Margaret C. Wang - Böcker

This fourth volume of the Handbook of Special Education: Research and Practice deals with the nature and nurture of gifted and talented youth, issues affecting students with severe disabilities and children and youth at risk. Section one focuses on gifted and talented youth, their identification, practices to accelerate and enrich their learning, their socio-emotional adjustment, and special categories of gifted students. New federal legislation in the US, changing views about intelligence, and growing concern over quality of education, make this section timely and important. Section two concerns students with severe disabilities with topics ranging from how they can be served in regular school and community settings to the transition to work and living in the community. In section three the theme is children and youth at risk from poverty, limited linguistic competence, limited cognitive mastery, and family problems. The chapters highlight what action can be taken to solve the educational problems associated with these risks. Special attention is paid to the problems of education in the inner-city.

"The Handbook of Special and Remedial Education: Research and Practice" is an update of the four-volume Handbook series, which provided a comprehensive summary of the well-confirmed knowledge in the field of special education available through the mid-1980's. The need for an updated second edition grew out of the extensive activity in research, policy developments, and related changes in practices over the past decade. The new single volume gives first priority to a review of the knowledge base, as derived from recent research and practices in schools and related agencies. It notes discrepancies between the state of the art and the state of practice. These disparities are further linked to brief discussions of policy issues and needed research, revisions in training programs, and organizational arrangements in the field. This edition is segmented into three major sections. The six chapters within "Learning Rates: Issues of Concern and Prospects for Improvement" range from a discussion of early education for disabled children and those at risk, to educational resilience. The six chapters under "Distinct Disabilities" cover such topics as visual, hearing, and language impairments. Finally, the four chapters in "Associated Conditions and Resources" discuss funding, parents and advocacy systems, staff preparation, and emerging school/community linkages.

Each chapter covers the following essential points: incidence, prevalence, and cost of the problem, vital for gauging the importance of preventing the problem and for making the case for such efforts in public discussion of priorities; biological and environmental influences which increase or decrease the likelihood of these problems; and principles, programmes and policies that have been shown to reduce the incidence of each problem, information that can help in prevention of these behaviours.

The story of life in inner-city America and the education of its people is often recounted as a tragedy; the ending is often predictable and usually dire, highlighting deficiency, failure, and negative trends. As with most social problems, children and youth in the inner cities are hit hardest. But this dismal view is only half of the full picture. The cities of our nation are a startling juxtaposition between the despairing and the hopeful, between disorganization and restorative potential. Alongside the poverty and unemployment, the street-fights and drug deals, are a wealth of cultural, economic, educational, and social resources. Often ignored are the resilience and the ability for adaptation which help many who are seemingly confined by circumstance to struggle and succeed "in the face of the odds."This book helps to broaden the utilization of ways to magnify the circumstances known to enhance development and education, so that the burden of adversity is reduced and opportunities are advanced for all children and youth -- especially the children and youth of the inner cities who are in at-risk circumstances. The focus is on: * raising consciousness about the opportunities available to foster resilience among children, families, and communities, and * synthesizing the knowledge base that is central to implementing improvements which serve to better the circumstances and educational opportunities of children and families. This volume is intended for a wide audience of readers, but particularly those who are in a position to shape public policy and deliver educational and human services.

The story of life in inner-city America and the education of its people is often recounted as a tragedy; the ending is often predictable and usually dire, highlighting deficiency, failure, and negative trends. As with most social problems, children and youth in the inner cities are hit hardest. But this dismal view is only half of the full picture. The cities of our nation are a startling juxtaposition between the despairing and the hopeful, between disorganization and restorative potential. Alongside the poverty and unemployment, the street-fights and drug deals, are a wealth of cultural, economic, educational, and social resources. Often ignored are the resilience and the ability for adaptation which help many who are seemingly confined by circumstance to struggle and succeed "in the face of the odds."This book helps to broaden the utilization of ways to magnify the circumstances known to enhance development and education, so that the burden of adversity is reduced and opportunities are advanced for all children and youth -- especially the children and youth of the inner cities who are in at-risk circumstances. The focus is on: * raising consciousness about the opportunities available to foster resilience among children, families, and communities, and * synthesizing the knowledge base that is central to implementing improvements which serve to better the circumstances and educational opportunities of children and families. This volume is intended for a wide audience of readers, but particularly those who are in a position to shape public policy and deliver educational and human services.

