Explores ways that the study of special educational needs have changed in the last decade and a half of educational policy-making. Focuses on key theoretical changes and shifts of emphasis in substantive concerns. Notes tendencies to allow social and political values to guide educational provision instead of psychological or sociological…

Focuses on Subject-Pair Analysis, a technique for comparing examinations in different subjects, to demonstrate that reliance on statistical comparisons of standards between subjects is misplaced. Explicates the fundamental assumptions underlying the Subject-Pair Analysis. Argues that this and related analyses are inappropriate for dealing with the…

Describes the nature of school effects on academic achievement for different groups of students based on performance in selected subjects. Uses a "value added" approach, controlling for students' backgrounds. Indicates that schools that are more or less effective for one group of students are likely to be similarly effective for all students. (DSK)

Assesses the "value added" by schools to the academic progress of students aged four to seven years. Finds that gender, socioeconomic background, English-as-a-Second-Language, and school composition affect student achievement. Notes that raw, as opposed to value-added, results can give misleading impressions of a school's effectiveness. (DSK)

Analyzes student assessment results at Key Stage 1 in three core curriculum areas and in terms of performance across these areas. Demonstrates that background factors have differential affects on various subject attainments, raw data systematically penalize disadvantaged inner-city schools, and school policies and practices measurably affect…

Investigates the potential of 11 traditional play activities in a nursery classroom for contributing toward the development of sociability and cooperation in children. Findings suggest four elements characteristic of cooperative play: (1) communication of imaginative ideas; (2) interactive, activity-related dialog; (3) problem solving; and (4)…

Examines ways in which students construe the value of educational studies. Challenges claims that theoretical studies of education are dispensable and has implications for on-the-job approaches to partnerships between higher education institutions and schools. Raises issues about the implications of student teacher socialization for the meaning of…

Examined the effects of elementary students' placement versus nonplacement in inclusive classrooms on parent attitudes, student behaviors, academic performance, and self-esteem, noting whether placement in different inclusive programs would create differences in measured outcomes. Surveys of parents, students, and teachers and examination of SAT…

Investigated teacher retention and attrition by examining data from the 1990-91 Schools and Staffing Survey and 1991-92 Teacher Followup Survey. Results indicated that teachers with less experience were more likely to move or leave. Empowerment and higher salary were correlated positively with teacher retention. Appreciation of the intrinsic…

Novice to expert teachers were tested for ability to judge student comprehension from nonverbal cues. Participants observed classroom videotapes, completed discussions with and without feedback, and made judgments. Experts made more accurate judgments, especially with feedback; were more confident of judgments following feedback; and had holistic…

Examined a teacher-led intervention that used interpersonal and intrapersonal variables to enhance social relationships and adjust behaviors of elementary and secondary regular and special needs students. Teacher surveys indicated that the intervention had a partial positive effect on classroom social life and a differential effect on elementary…

Investigated the effects of mathematics methods courses that used manipulatives, technology, and cooperative learning on preservice mathematics teachers' meaningful mathematical content knowledge and attitudes toward mathematics. Pre- and postintervention student teacher surveys indicated that there were significant increases in content knowledge…

Investigated the impact of a multiple intelligences (MI) curriculum on elementary students, parents, and teachers. Classroom observations; teacher, parent, and student interviews; and parent surveys indicated that all respondents were very positive about the MI concept and about schoolwide implementation. Implementation of MI concepts was uneven…

Identified the effects of gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), and basic skills performance on grade failure, course failure, scores on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills, and attendance of middle school students placed in behavioral classrooms. Computerized data from two schools indicated that SES and basic skills performance…

Case studies of six high-achieving inner-city high-school students who expected to succeed show that their familiarity with struggle, including collective struggle, was the only biographical factor that distinguished them from other students in the larger project of which this study was a part. (SLD)