Getting a Head Start to success
RESEARCH | The first Head Start preschoolers to experience the Delaware Early Reading First (DERF) project have “graduated,” and researchers say their astonishing success in kindergarten clearly demonstrates the value of early language arts intervention in improving the academic outlook of children from impoverished circumstances.
“The results of the follow-up study indicate that the DERF project graduates performed as well as or better than the general population of children their age,” says Myae Han, assistant professor of human development and family studies. “The children’s performance is particularly impressive on these measures when one remembers that the majority of the children were not only from low-income families but also came from homes where English was not the primary language spoken.”
The project began in 2005 with a competitive $3.3 million grant awarded to faculty members in the College of Human Services, Education and Public Policy, in cooperation with New Castle County (Del.) Head Start, by the U.S. Department of Education.
Children in Head Start preschool programs are considered at risk for academic challenges and failure due to economic circumstances, home language or disability. Without intervention, these youngsters often start formal schooling lagging behind their peers.
“Head Start provides each family with a case manager who helps ensure that basic needs for food, shelter and clothing are being met,” says Martha Buell, professor of human development and family studies. “Our project provides additional enrichment and resources to support their language and literacy development—something that their home environment often lacks.”
For the last four years, DERF has assisted three Head Start preschools in New Castle County with services and materials based on recent research that has clarified exactly how children learn to read. The project provides ample literacy materials, ongoing professional development and onsite coaching to support teachers’ use of research-based reading strategies and developmentally appropriate literacy instruction.
The children are exposed to quality storybook reading, instruction and play-based literacy activities each day in the classroom. Master’s degree-level teachers specially trained in reading and literacy provide the coaching, while UD graduatestudents participate in one-on-one tutoring and help the researchers with data collection.
Last spring, the researchers followed 97 of the 2007 Head Start graduates of their project into kindergarten in Delaware’s Colonial School District to test their language and early reading proficiency and ask their teachers about their progress.
In general, the children who had participated in DERF produced higher scores on various parts of standardized literacy assessments than would be expected of the average population of children beginning first grade, including letter-word identification, story recall, understanding directions, decoding words and receptive vocabulary. Their teachers judged all but 14 of the 97 children to be in the intermediate to proficient stage of development on each rated skill.
“We were delighted with the children’s performance on these measures,” says Carol Vukelich, director of UD’s Delaware Center for Teacher Education and Hammonds Professor in Teacher Education. “Our Early Reading First project, including New Castle County Head Start and Colonial School District kindergarten teachers, can take great pride in how well prepared these children are for success today and in the future.”
Article by Beth Chajes


Full-Day Kindergarten in the States (2012) reported by the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) will be updated annually.
Transition Practices from Preschool to Kindergarten (2011), a Research Brief published by the Curry School of Education (CASTL) at the University of Virginia describes pre-kindergarten teachers' use of kindergarten transition practices. (posted 05/13/2013)
Preschool-to-Kindergarten Transition Patterns for African American Boys, Snapshot January 2014
Ready Freddy Pathways to Kindergarten Success website, University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development offers related articles:
The National Early Childhood Transition Center (NECTC) formerly funded by OSEP investigated and validated practices to enhance the early childhood transition process and support positive school outcomes for children with disabilities. NECTC maintains a searchable database of transition research, policy and practice.
Building the Foundation for Bright Futures: A Governor's Guide to School Readiness (2005) by the National Governor's Association. See Supporting Ready Schools starting on pg. 11, Facilitating the Transition to Kindergarten. Also available from the National Governor's Association, but not available on online is their document Transitions to School by Elizabeth Stief (1994). See Relevant Research Findings on page 4. ISBN # 1-55877-197-2.
The Pre-elementary Education Longitudinal Study (PEELS) funded by the National Center for Special Education Research at the Institute of Education Sciences is a multi-year study examining preschool special education transition to kindergarten. (posted 2/17/12) The report entitled Early School Transitions and the Social Behavior of Children with Disabilities: Selected Findings from the Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study (2009) provides selected findings from the first three waves of data collection.
Planning for Terrific Transitions: A Guide for Transition-to-School Teams. This training tool is designed to help teachers, principals, parents, and other stakeholders improve their transition processes through more effective planning, implementation, and evaluation. The training package includes a trainer's guide, a participant's guide, a CD with all the transparencies needed, and a copy of all the handouts necessary for the training.
Terrific Transitions is a Web site developed collaboratively between the SERVE Regional Educational Laboratory and the National Head Start Association to support children's transitions into kindergarten.
W. K. Kellogg Foundation's initiative entitled SPARK (Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids) (2009)


Most children begin learning phonics by sounding out letters and learning what items represent that sound and that letter, i.e. A is for apple; A sounds like “aaaaaaaaaaaaaa”. Children begin learning phonics from parents, siblings, videos, and music at a very early age (2-4 years old) even before entering school.
Phonics and phonemic awareness are comingled when teaching children in this manner. Phonics involves the relationship between sounds and written symbols, whereas phonemic awareness involves sounds in spoken words. Therefore, phonics instruction focuses on teaching sound-spelling relationships and is associated with print. Most phonemic awareness tasks are oral.
Even though parents are the initial teachers, it will take a professional to instill all of the rules of phonics and to teach students decoding skills as they begin to read. Hiring a tutor with experience teaching early learners will ensure a student’s success as they begin elementary school. A professional tutor can also reinforce phonics for those students that were taught the Whole Language approach to reading and are still struggling in 2nd and 3rd grades. Hiring an Advanced Learners tutor is a guarantee that you will receive a professional tutor that can make a difference in a child’s ability to read.
The basic learning blocks of every child's education are built in elementary school. It is here that a life long love for learning is fostered. The fundamental reading, writing, and math skills are introduced to your child for the first time in elementary school. In order to be successful, elementary students need to master basic listening and study skills. Elementary school should be a positive, nurturing environment where children are introduced to learning.
Known as “The World's Greatest City of the Arts and Outdoors,” Eugene, OR, was the original home of Nike, which is not surprising with all the lush greenery, river ways, hiking trails, bicycling, and other recreational activities. Also home of the University of Oregon, Eugene places a great importance on education. As such Eugene residents demand the very best in private tutoring. They appreciate the outstanding service they receive when working with our customer service team and our tutors. We provide highly qualified and experienced tutors available in all areas of Eugene from Pleasant Hill to Junction City, and best of all they come directly to you! Our reputation as a premium service in Eugene and surrounding areas is evident in the hundreds of testimonials we have received from parents, students, and schools throughout Oregon.
View Some Of Our Elementary Phonics Tutor Profiles
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We offer our clients choice when searching for a tutor, and we work with you all the way through the selection process. When you choose to work with one of our tutors, expect quality, professionalism, and experience. We will never offer you a tutor that is not qualified in the specific subject area you request. We will provide you with the degrees, credentials, and certifications each selected tutor holds so that you have the same confidence in them that we do. And for your peace of mind, we conduct a nation-wide criminal background check, sexual predator check and social security verification on every single tutor we offer you. We will find you the right tutor so that you can find success!


With many of the nation’s education leaders focused on the importance of STEM education, the movement to add music to the equation is getting more attention. Recently, a panel of experts gathered on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC to discuss ways to elevate music education– and the arts in general – and turn STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) into STEAM.
The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) sponsored the event, called “Music Education Powers STEAM: The Broader Minded Role of Music in Preparing a 21st Century Workforce.” The panel included Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon, NAfME President Glenn E. Nierman, David Dik, National Executive Director of Young Audiences Arts for Learning, and Dru Davison, Arts Administrator for Shelby County Schools in Memphis. The panel was moderated by Matt Wallaert, a behavioral psychologist with Microsoft/Bing.
The participants all agreed that successful music education advocacy depended on highlighting how music develops key skills in students, including self-reflection, communication, collaboration, creativity and innovation.
“The goal of our teachers is not to make music majors, but lifelong persons who appreciate the arts and there are number of 21st century skills like communication and collaboration that happen almost every day in the music classroom,” explained NAfME President Nierman.
“Everything can be connected. Instead of saying ‘now we are studying science and then we are studying art,’ it can be integrated curriculum that can be really engaging to students…because we all know students learn in multiple ways,” said Rep. Bonamici, who also reported that the bipartisan Congressional STEAM Caucus has grown to include 63 members of Congress.
Nierman added that music offers students the chance to interact intellectually, kinetically, and emotionally, allowing them to take ownership of their world through creation and expression.
“One of the things that the arts and music do uniquely is to help that child discover who they are as a person and their relationship to their fellow human beings,” explained Nierman. “I have often talked to school boards about the fact had we had more students to come in contact with arts education and the integration of art, maybe we would not have had Columbine, the awful things we see happening in schools.”
Dru Davison urged all stakeholders to recognize the role music teachers play in helping close achievement gaps. Davidson pointed out that too much of the dialogue about science and technology education and career readiness tends to focus on very high-achieving students. A strong music education program, he argued, can help struggling students – which Davison was when he was in school – become more engaged in their studies and steer them toward a career and college readiness path.
“What are doing to prescribe solutions those students who are not at that high end?” Davison asked. “The music teacher specifically has a unique role and I think we’re the prescription in many cases.”
Watch the NAfME STEAM Panel Discussion
Rep. Bonamici also emphasized that music and arts education can help close the gender gap by getting girls involved with STEM.
“Girls begin to realize that there are parallels between music and math or science and art, “Bonamici explained. “So we can start to get that confidence back and begin to close the gender gap.”
“Every child deserves arts education,” Bonamici continued. “It shouldn’t be an extra class or done in the basement or up in the attic of the school. It should be for everyone. We have to move STEAM forward and translate it into policy that will benefit not only to our students and our schools, but also to our business community and to the country – to make sure we are globally competitive and our students become innovative thinkers.”
The day after the briefing, more than 150 music education leaders and supporters visited Capitol Hill for NAfME Hill Day 2014 and shared with elected officials the urgent need to ensure the continued preservation of school-based music programs across America.
By Richard Naithram
Kristen Rencher Nuss, Social Media and Online Community Engagement Coordinator. © National Association for Music Education (NAfME.org)