This collection of essays addresses issues related to the intersection of family relationships and several contexts for the social and emotional development of ethnic minority adolescents. The papers are organized in sections under subtitles which reflect three contextual frames through which these issues may be examined. The first section focuses on the relationship between economic factors and resources on the one hand and family relations as environments for development on the other. The next part focuses on family and peer networks and relations as contexts for the emotional and social development of adolescents. The last section takes neighborhood and school as contexts for and determinants of social and emotional adjustment in adolescence.Like much of the extant work and current thought concerning development in ethnic minority children and adolescents, the authors have highlighted the more stressful and negative aspects of these several contexts. There are a few explicit and several implicit references made to supportive and more positive contexts and manifestations of relationships which frame the developmental experiences of ethnic minority adolescents. These serve as a reminder that many ethnic minority adolescents do overcome the odds against success and grow into healthy and wholesome adults. However, in large measure, this book is a contribution to our understanding of the problematic circumstances under which a significant segment of the population exists, reminding us that life for ethnic minority adolescents is difficult. The fact that some of these young people manage to overcome the negative and stressful aspects of their experiences and defy the implicit prediction of failure to thrive is truly remarkable.

A number of societal risks pose serious challenges to families' well-being, many of which cut across divisions of class and race. These challenges include: changes in the labor market and economy; the increasing participation of mothers in the labor force; the changing nature of family structure and the composition of households; and the increase in the number of immigrant families. Key institutions in the lives of families, including places of employment and schools, can play a significant role in fostering families' capacity to adapt to the potential challenges they face. Resilience Across Contexts: Family, Work, Culture, and Community presents papers--written by leading scholars in varied disciplines including economics, developmental and educational psychology, education, and sociology--discussing factors that influence resilience development. The authors' research focuses on emerging issues that have significant implications for policy and practice in such areas as employment and new technologies; maternal employment and family development; family structure and family life; immigration, migration, acculturation, and education of children and youth; and social and human services delivery. The book's overall goal is to take stock of what is known from research and practice on some of the challenges facing children and families for policy development and improvement of practices.

This book addresses one of the most urgent questions in American society today, one that is currently in the spotlight and hotly debated on all sides: Who shall rule the schools--parents or educators?School Choice or Best Systems: What Improves Education? presents an overview of research and practical applications of innovative--even radical--school reforms being implemented across the United States. These fall along a continuum ranging from "parental choice" to "best systems." At the one extreme are schools of choice, which allow parents to choose and even govern schools for their children. These include charter schools, traditional private and parochial schools, schools that are privately governed but publicly funded through vouchers, and those that are funded by private scholarships provided by both corporations and wealthy individuals. At the other extreme are centralized state or district systems, based on reform initiatives and new systems of education that have been developed in response to views of citizens and legislators that schools can do much better. These schools, which specify uniform goals, policies, and programs for each school, are highly innovative systems based on research or representing advanced thinking about "what works," and have attracted wide interest.Important questions related to schools of choice and best systems are addressed: How can we choose among schools of choice and best systems? Among the various approaches within each of these alternatives? How can we understand their guiding principles and operational practices? What results do they produce? How can we evaluate their claims? In choosing among the alternatives, how should issues of student achievement, accountability, costs, feasibility, and equity be factored in?This volume brings together leading researchers and education leaders who have carried out the latest studies and advances in the field, providing a forum for them to set forth the arguments and evidence that will be most helpful in making choices for tomorrow's schools. It does not provide a single "right" answer--values and preferences differ across parents, schools, districts, and states. However, there are benefits for all from seeing the rigorous research, challenging thinking, and alternate points of view this volume presents.

