Children at risk : their phonemic awareness development in holistic instruction

Includes bibliographical references (p. 17-19

Explicit comprehension instruction : a review of research and a new conceptualization of instruction

Includes bibliographical references (p. 13-16)The work upon which this publication was based was supported in part by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement under cooperative agreement no. OEG 0087-C100

The comprehension revolution : a twenty-year history of process and practice related to reading comprehension

Includes bibliographie

The effect of background knowledge on young children's comprehension of explicit and implicit information

Bibliography: leaves 15-16Supported in part by the National Institute of Educatio

Historical and contemporary perspectives on the sediments of Lake Rotorua

Lake Rotorua is probably the oldest continuously inundated lake in New Zealand, occupying a caldera formed by or closely associated with the eruption of the Mamaku ignimbrite and the collapse of the Rotorua caldera (Healy, 1975; Lowe and Green, 1991). The lake has undergone drastic changes in size and depth as a result of tectonics, volcanic activity and erosion. Since the Rotoehu eruption, (~60 kyr), the lake level has fluctuated between 120 m above present (280 m asl) and 10 m below present level. The modern lake covers an area of 79 km2 and has a mean depth of 10 m. Despite its long history of sedimentation, Lake Rotorua has an irregular bathymetry with features including faulted blocks, slumps, hydrothermal explosion craters, springs and large methane discharge pock marks

Two Steps Forward, Three Steps Back: The Stormy History of Reading Comprehension Assessment

After closely examining the recent history of reading comprehension assessment in the United States, we have concluded that although both the forms of assessment and the key players in the assessment process have changed in significant ways, the functions of assessment have remained relatively constant. In terms of function, we have always used, and continue to use, assessment tools to evaluate programs, to hold particular groups accountable for some specified set of outcomes (though it may seem that that is all we do these days), to inform instruction, either for individuals or whole classes, and finally, to determine who gains access to particular programs or privileges (the gatekeeping function). However, very different test formats, or at least a very different mix of formats, are used today than were used twenty-five years ago. We contend that changes in our fundamental views of the reading process have paved the way for these new formats. We argue that changing and sometimes conflicting policy contexts (what legislators and other policymakers want from assessments) have been responsible for shifting an emphasis from some functions (e.g., instructional decision making) to others (e.g., accountability) and have changed who it is that decides who shall take what tests and for what purposes. We also attempt to document another thesis, one that is more interpretive than descriptive: Progress, if one can even characterize the history of reading comprehension assessment as moving in a particular reform-minded direction, is best characterized as two steps forward, three steps back. Usually, a forward step is an advance in assessment practice driven by an advance in reading theory, or possibly psychometric theory. Usually, the backward step is a retreat in assessment practice driven by some political or practical constraint. As we discuss later, the most notable retreat in the last quarter-century has been in the area of accountability. In the name of holding schools and teachers responsible for student performance, education officials have created such a high-stakes environment that people end up teaching to the test in a way that narrows rather than expands curricular opportunities. A second step back has been the retreat in the use of portfolios and performance assessments; they are considered either too personal (a political motive) or too time-consuming for the quality of information obtained (a practical motive). We make these two points by examining the historical course of reading comprehension assessment practices over the last quarter-century. To understand the current mix of comprehension assessment practices, we believe that it is necessary to begin with a characterization of the assessment practices that were dominant in the 1970s and then to work our way to the present, trying to understand each new assessment twist in light of changing views of reading processes, practices, and policies

Factors influencing multiple sclerosis disease-modifying treatment prescribing decisions in the United Kingdom: A qualitative interview study

Background The proportion of people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis prescribed disease modifying treatments (DMTs) in the United Kingdom (UK) is considered low compared with other countries. There are differences in DMT prescription rates between UK nations (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland). Despite this, there has been little research into decision-making processes and prescribing practices. Objective To investigate views and experiences of neurologists prescribing DMTs and MS specialist nurses to identify factors influencing prescribing. Methods Semi-structured interviews with 18 consultant neurologists and 16 specialist nurses from diverse settings across the four UK nations. Data were analysed using thematic framework analysis. Results Prescribing practices are influenced by organisational prescribing “cultures”, informal “benchmarking” within peer networks, and prior experience with different DMTs. Health professionals differ in their perceptions of benefits and risks of DMTs and personal “thresholds” for discerning relapses and determining eligibility for DMTs. Prescribers in England felt most constrained by guidelines. Conclusion To achieve equity in access to DMTs for people with MS eligible for treatment, there is a need for public discussion acknowledging differences in health professionals’ interpretations of “relapses” and guidelines and perceptions of DMTs, variation in organisational prescribing “cultures”, and whether the prevailing culture sufficiently meets patients’ needs