This pilot study sought to develop and evaluate the use of a treatment package that included systematic and direct instruction on acquisition of literacy skills aligned with middle school English/Language Arts standards for students with moderate to severe disabilities, including autism. Participants included five teachers and 15 middle school students with moderate to severe disabilities who were primarily served in a self-contained setting. A one-group, nonrandomized, pre-posttest design was implemented to measure vocabulary, comprehen- sion of familiar text and unfamiliar text, poetry, research, and writing skills. Results indicated significant gains in vocabulary and comprehension of familiar text. Limitations, implications, and the need for future research are discussed.

In order to better assist practitioners and better serve persons with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families, it is vital for professionals to systematically evaluate the existing body of literature and synthesize its scientific evidence, so that the efficacy of research can be translated to evidence-based practices (EBPs) (Wheeler, 2007; Zhang & Wheeler, 2011). This research synthesis evaluated adherence to EBP standards and analyzed the effectiveness of gluten-free and casein-free (GFCF) diets for individuals with ASD. Four hundred and seventy articles were screened among peer-reviewed journals in English language published through 2010 using the Academic Search Complete search database. Twenty-three studies were selected, and the researchers used a systematic analysis model developed by Mayton, Wheeler, Menendez, and Zhang (2010) to investigate the degree of adherence to specific evidence-based practice standards. In addition, the study utilized quality indicators proposed by (a) Horner et al. (2005) for single-subject design studies and (b) Gersten et al. (2005) for group experimental design, to evaluate the efficacy of GFCF diet interventions. Results of this synthesis indicated that the efficacy of GFCF diet interventions for individuals with ASD is inconclusive, and the field needs better controlled studies to provide the scientific evidence base for the intervention.

The What Works Clearinghouse guidelines for high-quality professional development were used to develop a Tell, Show, Try, and Apply (TSTA) method of training. This method was used to train teachers to align instruction to grade-level content for students with severe developmental disabilities. A total of 193 teachers of students who participate in alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards from three states participated in the first 2 days of training. A subset of 37 teachers participated in a 3rd day of training and submitted products from classroom applications. The impact of the TSTA training was evaluated to determine its effect on teachers instructional fidelity across three content areas (e.g., English language arts [ELA], mathematics, science) with their own students. In addition, generalization to new academic content aligned to grade-aligned standards developed by the teachers was taken. Results indicated that the professional development was effective not only in increasing teachers knowledge of alignment but also grade-aligned instruction with generalization across content. Future research questions and practical application also are discussed.

With the increase in the use of online professional development resources, especially for rural educators, this study evaluated the effects of online training modules on in-service teachers' ability to collect and use instructional progress monitoring data to make instructional decisions for students with significant disability (i.e., moderate to severe intellectual disability, autism). In this randomized control study, 29 teachers across three states participated in online data collection or data collection plus data-based decision making training. In addition, the generalization of teachers' ability to use data-based decisions with their own student outcome data were measured. Results indicated that while the modules did support teachers' acquisition of new information, they were not sufficient to carry over to applied use on their own students' data. Further discussion on the use of module-based professional development will be presented as well as how teachers in rural areas can access this information.

Mentoring has been used for centuries as a way for a person to pass on knowledge, skills, or support to a less experienced person. Mentoring in the workplace, however, was not studied until the early 1980s, and then more than a decade later, mentoring was studied in the context of the K-12 teacher workforce. Mentoring has improved teacher effectiveness (Yuan, 2015; Koedel, 2009; Campbell and Malkus, 2011); increased teachers’ self-efficacy (Ingersoll & May, 2011; Saffold, 2005; Louis, 2016); and contributed to teacher retention (Ingersoll & Kralik, 2004; Cohen & Fuller, 2006). Most mentoring studies and theories, however, have been developed with a teacher population that is largely White. While about 50% of students in K-12 public schools in the U.S. are non-White, only 18% of teachers are non-White. Because teachers of color have a profound and positive impact on students, they are worth studying. The purpose of this study is to understand the mentoring experiences of teachers of color in K-12 public charter schools in New Orleans, and to explore how teachers of color benefited from mentoring in the areas of career development and psychosocial support. The researcher utilized a qualitative, phenomenological approach by interviewing ten participants and analyzing the essence of their experiences. Five themes resulted from this research: race plays a significant role in the mentoring of teachers of color; the charter school system in New Orleans has had an impact on the racial make-up of teachers; informal and formal mentoring form a winning combination; mentors provided teachers of color with validation and cultural navigation tools; and mentoring improved teaching practices and retention. This study can have an impact on mentoring theory as it relates to race and identity. This study also has practical implications for K-12 leaders in the way that teachers of color are supported.

