Duke, N.K., & Halvorsen, A. (2017, June 20). New study shows the impact of PBL on student achievement [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/article/new-study-shows-impact-pbl-student-achievement-nell-duke-anne-lise-halvorsen In our study, we randomly assigned second-grade teachers in high-poverty schools that had low performance on state tests to two groups. One taught social studies using the project-based units we designed (the experimental… Read More »
Easy as AcHGzrjq: The Quick Letter Name Knowledge Assessment
Tortorelli, L.S., Bowles, R.P., & Skibbe, L.E. (Advance online publication). Easy as AcHGzrjq: The quick letter name knowledge assessment. The Reading Teacher. A firm foundation in alphabet knowledge is critical for children learning to read. Under new literacy standards, letter name knowledge in preschool and kindergarten can function as a gatekeeper to the rest of the curriculum.… Read More »
New Ways to Engage Parents
Edwards, P. A. (2016). New Ways to Engage Parents: Strategies and Tools for Teachers and Leaders, K–12. New York: Teachers College Press. Just as populations change, ideas about how to encourage and work with parents also need to evolve. This practical resource by bestselling author Patricia Edwards provides school leaders and classroom teachers with new and… Read More »
A Systematic Review of the Research on Vocabulary Instruction That Impacts Text Comprehension
Wright, T. S., & Cervetti, G. N. (2017). A systematic review of the research on vocabulary instruction that impacts text comprehension. Reading Research Quarterly, 52, 203-226. Although numerous studies have identified a correlational relationship between vocabulary and comprehension, we know less about vocabulary interventions that impact reading comprehension. Therefore, this study is a systematic review… Read More »
Fourth-Grade Emergent Bilinguals’ Uses of Functional Grammar Analysis to Talk About Text
Symons, C., Palincsar, A. S. & Schleppegrell M. J. (2017). Fourth-grade emergent bilinguals’ uses of functional grammar analysis to talk about text. Learning and Instruction. While decades of research on reading comprehension strategy instruction has yielded significant insights into the effective use of comprehension strategies, less is known about how students—in particular students who are learning… Read More »
Re-imagining Teacher Education in Michigan
Teacher education is a key part of the education system. Through recruitment, selection, preservice preparation, and support for experienced teachers, teacher education institutions contribute to the quality of P-12 instruction, and ultimately to student learning. The design and conduct of teacher education is shaped by state and federal policies, by work of P-12 educators, and… Read More »
How Local Policy Implementation Impacts the Reclassification of English Learners Research by Madeline Mavrogordato and Rachel White
English learners (EL) students are one of the fastest growing student populations in the United States. The academic performance of ELs has gone from being a concern for a handful of states to quickly becoming a national issue. As such, both state and federal governments have taken a more active policymaking role in efforts to… Read More »
“Outsiders with Deep Pockets”: The Nationalization of Local School Board Elections – Research by Sarah Reckhow and Rebecca Jacobsen
Local school boards are traditionally at the center of this country’s public education system. Elections to these boards have typically featured low voter turnout and the issues have often been parochial in nature. However, recognizing that local districts are critical in implementing new state and national education reform policies, “outsiders with deep pockets” have been… Read More »
Does the Supply Side Meet the Demand for New Charter Schools? – Research by Rebecca Jacobsen
There is a growing body of research about the rise of the charter school movement within the American education system. However, little research has been done on why new charter schools open where they do and whether there are patterns to where those schools open. A new study by Michigan State University Associate Professor Rebecca… Read More »
Poetic Language, Interdiscursivity and Intertextually in Fifth Graders’ Poetry: An Interpretive Study
Abstract: In spite of views that children’s writing development is in large part a linguistic complex process involved in their engagement within and across social activities in and out of school, the literature is scant on the wide range of semiotic resources that children may draw on to animate their poetry writing and performances. Drawing… Read More »