Effects of the SOLVE Strategy on the Mathematical Problem Solving Skills of Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities

This study examined the effects of explicit instruction in the SOLVE Strategy on the mathematical problem solving skills of six Grade 8 students with specific learning disabilities. The SOLVE Strategy is an explicit instruction, mnemonic‐based learning strategy designed to help students in solving mathematical word problems. Using a multiple probe across participants design, results suggested a functional relation between explicit instruction in the SOLVE strategy and increase in strategy use and computation scores on grade level mathematical word problems for all participants. Additionally, all participants generalized the SOLVE Strategy to other mathematic topics and concepts, and the teacher and students felt the intervention was socially acceptable. Finally, limitations, implications for practice, and suggestions for future research are discussed.     

The Cambridge controlled choice plan

Parent choice in education is enjoying growing support among both minorities and whites. The greatest practical impetus to the extension of parent choice in public schools has been the use of magnet schools in desegregation plans. This study analyzes the history of parent choice in Cambridge, Mass. and its outcome. Parent choice in the Cambridge public schools has produced greater interracial exposure than the prior mandatory reassignment plan, as well as increased student achievement.     

Effects of Instruction in an Assignment Completion Strategy on the Homework Performance of Students with Learning Disabilities in General Education Classes

Homework is an important activity in the lives of school‐aged children, including students with learning disabilities (LD). Characteristics often associated with LD (e.g., poor organizational skills) may adversely impact the rate and quality of homework completion. In this study, a multiple‐probe across‐students design (Horner & Baer, 1978) was used to evaluate the effects of instruction in a comprehensive, independent assignment completion strategy with regard to homework completion rates and the quality of products completed in response to assignments given in general education classrooms. Eight of nine students mastered use of the strategy, and their homework completion rates and the quality of their homework products improved. Associated with these improvements were increases in quarterly grades and teacher ratings of the quality of the assignments. Thus, direct instruction in a comprehensive strategy comprised of organizational behaviors can result in independent completion of more homework by students with LD. Nevertheless, instruction in organizational skills alone appears insufficient to produce a 100 percent submission rate: student motivation to complete assignments and mastery of the skills required, as well as the appropriateness of assignments for students, need to be addressed.     

The Future of Maltese Teachers in a United Europe

As Malta prepares to join the European Union, Maltese teachers need to look critically beyond the honorific title of ‘professionals’, which the state has trust on them, in order to compare their level of professionalism with that of their European colleagues. They can carry out analytical self‐reflection to establish whether the degree of substantive theory and validated practice they bring to their work reaches the standards expected of them by the Community. The paper argues that the Maltese educational service has the capacity to employ fully trained and qualified teachers, who, through research, self‐regulation and continuous professional development, can enhance their prestige in the local community and gain that of a wider European audience.     

Modeling scholarly book literature

Recent technology provides the means to gauge the declining ability of the nation's research libraries to maintain fairly comprehensive book collections in the face of the extraordinary growth and price inflation of scholarly publishing since the 1970s. An application of this technology is presented here in the form of a model of total book publication output and the aggregate holdings of 71 research libraries in a selected field, general sociology, for the period 1979–88. The usefulness of such modeling is discussed in terms of generating knowledge that, while low on precision, has broad reliability and relevance.     

The old age of some eminent psychologists

The late years of some eminent psychologists were examined to secure evidence on their general activities, and their professional competence and productivity. Of greatest note was their devotion to work: after age 70 nearly 90% continued a high level of scientific and professional productivity and involvement, while some developed new careers. The content of late production was generally based on earlier specialty. For many, work seemed the purpose of life, and its own reward.