This project’s goal is to promote and improve the mathematical literacy of fourth-grade Hispanic/Latino and English learners through the use of a graphic mathematical mediated structure. Current California Common Core data finds fourth-grade Hispanic/Latino and English learners significantly behind White and Asian students in mathematics, especially in understanding written word problems. Research supports the assumption that as a tool, a graphic mathematical mediated structure could: 1) foster conceptual understanding; 2) build content terminology; 3) allow students opportunities to justify their solutions; 4) integrate writing in math; and 5) provide a platform for discourse. This innovative pedagogical project specifically focused on how fourth-grade Hispanic/Latino and English learners could navigate through a graphic math organizer in order to understand how to add and subtract fractions in word problems. The work presents six teacher models of graphic mathematical mediated structures. Each model provides a fourth-grade word problem related to fractions. Respectively, teacher and student templates, lists of content vocabulary, and suggestions to teach each problem-solving exercise using the graphic mathematical mediated structures that were created and developed are included. Struggling Hispanic/Latino and English learners’ need a pedagogical structure and process to succeed in solving math word problems. Hence, the need for a graphic mathematical mediated structure to diminish the groups’ prevalent mathematical achievement gap and to increase their achievement in mathematics.

Despite the raise in per-pupil expenditures, the achievement gap between economically advantaged and disadvantaged students continues to increase. Education proponents are scrambling to understand the complexities of local school funding. The No Child Left behind deadline stipulated that all students must be proficient in language arts and mathematics by 2014. The constructivist theory served as the conceptual framework for the study. Performance data were obtained from the State of New Jersey Department of Education and the United States Department of Education. This quantitative study determined whether a significant relationship exists between the allocation of fiscal resources and students' test scores. Improvement District Survey data were obtained from the New Jersey school district. District test results for Grades 6, 7, and 8 in language arts and mathematics from the 2011-2012 school year were used. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed no significant relationship between the allocation of fiscal resources and student achievement other than a significant relationship (25%) between mathematics achievement and educational media services/school library. The Improvement District Survey results revealed that the New Jersey district is capable of aligning their improvement efforts with the barriers and challenges of teachers. These findings have implications for positive social change for education officials by informing their allocation of fiscal resources. This informed approach will support increased student achievement and will add to the current research of allocation patterns and student performance.

The purpose of this study is to examine through a phenomenological approach the impact of the instructional practices of three African-American female teachers on the learning outcomes in mathematics of third- to fifth-grade African-American males. The research design of this study utilized a qualitative and quantitative phenomenological model to examine a particular group of teachers and their students at a suburban metro Atlanta school district. The researcher conducted data analysis using a variety of statistical testing to examine the relationships between student learning outcomes and gender, race, teacher perceptions and beliefs, teacher expectations, teacher-student interactions, student behavior, differentiated learning, and parental influences for each grade level. The findings from this research show how both internal and external factors can contribute to student learning outcomes as well as how common themes emerged related to pedagogical practices. Moreover, the results of the study indicate that educators must come to terms with the reality of their teaching practices. The study shows how three African-American teachers successfully promoted effective teaching practices that provided an equitable learning environment that impacted both the quality and quantity of teaching and learning for African-American students in their learning outcomes.