First of all, we know that reading is a critical skill. We also know several students need to learn how to read better. We know that reading at an appropriate rate with adequate comprehension is necessary. So for struggling readers, including students who are non-native English speakers, what role does phonics play in this goal to acquire fluency and comprehension?
|Decoding Skills Posters Hanging in the Hallway|
In addition, phonics is important to help students pronounce words correctly. Have you ever had a student ask, "Teacher, what is this word?" And then, once they hear the word pronounced, they say, "Oh, I know that word!" When students learn the phonemes (sounds) of English and the graphemes (letters) that represent them, they are better able to pronounce words. It's important that students pronounce words correctly because it contributes to better fluency and comprehension. Sometimes a word may look unfamiliar, but once the student hears or pronounces the word correctly, the student can connect the sound of the word to the meaning of the word that he or she already has stored in the brain.
In addition, spelling is improved when students learn phonics. Vocabulary is also enhanced when students are learning meaning of words simultaneously with the pronunciation of the words. Combining all of these benefits, students develop skills for independent learning because they are not dependent upon a dictionary or a teacher to tell them how to decode words that are unfamiliar in their reading.
|8th Grade Sorting Activity: The Three Sounds of -ED|
back to the basics. Some teachers are concerned that taking older learners back to the sounds and letters of the alphabet and teaching decoding strategies will cause the students to feel that the instruction is too "elementary." They are afraid that the students will feel like they are being taught like children. But I feel differently. If the instruction is delivered in a non-condescending way, older learners are grateful that someone took the time to cover the foundational skills that no one else dared to. An older student learning phonics once said, "No one ever took me back far enough." And there are numerous others who share the same sentiment. Sometimes we have to return to the basics.
See also the following related posts:


Fonder, Mark, Journal of Historical Research in Music Education
Jared Diamond won the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for his book, Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies. (1) In this remarkably ambitious book he accounts for why human development proceeded at different rates on the different continents over time. While the book is a fascinating and important read for information's sake, people interested in historical inquiry will find this book compelling on another level. Diamond is a master at asking questions of all sizes--hundreds of them. The following is a small sample of questions he asks (and ultimately responds to) for illustration's sake.
From the big picture:
* Why did [the modern world's] wealth and power become distributed as they now are, rather than some other way?
* Where, when, and how did food production develop in different parts of the globe?
* What effect, if any, did differences in the geographical orientation of the continents have on human history?
* Why did only some people and not others develop writing, given its overwhelming value?
* How did government and religion arise?
From the smaller or more focused picture:
* What plants were the first to be domesticated?
* Among island empires, why did writing arise in Minoan Crete but not Polynesian Tonga?
* Why did Europeans reach and conquer the lands of Native Americans, instead of vice versa?
* Why are we still using the QWERTY typewriter keyboard over its rivals when the reason for its usage has lost its legitimacy?
If these questions motivate readers to seek out this book for the answers, they will be rewarded. Through the analysis of hundreds of smaller studies in fields ranging from anthropology and linguistics to epidemiology and archeology, Diamond wrote a forceful conclusion to these and many more questions. These smaller, focused studies--representing work from hundreds of scientists, historians and other scholars--contributed to his synthesis. Diamond generously acknowledges his debt to these scholars.
Such smaller, more-focused studies reinforce why periodicals such as the Journal of Historical Research in Music Education are necessary. While small studies identify and respond to questions on the micro-level, these snapshots eventually yield a large panoramic mural of apparent truth; at least until more data are contributed. Perhaps questions posed in this issue and other volumes will prompt a future synthesis in which our most influential developments, methodologies, educators, and movements can be addressed. …


Curriculum for Excellence has made explicit the expectation that all staff have a responsibility to contribute to the literacy development of learners. However, not all education professionals are fully confident in their own understanding of how language works. The Knowledge of Language modules provide staff with a way of accessing further information about some of the common features of our language.
It must be stressed that the English module is intended as a basic guide: it is neither exhaustive nor definitive. Both of these modules are designed to be ‘dipped into’ rather than read from start to finish – use what you think you need.
Find out about parts of speech, punctuation, grammar and syntax, tricky spellings and common confusions.


It is just as well that teaching kids to value the environment is never ending as the topic is so interesting. It gives teachers and parents something to talk about right throughout the year.
Rather than work this topic into everything parents and teachers do and say; it is easier to become really environmentally aware so that care for and love of the environment is naturally reflected through aspects of educational and home life. it will find its way into topic selection, project management and style of delivery for lessons and fun projects.
Making Gifts and Decorations from Recycled and Natural Materials
The article How to Make Musical Instruments from Junk provides adults with ideas for projects that they can do with kids using recycled materials. This not only means that children can make affordable Christmas presents they will enjoy giving to others. It also means they will have hours of fun and perhaps learn a little about the story behind the story of music while they are creating. Environmentally aware adults could augment this activity with a history lesson about How Junk Sculpture Originated.
Conserving Integrity – Inquiry Projects and Investigating Nature
If parents have the funds, it would be fun if they installed digital fractal software on the computer for the children to experiment with over the holidays. This will not only give them hours of fun, but they will come to understand the amazing complexity of the world. They will also be overawed by the simplicity of the building blocks from which the world has been fashioned. Fractal Art is a fascinating art style; show them the Fractal Art of Tina Oloyede. Allow them to experiment on the computer and supply them with some canvases upon which they can paint their final results. They may well come up with artwork you were not anticipating! If they young people seem to really enjoy this kind of environmental exploration a copy of Eye on the Environment from the local library gives a starting point for visual journaling as an investigation of the natural environment.
An Exciting Affordable – Recycled but Beautiful Christmas
There are many resources available that provide ways for you to have a lot of fun with children this Christmas. Projects do not need to burst the bank or leave a huge carbon footprint on the environment.
The Miracle of the First Poinsettia a Mexican Christmas Story is a Mexican story book briming with socio and emotional learning. Share the Miracle of the First Poinsettia with children accompanied by origami activities. The value of activities and stories such as these is that they reclarify for children what Christmas is about. The simple, humble Poinsettia becomes the focus of Christmas celebration. By pointing out that this beautiful flower is all that a humble loving child needs to express her love of the baby Jesus at Christmas leads children to the idea that environment and love of family and friends is what we treasure most at Christmas. Activities such as making origami Poinsettia flowers can be hung as decorations from the Christmas tree. Christmas Advent Wreathes can be made from natural materials found in the bush or the country side.
As we enter the time called the “Christmas rush” take time to slow down. Ponder what is really the most important message for you this Christmas. Search the web and the book shops; you are sure to find resources that will make having a peaceful reflective easier and more enjoyable.
Joicey. H.B, (1986) An Eye On The Environment and Art Education Project. Lon: Unwin Hyman in assoc WW.
Oppenheim,J. & Negrin,F. (2003) The Miracle of the First Poinsettia. A Mexican Christmas Story. Barefoot Books. Bath.
Penny,N. ( 2005) Making Musical Instruments from Junk. A&C Black


