Sound symbolic word learning in the middle grades

Sound symbolism is the notion that there is a subset of words in the world’s languages for which sounds and their symbols have some degree of correspondence. Two studies assessed 5th and 6th graders’ knowledge of word meanings for English sound symbolic and non-sound symbolic words. Both studies found that the meanings of sound symbolic words were guessed more often than those for non-sound symbolic words. Study 1 found this for words presented in isolation and for both native speakers of English and those learning English as a second language. Study 1 also found that there was no difference in the ability to use sound symbolic word information between these two participant groups. Study 2 found superior performance on sound symbolic words presented both in isolation and in context and found that the combination these two types of information yielded greater word learning than either alone. We conclude that sound symbolism is a word property which influences the learning of unknown words.     

Collaborative action research for middle grades improvement

Technology’s rapid evolution applies constant pressure to educational organizations, suggesting a need to continually re-envision schools for the digital age. Yet educators often struggle to understand the growing chasm between students’ out-of-school and in-school technology lives. This gap is particularly noticeable during the middle grades years, when home technology use increases dramatically. The purpose of this research was to examine the experiences of teachers and students engaged in collaborative action research for middle school improvement in technology-rich settings. We begin by outlining our theoretical framework, emphasizing Fletcher’s Ladder of Student Involvement. We then describe our case-study design and methods. Findings are organized by action research components and a discussion of key themes follows. Finally, we consider the implications of this study for action research as a means of student involvement and teacher learning.     

Gender,race, ethnicity,and science education in the middle grades

This article examines gender differences in science achievements and attitudes during the middle grade, when our nation's scientific pipeline begins to emerge. It uses data from a large, nationally representative sample of eighth-grade students (NELS-88). The findings show that in these grades female students do not lag behind their male classmates in science achievements tests, grades, and course enrollments. Actually, some female students have higher probabilities of enrolling in high-ability classes than males. However, female students have less positive attitudes toward science, participate in fewer relevant extracurricular activities, and aspire less often to science careers than males. Students' science attitudes and career interests vary according to students' gender as well as their racial or ethnic background. These findings emphasize the need to further examine the interrelationships between gender and race or ethnicity in our efforts to understand the processes leading to women's limited participation in science-related careers.     

Relations between mathematics achievement growth and the development of mathematics self-concept in elementary and middle grades

Creating an educational program that results in positive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics or STEM-oriented outcomes for all students is an important education objective and federal policy directive in the United States. In addition to developing strong mathematics foundations in Grades K–8 that are closely associated with successful STEM outcomes, intrapersonal skill development is also critical to academic and postsecondary success. Using nationally representative data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998–99 the current study applied structural equation growth modeling to examine relationships among mathematics achievement in Grades K–1 and Grades 3–8, and mathematics self-concept development across Grades 3–8. Study results revealed that students reported declining levels of mathematics self-concept across the middle grades. Importantly, third grade reports of self-concept were associated with both mathematics achievement at kindergarten entry and third grade mathematics achievement; however, mathematics achievement at kindergarten entry was also associated with the development of mathematics self-concept in third through eighth grade. In addition, after accounting for mathematics achievement in Grades K–1, mathematics achievement growth in Grades 3–8 was directly associated with mathematics self-concept development across the same time period. Implications for future research, mathematics instruction, and curriculum development are discussed.     

Inquiry‐based science in the middle grades: Assessment of learning in urban systemic reform

Science education standards established by American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the National Research Council (NRC) urge less emphasis on memorizing scientific facts and more emphasis on students investigating the everyday world and developing deep understanding from their inquiries. These approaches to instruction challenge teachers and students, particularly urban students who often have additional challenges related to poverty. We report data on student learning spanning 3 years from a science education reform collaboration with the Detroit Public Schools. Data were collected from nearly 8,000 students who participated in inquiry‐based and technology‐infused curriculum units that were collaboratively developed by district personnel and staff from the University of Michigan as part of a larger, district‐wide systemic reform effort in science education. The results show statistically significant increases on curriculum‐based test scores for each year of participation. Moreover, the strength of the effects grew over the years, as evidenced by increasing effect size estimates across the years. The findings indicate that students who historically are low achievers in science can succeed in standards‐based, inquiry science when curriculum is carefully developed and aligned with professional development and district policies. Additional longitudinal research on the development of student understanding over multiple inquiry projects, the progress of teacher enactment over time, and the effect of changes in the policy and administrative environment would further contribute to the intellectual and practical tools necessary to implement meaningful standards‐based systemic reform in science. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 41: 1063–1080, 2004     

Effects of extended wait time on discourse characteristics and achievement in middle school grades

