This study investigates how a group of English teachers in Sweden teach and assess pronunciation to ninth graders as a part of oral skills. The method applied in the study is qualitative semi-structured interviews with six teachers from different cities and schools in Sweden. The results show that teaching English pronunciation is included in different speaking and listening contexts and is not taught separately. However, the teachers do formative pronunciation assessments in almost every lesson, but summative assessment is rarely given in each semester. This case study views how the participants teach English pronunciation to ninth graders and concludes that communicative language teaching methods have an overwhelming role in the teaching of pronunciation, as pronunciation is included in other language skills and happens mostly without direct focus, which is typical in a communicative approach.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to identify student progress during the 9th grade year by evaluating student data prior to and after the implementation of a 9th grade academy in 2 east Tennessee high schools. The testing variables included the number of core credits earned, the number of elective credits earned, number of absences, and grade point average. Grouping variables included all 9th grade students and 9th grade students by gender prior to and after implementation of the 9th grade academy. Data were collected over 5 years (2005-2010). Paired-samples t-tests were used to make comparisons prior to and after the implementation of the 9th grade academy for each variable for the high schools. Independent-samples t-tests were used to make additional comparisons between gender on each variable prior to and after implementation of the 9th grade academy. An additional analysis was conducted to determine how many 9th grade students were enrolled in basic math or Algebra I prior to and after the implementation of the 9th grade academy. Based on the findings of this study, more core and elective credits were earned after the implementation of the 9th grade academy, but there was very little difference in GPA. Number of absences improved in 1 school after the implementation of the 9th grade academy and not in the other school. Additionally, there was little positive impact in Algebra I credits earned after the implementation of the 9th grade academy.

No description available.

The problem with which this investigation was concerned was that of determining the effects that an achievement motivation program had on changing the self-concepts and academic achievement among ninth-grade students in a triethnically mixed junior high school. The subjects for this study were ninth-grade students from a large southwestern city. The experimental program was conducted in a junior high school composed of Anglo, Mexican-American, and Negro students of approximately 30 per cent, 40 per cent, and 30 per cent ratios, respectively. The comparison school was an adjoining area with approximately the same ethnic mixture. In measuring changes in self-concept, the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale was used. Teacher-assigned grades converted to numerical equivalents were used in measuring changes in academic achievement. All hypotheses were tested at the .05 level of confidence by using two by three analysis of covariance. All data were entered on computer cards, using computer services of North Texas State University.

The problem of this study is to compare certain elements of appeal in favorite comic books and favorite books of fiction read by 384 ninth-grade pupils in the J. P. Elder Junior High School, Fort Worth, Texas, during a three-months period from November 7, 1949, to February 7, 1950. The purpose of this investigation is to ascertain whether the same elements of appeal are common to both types of reading, and whether they compare favorably with the findings of other investigations reported in literature on the subject.

The purpose of this study was to compare the perception scores and the frequency of parental involvement for parents of students who have most recently completed elementary school (entering 6th grade) with parents of students who have most recently completed middle school (entering 9th grade) in a northeast Tennessee public school district. Data were collected by surveys containing a short demographic section, a perceptions section, and a participation section. The population consisted of the parents of 544 sixth grade students from the district’s 2 middle schools and the parents of 578 ninth grade students from 1 district high school. From that population 115 sixth grade parents and 105 ninth grade parents responded. This study took place at the onset of the school year to address parents as their children were either entering 6th grade in middle school or 9th grade in high school. Findings from the study indicate that there were significant differences between the parents of newly entering 6th graders and the parents of newly entering 9th graders in terms of home-based perception scores and frequency of participation. Specifically, parents of newly entering 6th graders had higher home-based perception scores and frequency of participation than parents of newly entering 9th graders. However, findings indicate that there was not a significant difference between the parent groups in terms of school-based perception scores and frequency of participation. When examined collectively (home-based and school-based combined), no significant differences were noted between the parent groups in terms of perception scores and frequency of participation. For each of these cases, independent samples t tests were used to determine if there were significant differences. Findings from the study also indicate that positive relationships are present between parents’ perception scores and their frequency of participation. This was true for both home-based and school-based involvement at both grade levels. Pearson r tests revealed these relationships. This study was important to help understand the perception scores and frequency of participation for parents of students in the middle school transition. Recommendations are made with the hopes of helping schools better tailor their parental involvement strategies to families they serve.

