This study surveyed 649 secondary middle and high school English teachers from two U.S. states on their vocabulary instructional practices and on the professional development they had received to do so. The results showed that teachers are likely not selecting enough words of which to explicitly teach the meanings and that their methods of…

This article explores the question of excessive testing in public schools, its value in the educational process, and the impact that excessive testing may have on the student and the family unit. While assessments are valuable when used properly, excessive testing may lead to problems with unforeseen consequences.

This paper presents a secondary analysis of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) dataset. The study explores differences in the NAEP fourth, eighth, and twelfth grade reading scores by students' gender across the years 1992, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2002, and 2003. The study used the NAEP National Public School data. The statistically…

Considers the adverse criticism of the public school system in the United States to be unjustified and unwarranted. (RL)

Presents two consultation models--Consultation in Addition to Direct Service Speech/Language Therapy, and Consultation Following a Speech/Language Evaluation--for the public school speech-language pathologist which integrate the student's speech and language goals into the classroom. Also discusses methods of implementing the models. (MM)

Argues that the language arts curricula of the public schools should be more student centered and that future innovations should be aimed at meeting each student's needs. (RB)

Describes a fourth-grade student who had been in detention hundreds of times but who was attentive and well-behaved during tutoring sessions in reading. Argues that nothing is wrong with school rules, only with their consequences--detentions and suspensions isolate the student. (RS)

Discusses six steps backward in public elementary schooling: behavior modification, decoding skills, individualized instruction, mastery learning, grouping, and teaching basics. (SR)

Examines reading-style preferences of 53 Jamaican students with learning disabilities in New York public schools. Indicates that variables most strongly preferred by all students were persistent, kinesthetic, tactual, environmental, motivational, and mobile. Students also preferred reading in the morning. Finds least preferred variables were…