted…

Describes two action research ethnographic studies that show different sides of a community-centered model of literacy among young children. One examined the storytelling and story reading practices low-income African American parents used with their young children. The other involved encouraging community participation by having parents share…

Discusses the complexities of teaching and learning multiple literacies at the middle and high school levels, examining the roles of and interactions between learners, texts, and contexts. The paper presents data from three case studies of secondary and adolescent learners' literacies in and out of school and in a variety of content areas. (SM)

Former student teachers, collaborating teachers, and researchers examined how literacy teacher educators' language is a means of circulating truth claims about reading instruction. Because truth claims can potentially perpetuate instructional inequities, they provide an appropriate context for exploring power relations in literacy teacher…

Reviews literature on critical media literacy, producing a framework for exploring its implications for educators teaching literacy skills in "New Times." The article examines work on critical theory, popular culture, and mass media in various fields, arguing that the present discourse of schooling is unable to support the incorporation of…

Explored whether teachers and students were influenced by the size of the inner-city school to which they belonged. Data from almost 5,000 teachers and 23,000 sixth and eighth graders in Chicago show more positive attitudes of teachers in small schools and better learning for students. Suggests school size influences achievement through effects on…

Uses data from 30 focus groups from a qualitative study of middle school students' experiences of race to show two distinctive types of conversations about race in a multiracial context: (1) "bridging talk" that builds unity and (2) discourse that creates borders and conflict. A third form, "democratic conversations," promoted by educators is…

Describes democratic dialogues in the context of a public high school by a history teacher and an English teacher who facilitated contrasting dialogues of public "in-powerment" and self/community empowerment. Analyzes these dialogues in terms of liberal and radical frameworks for praxis and shows the effects of school contextual factors. (SLD)

Examined how 20 Canadian teacher union leaders construct the relationship between teachers' self-interests and broader educational interests and the internal and external factors that influence how union leaders pursue union interests. Findings show the paradoxical constructions of teacher union leaders and the tensions between economic welfare…

Analyzed results from a 4-year large-scale randomized experiment on the effects of class size, project STAR in Tennessee. Analyses suggest class size effects that are large enough to be important for educational policy and that are quite consistent across schools. Small classes appear to benefit all kinds of students. (SLD)

Analyzed the historical narratives of 10 adolescents in the same 11th grade history class to determine their perspectives on racial diversity. Analysis demonstrates that the students' racialized identities significantly influenced their concepts of the historical experiences of racial groups, the role of the government in these experiences, and…

Examined the personal narratives of 25 women excelling in mathematics, science, and technology careers to understand the importance of their self-efficacy beliefs. Findings suggest that the perceived importance of self-efficacy beliefs may be stronger for women in male-oriented domains than for those operating in traditional settings. (SLD)