Help your child “step up” to math challenges with a fun game in your very own kitchen. Not only will this help your child learn basic addition and subtraction facts in an engaging way, it will also get her up and moving--with math!
What You Do:
- Before you start the game, write a complete math fact in large type on one side of a sheet of typing paper. If your child is struggling with early math facts, start with low numbers like 1+2=3. By second grade, however, most kids are working with number facts closer to ten, such as 9+8=17; or with subtraction. Wherever you start, write one math equation on one side of each paper, such as 6+6=12; and write just the question (such as 6+6) on the other side. Make at least 20 facts, and then mix them all up.
- Set up the challenge: tell your child that her mission, should she choose to accept it, is to cross the room without touching the floor, using only her knowledge of math facts. Tape a square of blank construction paper on one side of the room. This is "start." Explain that you will show her a math problem, and every one she gets right will become her next "step" allowing her to move across the floor.
- Stand in front of your child, and show her the question side of the construction paper. If she states the correct answer to the math problem, turn it around and tape down the answer side a good step-width away. Allow her to move one space forward. Guide your child through the problems as needed, so that she doesn't become frustrated if the math concept is new to her. If your child does not answer the problem correctly, she must stay on the same space. When your youngster gets all the way across the kitchen, she has successfully completed her mission!
In order to keep the Step Game a challenge, try using multiplication or division flashcards as your child advances in math.
Carrie Ann Cain has been teaching second grade for three years. She is certified in elementary education, special education, Spanish, and ESOL (teaching english to speakers of other languages).


April 17, 2012
Simple Change By Teachers Could Increase Reading Skills Later For Preschoolers
A new study has found that making a small change in how teachers read aloud to preschoolers is making a big leap in reading skills later in life. That change involves making specific references to print in books while reading to children.
The study is part of Project STAR (Sit Together And Read), a randomized clinical trial based at Ohio State University to test the short- and long-term impacts associated with reading regularly to preschool children in the classroom.The change involves pointing out letters and words on the pages to the child, showing capital letters, and showing how you read from left to right and top to bottom on the page. This is the first study to show causal links between referencing print and later literacy achievement.
Preschool teachers who used print references during storybook reading with preschoolers showed more advanced reading skills one and even two years later when compared to children whose teachers did not use such references.
“Using print references during reading was just a slight tweak to what teachers were already doing in the classroom, but it led to a sizeable improvement in reading for kids,” said Shayne Piasta, co-author of the study and assistant professor of teaching and learning at Ohio State University.
“This would be a very manageable change for most preschool teachers, who already are doing storybook reading in class.”
Piasta conducted the study with lead investigator Laura Justice, professor of teaching and learning at Ohio State, as well as co-investigators Anita McGinty of the University of Virginia and Joan Kaderavek of the University of Toledo.
In some of the classrooms, teachers talked about the print in the books and also nonverbally referred to the print. This allowed the children to see and learn certain letters, trace the print with their fingers, noted the directionality of the type (for example, how we read from left to right in the English language.
In other preschool classrooms, teachers read to the children using a more traditional style for reading aloud that typically doesn´t draw children´s attention to the print on the page.
The number of times the students were read to was also important. In some classrooms, children were read to four times a week, while in others, they were read to twice a week. Follow-up assessments were done in elementary school a year later and two years later.
“Our findings ultimately support the importance of encouraging young children to attend to and interact with print during the preschool years as a means of fostering long-term literacy development,” explained Piasta.
“By showing them what a letter is and what a letter means, and what a word is and what a word means, we´re helping them to crack the code of language and understand how to read.”
“The results can inform the development of early childhood programs and curricula that facilitate literacy skill acquisition for the large numbers of U.S. children living in poverty and attending targeted programs such as Head Start or state-sponsored prekindergarten.”
The results of the study appear in the April 2012 issue of the journal Child Development.


Over the last two months I’ve become involved in several homeschooling and unschooling communities both on-line and in our community here in Northeast Ohio. As I am an admitted geek, I find myself frequently answering questions about computers. Mixed in to the typical ‘what computer should I buy?’ or ‘do I really need a laptop/desktop or can I get away with just a tablet?’ type questions have been more than a few on programming and computer science for kids.
And its made me start to wonder something – why aren’t there programs to get kids involved in FOSS? There are growing numbers of programs to help kids learn programming, but aside from Google Code-In (which I keep plugging, though I have yet to speak to anyone who’s heard of it before…), none that I have found encourage (or even mention) the use and development of free software. Its a huge gap, and one which we should be working to fill.
If we want to convince people to move to free software we need to get them involved asap – before they develop preconceived notions about software. Many kids today have their own computers, tablets, cell phones, etc, and though many would like to learn to develop on them, there’s just not a whole lot of materials out there to help them learn. And, unfortunately, most of what does exist, has been designed (sometimes explicitly) without free software in mind. The result is a majority of kids learning to program in closed environments without any idea that there is another, more open way to do things.
The result is yet another generation of kids who have barely heard of FOSS. Another generation lost to closed source, both as users and developers. If there is a target audience who we should be promoting free software to, its kids. They are a perfect fit – though many of them have access to technology, very few have much (if any!) expendable income. We ought to begin advertising our desire to teach them to use and contribute to free software, along with its benefits. We ought to begin designing basic programming classes for kids using free software and explaining its benefits. We also need to make it easy for those kids to talk to us and tell us about their software, what it does and what they need help with. If we want them to join us, then we need to give them the resources and the ability to do so.
We need something to point both kids and parents alike to. Something that we can show them and say ‘Look! Look at what you and your kids can do with free software! Look how it can help them learn!’ Because there are thousands, likely millions of them out there – kids who want to learn. Parents who want to facilitate their kids learn about computers. I myself continue to meet them, both online and off on a nearly daily basis – and I want, I need, something, anything to point them to.


In the fourth grade, at age 9, I joined the school band and started playing the trombone. At the end of sixth grade, at age 12, I quit.
Over the past few years, an inventive team of neuroscientists at Northwestern University has conducted a number of studies that show playing music confers a remarkable range of benefits on the brain—musicians show an increased ability to pick out a speaker’s words in a noisy environment, are better at detecting emotion in speech and stay sharper at processing sounds as they age. All this time, I assumed that I’d stopped far too quickly to experience any of these benefits.
New research, though, should give drop-outs like me hope. According to a study published today in the Journal of Neuroscience, the same researchers found that just one to five years of experience playing music as a child was associated with an improved cognitive ability in processing complex sounds as a young adult.
“We help address a question on every parent’s mind: ‘Will my child benefit if she plays music for a short while but then quits training?’” says Nina Kraus, the study’s co-author. “Based on what we already know about the ways that music helps shape the brain, the study suggests that short-term music lessons may enhance lifelong listening and learning.”
Most previous neurological research on the effects of musical training on the brain has focused on the rare individuals who start off playing music as children and keep at it, continuing through college or even becoming professional musicians. But the vast majority of us stop well before that. After numerous studies looking at the former category, Kraus’ team decided to turn their attention to the latter, to see if the same effects could be found.
For the study, the research team put to use the same techniques they pioneered in their earlier work: exposing individuals to different musical sounds and carefully measuring the electrical signals emitted by their auditory brainstems with electrodes mounted on the scalp. As they’ve previously found, our brain signals mirror the actual sound waves we hear, so by observing different participants’ signals, they can determine how skilled each person is at hearing and mentally interpreting the sounds.
They split 45 adult participants up into three groups—those with no musical instruction, those with one to five years of instruction and those with six to 11 years of instruction. For both of the groups with experience, the average age at which they started playing an instrument was roughly nine years old, as is typical in American public schools. They then put each of the participants in a soundproof booth, had them put on a pair of headphones, played them a series of complex sounds (made up of multiple tones) and measured the signals emitted by their auditory brainstems.
The results were striking. Although the signals detected from the most experienced musicians showed the most robust response to the sounds, the participants with just one to five years of experience still showed significantly greater cognitive ability in processing them as compared to the group with no experience. The researchers say that this mental response indicates the ability to pull out the lowest frequency in a complex sound, and their previous work has shown this ability is crucial for both speech and music perception, especially in noisy environments. Thus, playing music for just a few years as a child seems to be linked with better listening skills much later on.
Kraus says that the findings are relevant to public education policies, especially given that funding for music education nationwide is declining rapidly in the face of budget cuts (for example, in 2011, nearly half of California school districts cut or reduced art and music programs). “Our research captures a much larger section of the population, with implications for educational policy makers,” she says. “ earlier research, we infer that a few years of music lessons also confer advantages in how one perceives and attends to sounds in everyday communication situations, such as noisy restaurants.”
They results are also quite relevant, presumably, to parents. If your kids hate playing in the school band, it’s okay to let them quit. The benefits will still be there when they’re grown upas long as they’ve played for a year or two.


