Effects of two instructional sets on the validity of the Kaufman assessment battery for children–nonverbal scale with a group of severely hearing impaired children

The purpose of the study was to investigate the use of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC)–Nonverbal Scale with severely hearing impaired children. The K-ABC was administered to 49 children enrolled at a public residential school for the deaf. Test instructions were given to one group employing American sign language (ASL), plus pantomime and gestures, while the other group received pantomime and gesture (PG) instructions only. No significant difference was found between the two group mean nonverbal K-ABC scores. Also, neither group scored significantly different from the K-ABC norms. Both groups scored significantly lower than K-ABC norms on the Spatial Memory subtest. Significant correlations were found between the K-ABC and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R). A significant correlation also was found between K-ABC scores and Reading Comprehension. A post hoc analysis of data found that, regardless of the instructional set, the children scored significantly lower on the Nonverbal K-ABC than they did on the WISC-R Performance Scale. The study provides support for the appropriateness of the K-ABC for use with deaf children.     

Modeling and mental imagery use by multiply handicapped and learning disabled preschool children

Multiply handicapped mentally retarded and learning disabled preschool children participated in a series of learning tasks designed to clarify task-related effects of modeling-based mental imagery training experiences. A modified single-subject multiple-baseline design was employed with alternating baseline and treatment sessions occurring for tasks involving uncategorized recall, categorized recall, and paired associates learning. Facilitative effects of modeling were found to occur for all learning tasks. Facilitation of learning was most apparent for associative learning and with learning disabled subjects. The findings are discussed in terms of the viability of instructional modeling and mental imagery processes as factors in the education of children with problems in learning, language, and cognition.     

Using a control group to evaluate a resource room program

The effectiveness of a resource room program was examined by testing 162 second- through sixth-grade students who had learning problems severe enough to qualify them for special services. Half of the students were randomly assigned to a resource room, while the others remained in the regular class. Results indicated that the children who were provided with resource room services as well as those who spent the entire day in the regular class gained significanlty in achievement over the year-long study. There was evidence on two of the four dependent variables that the resource room students gained more than those in the regular classroom. However, additional analyses found that these observed differences were relatively weak. If the control group had not been used, gains in achievement might have been attributed to the resource room, emphasizing the importance of using a control group.     

Testing and Grading Practices and Opinions of Secondary Teachers of Academic Subjects: Implications for Instruction in Measurement

What are secondary school teachers' views on testing and grading practices? What clusters of opinions can be categorized as ‘flexible,”“opposed to difficult testing,” or “hard-nosed?” How should the use of test results for grading be treated in teacher in-service training programs?     

Lack of accuracy, feedback, and commitment in teacher evaluation

Summary The contention that evaluation and supervision is the primary process in today's schools by which instructional excellence is achieved and maintained (Pajak's 1990) is wishful thinking. Rather, this characterization is dead wrong. Teacher evaluation has lost or never had a purpose. It has become perfunctory. Little energy is invested, and the teacher receives little if any constructive feedback for improvement. In too many districts, the only reason for complying is to meet state requirements.Teachers in many cases have good reasons for holding evaluation and supervision in contempt. Evaluations have not been helpful, evaluators are not adequately trained in curriculum and instruction, and feedback is either absent or of low quality. Most serious of all, they do not result in instructional improvement. Failure to provide accurate feedback accompanied by substantive and practical suggestions for improvement closes the door to improvement and enhanced internal motivation. This abrogation of duty is malpractice in its worst form. Educators thrive on success in accomplishing their number one goal-helping people learn. Successful supervision and evaluation programs are designed to capitalize on powerful internal motivators, resulting in improved performance and higher personal satisfaction.     

What teachers can learn from parents' perceptions of young children's literacy learning

Research in the last ten to fifteen years has provided a strong knowledge base for understanding how children learn to read and write in naturally developing ways. *These findings and conclusions are drawn from the wealth of early literacy research. The research provides a keener understanding of how the learning environment contributes enabling children to construct their own personally meaningful rule systems for making written language work for them, even at very young ages.Stevie Hoffman is Professor of Early Childhood Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, and Larry Kantner is Professor in the Departments of Curriculum and Instruction and Fine Arts, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO.