In practice—the business of learning at vocational and technical schools

The central focus of students at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College—to enroll, learn, leave, and work—is shared by most of their peers at other vocational and technical schools. Educators at The Restaurant School are finding creative ways for students to squeeze in time for opportunities for growth outside the classroom.     

Reading improvement in English- and Hebrew-speaking children with reading difficulties after reading acceleration training

A reading acceleration program known to improve reading fluency in Hebrew-speaking adults was tested for its effect on children. Eighty-nine Hebrew- and English-speaking children with reading difficulties were divided into a waiting list group and two training groups (Hebrew and English) and underwent 4 weeks of reading acceleration training. Results of pre- and post-testing of reading abilities point to a significant main effect of the test, demonstrating improvements in silent contextual reading speed, reading comprehension, and speed of processing in both Hebrew and English training groups as compared to their performance before the intervention. This study indicates that the Reading Acceleration Program might be an effective program for improving reading abilities in children, independent of language.     

Developing Literacy in Inner-city Schools

This article examines the impact of a two-year multimedia computer-based program of structured learning and assessment introduced into fifteen primary schools in three London boroughs. The project was evaluated and the results are reported here. The evaluation had two purposes: to explore the actual effects of the programs during the time span of the project, and to understand the contexts in which they operated.     

We Don't Say “H” Here

This article is focused on building interdependence among diverse learners through four specific engagements in the art room: Friend/Family Involvement, Team-Building, Leadership Habits, and Service Learning. These strategies have been beneficial to the author in creating a sustainable model for high-quality visual arts instruction.     

Childhood abuse recollections in a nonclinical population: forgetting and secrecy.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the relationship of interrupted memories of childhood abuse with the secrecy of the abuse. METHODOLOGY: Fifteen hundred people were randomly selected from the membership of the American Counseling Association and sent a questionnaire regarding childhood abuse history. Four hundred and twenty-three usable questionnaires were returned and analyzed. RESULTS: Thirty-two percent of the sample reported childhood abuse. Fifty-two percent of those reporting abuse also noted periods of forgetting some or all of the abuse. On the two survey items assessing secrecy, 76% of respondents reporting childhood abuse indicated there had been a time when no one but themselves and their abuser knew about the abuse; 47% indicated that an abuser tried to get them to keep the abuse secret. Forty percent endorsed both secrecy items. Respondents who reported forgetting abuse also reported one or both elements of secrecy more frequently than those who reported continuous memories of abuse. CONCLUSION: These findings are consistent with those of other studies that suggest that, among adults reporting childhood abuse, the experience of forgetting some or all abuse is common. Secrecy of the abuse appears to be associated with the experience of forgetting childhood abuse for many individuals.