The purpose of this research was to establish a consensus on the type of music learning environment that affords the band student the greatest level of individual success. Both cooperative and competitive environments were examined. This project also investigated alternative methods for helping the low ability band student enjoy success in an instrumental music curriculum. Finally, the research identified teaching strategies for aiding the low ability student to be successful in a competitive learning environment. The research results do not conclusively reach a consensus about the teaching environment that affords band students the greatest amount of success. The majority of the band director respondents utilized a cooperative learning environment, with some competitive elements. This environment utilized many of the teaching-learning methods needed for success by the low ability band student. The needs of the low ability band student proposed in the research for certain instructional environments and strategies were supported by the responses of music educators to a questionnaire. It was discovered that while the low ability band student could enjoy group success, individual success was also important. It was determined that the band director could foster individual success by encouraging all students to do their best and to use teaching strategies, such as mastery learning, to aid the low ability band student. Specific strategies were suggested by the research and supported in the questionnaire results, which aid the low ability band student. Data indicated that providing students with extra help, including the use of peer tutors, helped students perform on the same level as their peers. Providing instruction in small units aided the low ability band students in mastering difficult passages of music. Seating the high and low ability music students next to each other enabled students to work together in class.

This project addressed the following question: How can teachers promote positive attitudes in a culturally pluralistic classroom? The review of related literature revealed a shortage of both research and practical applications regarding multicultural approaches in the classroom. Therefore, the purpose of this project was to develop a curriculum which incorporated appropriate learning activities and strategies designed to enhance positive attitudes toward cultural differences in the elementary classroom. The project was developed for third graders and goals which promoted a multicultural perspective were outlined. An attitudinal survey was developed and administered as a pre test to establish entry level attitudes toward diversity. Activities designed to facilitate the goal of the project were implemented during a six-week period. The attitudinal survey was readministered as a post test to assess potential changes in students' attitudes. The data gathered was analyzed using comparisons of pre and post test responses. Positive movement occurred regarding each statement on the survey and ranged from negligible to significant. It was therefore determined that the unit of instruction fostered the development of more positive attitudes in a culturally pluralistic classroom. Other conclusions and recommendations were also included.

This paper addresses the problem of the minimal presence of activity-based science in the intermediate grades. The author presents a project integrating a hands-on science curriculum. Students at the fourth-grade level were given demonstrations and activities in the area of science. Discussions, written assignments, readings, listening activities, and reports were correlated with hands-on activities in the development of an integrated curriculum. This qualitative study lasted the school year and was evaluated by use of the teacher's ongoing journal and student-submitted evaluations of the curriculum at the close of the study. The author found the project produced positive results in stimulating discussion, critical thinking, and student involvement. The author concludes that such a curriculum is beneficial because it elevates an often neglected, yet stimulating, curriculum and integrates it into the language arts curriculum which occupies a great deal of student/teacher time and effort.

The purpose of this study was to provide a synthesis and evaluation of research regarding the efficacy of using advance organizers as a pre instructional teaching strategy to enhance students' cognitive growth. Additionally, two sample advance organizers are provided as a model for classroom application, along with caveats for advance organizer construction, presentation and usage. The third component of this study was an evaluation of selected advance organizer studies based on the work of Mayer (1979). The conclusion was that advance organizers do facilitate long term retention and conceptual understanding if prepared and presented properly using language and examples relevant to the students' prior knowledge. Visual aids and metacognitive reading strategies seem to enhance the effectiveness of advance organizers. If the student already possesses prior knowledge of the subject matter or makes mental connections between familiar and unfamiliar content, then advance organizers are not needed.

This curriculum project was developed to provide the teacher of a self-contained primary ESOL classroom with a workable integration of the critical elements of bilingual education. The project traces the history of bilingual education in the United States. It reviews some of the important legislation and judicial decisions that form the framework for current bilingual education. It examines some learning and language theories that educators translate into practice in instructing, guiding, and evaluating ESOL students. This design was developed for use in a self contained ESOL class in Duval County, Florida. Students in the class speak a variety of languages other than English. All are learning English as their second language. Their English proficiency level varies from nonspeaker to fluent. The curriculum is designed to recognize each child's abilities and needs while meeting the second grade objectives set forth by the Duval County School Board and complying with the Duval County Public Schools Limited English Proficient Plan. It is hoped that an examination of an integrated thematic unit will provide a useful model for the primary ESOL teacher.

