Schools as learning communities: Building capacity through network learning

This article reports on the results from a study which investigated the impact of guidance given in writing tasks on children's writing performance. Six hundred eleven year olds completed writing tasks with varying content and structural support and their writing was analysed for purpose and organisation, style, spelling, clause structure, word class, paragraphing and punctuation. The aim was to find out if support facilitated better writing and if the type of support had differing effects. The findings suggested that the support did not significantly affect performance in narrative and persuasive writing. Possible implications and initial indications from a follow-up qualitative study of children's thinking are discussed.     

Putting objects of reference in context

ABSTRACT

The use of objects of reference as part of the development of communication‐has become established practice in the education of deafblind and multi‐sensory impaired children and young people. Unfortunately, there is comparatively little written material available for those who wish to develop this approach in their own practice with learners who have severe or profound and multiple difficulties. The result of this has been that many of the ‘second wave’ of interested practitioners have overemphasized the objects themselves with little or no appreciation of their use within a supporting context. The paper considers the philosophies and theories that underpin the methodological framework in deafblind education, and suggests how these could be applied to develop practice with a wider group of learners     

Education the Foundation for Freedom and National Strength

One of the most pressing problems facing the nation today is the need to improve and enlarge our higher education system. Many of our college facilities and faculties are already overburdened, yet the number of students seeking higher education will double in the next decade. This paper points out the steps that must be taken to increase the number of potential teachers and to induce sufficient numbers of them to choose teaching as a career. A greater effort must also be made to see that more of our most able high school graduates have an opportunity to pursue a higher education; at present, one third of the top quarter of our high school graduates do not go on to college. A recent study of Russian education made by the U. S. Office of Education is reported and the relative emphasis which Russia and America are placing on education is discussed. The cost of meeting the increased educational needs in America will be immense by current standards, but the cost of not meeting these needs will be far greater.