How is technology used in your classroom? It depends on who is in the driver’s seat. Is it teacher driven, or student centered? It makes a profound difference! Integrating technology effectively involves the intentional design, development and implementation of resources or tools that best suits an instructional purpose. It’s not about how many video clips you can show, or how many PowerPoints you can run, in fact…it’s not really about you. It is more about the ways in which students are actively engaged to learn.
So…. how do you actively engage your students with technology in your classroom? The foundational skills needed for the SOL tests often involve lower level Blooms taxonomy, but upper level Bloom might be just what’s needed. Don’t get me wrong….skill and drill programs like Fasttmath serve a definite purpose. For other content areas, working with abstract ideas might require a different approach. Projects, or activities taught through small groups or work in centers can provide tremendous learning opportunities. Maybe you could have students blog about a particular topic, useVoice threads, , use digital cameras and pictures or video to generate digital posters, short videos or other products. How about creating a digital newspaper or participating in a virtual field trip…. the list is endless. The point is that the students are actively engaged in a task where they are thinking, doing, learning, producing… not simply watching a video or copying notes displayed by a document camera blindly into a notebook.
It requires a shift in thoughts and teaching habits, stepping out of the driver’s seat and into the passenger seat. If you have never tried it, you are in for a surprise. You will find that your role will change from the sage on the stage to that of a facilitator. For some, that is a huge shift. It’s hard to let go. You can do it! Once thoughts and practices have been adapted, the stage is set for transformation to occur. The transformation will probably involve some or maybe even all those educational buzzwords that you keep hearing about like differentiation, collaboration, Marzano strategies, modalities… you know the ones that I am talking about. It’s not easy, but it is rewarding, and can help students in so many ways.
In our school division, we have a wealth of resources, tools and support to afford such transformation. There are computers everywhere…labs, classrooms, and COWS (laptop carts). There are doc cams,digital cameras, data projectors, Promethean boards, voice recorders and other gadgets, plus a plethora of software like kidpix, Kidspiration & Inspiration Software, PowerPoint, Word, Publisher, PhotoStory, Movie Maker and much, much more. We have TRTs who are ready, willing and able to help you make it happen. Want to brainstorm some ideas? Need someone to help you co-teach a technology integrated lesson? Your TRT is there to assist! To see what you can do with technology in your classroom, start small. Adapt. Grow. Keep trying new things. Keep adding new tools to your teacher tool box. Next thing you know, you will have a wealth of high quality, student centered technology activities that provide meaningful learning experiences.
You want to get effective technology in use in your classroom? Get out of the driver’s seat. Explore ways to adapt your practices. Work with your TRT. Add tools to your toolbox. Use the resources, tools and support to facilitate a transformation in yourself and your classroom.


There won't be schools in the future ... I think the computer will blow up the school ... The whole system is based on a set of structural concepts that are incompatible with the presence of the computer. (Seymour Papert, 1984 in Leu, 2000, p. 108)
This article will discuss the evolution of information for research and teaching purposes as a result of the change the Internet has brought to our literacy classrooms, depicted in the shift from encyclopaedias to search engines. Papert had one point of view, only 26 years ago. Gates, from his perspective as a driver of these changes said, No-one gets a vote on whether technology is going to change our lives' (Papert cited in Leu, 2000, p. 111). Indeed the change is swift and, as history demonstrates, in times of major technological transition our values, our understanding of work and our teaching practices are challenged and transformed.
The challenge to educators is to fundamentally reshape literacy instruction to prepare our students, the Millennium Generation, for the future (Howe & Strauss cited in Considine, 2009). The students we now teach are the first generation to have grown up immersed in technology, known as Digital Natives (Prensky, 2001), who are fluent in the language of ICT, adjust easily to changes and who use ICT in creative and innovative ways (Considine, 2009). For the most part, their teachers are known as Digital Immigrants who, as Prensky describes, always speak with an accent and struggle to learn and apply new ICT (2001). Many of these teachers have been colonised by dominant models of technology, but do not use them efficiently in their classrooms (Gee cited in Donnison, 2007, p. 9). However, many teachers of literacy want to create a literacy environment in which their digital natives' ways of knowing are valued.
Research has now moved beyond the question of whether the use of information and communication technologies (ICT's) should be incorporated into everyday practice. The question that has become more pertinent is how can ICT be used effectively in teaching literacy to enhance learning? (Bowman as cited in Stephen et al., 2008). Technology is playing an undeniably significant role in the lives of children, and this fact raises questions around how we can utilise the skills and strategies gained by students, particularly boys and gaming, at home, to build literacy skills in the classroom (Prensky, 2006).
Exploration of how computer literacies, known as the New Literacies (Coiro, 2003) can support students' traditional literacy development as they move from learning to read to reading to learn in the middle years of schooling is improving pedagogical knowledge. Flood, Lapp and Flood (1997) identified that computers and other forms of multi media facilitate the use of electronic texts, such as email, podcasting and wikis, and thus require new conceptions of literacy and literate behaviours (Leu & Kinzer, 2000; Labbo, 2006). Using the analogy of the transition from encyclopaedias to search engines this paper will chronicle some of the changes observed in an upper primary classroom.
New technologies are transforming current literacy practices and challenging what it means to be literate. Literacy instruction is being both intentionally and unintentionally adjusted to take advantage of the opportunities presented through mediums such as search engines. The new literacies will build upon the solid foundational skills of comprehension, writing, spelling, vocabulary development, phonemic awareness and phonics in order to prepare our students for the unimagined literacies of the future. Our goal remains that students need to be equipped to become critical thinkers, problem solvers, innovators, effective communicators and collaborators and self directed learners (ISTE, 2007).
What are the new literacies?
Gee (2004) comments that the types of New Literacies that students are involved with outside of schools provide 'processes of learning that are deeper and richer than the forms of learning to which they are exposed in schools' (p. …


Building the evidence base for the U.S.-born, school-age Latino population to improve personal and academic outcomes
This study will advance the knowledge base of the socioemotional characteristics and cognitive abilities that guide young Latino children's self-regulation. Latino children are the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population, yet there is a paucity of research on their early-developmental processes (e.g., cognitive, socioemotional, and literacy skills). The growth of self-regulation (defined by a child's ability to gain control of bodily functions, manage emotions and maintain focus and attention) is a cornerstone of early-childhood development. By better understanding how these skills develop in Latino children, researchers and educators will be able to design and deliver the most-effective approaches to instruction and learning environments for this population. The expected outcomes include empirical insights into the connections among children's cognitive, socioemotional, and literacy development, as well as into the relationship of children's growth in cognitive and socioemotional skills with literacy ability. Specifically, results from this work will provide a baseline to inform expectations for this ongoing study and provide important knowledge to further support teachers in carrying out interventions in a high-minority, high-risk context serving large numbers of Latino children.
Amount Awarded $150,000.00
Awarded on: 6/13/2012
Time frame: 9/1/2012 - 8/31/2014
Grant Number: 70019


It’s often assumed that kids know how to tie their shoes or cut with scissors. But none of that is taken for granted by Megan Regehr. She and her colleague Sherri Buckle are occupational therapists with the school wellness team, which provides primary health care services to students in some community schools.“Occupational therapists focus on how a person functions in the occupations of life,” says Regehr. “For kids, their primary occupations are going to school, playing and learning to take care of themselves. Things like putting on shoes, colouring, as well as social interactions.” That means working directly with students in the classroom.
On this particular day, Regehr packs up her supplies and walks the block from her office at St. Paul’s Hospital to Pleasant Hill School. As it’s still early in the year, a lot of the focus is on observing kids. “I need to spend time to build trust with the kids so they can show me what they can do and what their skills are,” she says. Eventually, the work will morph from group work to one-on-one intervention with the students who need her help.
Regehr tells of a little boy in another school setting who had a difficult time paying attention and sitting long enough to finish a puzzle or finish listening to a story. “It was a team effort of working with that child to build those self-regulating skills but also working with the teacher and the educational assistant to come up with strategies,” explains Regehr.
School-based occupational therapy work is an emerging field within primary health care. “Research has shown that being able to regulate your attention and your emotions affects how your brain interprets things you see into fine motor skills,” she says. This is particularly important in children who may have challenges in developing those foundational skills. “Some children are negatively affected by the social determinants of health which are coincidentally the same as the social determinants of learning. If we can help them surpass obstacles in their lives, they can be healthy and learn.” A recent report by Saskatoon Health Region’s chief medical health officer indicates that 30 per cent of kindergarten children across the Region aren’t ready for school entry because they are falling behind their peers in the development of foundational occupational or speech skills.
October is occupational therapy month across Saskatchewan. Read more about the professional work of occupational therapists in schools in this article.
Even though it’s limited, the work that Regehr and her colleagues do will help individual children develop the skills they need to be healthy and to succeed in school, like the little boy Regehr described. “By the end of the school year, the child could sit through circle time by using a lap pad which helped focus his attention. It was amazing to watch him develop. He’s still got a long way to go, but it was a major improvement.”


