This study examines the relationships between student literacy performance and discussion-based approaches to the development of understanding in 64 middle and high school English classrooms. A series of hierarchical linear models indicated that discussion-based approaches were significantly related to spring performance, controlling for fall performance and other background variables. These approaches were effective across a range of situations and for low-achieving as well as high-achieving students, although interpretations are complicated because instruction is unequally distributed across tracks. Overall, the results suggest that students whose classroom literacy experiences emphasize discussion-based approaches in the context of high academic demands internalize the knowledge and skills necessary to engage in challenging literacy tasks on their own.

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This paper suggests that students' opportunities to learn may I , stratified both between and within schools. Schools serving a more affluent and able clientele may offer more rigorous and enriched programs of study, and students in college preparatory curricular programs may have greater access to advanced courses within schools. This notion is tested with a longitudinal, nationally representative sample of public school students from the High School and Beyond data set. The results show few effects of school composition and offerings between schools, but important within-school influences of curricular tracking and course taking. In most cases, the difference in achievement between tracks exceeds the gap between students in school and dropouts, suggesting that students' choice of courses in school may be even more important for the development of cognitive skills than whether one is in school or not. References and 10 data tables are included. (Author/TE)

In order to address concerns about the intellectual quality of students' work under various "active learning" formats appearing in education reform efforts, this study developed a model of authentic pedagogy and assessed its presence in 23 restructured schools. The proposed authentic pedagogy is consistent with an active learning perspective and posits standards of intellectual quality, rathet than teaching techniques or processes, as the central target of innovation. The study defined authentic academic achievement with three criteria: construction of knowledge, disciplined inquiry, and value beyond school. The school study examined instruction for one year at 23 schools (equally divided among elementary, middle, and high schools) with emphasis on six valued outcomes: (1) authentic pedagogy and authentic academic performance; (2) equity for students; (3) empowerment of teachers, parents, and principals; (4) sense of community among staff and students; (5) reflective professional dialogue; and (6) accountability. The study found that schools varied substantially in their success on standards for authentic pedagogy. Overall, pedagogy was rarely rated at the higher levels of the study's standard indicating that the promotion of authentic teaching is enormously difficult. Authentic pedagogy did appear to improve authentic academic performance for all students in mathematics and social studies. Finally, student achievement was reasonably equitable across gender, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. (Contains 44 references.) (JB) * * from the original document. *