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To address chronically low primary school completion rates and the disconnect between learners' skills at the end of primary school and the skills learners need to thrive in secondary school identified in many low- and middle-income countries, more investment is needed to improve the quality of teaching and learning in upper primary grades. Accordingly, we provide guidelines for improving five components of upper primary education: (1) In-service teacher professional development and pre-service preparation to improve and enhance teacher quality; (2) a focus on mathematics, literacy, and core content-area subjects; (3) assessment for learning; (4) high-quality teaching and learning materials; and (5) positive school climates. We provide foundational guiding principles and recommendations for intervention design and implementation for each component. Additionally, we discuss and propose how to structure and design pre-service teacher preparation and in-service teacher training and ongoing support, fortified by materials design and assessment, to help teachers determine where learners are in developmental progressions, move learners towards mastery, and differentiate and support learners who have fallen behind. We provide additional suggestions for integrating a whole-school climate curriculum, social-emotional learning, and school related gender-based violence prevention strategies to address the internal and societal changes learners often face as they enter upper primary.

The World Health Organization and World Bank (2011) estimate that there are more than 1 billion people with disabilities in the world. To address this population's diverse needs, the United Nations drafted their Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2006. Article 24 (Education) of the CRPD requires ratifying countries to develop an inclusive education system to address the educational needs of students with disabilities alongside their peers without disabilities. Despite substantive improvements and movement toward inclusive education, many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) continue to struggle with accurately identifying and supporting students with disabilities, including knowing how to effectively screen, evaluate, and qualify students for additional services (Hayes, Dombrowski, Shefcyk, & Bulat, 2018a). These challenges stem from the lack of policies, practices, and qualified staff related to screening and identification. As a result, many students with less-apparent disabilities--such as children with learning disabilities--remain unidentified and do not receive the academic supports they need to succeed in school (Friend & Bursuck, 2012). This guide attempts to address the lack of appropriate, useful disability screening and identification systems and services as countries look to educate all students in inclusive settings. Specifically, this guide introduces viable options for screening and identification related to vision, hearing, and learning disabilities in inclusive classrooms in LMICs. It also provides guidance on how LMICs can transition from an assessment-center model toward a school-based identification model that better serves an inclusive education system.

Learning disabilities are among the most common disabilities experienced in childhood and adulthood. Although identifying learning disabilities in a school setting is a complex process, it is particularly challenging in low- and middle-income countries that lack the appropriate resources, tools, and supports. This guide provides an introduction to learning disabilities and describes the processes and practices that are necessary for the identification process. It also describes a phased approach that countries can use to assess their current screening and evaluation services, as well as determine the steps needed to develop, strengthen, and build systems that support students with learning disabilities. This guide also provides intervention recommendations that teachers and school administrators can implement at each phase of system development. Although this guide primarily addresses learning disabilities, the practices, processes, and systems described may be also used to improve the identification of other disabilities commonly encountered in schools. [This guide is a complimentary resource to "School and Classroom Disabilities Inclusion Guide for Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Occasional Paper. RTI Press Publication OP-0031-1701" (ED582357) and "Disabilities Inclusive Education Systems and Policies Guide for Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Occasional Paper. RTI Press Publication OP-0043-1707" (ED581498).]

Over the past decade, RTI International has pursued the goal of quality, inclusive, differentiated early grade literacy instruction in nearly 30 early grade reading or early grade literacy programs in low- and middle-income (LMI) countries. Across our diverse portfolio, we have supported Ministries of Education (Ministries) in diverse contexts in their development and implementation of research-based early grade literacy programs and have learned important lessons based on our experience working with Ministries to design, develop, and implement early grade literacy programs. This paper describes the core elements that we have found to improve early grade literacy instruction and learner outcomes: the approach to teaching (Teach), the availability of quality, relevant learner materials (Text), the effective use of instructional time (Time), the use of formative assessment to guide instruction (Test), and provision of instruction in the most effective language (Tongue). This paper focuses on the acquisition of literacy in alphabetic and alphasyllabic languages in the early primary years (most typically, academic levels 1 through 3) and the kinds of exposures, instruction, and support learners need to become fully literate. These are the elements of a literacy program that can be taught, that should be present in teaching and learning materials and in teacher trainings, and that relate specifically to what happens in a classroom. Many more factors contribute to literacy acquisition. However, we focus on the core elements in this paper to delve deeper and facilitate a richer discussion about these components. No one-size-fits-all approach to the development and implementation of literacy programs exists; the local context and constraints of any implementation can require adaptation and adjustments. In many cases, the fully diversified approach to early grade literacy instruction described in the classroom scenario has not yet been achieved. However, we hope that this compilation of lessons learned and best practices achieved through our experiences will help to further the efforts of all to provide high-quality, effective literacy instruction to all learners, particularly those in LMI countries.