This book addresses one of the most urgent questions in American society today, one that is currently in the spotlight and hotly debated on all sides: Who shall rule the schools--parents or educators?School Choice or Best Systems: What Improves Education? presents an overview of research and practical applications of innovative--even radical--school reforms being implemented across the United States. These fall along a continuum ranging from "parental choice" to "best systems." At the one extreme are schools of choice, which allow parents to choose and even govern schools for their children. These include charter schools, traditional private and parochial schools, schools that are privately governed but publicly funded through vouchers, and those that are funded by private scholarships provided by both corporations and wealthy individuals. At the other extreme are centralized state or district systems, based on reform initiatives and new systems of education that have been developed in response to views of citizens and legislators that schools can do much better. These schools, which specify uniform goals, policies, and programs for each school, are highly innovative systems based on research or representing advanced thinking about "what works," and have attracted wide interest.Important questions related to schools of choice and best systems are addressed: How can we choose among schools of choice and best systems? Among the various approaches within each of these alternatives? How can we understand their guiding principles and operational practices? What results do they produce? How can we evaluate their claims? In choosing among the alternatives, how should issues of student achievement, accountability, costs, feasibility, and equity be factored in?This volume brings together leading researchers and education leaders who have carried out the latest studies and advances in the field, providing a forum for them to set forth the arguments and evidence that will be most helpful in making choices for tomorrow's schools. It does not provide a single "right" answer--values and preferences differ across parents, schools, districts, and states. However, there are benefits for all from seeing the rigorous research, challenging thinking, and alternate points of view this volume presents.

In this groundbreaking book, nationally recognized leaders in education and psychology examine the relationships between social emotional education and school success―specifically focusing on interventions that enhance student learning. Offering scientific evidence and practical examples, this volume points out the many benefits of social emotional learning programs, including:Building skills linked to cognitive developmentEncouraging student focus and motivationImproving relationships between students and teachersCreating school-family partnerships to help students achieveIncreasing student confidence and success

A number of societal risks pose serious challenges to families' well-being, many of which cut across divisions of class and race. These challenges include: changes in the labor market and economy; the increasing participation of mothers in the labor force; the changing nature of family structure and the composition of households; and the increase in the number of immigrant families. Key institutions in the lives of families, including places of employment and schools, can play a significant role in fostering families' capacity to adapt to the potential challenges they face. Resilience Across Contexts: Family, Work, Culture, and Community presents papers--written by leading scholars in varied disciplines including economics, developmental and educational psychology, education, and sociology--discussing factors that influence resilience development. The authors' research focuses on emerging issues that have significant implications for policy and practice in such areas as employment and new technologies; maternal employment and family development; family structure and family life; immigration, migration, acculturation, and education of children and youth; and social and human services delivery. The book's overall goal is to take stock of what is known from research and practice on some of the challenges facing children and families for policy development and improvement of practices.

Preventing Youth Problems provides information needed to prevent five of the most common, costly, and dangerous problems of adolescence: anti-social behavior, tobacco use, alcohol and drug abuse, and sexual behavior that risks disease and unwanted pregnancy.

For the first time, this book brings together three controversial topics: homogeneous grouping of students within classrooms by ability or achievement criteria, tracking of students into courses of study by the same criteria, and retention of students in their present grade so that they repeat a year’s work instead of being promoted. The editors solicited syntheses of research on these topics from outstanding scholars with a variety of views.

For the first time, this book brings together three controversial topics: homogeneous grouping of students within classrooms by ability or achievement criteria, tracking of students into courses of study by the same criteria, and retention of students in their present grade so that they repeat a year’s work instead of being promoted. The editors solicited syntheses of research on these topics from outstanding scholars with a variety of views.

Comprises three sections: emerging models for connecting community services reform; the impact of school- and community-based interventions and children's learning and development; and state and federal policies for building partnerships to improve outcomes for children and families.