As an effort to raise the literacy rate in India, Government of India, Ministry of HRD (Human Resource Development established a autonomous educational organization NIOS (National Institute of open Schooling) in 1989. NIOS is running nationwide along with its various centers with the sole aim of imparting quality and necessary education to all irrespective of any caste, creed, gender, religion or any other basis.
NIOS is specialized in offering various courses like Vocational courses, Life Enrichment Course as well as Community oriented courses along with basic Secondary and Senior Secondary level courses. Moreover, it also provides the opportunity to failed 10th and 12th students in clearing or passing the exams without wasting a year.
Secondary Level Courses:
The secondary level courses offered by NIOS are equivalent to tenth standard courses in other boards like BSE, ICSE and state Boards. To clear secondary level you need to pass in five subjects with one language subject in it. Along with this students who are willing can opt for two extra courses too. So, students can choose subjects according to their future career prospects.
Courses In Group A – Hindi, English, Bengali, Nepali, Gujarati, Urdu, Kannada, Assamese, Telugu, Punjabi, Malayalam, Arabic, Tamil, Persian and Sanskrit.
Courses In Group B – Mathematics, Science, Social, Economics, Business Studies, Home Science, Psychology, Culture and Heritage, Painting and Word Processing.
Senior Secondary Level Courses:
It is equivalent to 12th standard and can be opted by those only who have cleared secondary level. It also offers wide variety of subjects like Hindi, Sanskrit, English and Urdu, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Geography, Biology, Political Science, Word Processing, Commerce, Accountancy, Computer Science, Psychology, Sociology, Mass Communication, Painting, Home Science, and History.
NIOS also offers various vocational courses through which students can earn while they learn especially designed for students who have weaker financial conditions and need money for heir livelihood.Some of the vocational courses offered are Retail, Cutting and Tailoring, Dress making, Air Conditioning, Beauty Culture, TV Repairing, Certificate in Security Software and many more.
Open Basic Education (OBE):
NIOS also offer elementary education programme managed in three levels. This programme is specially designed for school dropouts and neo-literates.
OBE level A : equivalent to class I-III
OBE level B : equivalent to class IV-V
OBE level C : equivalent to class VI-VIII


As a parent or carer, you can play a vital role in helping your child develop their literacy and numeracy skills.
The following video clips show parents and carers sharing their stories about how literacy and numeracy skills relate to everyday life and providing some practical tips of what can be done at home to help children develop their literacy and numeracy skills.
English is used in all video clips, with additional languages featured in some clips including:
Mark, a father-of-two, believes that simple activities such as counting and reading together at home with his children can help to improve their literacy and numeracy skills.
Andrea, a mother of three, involves her children in day-to-day activities at home like counting out money for tuck shop orders, keeping a routine on the fridge and encouraging her son to read to his younger sibling to help with literacy and numeracy development.
Mother-of-two, Joanna, struggled with mathematics when she was a child. Joanna believes that by being aware of what her children are learning at school, she can help to boost their confidence and improve their literacy and numeracy skills.
As a child, Don was always fascinated by his father's ability to add up large sums without a calculator. Now a father himself, Don supports his children's literacy and numeracy development by always encouraging them to ask questions, talking about how to get to destinations and working out how much things cost.
Sarah, a mother of three girls, is active in her children's school community. Sarah uses family-orientated activities like making birthday cards and cooking to help her children develop literacy and numeracy skills.
Jenny, who struggled with spelling while at school herself, stresses the importance of being involved in her child's education. Jenny involves her child in cooking, reading and gets involved with the school to help her daughter with literacy and numeracy.
Rob, a father of three, is a teacher-librarian and has always had a passion for reading. He supports his children's literacy and numeracy development by making time for homework and research each day, and he encourages his children to participate in holiday activities at the local library.
Ariane, a working mother of two, had difficulties with her speech and with reading as a child. She became a 'parent helper' in the classroom to help her gain an understanding of what her children were learning at school so she could reinforce that learning at home. Arianne suggests spending time with your child, understanding what they are doing at school, and quizzing them at home to assist with their literacy and numeracy development.
Ora believes that solid literacy and numeracy skills are vital for her children's future prospects. While Ora learnt to count in different ways and spoke a first language other than English, she interprets what she learnt from her first language to help her own children with their school work. Ora encourages her children to learn about literacy and numeracy in different contexts by taking them to the movies and the park.


ERIC Number: ED477613
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 2003-Dec
Reference Count: N/A
Using Drama and Theatre To Promote Literacy Development: Some Basic Classroom Applications. ERIC Digest.
In light of factors that hinder teachers in the use of drama and theatre in classroom application, this Digest explains the "myths" of drama and theatre and focuses on their effect on children's literacy development. In addition, rather than presenting a "tour de force" of resources, this Digest highlights some readily applicable strategies for classroom application. It discusses the confusing terminology; the necessity of dramatic activities; facilitating effective dramatic activities (dramatics story re-enactments, drama activities that promote vocabulary development, and incorporating process drama into writing instruction); and the myth of "playful" dramatic activities. (Contains 12 references.) (RS)
Descriptors: Class Activities, Cognitive Development, Drama, Elementary Secondary Education, Literacy, Theater Arts, Vocabulary Development, Writing Instruction
ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading, English and Communication, 2805 E. 10th St. #140, Bloomington, IN 47408-2698. Web site: http://eric.indiana.edu; Tel: 800-759-4723 (Toll Free).
Publication Type: ERIC Publications; ERIC Digests in Full Text
Education Level: N/A
Sponsor: Institute of Education Sciences (ED), Washington, DC.
Authoring Institution: ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication, Bloomington, IN.
Identifiers: ERIC Digests
Note: ERIC/REC Digest number 187.


The Dominican Study: Public Library Summer Reading Programs Close the Reading Gap [pdf]
The Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Dominican University received a National Leadership Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) for a three year research study to answer the question: do public library summer reading programs impact student achievement?" (pg. 8).
Evaluation of the Summer Library Reading Program: Books and Beyond...Take Me to Your Reader! [pdf]
An evaluation of the 2001 summer reading program in 5 county library systems in Southern California, submitted to the Los Angeles County Public Library Foundation.
Fun, Sun, and Good Books: UT Experts say Summer Reading Keeps Skills Strong
Press release highlighting research conducted by Richard Allington and Anne McGill-Franzen, education professors at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
How to Make Summer Reading Effective [pdf]
Research Brief from the National Summer Learning Association highlighting the research of Dr. James Kim, Assistant Professor of Education, Harvard University.
The Importance of Summer Reading: Public Library Summer Reading Programs and Learning [pdf]
Research brief from the New York State Library with an extensive annotated bibliography of summer reading research.
Making a Difference: The 2006 "Guys Read" Book Club Summer Program for Boys, Hennepin County Library
Evaluation of the 2006 summer reading program, based on author Jon Sczieska's Guys Read initiative, designed specifically for boys in grades 4-6 in the greater Minneapolis, Minnesota area. Note: Scroll down the page to find the PowerPoint presentation.
Summer Reading from Reading Rockets
Activities, research highlights, and multimedia presentations about summer reading from Reading Rockets, an educational initiative of WETA, Washington D.C.'s public television and radio station.
The Role of Public Libraries in Children's Literacy Development: An Evaluation Report [pdf]
Dr. Donna Celano (Temple University) and Dr. Susan B. Neuman (University of Michigan) examine and evaluate the role of public libraries in Pennsylvania in helping children develop literacy skills through preschool and summer reading programs.
Take Five for Education: Tips from UT about Children's Summer Reading
5 tips to motivate kids to read over the summer from Richard Allington and Anne McGill-Franzen, education professors at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.


