Examined the nature and extent of the school principal's role in affecting student learning. Found no direct effects from the principal's instructional leadership, but did find an indirect influence on overall school effectiveness through actions that shape the school's learning environment. (ET)

Describes and interprets what 65 elementary and secondary classroom teachers revealed about the techniques and importance of generating student interest in content areas. Finds that generating interest was considered a major aspect of teaching, and the most successful technique was "hands on" activities, including doing, planning, and problem…

Describes reading-textbook evaluation and selection processes and argues that improved basal readers are likely to be developed if textbook adoption procedures improve. States that basal reader evaluation criteria and procedures should be developed and applied by those professionals most directly responsible for the teaching of reading. (Author/NH)

Describes a staff development framework having four main components: a definition, a mapping sentence, a description of participant roles, and an evaluation perspective. Conditions are discussed for judging the worth of staff development activities, and examples of such activities are analyzed to show how the evaluation perspective is used in…

Briefly reviews findings from the school effectiveness literature and suggests local strategies and policies that will stimulate school reform. Thirteen characteristics of effective schools are discussed as model guidelines for action; four general policy recommendations are made. (RH)

Considers change processes at the school-building level in order to formulate a number of locally based strategies (at the school and district levels) to improve schools and classrooms. Suggests change strategy implications arising from the effective schools research. (RH)

Discusses the content and processes for initial-year-of-teaching programs. Suggests and describes the study of teaching cases as an approach for such programs. (RJC)

Presents principles for devising and using developmentally appropriate procedures for assessing young children's reading and writing. Contends that informal observations and structured performance sample assessments are more appropriate than standardized tests. Offers specific examples of assessments of several aspects of literacy development. (RH)

Describes open classrooms and their history. Reviews research on academic and nonacademic outcomes for students in open classrooms. Examines the problems of open classrooms, reasons for their decline, and methods for avoiding some of the problems. (RJC)

Provides information teachers and parents can use to assess children for early signs of scoliosis. (RH)

Summarizes research on how children think about economic ideas and values and the development of such thinking. Explores the influence of instruction on children's thinking about economics and points out implications for curriculum and instruction. (RH)

Identifies kinds of thinking that fit naturally into elementary social studies curricula, using models of thinking that are not complex. Models include general problem solving skills and skills pertaining to specific types of intellectual tasks, such as comprehending information, solving specific problems, researching topics, and making decisions.…

Presents observations and suggestions for persons attempting to help talented and gifted youth develop their full potential. Journal articles and books containing useful information for parents and teachers concerning gifted education are presented in Appendix A. Appendix B lists information sources, national organizations, and names and addresses…

Reviews research studies which deal with the relationship between the time students spend engaged in learning and their subsequent achievement performance, and examines the emerging implications of these studies for the classroom teacher. (MP)

Examines research evidence concerning the feasibility of a diagnostic approach to the teaching of spelling, presenting some suggestions based on that evidence for improving spelling instruction. (MP)