O presente trabalho tem como objeto de pesquisa o estudo do gênero discursivo tira, presente em livros didáticos e avaliações da rede pública estadual, como o SARESP e o ENEM. Teve como ponto de partida observar as propostas de leitura de tiras em livros didáticos e analisar se apresentam atividades que permitam ao aluno ser capaz de perceber o humor obtido nas tiras que, muitas vezes, é fortemente dependente de intertextualidade, dos implícitos e subentendidos, de conhecimento prévio sobre o perfil psicológico dos personagens e do contexto sócio-histórico em que ele atua; e também observar se essas atividades são capazes de explorar a linguagem verbal e a não-verbal presentes nesse gênero. Para direcionar a trajetória dessa pesquisa, efetuou-se uma análise fundamentandose nas atuais propostas de ensino que tem nos gêneros discursivos, no sentido bakhtiniano do termo, suas unidades básicas de ensino. O corpus escolhido para essa pesquisa constituiu-se em vinte propostas de leitura do gênero discursivo tira dos personagens Mafalda, Hagar, o horrível, Recruta Zero, Mônica, Magali, Cascão e Cebolinha coletados aleatoriamente em vários livros didáticos de Língua Portuguesa de Ensino Fundamental e Ensino Médio, adotados na rede pública estadual paulista. Os resultados da pesquisa mostram que, para se obter uma efetiva leitura do gênero discursivo tira presente nos livros didáticos, é necessário que o aluno conheça e identifique os vários recursos verbais e não-verbais presentes nesse gênero, e saiba utilizá-los como facilitadores dessa leitura de humor. Essa pesquisa pode fornecer subsídios aos professores, para que possam planejar atividades de trabalho utilizando o gênero tira, em sala de aula, de maneira mais abrangente e enriquecedora. / The present work has as research object the study of the gender discursive ribbon, present in text books and evaluations of the state public net, like SARESP and ENEM. He/she had as starting point to observe the proposals of reading of ribbons in text books and to analyze if they present activities that allow to the student to be capable to notice the humor obtained in the ribbons that, a lot of times, it is strongly dependent of intertextuality, of the implicit and implied, of previous knowledge on the characters psychological profile and of the partner-historical context in that he acts; and also to observe those activities is capable to explore the verbal language and the no-verbal presents in that gender. To address the path of that research, he/she occurred an analysis being based in the current ones proposed of teaching that has in the discursive goods, in the sense bakhtiniano of the term, their basic units of teaching. The chosen corpus for that research was constituted in twenty proposed of reading of the characters gender discursive ribbon "Mafalda", "Hagar, the horrible", "Recruta Zero", "Mônica, Magali, Crust and Green onion" collected in several text books of Portuguese Language of Fundamental Teaching and Medium Teaching, adopted in the net state public inhabitant from São Paulo. The results of the research show that, to obtain an effective reading of the gender discursive ribbon present in the text books, it is necessary that the student knows and identify the several verbal resources and no-verbal presents in that gender, and know how to use them as facilitators of that humor reading. That research can supply subsidies to the teachers, so that they can plan work activities using the gender removes, in classroom, of including way and rich.