Comprises three sections: emerging models for connecting community services reform; the impact of school- and community-based interventions and children's learning and development; and state and federal policies for building partnerships to improve outcomes for children and families.

Covering such issues as teaching quality, the interface between public and private schooling, and measuring school efficiency, this text addresses the improvement of educational productivity in the USA

Covering such issues as teaching quality, the interface between public and private schooling, and measuring school efficiency, this text addresses the improvement of educational productivity in the USA

How efficient is Title I, the largest federal educational program in elementary and secondary schools? What is the quality of the Title I services? Has Title I promoted equity in schools among our nation’s low-income areas? To address these important issues, this volume draws on the proceedings of two national invitational conferences, sponsored by the mid-Atlantic regional educational laboratory, the Laboratory for Student Success (LSS) at Temple University Center for Research in Human Development and Education in 1999 and 2000. These conferences aim to provide research-based information on how Title I schoolwide programs affect teaching, learning, and student outcomes and to strengthen cost-benefits in Title I program implementation to assist students in high-poverty schools. The focus of the conferences is particularly timely in view of the upcoming Title I reauthorization and the recently enacted federal Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration (CSRD) initiative.Discussion at the conferences focused on enhancing our understanding of accountability, efficiency, and equity issues in Title I. More specifically, researchers at the two conferences: (a) highlighted findings from the National Study of Effective Title I Schoolwide Programs; (b) examined the effects of research-based comprehensive reform models in high-poverty schools; and (c) addressed cross-cutting issues such as the productivity of Title I programs, the use of technologies in the classroom, the role of the state in strengthening Title I programs, cost effectiveness of whole school reform, professional development, reading instruction, and parental involvement, which are important parts of the national educational reform agenda.Leading researchers, policymakers, and practitioners were commissioned to develop preconference papers to serve as a springboard for discussion at the conferences. These papers included an overview of the research base and patterns of governance and conditions that lead to effective implementation of Title I schoolwide programs. The papers were reviewed by conference participants before the conferences and were used to develop next-step recommendations for advancing the implementation of the Title I schoolwide provision.

How efficient is Title I, the largest federal educational program in elementary and secondary schools? What is the quality of the Title I services? Has Title I promoted equity in schools among our nation’s low-income areas? To address these important issues, this volume draws on the proceedings of two national invitational conferences, sponsored by the mid-Atlantic regional educational laboratory, the Laboratory for Student Success (LSS) at Temple University Center for Research in Human Development and Education in 1999 and 2000. These conferences aim to provide research-based information on how Title I schoolwide programs affect teaching, learning, and student outcomes and to strengthen cost-benefits in Title I program implementation to assist students in high-poverty schools. The focus of the conferences is particularly timely in view of the upcoming Title I reauthorization and the recently enacted federal Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration (CSRD) initiative.Discussion at the conferences focused on enhancing our understanding of accountability, efficiency, and equity issues in Title I. More specifically, researchers at the two conferences: (a) highlighted findings from the National Study of Effective Title I Schoolwide Programs; (b) examined the effects of research-based comprehensive reform models in high-poverty schools; and (c) addressed cross-cutting issues such as the productivity of Title I programs, the use of technologies in the classroom, the role of the state in strengthening Title I programs, cost effectiveness of whole school reform, professional development, reading instruction, and parental involvement, which are important parts of the national educational reform agenda.Leading researchers, policymakers, and practitioners were commissioned to develop preconference papers to serve as a springboard for discussion at the conferences. These papers included an overview of the research base and patterns of governance and conditions that lead to effective implementation of Title I schoolwide programs. The papers were reviewed by conference participants before the conferences and were used to develop next-step recommendations for advancing the implementation of the Title I schoolwide provision.

This volume on teaching small classes is divided into the sections: lessons learned about best teaching practices in small classes; implementing and supporting small class programmes; evaluating small class initiatives; and teachers voices.