The study was conducted in 20 intact classes in grades 6 and 7 from suburban schools in Perth, Australia. The study investigated changes in discourse attributable to the use of an extended teacher wait time in a sequence of seven lessons related to probabilistic reasoning. A wait time feedback group of 10 classes obtained a significantly higher summative achievement mean than a control group that utilized a normal wait time. The results indicated that teacher wait time increased significantly over a seven lesson sequence from an average of 1.9 seconds to an average of 4.4 seconds. Discourse patterns in whole class settings also changed throughout the study. Although the total number of utterances decreased, the average length of pupil utterances increased. Changes were also observed in the teacher discourse. The most notable of these related to the type of teacher talk that followed a pupil response to a question. Teachers tended to probe to obtain further pupil input rather than mimicking pupil responses. The average length of student discourse and the proportion of student reacting were significantly related to summative achievement. The results of the study have indicated that the use of an extended teacher wait time in whole class settings can improve teacher and pupil discourse characteristics. However, the changes that occur are different to those that occur when an extended wait time is used in work groups. Teachers may need to be sensitized to the differing effects of longer wait time in whole class, work group, and individualized settings.     

Teaching experience and teachers' expectations for grades in academic subject areas

Seventy-nine subjects who had less than 1, 2, to 3, and more than 3 years of teaching experience were given either a favorable, neutral, or unfavorable fictitious psychological report to read, describing a kindergarten child. Subjects then watched a 5-year-old child in a videotaped testing session. Expectancies toward the child were evaluated using report card grades the subjects expected the child to receive at the end of first grade. A multivariate analysis of variance with five subject area grades as the dependent variables revealed significant multivariate main effects for experience and psychological report. Significant univariate interactions in science and social studies, and social and emotional development suggested that teachers with more than 3 years of experience may have reduced susceptibility to biasing influences in psychological reports.     

农村小学高年级作文教学中学生逆商的培养研究

逆商是一个人必备的素养,教师在小学教育中要有培养学生逆商的意识。该文结合小学作文教学,对学生逆商的培养进行了具体探究:首先,要学会与学生沟通,让学生树立自信心;其次,要通过团队的影响,纠正学生不良的心理;再次,要通过学生的自我调适,提高学生的逆商水平。     

中学语文课堂教学的几点体会

实施素质教育是当前教学改革的主旋律,是语文教学实现可持续发展的必由之路,课堂教学是实施素质教育的主渠道。语文课堂教学要正确处理导与学的关系,切实抓好学生主体地位的落实,从而提高语文课堂教学效率。     

Relationship between teacher knowledge of concepts and connections, teaching practice, and student achievement in middle grades mathematics

The mixed method sequential nested study examines whether and how the cognitive type of teachers’ content knowledge is associated with student achievement, and correlated with teaching practice. In the context of this study, the cognitive type refers to the kind of teacher content knowledge and thinking processes required to accomplish a task successfully, in terms of knowledge of facts and procedures (Type 1), knowledge of concepts and connections (Type 2), and/or knowledge of models and generalizations (Type 3). A sample of 102 middle school mathematics teachers (grades 6–8) was assigned to the study from a number of school districts in an urban area in the Southwestern US. Teachers were tested using the Teacher Content Knowledge Survey. Student level data of about 2,400 middle grades students’ standardized test passing rates including percentage of students meeting the state standards by objectives were collected. The type of teachers’ content knowledge was assessed and tested for association with student achievement on the state-mandated standardized test using multivariate methods including tests for variance and independence. The nested research consisted of three phases. Substudy-1 focused on quantitative analysis of the association between cognitive type of teacher content knowledge and student achievement. Substudy-2 aimed at the correlation between cognitive type of teacher content knowledge and teaching practice. Finally, substudy-3 was a case study on examining middle grades mathematics teachers’ knowledge and understanding of fraction division.     

论中学政治课堂教学生活化的误区及应对策略

本文论述了中学政治课堂教学生活化的误区,并提出了相应的策略,以期对政治课堂教学生活化这一课题做出有益的探索。     

激活高中英语课堂教学的新思路

素质教育是教育进步的要求,也是各种教育思潮斗争选择的结果,它已深入到教育教学的各个环节。转变教学理念,激活高中英语课堂对于落实素质教育具有重要意义。激活高中英语课堂的相关策略,是形成开放、互动、有序、善思的新型高中英语课堂的初步探索与实践。     

优化初中物理教学的课堂评价模式

在教育质量阳光评价改革下,对中学的学科教学质量评价方面有了新的要求,将定性分析和定量分析结合起来,更加科学、实际、有效地了解初中物理学科教学课堂中存在的问题,针对这些问题的解决进行一些探讨,更加有利于优化物理教学质量的课堂评价。     

中学物理教学中的探究性问题设计

由于波源与观测者相对运动而出现的观测者测得的波频率与波源频率不同的现象，叫多普勒效应。多普勒效应所引起的波的频率的变化称为多普勒频移。     

有意义学习在初中英语词汇教学中的应用

本文通过对奥苏贝尔有意义学习理论的阐释与分析及当前词汇教学方面存在的许多问题,提: 有意义学习能有效地解决词汇教学中存在的问题.以此理论为指导从认知与情感两个角度提出几点有利于词汇教学的建议.