O presente estudo avaliou a interferência de operadores com diferentes proficiências no preparo de canais radiculares curvos, simulados em blocos de resina transparente. Os grupos, com 10 indivíduos cada um, foram: Grupo 1 – professores de Endodontia; Grupo 2 - alunos de especialização; Grupo 3 – alunos de odontologia Monitores de Endodontia e o Grupo 4 – alunos de graduação no início do curso de Endodontia. Cada operador instrumentou dois canais com 20 graus de curvatura, o primeiro canal era visualizado para treinamento e o segundo não. O sistema mecanizado com instrumentos rotatórios de níquel-titânio empregado foi o RaCe®. Os parâmetros de avaliação foram: tempo de instrumentação, quantidade de material removido, desvio apical e deformação dos instrumentos. Os resultados encontrados (ANOVA e Teste de Tuckey a= 0,05%), foram: Para o tempo de instrumentação, no primeiro canal, houve diferença estatística entre o grupo 1 e os grupos 3 e 4, o grupo 2 diferiu somente do grupo 4. Já, no segundo canal, não houve diferença estatística entre os grupos. Para a quantidade de material removido do primeiro canal houve diferença estatística entre os graduados (grupos 1 e 2) em relação aos graduandos (grupos 3 e 4), porém, no segundo canal, houve diferença somente entre os grupos 1 e 2. O desvio apical não apresentou diferença estatística entre os grupos em nenhuma das condições experimentais. Após a aplicação do teste do Qui-quadrado (a=0,01%), observou-se que o grupo 1 foi o que produziu as menores deformações nos instrumentos. Conclui-se que: Os desvios apicais promovidos foram semelhantes entre os grupos experimentais. Houve diminuição no tempo de instrumentação do segundo canal em relação ao primeiro, com diferença estatística nos grupos dos monitores e acadêmicos e que não houve diferença estatística entre os grupos, em relação ao tempo de instrumentação do segundo canal. Os grupos dos graduados (professores e alunos de especialização) excisaram maior quantidade de material do primeiro canal, quando comparados aos dos graduandos (monitores e acadêmicos), não havendo diferença estatística entre os grupos em relação à quantidade de material removido do segundo canal, excetuando a comparação entre os professores e os alunos de especialização, onde os primeiros desgastaram significativamente mais que os últimos. Comparados aos demais grupos, os professores produziram menores deformações aos instrumentos. / This study evaluated the interference of operators with different proficiencies in the preparation of curved canals , simulated transparent resin blocks. The groups, with 10 individuals each, were: Group 1 - professors of Endodontics; Group 2 – students of specialization; Group 3 – undergraduate dental students who had concluded the Endodontics course and Group 4 - undergraduate dental students in the beginning of the Endodontics course. Each operator prepared two canals with 20 degrees of bending, the first canal was visualized for training and second no. The rotary instrumentation used was the RaCe®. The parameters of evaluation were: time of instrumentation, amount of removed material, apical transportation and deformation of the instruments. The results (ANOVA and Test of Tuckey = 0.05%): In relation to the instrumentation time, when of the execution of the first canal, it had statistics difference between group 1 and groups 3 and 4, group 2 only differed from group 4. When of the execution of the second canal it did not have difference statistics between the groups. For the amount of material removed of the first canal it had difference statistics between the graduated (groups 1 and 2) relation to the undegraduated (groups 3 and 4). After the second canal instrumentation, only had difference between groups 1 and 2. The apical transportation did not present statistics difference enters the groups in no ne of the experimental conditions. After the application ?2 test (a=0,01%), was observed that group 1 produced lesser deformations in the instruments. Conclusions: The apical transportation was similar between the different groups. It had reduction in the time of instrumentation of the second canal in relation to the first one, with statistics difference in the groups of the monitors and academics. It did not have difference statistics between the groups, in relation to the time of instrumentation of the second canal. The groups of the graduated ones (professors and students of specialization) removed bigger amount of material of the first canal, when compared with the ones of the undergraduate (monitorial and academic). It did not have statistics difference enters the groups in relation to the amount of material removed of the second canal, excepting the comparison between the professors and the students of specialization, where the first ones had consumed significantly more than the last ones. Compared with all groups, the professors had produced minors deformations to the instruments.

