The purpose of the study was to determine if instructing and modeling reciprocal teaching comprehension monitoring strategy, using expository text, would have a significant effect on the reading comprehension achievement of third, fourth, and fifth grade Chapter 1 Reading students.The population of the study consisted of third, fourth, and fifth grade students enrolled in regular classrooms and in Chapter 1 Reading in two Midwestern school corporations. There were 266 students in the study.The experimental group received instruction and modeling in reciprocal teaching comprehension monitoring strategy by the Chapter 1 teachers. The control group did not receive instruction and modeling of the strategy.The Iowa Test of Basic Skills, Form G (Levels 9, 10, 11), was administered as the pretest and posttest. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to evaluate differences between the experimental group and the control group which may have resulted from the treatment effect. The hypotheses tested the reading comprehension achievement gain, science achievement gain, and social science achievement gain.Findings1. It was found that there were significant differences in third, fourth, and fifth grade students in science achievement gain when they had instruction and modeling of reciprocal teaching.2. It was found that there were significant differences in third grade students in reading comprehension achievement and social science achievement when they had instruction and modeling of reciprocal teaching.3. It was found that there were no significant differences in fourth and fifth grade students in reading comprehension achievement and social science achievement when they had instruction and modeling of reciprocal teaching.Conclusion This study has been one attempt to add to the body of knowledge concerning reciprocal teaching comprehension monitoring strategy.

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This study examined the effectiveness of training Head Start teachers and aides in child teacher relationship training (CTRT). CTRT is based on child parent relationship therapy (CPRT) (Landreth & Bratton, 2006), a filial therapy model based on the principles of child-centered play therapy, and was adapted for the classroom. In this quasi-experimental design, 12 teacher/aide pairs (n = 24) were assigned to the experimental (n = 12) or active control group (n = 12). Children who scored in the Borderline or Clinical range on at least one scale of the Child Behavior Checklist-Caregiver/Teacher Report Form (C-TRF) at pretest qualified for the study (n = 54). Nine hypotheses were analyzed using a two factor repeated measures multivariate analysis to determine if the CTRT group and the active control group performed differently across time according to pre-, mid-, and posttest results of the C-TRF. Additionally, effect sizes were calculated to determine practical significance. Five hypotheses were retained at the .05 level of significance. Post hoc analysis was conducted to analyze the effects of the two phases of treatment. Results indicated that children in the experimental group made statistically significant improvements in externalizing problems (p = .003). Children of focus made statistically significant improvements in externalizing (p = .003) and total behavior (p = .01) problems. Results are particularly significant for the non-children of focus, who only received the in-classroom intervention. The non-children of focus made statistically significant improvements in externalizing behavior problems (p = .04) and practical significance was large. Results indicate that a school based intervention such as CTRT is a viable treatment option for many children with externalizing behavior problems.

Developmental education courses are typically defined as courses offered at postsecondary institutions below college level instruction. More than 60% of community college students are deemed non-college ready and required to enroll in non-credit bearing developmental education courses. Research shows that developmental education can be either a bridge or barrier to degree attainment for racial/ethnic minority students, particularly African Americans, who require developmental education more than any other racial/ethnic groups. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of African American community college achievers who were required to enroll in two or more developmental education courses. Achievers were defined as students who passed all developmental education courses and were enrolled in their final college gateway course at the time of the interviews. Utilizing a phenomenological approach and anti-deficit framework, 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted to capture the essence of how African American achievers described, interpreted, and understood their journeys from developmental education to becoming college ready to completing college level courses. Twelve participants were female and three were male, ranging from 20 to 52 years old. Results revealed seven major themes. The first research question addressed how achievers described their developmental education experience from pre-collegiate years through inside the classroom, and four themes emerged: (a) Achievers experienced difficulty from childhood through college matriculation; (b) achievers experienced support from familial and institutional agents; (c) achievers experienced chilly instructional environments; and (d) achievers experienced positive interactions with peer tutors. The second research question addressed factors that contributed to the persistence of achievers, and three themes emerged: (a) Achievers persisted because of clearly defined goals; (b) achievers persisted because of help seeking behaviors; and (c) achievers persisted because of intrinsic motivation that stemmed from difficult life experiences. Although the majority of participants were discouraged by the requirement to enroll in two or more non-college level courses, all stated that developmental education courses served as a bridge to their success in college level courses. Because developmental education is positioned at the intersection of secondary and postsecondary education, recommendations for policy, practice, and future research are presented for both educational levels.