The purpose of this project was to develop a thematic unit of children's literature that combines skills-based and meaning-based reading instruction. The curriculum guide was designed for use with third and fourth graders. Lessons concentrated on relating each story to previously read stories through guided questioning. Emphasis was placed on critical reading and thinking skills, as well as the integrating of reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The curriculum was reviewed by seven third and fourth grade inservice teachers from two schools. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected using a researcher-designed questionnaire. Results indicated that the teachers surveyed found the curriculum guide to be successful in combining children's literature into a thematic unit and that such a unit is an effective means of teaching reading. Also, the researcher concluded that the curriculum would be useful for teachers desiring to move toward a more holistic instructional approach. In addition, it was found that the curriculum effectively encouraged learner involvement and fostered higher-level thinking skills. Furthermore, the researcher concluded that the curriculum effectively integrated the four language art components in meaning-centered reading experiences which, in turn, enabled children to read, write, listen, and speak more often and at a higher level.

This study examined the relationships of cognitive style and motivation to the biology achievement of Filipino students in a North Florida high school. The effects of gender and grade level on test scores, grades, and academic motive responses were considered during data analysis. This sample was found to be more analytical and field-independent when compared with normative groups. Significant correlations were established between achievement and field-independence, persistence, sequential abilities, mobility, and gender. Different academic motives were evident with different achievement measures. When achievement was measured by biology final grades, high achievers felt less pressure, tried harder, and were not motivated by peers. High achievers also cited college attendance as a reason for school attendance. When utilizing a course comprehensive biology test, high achievers reported feeling less pressure in school and enrolled in biology because it was required. Most all subjects, regardless of achievement, reported strong career and economic motives for school attendance.

This study examined common difficulties in English composition among Asian college students, addressing causal factors from psychological, cultural, and linguistic perspectives. The following factors were investigated: affective filter, puberty period, interlanguage, language transfer, accessibility to a target language, morphological differences, syntactical differences, and cultural thought patterns. The results of analyses of errors in the students' compositions reflected two ESL instructors' observations that Asian college students, whose native languages differ from Indo-European languages, experience difficulty in writing in English. A consistent error frequency which appeared in English article usage prompted the researcher to formulate the rules for articles and to construct exercise problems in order to help Asian students to overcome their problems.

This curriculum project reviews the methods, materials, movements, music and reading activities that have been shown in the literature to be appropriate for teaching social, emotional, intellectual, and physical skills to three year olds. The development, major findings, various methods, and teacher effectiveness in early childhood education are also discussed. This curriculum project is specifically designed for three year old skills and abilities as listed by The Florida Kindergarten Council, Inc., 1987. The criteria for selection of the activities is included. This project includes a list of the reviewed activities arranged in the format of a nine month calendar and categorized under one of the following headings; art activities, movement activities, music and recipes. One color, number and shape will be introduced into the curriculum each month. Finally, suggested stories appropriate for the central theme of each month will be included for teachers to use in reinforcing the concepts presented.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether children enrolled in two first grade classes who did not meet the criterion score for one or more of the seven subtests on a selected readiness test given during the first two weeks of the school year would make higher scores on selected comprehension measures when instruction in a basal reading series is supplemented with instruction in the language experience approach than children who receive instruction only in basal reader materials. Language experience activities were conducted with all reading groups in the experimental class for three days every two weeks. Group experience stories and word bank activities were not done with the control group which used only basal materials. A factorial analysis of variance model was selected to analyze the data on the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test on the main effects of type of instruction, sex, and classification of students. No significant difference at the .05 level was found for the null hypotheses tested; however, a slight non-significant difference was found in the mean scores of the target children in both classes with the language experience group having an 80% higher mean score than the control group.