Curriculum and Instruction
First Advisor's Name
First Advisor's Committee Title
Second Advisor's Name
Third Advisor's Name
Fourth Advisor's Name
Fifth Advisor's Name
Stereotypes, Standardized Testing, Stereotype Threat, Urban Education, African American, Elementary Education
Date of Defense
Stereotype threat (Steele & Aronson, 1995) refers to the risk of confirming a negative stereotype about one’s group in a particular performance domain. The theory assumes that performance in the stereotyped domain is most negatively affected when individuals are more highly identified with the domain in question. As federal law has increased the importance of standardized testing at the elementary level, it can be reasonably hypothesized that the standardized test performance of African American children will be depressed when they are aware of negative societal stereotypes about the academic competence of African Americans. This sequential mixed-methods study investigated whether the standardized testing experiences of African American children in an urban elementary school are related to their level of stereotype awareness. The quantitative phase utilized data from 198 African American children at an urban elementary school. Both ex-post facto and experimental designs were employed. Experimental conditions were diagnostic and non-diagnostic testing experiences. The qualitative phase utilized data from a series of six focus group interviews conducted with a purposefully selected group of 4 African American children. The interview data were supplemented with data from 30 hours of classroom observations. Quantitative findings indicated that the stereotype threat condition evoked by diagnostic testing depresses the reading test performance of stereotype-aware African American children (F[1, 194] = 2.21, p < .01). This was particularly true of students who are most highly domain-identified with reading (F[1, 91] = 19.18, p < .01). Moreover, findings indicated that only stereotype-aware African American children who were highly domain-identified were more likely to experience anxiety in the diagnostic condition (F[1, 91] = 5.97, p < .025). Qualitative findings revealed 4 themes regarding how African American children perceive and experience the factors related to stereotype threat: (1) a narrow perception of education as strictly test preparation, (2) feelings of stress and anxiety related to the state test, (3) concern with what “others” think (racial salience), and (4) stereotypes. A new conceptual model for stereotype threat is presented, and future directions including implications for practice and policy are discussed.
Wasserberg, Martin J., "Stereotype Threat and the Standardized Testing Experiences of African American Children at an Urban Elementary School" (2009). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 116.
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Elementary Education and Teaching Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education Commons, Social Psychology Commons, Urban Education Commons


Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable
Promoting Pollution Prevention Through Information Exchange
GLRPPR Sector Resource: Pollution Prevention for Arts Education Topic Hub
The Pollution Prevention for Arts Education Topic Hub describes the health and environmental hazards found in art education settings, including the theatrical arts. Ideas for using pollution prevention in the art classroom, including suggestions for alternative, more environmentally-friendly materials and products, are provided. The contents are applicable to all educational institutions, including K-12, colleges and universities, and informal education programs. Theater groups may also benefit from the information provided by this Topic Hub. In addition to the standard features of a Topic Hub (as described above), this Topic Hub includes a glossary of terms; information on environmental regulations related to art health and safety; a section identifying regional and national suppliers of non-toxic and least-toxic materials for art education; and a "Curricula" section that provides a selection of high-quality educational tools for teachers seeking to offer alternatives for their students, with links to educational materials and programs. The Pollution Prevention for Arts Education Topic Hub was developed by GLRPPR staff members with technical input and review provided by professionals from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. EPA Region 5 and the School of Public Health at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Date of Publication:
One East Hazelwood Drive; Champaign, IL; 61820; (800) 407-0261; email@example.com


A collaborative approach to English language learners' literacy and language development
The purpose of this study was to identify the role of the collaborative approach to language and literacy development (CALLD) of the reading comprehension and language development of third- and fourth-grade English language learners (ELLs). The Second purpose was to describe the roles of two mainstream teachers and one ESL teacher in facilitating instruction to meet the academic and language demands of these English language learners. ^ The participants were from an intact sample consisted of 8 English Language Learners (ELLs). They were part of a third and fourth grade mainstream class in which all the instruction was conducted in English. Three elementary school teachers participated in this study. Two of the three teachers were mainstream classroom teachers and one was an ESL specialist. The study was conducted in an elementary school in Rockland County, New York during a six-week period. Data was collected through, the Qualitative Reading Inventory-II (QRI-II), the New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT), open-ended questionnaires, teacher interviews, teachers and students' reflections, observations and audio/video recordings. The study sought to identify: (a) English reading comprehension and oral language development, (b) the types of strategies that occurred during interactions between ELLs and English proficient students while they worked in collaborative reading groups and the role they played in collaborative groups, (c) the ELLs' perceptions of the benefits of using the CALLD strategy, (d) the roles of the two mainstream teachers and one ESL teacher using the CALLD strategy model, and (e) the main characteristic of the CALLD strategy. ^ The analysis of the findings of this study indicated that: (a) participating ELL students made progress in reading comprehension and oral language, (b) demonstrated frequent use of effective reading comprehension and language strategies, (c) participating ELLs made improvement in listening and speaking and in cognitive and analytical proficiencies, (d) participants gained confidence in the completion of collaborative reading activities, (e) group discussions increased participating ELLs' reading comprehension and (f) participating teachers had multiple opportunities to mediate and scaffold student learning. ^ The findings suggest that CALLD was effective in the development and improvement of 8 ELLs' reading comprehension. ^
Education, Bilingual and Multicultural|Language, Linguistics|Education, Elementary
"A collaborative approach to English language learners' literacy and language development"
(January 1, 2007).
ETD Collection for Fordham University.


The International Society for Music Education (ISME) believes that lived experiences of music, in all their many aspects, are a vital part of the life of all people. ISME's mission is to enhance those experiences by:
- building and maintaining a worldwide community of music educators characterized by mutual respect and support;
- fostering global intercultural understanding and cooperation among the world's music educators; and
- promoting music education for people of all ages in all relevant situations throughout the world.
ISME Core Values
To build and maintain a worldwide community of music educators the ISME affirms that:
- there is a need for music education in all cultures;
- effective music education depends on suitably qualified teachers who are respected and compensated properly for their work;
- all teacher education curricula should provide skills in and understandings of a selection of both local and international musics;
- formal and informal music education programs should serve the individual needs of all learners, including those with special needs and exceptional competencies; and
- music education programs should take as a point of departure the existence of a wide variety of musics, all of which are worthy of understanding and study.
With respect to international and intercultural understandings and cooperation, the ISME believes that:
- the richness and diversity of the world's music provides opportunities for intercultural learning and international understanding, co-operation and peace; and
- in music education everywhere, respect for all kinds of music should be emphasized.
In its promotion of music education worldwide, the ISME maintains that:
- access for all people to music learning opportunities and to participate actively in various aspects of music is essential for the wellbeing of the individual and Society;
- in teaching the musics of the world, the integrity of each music and its value criteria should be fully respected; and
- access to music, information about music, and opportunities to develop musical and related skills can occur in a range of ways, that are essential in satisfying peoples' diverse musical needs, interests, and capacities.


Kodaly's Principles in Practice
An Approach to Music Education through the Kodály Method. Composed by Zoltan Kodaly (1882-1967). EMB. Softcover. 89 pages. Editio Musica Budapest #Z14804. Published by Editio Musica Budapest (HL.50497660).
Item Number: HL.50497660
ISBN 9633307627. 6x9 inches.
Includes: extracts from statements and observations on music education made by Zoltán Kodály, historical roots of Hungarian music education in other European pedagogical systems, the role of singing and folk-song, arrangement by age-groups, the teaching of specific elements (form, harmony, transposition, writing), the Kodály method applied to the teaching of instruments.


