Steven A. Melnick

National New Teacher Study: Beginning Teachers' Concerns.

Abstract This paper presents the results of a national new teacher study which asked first- and second-year teachers to respond to concerns in these four areas: classroom management, time management, communication with parents, and academic preparation. Two hundred seventy-three teachers from 41 states responded to the Internet survey.

Measuring the Reader Self-Perceptions of Adolescents: Introducing the RSPS2

This paper introduces a new affective instrument for assessing the reader self-perceptions of students in grades seven through ten. The Reader Self-Perception Scale 2 (RSPS2) builds upon its predecessor, the RSPS, a tool that measures the reading efficacy beliefs of children in grades four through six. New items were created for the RSPS2 to reflect differences in the expectations for adolescent reading. The instrument was piloted on 488 students, revised, and then validates with an additional 2,542 students in the target grades. Factor analytic procedures revealed four factors emerging on the RSPS2. Items for Progress, Observational Comparison, Social Feedback, and Physiological States clustered as expected into scales with reliabilities ranging from .87 to .95. The article includes a description of the instrument, an explanation of its possible uses in assessment, instruction, and research, as well as directions for administration, scoring, and interpretation.

Upper elementary‐aged children's reported perceptions about good readers: A self‐efficacy influenced update in transitional literacy contexts

Abstract This study sought to update the criteria by which fourth, fifth, and sixth grade children in transitional literacy contexts form reading ability judgments. A total of 56 students of varying reading abilities responded orally to interview questions structured around Banduras (1977, 1982) model of self‐efficacy. Transcript analyses produced 15 separate criterial categories, 10 of which clustered into four major category groupings. In making “good reader” judgments, children most frequently referenced the public performance/fluency category grouping of reading (i.e., word recognition, word analysis, and reading rate). The three other major category groupings included selected teacher practices (verbal praise and call upon patterns) as well as indicators of affect (amount of reading, enjoyment, and recreational reading) and classroom achievement (task/test performance and grades). Comprehension, studying/practice, providing or receiving assistance, reading group membership, and effort represented re...

An affective comparison of whole language, literature‐based, and basal reader literacy instruction

Abstract This paper describes a multiple site study comparing whole language, literature‐based, and basal reader literacy instruction in terms of three recently developed affective measures: the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey (ERAS), the Reader Self‐Perception Scale (RSPS), and the Writer Self‐Perception Scale (WSPS). The study included a total of 396 elementary‐aged children in fourth, fifth, and sixth grade from 28 different classrooms in two states. The literacy instruction in these classrooms were categorized as either whole language, literature‐based, or basal reader by using three indicators (Theoretical Orientation to Reading Profile, structured teacher interviews, and classroom observations). No significant differences were found between the three literacy approaches on the scales of the RSPS; however, significant differences favoring the literature‐based approach were found on two scales of the WSPS (Specific Progress and Social Feedback) and the Academic Reading scale of the ERAS. Analyses o...

Researchers at the Gate: Factors Influencing Districts' Right of Entry Decisions

Background: The No Child Left Behind legislation creates an increased need for new school-based empirical studies whose implementation will depend largely on researchers’ access to various school populations and records. Access decisions are typically made by superintendents, or their designees, functioning as gatekeepers who control right of entry. Understanding the factors driving these decisions could enhance the desirability of proposals and increase access rates for quantitative and qualitative researchers alike. Purpose: The purpose of this research was to query districts about four key access factors including (a) researcher trustworthiness, (b) associated risks, (c) costs and benefits, and (d) potential contribution to the field. Research Method: This study used a series of interviews followed by a systematic survey. Participants: Ten superintendents were interviewed followed by a survey of 310 districts in Connecticut, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. Findings: Although trustworthiness was expected to supercede other factors, districts reported greater interest in elements of risk and in research having widespread educational value. Costs and material benefits (e.g., equipment, credit, and compensation) were not highly emphasized nor relatively important. Professional development, planning, and instructional benefits mattered more. Implications for Research and Practice: Given the increasing emphasis on scientifically based research for school decision-making and program reform, the present study is notable for two reasons. First, it provides researchers with insights into the decision-making process involved in granting permission to conduct research in the schools. Second, it can help to improve the quality of proposals received by school districts, thereby increasing the likelihood of positive right-of-entry decisions and resulting in better informed decisions.

High School Staff Development: Matching Activities To Outcomes:

Principals must consider the desired outcomes when planning staff development activities. This article dis cusses three types of staff development outcomes and describes the reported types of training activities that teachers want staff develop ers to use in achieving those outcomes.