Submitted by Neusa Fagundes (neusa.fagundes@unioeste.br) on 2018-08-14T18:59:24Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Diana_Bertin2018.pdf: 2996569 bytes, checksum: 2d2e6ad81f8aa5742edf6fc32a89554f (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-14T18:59:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Diana_Bertin2018.pdf: 2996569 bytes, checksum: 2d2e6ad81f8aa5742edf6fc32a89554f (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-02-28 / The Avaliação Nacional do Rendimento Escolar – Anresc (National Evaluation of the Education Outcome), known as Prova Brasil, is an instrument that is part of the external evaluations in our country. The aim is to evaluate, through a test, if the students of the 5th and 9th years dominate the basic knowledge expected in Portuguese and Mathematics. I act as a primary school teacher in a municipality in the Western region of Paraná, whose IDEB in 2015 was the best in the State. Thus, aroused our interest regarding looking at the reading proficiency of 5th year students included in IDEB evaluation. Thus, the purpose was to answer the following questions: In what skills do the students that were evaluated by the Prova Brasil/2015 highlighted? Is it possible to (re)evaluate the reading comprehension of the students based on the results of Prova Brasil/2015 using other reading activities, organized with subjective questions? In order to answering these questions, we described as a general objective to identify the reading skills of students of the 6th year, evaluated by the Prova Brasil/2015 when they studied in the 5th year. We initially used data available in the INEP Platform through the returns and the QEdu Networks website. After we look at the results of reading activities that were elaborated based on the descriptors of the Prova Brasil, but organized mostly, with open questions. We applied these activities to 38 students who had good performance in the Prova Brasil/2015. This research is part of Applied Linguistics considering the theoretical assumptions of this area of knowledge. It include a qualitative interpretative basis, of an ethnographic nature, which is configured as a case study. Theoretically, in order to reflect on reading and its different conceptions we considered Solé (1998), Rojo (2002) Bakhtin (2003), Geraldi (1997), Martins (2006), Menegassi (2010a, 2010b, 2010c), Costa-Hübes (2015) and others authors. We also resorted to researchers such as Fuza (2010), Hoppe and Costa-Hübes (2013), Casaril (2014), Costa-Hübes (2015) and others that they approached Prova Brasil and its descriptors and still Solé (1998) and Menegassi (2010a) which address questions about assessment in reading. This study gave us a better understanding of the descriptors contemplated by the Reference Matrices of Portuguese Language (MRLP) (BRASIL, 2011), how they evaluate the students' reading proficiency allowing us to recognize in which skills the students evaluated by the Prova Brasil/2015 demonstrated satisfactory performance, according to the MRLP assumptions. The results also confirmed that it is possible to (re)evaluate these skills through another instrument and that they need to be consolidated, regardless of the methodology used in the evaluation. However, the research with the reading contents provided by the descriptors, alone, is not enough to guarantee the reading proficiency of the student. We need to go further and broaden this approach so that they can read beyond the text and understand that the contextual elements have a direct bearing on the constitution of text sense. / A Avaliação Nacional do Rendimento Escolar – Anresc (Prova Brasil) é um instrumento que faz parte das avaliações externas em nosso país, cujo objetivo é avaliar, por meio de um teste, se os alunos do 5º e do 9º anos dominam os conhecimentos básicos que se esperam em Português e Matemática. Por atuarmos como professora do ensino fundamental em um município da região Oeste do Paraná, cujo IDEB, em 2015, foi o melhor do Estado, despertou-nos o interesse de, nesta pesquisa, olharmos para a proficiência leitora de alunos do 5º ano que participaram dessa avaliação. Assim, o propósito é responder aos seguintes questionamentos: Em quais habilidades se destacam os alunos que foram avaliados pela Prova Brasil/2015? É possível (re)avaliar a compreensão leitora dos alunos a partir dos resultados aferidos pela Prova Brasil/2015, recorrendo a outras atividades de leitura, organizadas com questões subjetivas? Na perspectiva de responder a tais questionamentos, traçamos, como objetivo geral, identificar as habilidades de leitura de alunos do 6º Ano, avaliados pela Prova Brasil/2015 quando estudavam no 5º Ano. Para atingir o proposto, recorremos, inicialmente, a dados disponibilizados na Plataforma do INEP, através das devolutivas, e à página do QEdu Redes. Posteriormente olhamos para os resultados de atividades de leitura que foram elaboradas com base nos descritores da Prova Brasil, porém organizada, em sua maioria, com questões abertas. Aplicamos essas atividades a 38 alunos que apresentaram um bom desempenho na Prova Brasil de 2015. Trata-se, assim, de uma pesquisa que se inscreve na Linguística Aplicada, observando os pressupostos teóricos dessa área de conhecimento; de base qualitativa interpretativista, de cunho etnográfico, e se configura como um estudo de caso. Teoricamente, para refletir sobre a leitura e suas diferentes concepções, amparamo-nos em Solé (1998), Rojo (2002) Bakhtin (2003), Geraldi (1997), Martins (2006), Menegassi (2010a, 2010b, 2010c), Costa-Hübes (2015) e outros. Recorremos ainda a pesquisadores como Fuza (2010), Hoppe e Costa-Hübes (2013), Casaril (2014), Costa-Hübes (2015) e outros que abordam a Prova Brasil e seus descritores e ainda Solé (1998) e Menegassi (2010a) que abordam questões sobre a Avaliação em leitura. Esse estudo nos propiciou maior compreensão dos descritores contemplados pelas Matrizes de Referência de Língua Portuguesa (MRLP) (BRASIL, 2011), de como eles avaliam a proficiência leitora dos estudantes e possibilitou-nos reconhecer em quais habilidades os alunos avaliados pela Prova Brasil/2015 demonstraram desempenho satisfatório, conforme pressupostos das MRLP. Os resultados confirmaram também que é possível sim (re)avaliar essas habilidades por meio de outro instrumento e que elas precisam ser consolidadas, independente da metodologia empregada na avaliação. Todavia, o trabalho com os conteúdos de leitura previstos pelos descritores, apenas, não basta para garantir a proficiência em leitura do aluno; precisamos ir além, ampliar essa abordagem, de modo que consigam ler para além do texto e compreender que os elementos contextuais incidem diretamente na constituição do(s) sentido(s) do texto.