Research on a Homo sapiens juvenile fossil shows that modern human developmental patterns emerged more than 160,000 years ago.
An international research team led by scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (Leipzig, Germany) and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (Grenoble, France) has found evidence that some of the earliest members of our species had evolved our characteristically long developmental period, and most likely our extended childhood, over 160,000 years ago.
These findings are in contrast to studies that suggest that early fossil hominins possessed short growth periods, which were more similar to chimpanzees than to living humans. With an innovative combination of a novel application of synchrotron imaging, high-resolution microtomography, and developmental analysis, the team reconstructed tooth growth and determined the age at death of a fossil juvenile from Jebel Irhoud, Morocco.
This study represents the first non-destructive approach to characterize dental development with a high degree of precision, as synchrotron images reveal microscopic internal growth lines without damage to the specimen. The team found that the Moroccan fossil child showed an equivalent degree of tooth development to living human children at the same age. These findings and other evidence suggest that modern biological, behavioural, and cultural characteristics appeared relatively late in the past six million years of human evolution.
Modern human origins continues to be one of the most hotly debated topics among anthropologists, and there is little consensus about where and when the first members of our species, Homo sapiens, became fully modern. While fossil evidence tells a complex tale of mosaic change during the African Stone Age, almost nothing is known about changes in human ‘life history,’ or the timing of development, reproductive scheduling, and lifespan.
Tooth growth, and most importantly molar tooth eruption age, represents one of the most powerful clues to reconstruct growth processes in fossil humans. By using incremental growth lines in teeth, similar to annual rings in trees, developmental rate and time may be accurately established millions of years after death. Research during the past two decades has shown that early fossil humans (australopithecines and early Homo) possessed short growth periods, which were more similar to chimpanzees than to living humans. However, it unclear when, in and which group of fossil humans, the modern condition of a relatively long childhood arose.
In this study, tooth growth and eruption was examined in one of the earliest representatives of Homo sapiens, found in Jebel Irhoud, Morocco and dated to approximately 160,000 years ago. The novel application of high-resolution propagation phase contrast X-ray synchrotron microtomography, developed by Paul Tafforeau during his PhD studies, permits previously inaccessible developmental features to be revealed non-destructively.
Information on tooth growth in the Moroccan child was compared with other fossil and living human populations to determine if the modern condition of prolonged dental development was present. The results suggest that the Moroccan child, at almost 8 years of age, is currently the oldest member of the genus Homo to show a modern human life history profile. The team suggests that an extended period of development, and by implication childhood, may be linked to the origins of social, biological and cultural changes needed to support dependent children with greater opportunities for early childhood learning.
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Music education has proven to increase concentration abilities as well as intuitive and conceptual thinking. Students in top-quality music programs scored 22% better in English and 20% better in math than students in deficient music programs, regardless of the school's socioeconomic level or district, according to the Music Educators National Conference. Schools with music programs have significantly higher graduation rates than those without (90.2%as compared to 72.9% according to a 2006 Harris survey of high school principals).
Research strongly suggests that children, who learn and participate in music, acquire skills that help them in decision making, problem solving, creative thinking, and teamwork. An increasing number of studies also find that music programs motivate children to learn, assisting in improving performance in core academic subjects. For some children, music education provides the impetus to stay in school until graduation and, for others, the inspiration to pursue college education. Music education programs will continue to play a pivotal role as Florida struggles to improve high school graduation rates, develop pre-kindergarten programs, and counter the achievement gap in urban communities.
Three years of research at seven top universities has proven that music education is directly correlated with other cognitive abilities. Music education was strongly linked to children's skills in geometric reasoning, according to Dr. Elizabeth Spelke's research at Harvard. This mathematics skill, which is essential for architects, engineers, astronomers and others, is one of three basic systems that underlie ability in mathematics.
Additionally, a striking correlation was found between music education and reading acquisition. Dr. Brian Wandell of Stanford found that the amount of music education children had in the first year of his three-year study directly correlated with the amount of improvements in children's reading fluency over those three years. He also found that the children with music education also demonstrated better phonological awareness, which is one of the central predictors of early literacy.
Another correlation between music education and cognition, specifically memory, was made by Dr. John Jonides at the University of Michigan. His research demonstrated that people intensively exposed to music education apply rehearsal strategies-essentially cognitive strategies rather than brain changes-to maintain information in working [immediate] and long-term memory more effectively.
A majority of Fortune 500 companies have stated that, even more than reading and math, students in the United States need to learn the core skills of innovation to succeed in a competitive world economy. Music education provides skills like: imagining possibilities; having the courage, persistence and discipline to pursue them; working in a team, integrating feedback, and performing under pressure. The critical skills children develop when they struggle with their instrument, write a song, join a band or find their voice in a choir, are the same skills needed to succeed in a creative economy and solve our greatest future challenges.


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- Oxford University Press 2005; US$ 72.99
Following the earlier volumes in the Studies in Musical Genesis and Structure series, Mahler's Fourth Symphony is a study of origins of one of Mahler's most popular and accessible works. James Zychowicz examines how the composition evolved from the earliest ideas to the finished score, and in doing so sheds new light on Mahler's working process. more...


Details about Philosophy and the Analysis of Music:
A musical experience is marked by the synthesis of passion and rationality, emotion and understanding, and body and mind. Ferrara demonstrates that each method of musical analysis confines musical significance to a single level: formal methods explain musical syntax; phenemonological methods describe the sound-in-time; and hermeneutic approaches interpret referential meanings. Ferrara devises an eclectic method that provides bridges for musical sound, form, and reference.In response to the multiplicity of levels of musical significance, Ferrara's eclectic method draws upon a wide-ranging number of conventional and non-conventional approaches to musical analysis which results in a dialectic of methods. Referential meanings are concretized, clarified, and delimited by the degree to which they can be grounded in the sound-in-time and formal elements; the latter are reexamined, expanded, and enriched by referential insights. In the last two chapters, the eclectic method is tested through analyses of works by Bela Bartok and David Zinn. This book is intended for trained music listeners and performers, music analysts, musicologists, and those interested in aesthetics and the development of music and music education.
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Will children who grow up in the age of excessive text messaging see their spelling and reading skills suffer as a result?
Not necessarily, according to a new study from the British Academy. In fact, in an examination of schoolchildren’s texting habits, the kids who used more “textisms” — abbreviations such as “plz” (please) and “l8ter” (later) — showed higher scores on some spelling, phonetics, reading comprehension and other English language competency tests.
“We have found no support in our research for the negative media and public speculation surrounding mobile phone use, text language and its effects on literacy development,” wrote study authors Beverly Plester and Clare Wood, both psychology professors at Coventry University in the United Kingdom.
The researchers conducted three different studies of 8- to 12-year-old children with sample sizes ranging from 60 to 90 kids. They measured how often the kids sent text messages, with “high frequency” texters doing so three or more times per day and “low frequency” kids sending messages once or twice daily. They took a look at the kids’ grasp of textisms by asking them to translate a sentence in “regular English” to textisms and vice versa, and compared their findings with the kids’ verbal IQ, reasoning, spelling and reading test scores.
In one of the studies, the proportions of textisms that kids used in their sentence translations was positively linked to verbal reasoning; the more textspeak kids used, the higher their test scores. Another study found a high correlation between spelling scores and the proportions of textisms. And the kids who used the most textisms consisting of abbreviated words (like nite instead of night) or youth-type slang (wanna, gonna, hafta, etc.) were also high scorers on spelling tests.
The kids who scored well on English proficiency exams produced a lower number of interpretation errors, meaning “they could slip between standard school English when it was required in [standardized English] tests, and casual text language when that was appropriate,” the authors wrote.
The researchers also found that the younger the age at which the kids had received mobile phones, the better their ability to read words and identify patterns of sound in speech — and the more textisms they used. Scores on vocabulary tests were also positively associated with the use of textisms in sentence translations. However, in a portion of one of the studies, there was a negative association between high-frequency texting and verbal and nonverbal reasoning test scores.
So why the largely positive association between verbal and literacy skills and text messaging? Children’s reading ability is strongly predicted by exposure to written language, and the authors guessed that text messaging is just another platform by which kids encounter words and play around with spelling and word choices.
“Textism use was actually driving the development of phonological awareness and reading skill in children,” said Ms. Wood in a statement. “Texting also appears to be a valuable form of contact with written English for many children, which enables them to practice reading and spelling on a daily basis.”
She added, “If we are seeing a decline in literacy standards among young children, it is in spite of text messaging, not because of it.”