Having a disability can be one of the most marginalizing factors in a child's life. In education, finding ways to meet the learning needs of students with disabilities can be challenging, especially in schools, districts, regions, and countries with severely limited resources. Inclusive education--which fully engages all students, including students with disabilities or other learning challenges, in quality education--has proven particularly effective in helping all students learn, even while challenges to implementing inclusive education systems remain. This guide provides suggestions for developing inclusive education systems and policies, especially for low- and middle-income countries that are moving from a segregated system toward an inclusive system of education. We specifically address the needs of countries with limited resources for implementing inclusive education. However, our strategies and recommendations can be equally useful in other contexts where inclusive education practices have not yet been adopted. Two appendices are included.

Having a disability can be one of the most marginalizing factors in a child's life. In education, finding ways to meet the learning needs of children with disabilities can be challenging, especially in schools, districts, regions, and countries with severely limited resources. Inclusive education--which fully engages all children in quality education, including children with various types of disabilities or other learning challenges--has proven particularly effective in helping all children learn, including those with disabilities. This guide provides strategies and recommendations for developing inclusive classrooms and schools. We specifically address the needs of Sub-Saharan African countries, which lack the resources for implementing inclusive education. However, our strategies and recommendations can be equally useful in other contexts where inclusive education practices have not yet been adopted.

Explains how conic sections can be approximated by paper-folding activities and proves why they work. (Author/NB)

Considers why the traditional research paper seems to have been part of the English curriculum forever. Provides a glimpse at what teachers in the past have done to alter its teaching and final format and provides a background against which English teachers may want to reevaluate and reinspire their own teaching of the research paper. (SG)

Introduces a unit consisting of two lessons on paper and recycling. Investigates the properties of recycled paper and includes a paper making activity. (YDS)

Describes a project for high school students where the students write research papers that incorporate oral history interviews. Provides a list of questions students can answer and excerpts from students' research papers. Discusses which National Council for the Social Studies standards the assignment addresses. (CMK)

Describes how undergraduate secondary English education majors in a course on teaching writing defined and created the multigenre research paper, researching a topic and then writing a number of pieces that integrated and interpreted their findings. Notes students' enthusiasm, creativity and ownership; shows two student papers; and describes using the multigenre research paper in a high school class. (SR)

Provides an introduction to the problem of the aging of paper and the conservation techniques that currently are being employed in paper preservation. (MKR)

Describes an instructional approach to teach students the importance of recycling and motivate them to recycle. Explains the history of papermaking and the process of paper making. (YDS)

Describes three strands of knowledge which help students produce better research papers: (1) the four moves employed by authors of journal articles; (2) the strategies employed in writers of localized news stories; and (3) a checklist for localized field research. (NH)

Describes how to use paper analogies as models to illustrate various concepts in biology, human anatomy, and physiology classes. Models include biochemical paper models, protein papergrams, a paper model of early brain development, and a 3-D paper model of a eukaryotic cell. (AIM)

This activity on making recycled paper includes background information, implementation directions, equipment and supply lists, drawings, and forms for students to use as they complete the activity. It may be used to develop a new curriculum or be integrated into an existing one. (JOW)

Discusses problems with freshman research paper assignments. Describes how one teacher has adapted cooperative learning techniques to research assignments, allowing students to work together in "base" and "expert" groups. Describes four structured writing assignments on a single subject of general public interest that lends itself to specialized research in a variety of disciplines. (SR)

