Rethinking science literacy: Enhancing communication and participation in school science through affirmational dialogue journal writing

For many students the study of science can be very disaffirming. This may lead to passivity in class and a lifelong disaffection with science, outcomes which defeat the long‐term purpose of trying to achieve scientific literacy for all students. This article represents a new way of framing scientific literacy with a “science for all” goal, based on a nexus of psychological, sociological, and critical literacy theory. A science education researcher and a science teacher collaborated in trialing the use of affirmational dialogue journal writing with early adolescents in a high school situated in a low socioeconomic status area. The intervention was found to be successful on a number of fronts. An approach which affirms students' experience can lead to a deeper approach to learning for adolescent science students. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 36: 699–717, 1999     

Improving Support Service Decision-Making: Consumer feedback regarding updates to VISTA

This study provides data from 73 educational team members who used an updated version of the Vermont Interdependent Services Team Approach (VISTA) to assist them in planning educationally necessary support services for 11 students with multiple disabilities in general education classes. These data provide evaluative consumer feedback about changes in VISTA based on limitations identified through previous research. The results indicated that the changes were perceived positively by consumers, particularly related to overall quality, practicality, and more substantive involvement of parents and general education teachers in support service decision-making. Study respondents also identified areas in need of continued improvement in VISTA. Implications for future research, development, and practice are discussed.     

Developing a Preschool Play-based Curriculum

The importance of play on a young child's development cannot be understated. Play gives children opportunities to understand the world, interact with others, express and control emotions, develop symbolic capabilities, attempt novel or challenging tasks, solve problems, and practice skills. Play may contribute to the development of posture, movement, and self-sufficiency. There also appears to be a positive relationships between the frequency and complexity of young children's play and IQ, problem-solving, creativity, language and literacy, and social competence. This paper provides a review of the literature and describes the development of a preschool play-based curriculum for children with disabilities.     

The Influence of Children's Literature on Gender Role Perceptions: A Reexamination

This project reexamined young children's gender attitudes regarding occupational roles. The results of this study suggested that young children's atitudes, while still generally stereotypic, were more flexible regarding occupational roles. The reading of carefully selected books and book related activities positively influenced gender attitudes.