TY - BOOK AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine A2 - Ruby Takanishi A2 - Suzanne Le Menestrel TI - Promoting the Educational Success of Children and Youth Learning English: Promising Futures SN - DO - 10.17226/24677 PY - 2017 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/24677/promoting-the-educational-success-of-children-and-youth-learning-english PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Education KW - Behavioral and Social Sciences AB - Educating dual language learners (DLLs) and English learners (ELs) effectively is a national challenge with consequences both for individuals and for American society. Despite their linguistic, cognitive, and social potential, many ELs—who account for more than 9 percent of enrollment in grades K-12 in U.S. schools—are struggling to meet the requirements for academic success, and their prospects for success in postsecondary education and in the workforce are jeopardized as a result. Promoting the Educational Success of Children and Youth Learning English: Promising Futures examines how evidence based on research relevant to the development of DLLs/ELs from birth to age 21 can inform education and health policies and related practices that can result in better educational outcomes. This report makes recommendations for policy, practice, and research and data collection focused on addressing the challenges in caring for and educating DLLs/ELs from birth to grade 12. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council A2 - Melissa Welch-Ross TI - Language Diversity, School Learning, and Closing Achievement Gaps: A Workshop Summary SN - DO - 10.17226/12907 PY - 2010 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12907/language-diversity-school-learning-and-closing-achievement-gaps-a-workshop PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Education AB - The Workshop on the Role of Language in School Learning: Implications for Closing the Achievement Gap was held to explore three questions: What is known about the conditions that affect language development? What are the effects of early language development on school achievement? What instructional approaches help students meet school demands for language and reading comprehension? Of particular interest was the degree to which group differences in school achievement might be attributed to language differences, and whether language-related instruction might help to close gaps in achievement by helping students cope with language-intensive subject matter especially after the 3rd grade. The workshop provided a forum for researchers and practitioners to review and discuss relevant research findings from varied perspectives. The disciplines and professions represented included: language development, child development, cognitive psychology, linguistics, reading, educationally disadvantaged student populations, literacy in content areas (math, science, social studies), and teacher education. The aim of the meeting was not to reach consensus or provide recommendations, but rather to offer expert insight into the issues that surround the study of language, academic learning, and achievement gaps, and to gather varied viewpoints on what available research findings might imply for future research and practice. This book summarizes and synthesizes two days of workshop presentations and discussion. ER - TY - BOOK TI - Development During Middle Childhood: The Years From Six to Twelve SN - DO - 10.17226/56 PY - 1984 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/56/development-during-middle-childhood-the-years-from-six-to-twelve PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Behavioral and Social Sciences KW - Education AB - For the first time, a report focuses specifically on middle childhood—a discrete, pivotal period of development. In this review of research, experts examine the physical health and cognitive development of 6- to 12-year-old children as well as their surroundings: school and home environment, ecocultural setting, and family and peer relationships. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council A2 - Michael M. Meyer A2 - Stephen E. Fienberg TI - Assessing Evaluation Studies: The Case of Bilingual Education Strategies SN - DO - 10.17226/2014 PY - 1992 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/2014/assessing-evaluation-studies-the-case-of-bilingual-education-strategies PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Education AB - Bilingual education has long been the subject of major disagreements in this country. This book provides a detailed critique of the two largest studies of U.S. bilingual education programs. It examines the goals of the studies and what can be learned from them. In addition, using these studies as cases, this book provides guidelines on how to plan large evaluation studies to achieve useful answers to major policy questions about education. ER - TY - BOOK AU - Institute of Medicine AU - National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine A2 - Sara Rosenbaum A2 - Patti Simon TI - Speech and Language Disorders in Children: Implications for the Social Security Administration's Supplemental Security Income Program SN - DO - 10.17226/21872 PY - 2016 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/21872/speech-and-language-disorders-in-children-implications-for-the-social PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Health and Medicine KW - Education AB - Speech and language are central to the human experience; they are the vital means by which people convey and receive knowledge, thoughts, feelings, and other internal experiences. Acquisition of communication skills begins early in childhood and is foundational to the ability to gain access to culturally transmitted knowledge, organize and share thoughts and feelings, and participate in social interactions and relationships. Thus, speech disorders and language disorders—disruptions in communication development—can have wide-ranging and adverse impacts on the ability to communicate and also to acquire new knowledge and fully participate in society. Severe disruptions in speech or language acquisition have both direct and indirect consequences for child and adolescent development, not only in communication, but also in associated abilities such as reading and academic achievement that depend on speech and language skills. The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program for children provides financial assistance to children from low-income, resource-limited families who are determined to have conditions that meet the disability standard required under law. Between 2000 and 2010, there was an unprecedented rise in the number of applications and the number of children found to meet the disability criteria. The factors that contribute to these changes are a primary focus of this report. Speech and Language Disorders in Children provides an overview of the current status of the diagnosis and treatment of speech and language disorders and levels of impairment in the U.S. population under age 18. This study identifies past and current trends in the prevalence and persistence of speech disorders and language disorders for the general U.S. population under age 18 and compares those trends to trends in the SSI childhood disability population. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council A2 - James J. Blascovich A2 - Christine R. Hartel TI - Human Behavior in Military Contexts SN - DO - 10.17226/12023 PY - 2008 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12023/human-behavior-in-military-contexts PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Behavioral and Social Sciences KW - Conflict and Security Issues AB - Human behavior forms the nucleus of military effectiveness. Humans operating in the complex military system must possess the knowledge, skills, abilities, aptitudes, and temperament to perform their roles effectively in a reliable and predictable manner, and effective military management requires understanding of how these qualities can be best provided and assessed. Scientific research in this area is critical to understanding leadership, training and other personnel issues, social interactions and organizational structures within the military. The U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences (ARI) asked the National Research Council to provide an agenda for basic behavioral and social research focused on applications in both the short and long-term. The committee responded by recommending six areas of research on the basis of their relevance, potential impact, and timeliness for military needs: intercultural competence; teams in complex environments; technology-based training; nonverbal behavior; emotion; and behavioral neurophysiology. The committee suggests doubling the current budget for basic research for the behavioral and social sciences across U.S. military research agencies. The additional funds can support approximately 40 new projects per year across the committee's recommended research areas. Human Behavior in Military Contexts includes committee reports and papers that demonstrate areas of stimulating, ongoing research in the behavioral and social sciences that can enrich the military's ability to recruit, train, and enhance the performance of its personnel, both organizationally and in its many roles in other cultures. ER - TY - BOOK A2 - Diane August A2 - Kenji Hakuta TI - Improving Schooling for Language-Minority Children: A Research Agenda SN - DO - 10.17226/5286 PY - 1997 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/5286/improving-schooling-for-language-minority-children-a-research-agenda PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Education AB - How do we effectively teach children from homes in which a language other than English is spoken? In Improving Schooling for Language-Minority Children, a committee of experts focuses on this central question, striving toward the construction of a strong and credible knowledge base to inform the activities of those who educate children as well as those who fund and conduct research. The book reviews a broad range of studies—from basic ones on language, literacy, and learning to others in educational settings. The committee proposes a research agenda that responds to issues of policy and practice yet maintains scientific integrity. This comprehensive volume provides perspective on the history of bilingual education in the United States; summarizes relevant research on development of a second language, literacy, and content knowledge; reviews past evaluation studies; explores what we know about effective schools and classrooms for these children; examines research on the education of teachers of culturally and linguistically diverse students; critically reviews the system for the collection of education statistics as it relates to this student population; and recommends changes in the infrastructure that supports research on these students. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council A2 - Barbara T. Bowman A2 - M. Suzanne Donovan A2 - M. Susan Burns TI - Eager to Learn: Educating Our Preschoolers SN - DO - 10.17226/9745 PY - 2001 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/9745/eager-to-learn-educating-our-preschoolers PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Education AB - Clearly babies come into the world remarkably receptive to its wonders. Their alertness to sights, sounds, and even abstract concepts makes them inquisitive explorers—and learners—every waking minute. Well before formal schooling begins, children's early experiences lay the foundations for their later social behavior, emotional regulation, and literacy. Yet, for a variety of reasons, far too little attention is given to the quality of these crucial years. Outmoded theories, outdated facts, and undersized budgets all play a part in the uneven quality of early childhood programs throughout our country. What will it take to provide better early education and care for our children between the ages of two and five? Eager to Learn explores this crucial question, synthesizing the newest research findings on how young children learn and the impact of early learning. Key discoveries in how young children learn are reviewed in language accessible to parents as well as educators: findings about the interplay of biology and environment, variations in learning among individuals and children from different social and economic groups, and the importance of health, safety, nutrition and interpersonal warmth to early learning. Perhaps most significant, the book documents how very early in life learning really begins. Valuable conclusions and recommendations are presented in the areas of the teacher-child relationship, the organization and content of curriculum, meeting the needs of those children most at risk of school failure, teacher preparation, assessment of teaching and learning, and more. The book discusses: Evidence for competing theories, models, and approaches in the field and a hard look at some day-to-day practices and activities generally used in preschool. The role of the teacher, the importance of peer interactions, and other relationships in the child's life. Learning needs of minority children, children with disabilities, and other special groups. Approaches to assessing young children's learning for the purposes of policy decisions, diagnosis of educational difficulties, and instructional planning. Preparation and continuing development of teachers. Eager to Learn presents a comprehensive, coherent picture of early childhood learning, along with a clear path toward improving this important stage of life for all children. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council A2 - Catherine E. Snow A2 - Susan B. Van Hemel TI - Early Childhood Assessment: Why, What, and How SN - DO - 10.17226/12446 PY - 2008 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12446/early-childhood-assessment-why-what-and-how PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Behavioral and Social Sciences KW - Education AB - The assessment of young children's development and learning has recently taken on new importance. Private and government organizations are developing programs to enhance the school readiness of all young children, especially children from economically disadvantaged homes and communities and children with special needs. Well-planned and effective assessment can inform teaching and program improvement, and contribute to better outcomes for children. This book affirms that assessments can make crucial contributions to the improvement of children's well-being, but only if they are well designed, implemented effectively, developed in the context of systematic planning, and are interpreted and used appropriately. Otherwise, assessment of children and programs can have negative consequences for both. The value of assessments therefore requires fundamental attention to their purpose and the design of the larger systems in which they are used. Early Childhood Assessment addresses these issues by identifying the important outcomes for children from birth to age 5 and the quality and purposes of different techniques and instruments for developmental assessments. ER - TY - BOOK AU - Institute of Medicine A2 - Marilyn J. Field A2 - Christine K. Cassel TI - Approaching Death: Improving Care at the End of Life SN - DO - 10.17226/5801 PY - 1997 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/5801/approaching-death-improving-care-at-the-end-of-life PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Health and Medicine AB - When the end of life makes its inevitable appearance, people should be able to expect reliable, humane, and effective caregiving. Yet too many dying people suffer unnecessarily. While an "overtreated" dying is feared, untreated pain or emotional abandonment are equally frightening. Approaching Death reflects a wide-ranging effort to understand what we know about care at the end of life, what we have yet to learn, and what we know but do not adequately apply. It seeks to build understanding of what constitutes good care for the dying and offers recommendations to decisionmakers that address specific barriers to achieving good care. This volume offers a profile of when, where, and how Americans die. It examines the dimensions of caring at the end of life: Determining diagnosis and prognosis and communicating these to patient and family. Establishing clinical and personal goals. Matching physical, psychological, spiritual, and practical care strategies to the patient's values and circumstances. Approaching Death considers the dying experience in hospitals, nursing homes, and other settings and the role of interdisciplinary teams and managed care. It offers perspectives on quality measurement and improvement, the role of practice guidelines, cost concerns, and legal issues such as assisted suicide. The book proposes how health professionals can become better prepared to care well for those who are dying and to understand that these are not patients for whom "nothing can be done." ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council A2 - Catherine E. Snow A2 - M. Susan Burns A2 - Peg Griffin TI - Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children SN - DO - 10.17226/6023 PY - 1998 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/6023/preventing-reading-difficulties-in-young-children PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Education AB - While most children learn to read fairly well, there remain many young Americans whose futures are imperiled because they do not read well enough to meet the demands of our competitive, technology-driven society. This book explores the problem within the context of social, historical, cultural, and biological factors. Recommendations address the identification of groups of children at risk, effective instruction for the preschool and early grades, effective approaches to dialects and bilingualism, the importance of these findings for the professional development of teachers, and gaps that remain in our understanding of how children learn to read. Implications for parents, teachers, schools, communities, the media, and government at all levels are discussed. The book examines the epidemiology of reading problems and introduces the concepts used by experts in the field. In a clear and readable narrative, word identification, comprehension, and other processes in normal reading development are discussed. Against the background of normal progress, Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children examines factors that put children at risk of poor reading. It explores in detail how literacy can be fostered from birth through kindergarten and the primary grades, including evaluation of philosophies, systems, and materials commonly used to teach reading. ER - TY - BOOK AU - Institute of Medicine AU - National Research Council A2 - LaRue Allen A2 - Bridget B. Kelly TI - Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8: A Unifying Foundation SN - DO - 10.17226/19401 PY - 2015 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/19401/transforming-the-workforce-for-children-birth-through-age-8-a PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Behavioral and Social Sciences AB - Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children. ER - TY - BOOK AU - National Research Council A2 - Alan M. Lesgold A2 - Melissa Welch-Ross TI - Improving Adult Literacy Instruction: Options for Practice and Research SN - DO - 10.17226/13242 PY - 2012 UR - https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/13242/improving-adult-literacy-instruction-options-for-practice-and-research PB - The National Academies Press CY - Washington, DC LA - English KW - Education AB - A high level of literacy in both print and digital media is required for negotiating most aspects of 21st-century life, including supporting a family, education, health, civic participation, and competitiveness in the global economy. Yet, more than 90 million U.S. adults lack adequate literacy. Furthermore, only 38 percent of U.S. 12th graders are at or above proficient in reading. Improving Adult Literacy Instruction synthesizes the research on literacy and learning to improve literacy instruction in the United States and to recommend a more systemic approach to research, practice, and policy. The book focuses on individuals ages 16 and older who are not in K-12 education. It identifies factors that affect literacy development in adolescence and adulthood in general, and examines their implications for strengthening literacy instruction for this population. It also discusses technologies for learning that can assist with multiple aspects of teaching, assessment,and accommodations for learning. There is inadequate knowledge about effective instructional practices and a need for better assessment and ongoing monitoring of adult students' proficiencies, weaknesses, instructional environments, and progress, which might guide instructional planning. Improving Adult Literacy Instruction recommends a program of research and innovation to validate, identify the boundaries of, and extend current knowledge to improve instruction for adults and adolescents outside school. The book is a valuable resource for curriculum developers, federal agencies such as the Department of Education, administrators, educators, and funding agencies. ER -