Describes the use of a modified version of the I-Search writing process for a high school freshman English research paper. Topics include collaboration between the classroom teacher and the teacher librarian, student journals, research strategies, problem solving, recognizing bias and opinions in sources, student assessments, and teacher observations. (LRW)

Describes the problem of allowing students to voice their opinions in research papers. Argues that seeing this as a problem points to pedagogical problems. Shows how student hesitancy to engage their opinions reflects their own developing epistemology. (HB)

Describes how the author used sequenced assignments (and a range of other strategies) to engage students in genuine inquiry; to remove as much of the fear as possible from the research process; and to put the emphasis on process, not on product. (SR)

This year-long research project encourages student involvement, promotes a sense of mastery, involves the school community, and attempts to provide an incentive for senior Montessori students to continue learning. The curriculum describes the process of choosing a topic, researching, writing, editing, production of the final product, and the oral presentation of findings. (SD)

This instructional module from the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) explains how to design assessments for written reports, develop performance criteria and communicate them to students, monitor progress, and assess the outcome. Learning how to give students a role in assessment adds a dimension to their responsibilities. (SLD)

Gives advice on the proper presentation and selection of conference papers. Suggestions include the following: (1) practice the talk; (2) clarify the paper's thesis; (3) respect the assigned time limit; (4) avoid interpolations; (5) make the paper a complete work; (6) avoid dialogue with the chair; (7) minimize the use of quotations; and (8) answer questions directly and courteously. (one reference) (CK)

Argues that effective history instruction requires students to think about content rather than merely reproduce it. Contends that this can be achieved best through peer interaction based on student research papers that require students to state opinions or positions. Provides an assignment example and a evaluation handout. (CFR)

Explains the objectives of an interdisciplinary elective course for middle school students in which the scientific principles, artistic processes, cultural aspects, and environmental concerns of papermaking are integrated. (DDR)

Demonstrates ways in which students can use popular media sources for the purpose of research in rhetorical and cultural study. States that students come away with a better understanding of how the media usually only take one side or the other. (PA)

Presents two cases that illustrate some of the issues regularly faced by business communication educators: publications and conference presentations and consulting. Notes that each of the cases is followed by a series of specific questions addressing ethical issues raised in the cases. (RS)

Discusses the Gawdy Papers, a mostly unpublished collection of family papers in the British Library consisting of over 5000 documents that cover a large period in the history of modern business writing (1509-c. 1750). Notes that they are extremely helpful in formulating tentative theories about the history of business writing. (SG)

Recent research shows that variation in teacher quality has large effects on student performance. However, this research is based entirely on student test scores. Focusing on high-school math teachers, this paper evaluates teacher quality in terms of another educational outcome of great interest--graduation. I use a unique instrumental variables approach to identify teacher effects and find that differences in teacher quality have large effects on graduation outcomes. Because teacher effects on graduation outcomes will be more pronounced for students who are on the graduation margin, the results imply an avenue through which high-quality teachers are more productive with disadvantaged students. Appended are: (1) Non-Teacher Coefficient Estimates from Models for Schools 2, 3 and 4; and (2) Teacher-Effect Estimates from the GPA Analysis. (Contains 2 figures, 15 tables and 27 footnotes.)

Notes that a difficulty with the multigenre paper assignment is that educators assume that students are familiar enough with the various genres to write skillfully in the genres they select. Suggests that multigenre assignments can be improved by changing forms and format; changing perspectives; and changing boundaries. Concludes that multigenre papers thus provide the opportunity for students to develop expressive and poetic language. (PM)

Focuses on students showing a lack of conceptual insight while using computer algebra systems (CAS) in the setting of an elementary calculus and linear algebra course for first year university students in social sciences. The use of a computer algebra environment has been incorporated into a more traditional course but with special attention on the integration of paper-and-pencil and computer algebra techniques. (Author/MM)

Toilet paper (TP) composition and physical characteristics were used to model scientific investigations that combined several "National Science Education Standards." Experiments with TP permitted the integration of TP history, societal change resulting from invention, mathematics (including geometry and statistics), germ theory, and personal hygiene practices, along with microbiology techniques.

