Planning in the Face of Academic Diversity: Whose Questions Should We Be Answering?

This research was published by the KU Center for Research on Learning, formerly known as the University of Kansas Institute for Research in Learning Disabilities.The goal of this investigation was to identify how regular high school and middle school social studies and science teachers approach teaching their most academically diverse class. Specifically, we sought to determine whether or not the typical special education model of individualization could be part of the framework of approaching academically diverse classes. Information from this study will serve as the basis for conceptualizing interventions that will enable regular classroom teachers to better plan and teach students with mild handicaps

The content literacy continuum: A school reform framework for improving adolescent literacy for all student

This is the publisher's version, also found here: http://www.sped.org!n this column. Bridging Research and Practice, three of the federally funded special education research institutes report to you, the practitioner, on their progress in areas that will be particularly helpful to you in working with your students. The U.S. Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has funded these three research institutes to study specific curricular and instructional interventions that will accelerate the learning of students with disabilities in curricular Center on Accelerating Student Learning (CASL) focuses on accelerating reading, math, and writing development in Grades K-3. The Directors of CASL are Lynn and Doug Fuchs of Vanderbilt University. Principal Investigators include Joanna Williams at Columbia University and Steve Graham and Karen Harris at Vanderbilt University. Research Institute to Accelerate Content Learning Through High Support for Students With Disabilities in Grades 4-8 (REACH) is examining interventions that reflect high expectations, content, and support for students. The Director of REACH is Catherine Cobb Morocco at Education Development Center in Newton, MA. Research partners include the University of Michigan (Annemarie Palincsar and Shirley Magnusson), the University of Delaware (Ralph Ferretti, Charles MacArthur, and Cynthia Okolo), and the University of Puget Sound [John Woodward). The Institute for Academic Access (IAA) is conducting research to develop instructional methods and materials to provide students with authentic access to the high school general curriculum. The Institute Directors are Don Deshler and Jean Schumaker of the University of Kansas, Lawrence. Research partners include the University of Oregon and school districts in Kansas. California, Washington, and Oregon. This issue features the CASL

A Comparison of Youths Who Have Committed Delinquent Acts with Learning Disabled, Low-Achieving, and Normally Achieving Adolescents

This research was published by the KU Center for Research on Learning, formerly known as the University of Kansas Institute for Research in Learning Disabilities.This study compared a group of youths who had committed delinquent acts with LD, low-achieving, and normally-achieving adolescents. Youths who had committed delinquent acts most resembled the low-achieving group based on student and parent interview responses. The delinquent youth group generally indicated below average grade point averages; however, their achievement test scores were average. In addition, family relationships and difficulty in problem solving appeared to distinguish this group from all three groups

Characteristics of Good Collegiality Among Secondary Social Studies and Science Teachers When Teaching Academically Diverse Classes

This research was published by the KU Center for Research on Learning, formerly known as the University of Kansas Institute for Research in Learning Disabilities.The purpose or this study was to explore with teachers the characteristics of good collegiality that would enhance teacher satisfaction and effectiveness in facing the challenges presented by teaching academically diverse classes. The study was carried out by working with groups of secondary science and social studies teachers in Cooperative Study Groups. These groups discussed issues related to teacher professional growth and collegiality with a view toward identifying what characterized good collegiality of these teachers

Factors Promoting Personal Growth When Teaching Academically Diverse Classes

This research was published by the KU Center for Research on Learning, formerly known as the University of Kansas Institute for Research in Learning Disabilities.The study was conducted as a collaborative research project with 42 secondary science and social studies teachers in two school districts in eastern Kansas. Researchers and teachers met in a series of Cooperative Study Groups to discuss questions related to personal growth in teaching

Factors Inhibiting Personal Growth When Teaching Academically Diverse Classes

This research was published by the KU Center for Research on Learning, formerly known as the University of Kansas Institute for Research in Learning Disabilities.This study seeks to identify the factors that inhibit personal growth in teaching as teachers work to meet the needs of all students in academically diverse groups of learners. To identify these factors, researchers worked collaboratively with 42 secondary science and social studies teachers. Cooperative Study Groups were formed to discuss questions related to professional growth in teaching

Meeting the Challenge of Academic Diversity: Actions of Secondary Social Studies and Science Teachers

This research was published by the KU Center for Research on Learning, formerly known as the University of Kansas Institute for Research in Learning Disabilities.The goal of this research was to identify what actions teachers take to include all students in learning in academically diverse secondary classrooms. Information was gathered through a collaborative project with 52 secondary social studies and science teachers. These teachers participated in a series of Cooperative Study Groups to answer questions about what actions they took to deal with academic diversity in their classes

Obstacles to Teaching in the Face of Academic Diversity: Implcations for Planning for Students with Disabilities

This research was published by the KU Center for Research on Learning, formerly known as the University of Kansas Institute for Research in Learning Disabilities.This study was a collaborative project the incorporated the concerns and insights of 52 secondary science and social studies teachers in identifying the major obstacles in planning to teach academically diverse groups of students. These teachers participated in a series of Cooperative Study Groups (CSG ) to answer questions related to teaching and planning for their most academically diverse classes. The results of the first question posed at the CSG meetings are presented here. That question was "Thinking back on the last year of teaching, what would you say has been the most difficult obstacle that you have had to overcome in teaching science or social studies to an academically diverse group of students.

The Plans of Secondary Social Studies and Science Teachers for Teaching an Academically Diverse Class

This research was published by the KU Center for Research on Learning, formerly known as the University of Kansas Institute for Research in Learning Disabilities.The goal of this research was to learn how teachers plan for instruction of their classes made up of academically diverse students. We sought to identify not only what they plan to teach, but also what resources they draw on in their planning and what pedagogical methods they view as most effective with academically diverse groups of students

Efforts to Enhance Personal Growth When Teaching Academically Diverse Classes

This research was published by the KU Center for Research on Learning, formerly known as the University of Kansas Institute for Research in Learning Disabilities.This study was undertaken to identify what kinds of professional growth experiences teachers value within the context of the challenge presented by academic diversity in their classrooms. The research was carried out With teachers participating in small Cooperative Study Groups discussing issues related to professional growth in teaching. Teacher responses were then analyzed to discern trends and patterns