What is the difference between Montessori and Traditional Education?
In more everyday terms, Montessorians disagree with the idea that all children learn in the exact same way at the exact same time of their life. They believe that to be an effective teacher you can’t say, “It is the 4th day, of the 3rd month, of second grade, so open your math book to page 49 and…” Instead we observe each child and ask ourselves, “What does this child understand? What is the next concept this child needs to learn? In which way does this child learn? (Are they observers? Talkers? Someone who needs to physically…
Can you summarize the Montessori philosophy in one sentence?
Montessori education is scientifically based, multi-modality, data-driven differentiated instruction using small flexible groupings for explicit instruction and individualized practiced during an extended global access time to insure that each student is working at their maximum plane of development while addressing the state’s mandatory standards.’
A sentence using everyday terms:
Montessori education is based on the belief that children are individuals with their own strengths, needs, likes and learning styles, therefore the teacher needs to guide each child through the learning process by using materials that fit their specific needs and pace.
I've been told that Montessori is 'unstructured'. Is this true?
In a Montessori classroom where the children are all working at their “maximum plane of development” and therefore doing different things, the “structure” revolves around rules and procedures so that they can all be doing those different things, but still learn.
What if the child just doesn't want to work? Since Montessori is not based on punishments and rewards, how is this issue dealt with?
AMI Montessorians, especially those that come from a preschool environment and have followed their students to the elementary level will be the ones who adhere to the belief that all materials and concepts should be “self-chosen” most tenaciously. This is because IT WAS a preschool belief. If you think about it, during Dr. Montessori’s time children entering kindergarten weren’t expected to know things like continents, landforms and cultures.
How do most children adjust to traditional school after being in a Montessori school?
At first she is shocked and confused by the rules of the school. As she says in a voice over,”Never before had I lived in a world where adults didn’t trust me. I got in trouble for the most random things.” Then she is seen getting up to sharpen her pencil or to go to the bathroom and teachers being dismayed with her.
How do Montessori children do in college and the work environment?
Montessori education has been at the forefront of these studies and has been studied extensively over the past few years.All the research states that on the average, children in a true Montessori environment do as well as or better on standardized tests than children in a more traditional environment. On things that aren’t tested, like science, history, social interactions, they almost always score better.
What are the pros and cons of a multi-age classroom?
No textbooks, no grades! Someone explain this to me because it does not make any sense!
Are Montessori schools relevant in today's society?
As far as relevance in elementary education, over the past few years billions of dollars have been spent to assure that teachers know inside and out the most recent scientifically based research on education that there is.
If Montessori education is so great then why do the majority of schools stop at 12 years of age?
Montessori philosophy states that as children mature so does their brain. As their brain matures, it acquires and processes information differently. Our classrooms are set up to reflect these different methods of acquiring and processing knowledge.
Is Montessori education adaptable to all cultures?
With that said, there is a problem in adapting it for the educational system of a culture that has high stakes testing and therefore a focus on rote memorization. It is not that Montessori children don’t generally do well when tested, but it is the fear that they won’t that worries parents and non-Montessori educated administrators and teachers.
Why don't public schools use the Montessori Method?
I see that the American Montessori Society has connections to peace movements. I don't want my kids to be indoctrinated by any side. Is Montessori categorically liberal?
Education for Peace is teaching children to think about other ways of solving problems besides violence. It is our firm belief that children who are taught to respect other people, their cultures and beliefs, only resort to violence as a last resort.


MATH& 131 Math for Elementary Education I • 5 Cr.
Study of problem solving strategies, number theory and numeration related to topics taught at the K-8 level. Includes analysis of learning difficulties and teaching strategies for these concepts. Fulfills the quantitative or symbolic reasoning course requirement at BC. Prerequisite: Placement by assessment, or MATH 099 with a C or better.
After completing this class, students should be able to:
- Use problem-solving models and apply them to concepts introduced throughout the course.
- Explain the structure of the real number system and how this structure relates to learning mathematics.
- Use various algorithms and mental computations to solve problems dealing with whole numbers, fractions, decimals, ratios, proportions, and percentages.
- Apply basic number theory concepts.
- Perform operations in different bases. Perform basic function operations, including identifying the domain and range of a function from its graph.


Activities are from the National Center for Family Literacy (www.famlit.org), a nonprofit organization recognized as the leader in family literacy development. (NAA 2007 literacy tab, Newspapers Give People Knowledge and Guidance.)
1. Help your child write a letter to a family member. Ask her to tell about her day. Take the letter to the post office or closest mailbox, and mail it.
2. Read a newspaper article together. Ask whether the important ideas were at the beginning or the end of the article.
3. Plan a weekend outing to the park. Check the weather map each day that week to see what the weather forecast is and how it changes.
4. Pretend to be a newspaper reporter and interview your child about her favorite book. Ask all the “W” questions – who, what, where, when and why.
5. Talk about a photo in the newspaper. Ask your child what he thinks is happening in the photo. What might have happened right before the photo was taken? Right after?
6. Cut out some numbers from the newspaper. Ask your child to put them in order from smallest to largest. Leave a number out of a group of consecutive numbers. Ask your child which number is missing. (Do this counting by twos or fives).


By IAN SKOTTE
Drums banged, instruments tinged and feet tapped.
It was all part of a free “West Africa meets hip-hop” interactive performance and workshop held at the library and co-sponsored by Tullahoma Parks and Recreation Department.
“(Hands on with) Zig opens the door to allowing kids to be creative musically, even if they aren’t involved in music,” said parks and recreation activities director Merrill Meadows.
“By using his ‘if you can say it, you can play it’ method, the children and adults were able to create West African and hip-hop rhythms that had us dancing in the library.”
Zig Wajler is a professional musician, educational technology specialist and author of several music education books who has been called the ‘Pied Piper’ of music by multiple publications.
Wajler showed off his music skills Thursday afternoon with subtle moves of his hands.
“You have to use your eyes,” Wajler told the children gathered for the workshop. “Why? Because when you do that your ears are going to this (to the left, right and all around, he demonstrated) and your eyes are to see me play with my fingers, my thumbs, my palms and my hands.”
He didn’t stop there. Wajler used his body as an instrument by calling out West African chants while shaking, scraping and stomping.
Pulling out bizarre looking instruments, Wajler extracted unique sounds that would get the kids moving.
“There is just no way to sit still during a hands-on with Zig interactive program,” said Meadows.
With a background in West African music, Wajler taught attendees the “African way.”
“The African way is to ‘say’ what you play,” he said. This involves learning the instrument’s name, which included an udu and djembe.
Wajler said he hasn’t forgotten his roots, though, and pays homage to his teachers.
“The reason I get to do this,” he said, “is I had wonderful teachers. When I play, I consider it a reflection of them. And if you remember one thing that I mentioned today it’s that we’re all successful. That’s great.”
Wajler offers programs to schools all over Tennessee. To learn more, go to his website at handsonwithzig.com


The Benefits of Music or Dance Classes
Have you ever seen your baby stop what he was doing in order to bounce to music? Have you been
amazed by the creative and dramatic movements of your child? You know your child loves music!
Did you know music and movement is inherent in each of us? Through music and movement we find
a way to express ourselves and soothe ourselves. We develop a sense of grace; and motor,
language,cognitive, emotional and social skills.
Music stimulates every area of the brain. When movement is added to the music, the brain
receives even more stimuli, encouraging the growth of vital neurotransmitters.
When you dance while holding your baby, he is internalizing your motions, and is developing his
own steady beat - that underlying, unchanging, repeating pulse. Feeling and moving to steady
beat develops a sense of time and the ability to organize and coordinate movements within time.
When young children are enrolled in music or dance classes, they receive the opportunity to have
fun with peers while developing their intellectual, social and physical skills - plus coordination and
discipline. They gain self confidence with their emerging abilities.
Kindermusik begins classes with babies, stimulating the child while giving bonding time with the
parent. It also provides the parent with the opportunity to network with other adults. As the
child progesses through Kindermusik classes, he/she learns better self expression, is guided
through imaginative musical musical activities, and, finally, begins to read music through
musical games. At around age 7 or 8, the typical child is ready to begin private instrumental
Research has been done on the correlation of music lessons with school grades. One 6-month study
compared a group of children who received piano lessons and practiced regularly with a group who
did not receive music lessons. The math scores of the children who received piano lessons went up
while the scores of the control group did not! Wow!
Creative Movement dance classes begin at age 3 and continue through life. Children learn in an
age-appropriate environment the importance of being a team player, have opportunities to perform
on stage, learn to apreciate the beauty of the performing arts; all of this while discovering their
own unique talents.
DID YOU KNOW?
Young people who participate in the arts for at least 3 hours on 3 days each week through at least
one full year are:
4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement
3 times more likely to be elected to class office within their schools
4 times more likely to participate in a math and science fair
3 times more ikely to win an award for school attendance
4 times more ikely to win an award for writing an essay or poem
Yong artists, as compared with their peers, are likely to:
Attend music, art, and dance classes nearly three times as frequently
Participate in youth groups nearly four times as frequently
Read for pleasure nearly twice as often
Perform community service more than four times as often
Music education helps other disciplines of learning...
According to Don Campbell, author of The Mozart Effect, tracing neurological development through
childhood provides the answer. Prior to a major spurt of neural integration in the brain during the
elementary school years, learning occurs through movement and quick emotinal associations. For
example, by age 2, the brain has begun to fuse with the body via marching, dancing, and developing
a sense of physical rhythm. The more music children are exposed to before they enter school, the
more deeply this stage of neural coding will assist them throughout their lives.
Skills learned through music carries over into study skills, communications skills and cognitive skills
useful to all parts of life. For example, research supports that music helps prepare the mind for
specific disciplines of learning. One such study referenced in a 1997 article in Neurological
Research indicated that music training is far superior to computer instruction in dramatically
enhancing children's abstract reasoning skills, the skills necessary for learning math and science.
Even our elected officials have realized the importance of music for our children. Federal law,
No Child Left Behind Act of 2002, states, "Studying music encourages self discipine and diligence
traits that carry over into mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and government,
economics, arts, history and geography."