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-07-25T11:54:13Z No. of bitstreams: 1 meirianeferreiravieira.pdf: 1045445 bytes, checksum: 9ce4db6356f8562268bf722ecff3fd89 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-07-25T16:33:28Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 meirianeferreiravieira.pdf: 1045445 bytes, checksum: 9ce4db6356f8562268bf722ecff3fd89 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-25T16:33:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 meirianeferreiravieira.pdf: 1045445 bytes, checksum: 9ce4db6356f8562268bf722ecff3fd89 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-12-21 / A presente dissertação foi desenvolvida no âmbito do Mestrado Profissional em Gestão e Avaliação da Educação (PPGP) do Centro de Políticas Públicas e Avaliação da Educação da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (CAEd/UFJF). O caso de gestão estudado discute a questão do desequilíbrio entre rendimento escolar interno e desempenho nas avaliações do SADEAM na Escola Estadual André Vidal de Araújo. Os objetivos definidos para este estudo foram analisar as ações desenvolvidas na escola que ocasionaram um fenômeno divergente entre os indicadores: houve aumento na taxa de aprovação interna e diminuição no desempenho dos alunos na avaliação externa do SADEAM, nos anos de 2008, 2010 e 2012, e verificar o perfil da equipe gestora e professores no que diz respeito às práticas pedagógicas relacionadas à avaliação interna e externa do SADEAM. Para tanto, utilizamos como metodologia a análise documental de registros nos diários de classe, planos de curso, planos de intervenção pedagógica, atas de reuniões pedagógicas e de planejamento, instrumentos de controle da Hora de Trabalho Pedagógico (HTP) e entrevistas semiestruturadas realizadas com o gestor, coordenador pedagógico e professores. A revisão bibliográfica teve como base as ideias de Lück (2009), Silva (2013), Soares (2002) e Libâneo (2004). Diante do estudo, conclui-se que a gestão escolar necessita desenvolver suas ações orientada por um planejamento estratégico que ofereça formação para que a equipe dos professores possa desenvolver uma compreensão do processo de apropriação dos resultados das avaliações externas e a utilização dessas informações numa perspectiva pedagógica. Ou seja, serem capazes de apropriarem-se dos resultados e relacioná-los ao fazer pedagógico que desenvolvem. Frente a isso, o Plano de Ação Educacional apresentado traz três ações de formação que podem possibilitar que os resultados nas avaliações externas e internas sejam igualmente indicadores que provoquem melhorias na qualidade do ensino da escola pesquisada. / This dissertation was developed within the framework of the master in management and evaluation of education (PPGP) from the Centre of public policies and evaluation of education of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF/CAEd). The case studied management discusses the question of the imbalance between school performance and internal performance in SADEAM ratings on State school André Vidal de Araújo. The objectives defined for this study were to analyze the actions undertaken in the school that resulted in a phenomenon divergent between the indicators: There was an increase in the rate of approval and internal performance decreased of students in the external evaluation of the SADEAM, in the years of 2008, 2010 and 2012, and check the profile of the team manager and teachers with respect to the pedagogical practices related to internal and external assessment of the SADEAM. To this end, we use as documentary records analysis methodology in class daily, travel plans, educational intervention plans, minutes of meetings and planning, pedagogical instruments to control the Time of pedagogical work (HTP) and interviews with the Manager semi-structured, educational coordinator and teachers. The literature review was based on the ideas of Lück (2009), Silva (2013), Soares (2002) and Libâneo. Before the study, it is concluded that the school management needs to develop its actions oriented by a strategic planning that provide training for which the team of teachers can develop an understanding of the process of ownership of the results of the external evaluations and the use of such information in a pedagogical perspective. I.e., being able to take ownership of the results and relate them to the pedagogical doing that develop. Front of this Educational Action Plan brings three training actions that can enable the results in external and internal evaluations are also indicators that lead to improvements in the quality of school education research.