Ninth grade students are at a greater risk of dropping out of high school than are other grade-level populations. Factors such as a lack of academic preparedness, social and developmental changes, and the decline of parental support often result in 9th grade students falling behind in their academic work. Using holistic education as the conceptual framework, the goal of this intrinsic case study was to explore the perceptions of school and district office administrators on the impact that a 9th grade transition program has on the 9th grade retention and dropout rate of a high school located in the southeastern United States. The features of the 9th grade transition program (designated personnel, classes, location, and resources) were analyzed. Data collection occurred by a review of the school's evaluation reports and one-on-one interviews using a purposeful sample with 4 school and district office administrators. Thematic analysis of data followed an open coding process to identify categories and themes. The findings indicated that the 9th grade transition program positively impacted student and school performance and revealed inconsistencies in the transition programs and services among the 3 high schools within the school district. The resulting project was a policy recommendation that advocates for the use of standard 9th grade best practices. This study contributes to positive social change through the implementation of a best practice policy recommendation, intended to reduce 9the grade retention and dropout rates of the students within the school district.

Research on the mathematical behavior of children over the past forty decades has considerably renewed and augmented the body of evaluative tests of the results of learning (Lester, 2007). Research however, has provided very little knowledge about the means of improving students’ performance on these tests. Nevertheless teachers, students, and others are being pressured to improve students’ performance, but in order to concentrate on basic skills, the learning itself is made more difficult and slower. The combination of requirements has led to a variety of uncontrolled phenomena such as meta-didactical slippage (Brousseau, 2008). The purpose of this study was to: (a) understand the nature of meta-didactical slippage that occurred in a ninth grade predominantly African American mathematics classroom; and (b) describe how these meta-didactical slippages affect students conceptual understanding on a unit of study of ninth grade mathematics. The study was a descriptive, qualitative, case study that employed ethnographic techniques of data collection and analysis. The theory of didactical situations in mathematics (Brousseau, 1997) served as the theoretical lens that grounded the interpretation of the data, because it enabled the researcher to isolate moments of instruction, action, formulation, validation, and institutionalization in the mathematics teaching and learning process. The study was conducted over a period of 15 weeks in one, ninth grade class of 23 predominantly African American students at a high school in a southeastern state. Data was crystalized using multiple data collection techniques: (a) collection of document artifacts, which included student work samples and teacher lesson plans; (b) interviews conducted with the teacher; (c) researcher introspection; and (d) direct observation. Data was analyzed using ethnographic and discourse analysis techniques, including domain analysis, coding, situated meaning, and the big “D” discourse tool. The study found four themes, which illustrated the nature meta-didactical slippages: (a) over-teaching, (b) situational bypass, (c) language and symbolic representation, and (d) the design of didactical situations.

xii, 95 p. : ill. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Student use of electronic response technology has been prevalent in postsecondary institutions and is beginning to penetrate K-12 classroom settings. Despite these trends, research exploring the impact of this technology in these settings has been limited. The extant research has relied heavily on survey methodologies and largely has focused on student/teacher perception or implementation practices while remaining silent on learning outcomes. The purpose of this study was to broaden the scope of research models used to explore electronic response technology and its impact on student learning. The study took place in a ninth-grade science classroom at a large high school with a comprehensive curriculum. Study participants were first-year high school students enrolled in one of two sections of the freshman science sequence focusing on Physical Science content. One section, serving as the Treatment group, used electronic response devices on a daily basis to respond to preplanned teacher questions. The other section, serving as the Comparison group, relied on traditional methods of interaction such as raising hands to respond to questions. They responded to the same set of preplanned questions and differed only in the manner of response, with the teacher asking the class and then calling on one of the students to answer. The study focused on academic achievement, as measured by student performance on a pre- and posttest, as well as student engagement, measured by momentary time sample data taken throughout the entire class with focused attention on periods of teacher questioning. The analysis of academic achievement employed an ANOVA, and no statistically significant difference was found between the groups. Engagement data were analyzed using an independent samples t test, and statistically significant differences were found between the two groups. Findings from this study indicated that, when using electronic response technology in their science classes, students demonstrated significantly higher levels of engagement across an entire class period as well as during teacher questioning. Implications of the study have been framed around the promise of electronic response technology for engaging and motivating students. / Adviser: Gerald Tindal