The study investigates the role of religious education in the promotion of girls’ educational rights in peri-urban schools in Chingola district, Zambia. Fifteen schools were involved in the study and are all in the outskirts of Chingola town. Data was collected through oral interviews, questionnaires and observations. Questionnaires were given to 260 girls ranging from grade 5 to 9. Five questionnaires were distributed to each class. Besides the school girls, six instructresses were interviewed on cultural beliefs and practices that hinder girls’ progress in education. In addition, 15 teachers were also interviewed specifically to identify topics in Religious Education and their relevance in the promotion of self-confidence and self-esteem among girls as well as various teaching methods which promote learner-centredness. The Religious Education curriculum at primary, secondary and college levels of education was evaluated to assess its relevance to the promotion of girls’ education. Furthermore, contributions by some Non-Governmental Organisations and Religious Education towards gender equity in education and the Zambian government policy on gender were highlighted. The findings of the study were in four categories namely: cultural beliefs and practices that hinder girls’ progress in education, other problems affecting girl-child education besides cultural norms, freedom to enable girls to make their own constructive decisions, and topics in Religious Education which have the potential to promote self-confidence and self-esteem among the girls. The cultural beliefs and practices highlighted were the initiation ceremonies, early pregnancies and early marriages. The other problems hindering girls’ progress and advancement which came out vividly were long distances from home to school, poverty, boys jeering at girls when they got wrong answers and household chores. Further findings identified topics in Religious Education and their relevance towards the promotion of girls’ educational rights despite the influence of cultural beliefs and practices in the peri-urban schools. Some of the topics were ‘Advantages of having a friend’ taught in grade 1, ‘Growing in responsibility’ taught in grade 2, ‘Bravery and courage’ taught in grade 4, ‘Happiness’ taught in grade 5, ‘Development and co-operation’ taught in grade 6, ‘Marriage and family life’ taught in grade 7, ‘How people make choices’ taught in grade 8, ‘The talents people have’ taught in grade 8, ‘How people develop’ and ‘How religion helps people’ taught in grade 8, ‘Freedom and community’ as well as ‘Ambitions and hopes’ taught in grade 9. In conclusion, the research study has revealed that Religious Education as a subject has the potential to promote the girls’ educational rights and advancement in the peri-urban schools. Other subjects taught like Mathematics, Science and Technology are experimental subjects. They were rigid and cannot be bent while Religious Education leaves room for freedom in making concrete decisions. It deals also with emotions, values, and feelings. Mathematics imposes the facts without query. / Religious Studies / M.A. (Religious studies)

Parental involvement is legally mandated requirement in schools across the United States, and prevalent in special education legislation. However, methods for increasing and promoting parent involvement of minority subgroups in low socioeconomic areas are scarce. The purpose of this study was to develop, implement, and describe Haitian parents’ perceptions of their involvement in a structured parent intervention program and to describe the perceptions of their children’s teachers concerning the parents’ involvement in the program. In this study, the researcher used a descriptive qualitative case study methodology. All participants in the 5-month program implementation were interviewed at three points throughout the program. (pre, mid, and post). Findings of the present study revealed that these parents’ feelings towards parent involvement evolved throughout their participation in the program. Participants went from reported feelings of separation between home and school, to understanding the important role they can play in education. Additionally, as reported by the students’ teachers, the parents’ increased involvement and presence in the school/classroom had a positive impact on their children’s social and academic development. Through their participation in the program, as evidenced through interview responses, parents’ confidence increased as well as their ability to overcome initially identified barriers to involvement including English language acquisition, lack of time, an unclear understanding of special education services, and feeling un-wanted. This study found that parents’ perceptions of their participation were guided by two categories of motivators as identified through coding of interview responses: intrinsic motivators and extrinsic motivators. Through the program, parents who were intrinsically motivated to be involved in their child’s education embraced the whole program. Those who were extrinsically motivated also became more involved, however, their motivation was more dependent on society and perceived success of their child and their parenting. Perceptions of parent participants concerning their involvement in the program was found to be defined by the American culture in which their children are growing up, but equally in part by their Haitian roots and remaining ties to the island. Through their participation in the program, the parents were able to identify and explore opportunities for involvement, develop relationships with their children’s teachers, better understand the purpose of an IEP, and better themselves as individuals to in turn better the lives of their children.