Submitted by Geandra Rodrigues (geandrar@gmail.com) on 2018-09-27T18:30:10Z No. of bitstreams: 1 patriciadelimapaula.pdf: 1706323 bytes, checksum: 84f84ffc85eea8a9055919c187c62730 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2018-10-01T18:03:06Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 patriciadelimapaula.pdf: 1706323 bytes, checksum: 84f84ffc85eea8a9055919c187c62730 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-10-01T18:03:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 patriciadelimapaula.pdf: 1706323 bytes, checksum: 84f84ffc85eea8a9055919c187c62730 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-07-05 / A presente dissertação é desenvolvida no âmbito do Mestrado Profissional em Gestão e Avaliação da Educação (PPGP) do Centro de Políticas Públicas e Avaliação da Educação da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (CAEd/UFJF). O caso de gestão estudado discutiu o processo de elaboração dos itens integrantes dos testes de proficiência de três programas de avaliação: o Sistema de Avaliação Educacional do Desempenho Educacional do Amazonas (SADEAM), o Programa de Avaliação do Espírito Santo (PAEBES) e o sistema de Avaliação Baiano da Educação (Avalia BA). Os objetivos definidos para este estudo foram baseados em compreender os fatores que interferem na qualidade dos itens de biologia nas avaliações dos Programas de Avaliação no período de 2010 a 2015. Para alcançar tal objetivo, foi necessário descrever as análises estatísticas dos relatórios gerados pelo Centro de Políticas Públicas e Avaliação da Educação (CAEd) que serviram de base para o estudo. Assumimos como hipótese o fato de vários itens dos conteúdos de biologia apresentarem baixos percentuais de acerto, além de um quantitativo elevado de itens eliminados. Para tanto, utilizamos, como metodologia de pesquisa a realização de uma análise psicométrica dos itens de Biologia do Ensino Médio com baixos percentuais de acerto dos Programas de Avaliação SADEAM, PAEBES e AVALIA BA e, a partir disso, a realização de análises pedagógicas, utilizando, como instrumentos, os relatórios estatísticos gerados pela Coordenação de Instrumentos de Avaliação (CIA) que apresentam o comportamento estatístico de cada item dos testes de proficiência aplicados. / The present dissertation is developed in the Mestrado Profissional em Gestão e Avaliação da Educação (PPGP) do Centro de Políticas Públicas e Avaliação da Educação da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (CAEd/UFJF). The management case studied discussed the process of elaborating the items that are part of the proficiency tests of three evaluation programs: the Educational Evaluation System of the Educational Performance of Amazonas (SADEAM), the Evaluation Program of the State of Espírito Santo (PAEBES) and the Baiano Education Assessment System (Evaluates BA). The objectives defined for this study were based on understanding the factors that influence the quality of biology items in the evaluation of the Evaluation Programs in the period from 2010 to 2015. To achieve this goal, it was necessary to describe the statistical analyzes of the reports generated by the Centro de Políticas Públicas e Avaliação da Educação (CAEd), that served as the basis for the study. We assume as hypothesis the fact that several items of the contents of biology present low percentages of correctness, besides a high quantitative of eliminated items. To do so, we used as a research methodology the performance of a psychometric analysis of the items of High School Biology with low percentage of correctness of the Evaluation Programs SADEAM, PAEBES and AVALIA BA Evaluation and, from this, the accomplishment of pedagogical analyzes, using , as instruments, statistical reports generated by the Coordination of Assessment Instruments (CIA) that present the statistical behavior of each item of applied proficiency tests.

Gamification is a new but upcoming feature in classrooms that has grown with the digitalisation in Swedish homes and schools. The aim of this literature review is to research how gamification can influence upper secondary students’ language proficiency in English as a foreign language. Five sources were analysed, four journals and one conference paper, and the results show that gamification could increase language proficiency if it is used in a moderate amount and that the summative assessment with instant feedback could be beneficial for students when moderating their own language development. Motivation seems to be the key word in the results and the main subject that all the authors agree can be created and beneficial to the students' language proficiency. The results also showed that gamification is a new feature that has to be researched more in order to give a valid answer to the question of whether or not gamification is appropriate to use in school.