Describes a paper recycling experiment in which students recycle a piece of newsprint to make a new sheet of paper. Involves collection of information from the internet for the activity. Includes both instructor information and a student worksheet. (YDS)

Describes a modified version of the Paper River exercise that appeared in the spring 1999 journal issue. Illustrates the application of the Coase theorem for solving an externality problem. Indicates students share a single productive resource and work in groups rather than pairs as they did in the earlier version. (JEH)

Outlines a class project in which students explore characteristics of paper towels and paper towel advertising. Students design a variety of experiments related to paper towels and their claims. Provides four activities. (DDR)

Uses the PowerPoint program instead of paper in student projects. Describes the background and procedure for project implementation. Presents students' written comments on the project and discusses the challenges of incorporating multimedia into the earth science curriculum. (YDS)

Offers perspectives from a first-year English teacher and from a veteran English teacher on how to deal with the extraordinary amount of paper and paperwork heaped upon teachers and on the importance of the topic of curriculum and curriculum strategies. Argues that teacher preparation programs need to implement courses to train teachers to work with curriculum and provide organizational strategies. (SR)

Argues that teachers can cope with new technology by relating innovative uses of technology to old uses of technology. Compares the impact of laser printers on the form of student writing to the impact of liquid paper (correction fluid); and compares the impact of computer-supported classrooms to earlier efforts to bring typewriters into the classroom. (RS)

Presents a paper-folding method to develop a class repertoire of construction methods for the ellipse, hyperbola, and parabola using straws, rulers, dental floss, paper circles, and other household items. Uses the Geometer's Sketchpad software to complement the paper-folding process. (MKR)

Recommends using probability paper, also called normal probability and arithmetic probability paper, for solving probability problems. Provides six examples. (MVL)

Demonstrates the use of hexagonal dot paper in integrating algebra, geometry, and trigonometry within a single problem-solving setting rather than treating them in isolation. Suggests other related mathematically challenging activities for enrichment. (AIM)

States that persuasion as a discourse mode in composition classrooms tends to emphasize conflict and polarize students' positions. Proposes a "negotiative" mode of writing, focusing on the reader to achieve a cooperative settlement to opposing argument positions. Uses strategies including dialogic styles and structures that address issues of power, commonality, trust, face, likability, interdependence, feasibility, and reciprocity. (PA)

Discusses what researchers say about science assessment and the need for an assessment that evaluates students on their ability to demonstrate the scientific process in a meaningful, hands-on fashion. Creates a wide-scale, performance-based assessment tool for elementary science. Provides example task questions and rubrics. (ASK)

Discusses the long running debate on teaching evolution in public schools. Recommends using the 5E teaching cycle of engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate to show that scientific concepts and theories can be fundamental. (Contains 20 references.) (YDS)

Presents the concept of using Einstein the man as a way of generating interest in the study of physics among students. Finds that it provides an instantly recognizable face for science, thus a gateway to the subject through the discussion of the man. (Author/CCM)

A guide for college faculty who have never written research reports for journal publication outlines the rationale for writing such reports, outlines difficulties in getting published initially, explains factors that may contribute to failure of a research project, and provides specific procedures for producing a publishable paper. Advice collected from editors is also offered. (MSE)

Presents a classroom simulation in which one firm pollutes the water used by another. Includes a detailed outline and discussion of the preparations and materials required, and the procedure for running the simulation. Argues that students learn how property rights provide a market solution to pollution costs. (DSK)

Equipped with string and paper models, students are able to illustrate the processes of meiosis. (ZWH)

Describes a system to construct paper models of all 51 of the possible fullerene isomers from C60 through C84. Provides students, teachers, and specialists with an inexpensive mechanism to follow the literature interplay on fullerene structures. (JRH)

Describes geometry-related activities that explore tessellation patterns and use origami and paper to create three-dimensional figures and pop-up cards. (MKR)