When speaking a language, whether it is our first or second language, grammatical mistakes will be made. The aim of this essay is to look into what kinds of mistakes some Swedish learners of English make when speaking English and to analyze why these mistakes are made. The essay also aims at looking into what grammar teaching can look like in Sweden and how some teachers look upon their students’ oral proficiency. The method used for this study was a qualitative one, namely interviews. Twelve students, eight in grade seven and four in grade nine, and two teachers were interviewed. During the interviews with the students a dictaphone was used. When interviewing the teachers notes were taken, and these have been the foundation of the analysis. The results showed that many of the mistakes made by the students seemed to originate in transfer from their first language. Preposition mistakes, for instance, were made in 20% of the cases and they mainly originated in interference with their first language. Verbs turned out to be the area where most mistakes were made, followed by prepositions and pronouns. 50% of the mistakes made by students in grade nine were verb mistakes, whereas the students in grade seven made verb mistakes in 33% of the cases. This study further shows that the teachers had a good grasp of what their students know, and do not know, but there were some mistakes the learners made which the teachers did not mention. Finally, the study showed that spoken language is in focus within the classroom. Students are allowed to make mistakes, even though the interviewed teachers find grammar important.

Today the majority of children and teenagers in many countries spend a great deal of time doing extramural English activities, where playing games is included. It is therefore important to study how extramural English activities affect students’ proficiency. This thesis aims to investigate how games as an extramural activity, and extramural English activities in general could benefit upper secondary EFL and ESL students’ English language proficiency. The method used was that of a systematic literature review where six studies from varying places and with participants of varying ages and levels of education were analyzed and compared. The results show that five of the articles found a positive correlation between time spent on extramural English activities and English grades and/or vocabulary, while on study showed that there was no correlation between time spent on extramural English activities and development of academic vocabulary in students who had already reached a high level of proficiency. More research is needed in the field, particularly studies establishing causation rather than just correlation, longitudinal studies, as well as studies investigating whether gender is an important factor affecting the potential benefits of extramural English activities.

As of 2014, the State of Vermont adopted a policy package directing schools to implement a new way of educating and graduating students. Vermont’s Act 77 and Education Quality Standards require schools to identify specific skills and knowledge students must be proficient in to graduate and ensure each student has a personalized experience. Vermont’s tradition of local control means high school principals are leading change in their schools. How high school principals are understanding, valuing, and acting to lead the implementation of Vermont’s policies for personalized, proficiency-based education therefore varies by location. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore high school principal leadership at a critical juncture of implementing Vermont’s personalized proficiency education paradigm. Principals’ understanding was analyzed using an accountability vs. flexibility framework influenced by Sturgis (2016) and Labaree (1997). Principals’ action steps were considered through the lens of Frontier and Rickabaugh’s (2014) five levers for school change. Principals’ leadership style was analyzed using transformational leadership practices (Leithwood & Sun, 2012). The findings from five high school principals suggest that Vermont’s policies were valued for their potential to improve student outcomes, student engagement, and future career opportunities. Principals’ understanding of the policies varied, suggesting a lack of cohesive understanding of policy goals across the state. They leveraged school structures and education standards to enact policy implementation, suggesting a focus on proficiency over personalization at the time of this study. Principals in this study were leading school change by building teacher capacity and enabling teacher collaboration, suggesting they were accessing key transformational leadership practices to enable school change. The principals also identified sticking points to implementation, including: a lack of appropriate computer software for proficiency-based grading, a limited timeframe for implementation, limited leadership resources and supports from the state, and worries about a lack of equity of opportunity for all students. This study has implications for education policy developers, state-level education agencies, and other high school principals. The findings suggest school-based implementation of state-level education policy, even in local control states, can be facilitated by supports for growing leader understanding of policy intentions and facilitating policy implementation with suggested timelines and key steps. The findings also suggest high school principals access transformational leadership practices when engaging their schools in a change process. By increasing the breadth of these practices, they can facilitate the whole-school change in a personalized proficiency paradigm.

Responses of six severely language delayed (SLD) children were obtained on three measures of central auditory processing and one measure of language proficiency. The results of these measures were compared to the results obtained from six normal-hearing children, matched in age and Performance IQ on the WISC-R. The 12 children were tested with the Pitch Pattern Sequence Test (PPST), the Dichotic Digit Tests (DDT), and the Pediatric Speech Intelligibility Test (PSI). Differences in the central auditory abilities as well as the history of each child were presented in .a case study format. The results of the history information demonstrated no unusual problems among these 12 subjects. Ten out of 12 subjects demonstrated abnormal results on at least one measure of the central auditory battery.