In this study, the authors compare the validity of three nonverbal tests for the purpose of identifying academically gifted English-language learners (ELLs). Participants were 1,198 elementary children (approximately 40% ELLs). All were administered the Raven Standard Progressive Matrices (Raven), the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT), and Form 6 of the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). Results show that the U.S. national norms for the Raven substantially overestimate the number of high-scoring children; that because of errors in norming, the NNAT overestimates the number of both high-scoring and low-scoring children; that primary-level ELL children score especially poorly on the NNAT; that the standard error of measurement was twice as large for the NNAT as for the Raven or the CogAT; that ELL children scored .5 to .67 standard deviations lower than non-ELL children on the three nonverbal tests; and that none of the nonverbal tests predict achievement for ELL students very well. Putting Research to Use: Do nonverbal reasoning tests level the field for ELL children? Many practitioners have assumed that they do. However ELL children in this study scored 8 to 10 points lower than non-ELL children on the three nonverbal tests. The study also shows that practitioners cannot assume that national norms on the tests are of comparable quality. When put on the same scale as CogAT, Raven scores averaged 10 points higher than CogAT and NNAT scores. For NNAT, the mean is correct but the variability was up to 40% too large. Thus, when using national norms, both the Raven and NNAT will substantially overestimate the number of high-scoring children.

the term gifted implies a permanent superiority. However, the majority of children who score in the top few percentiles on ability and achievement tests in 1 grade do not retain their status for more than a year or 2. the tendency of those with high scores on one occasion to obtain somewhat lower scores on a later occasion is one example of regression to the mean. We first summarize some of the basic facts about regression to the mean. We then discuss major causes of regression: errors of measurement, individual differences in growth, changes in the content of the developmental score scale, and changes in the norming population across age or grade cohorts. We then show that year-to-year regression is substantial, even for highly reliable test scores. different ways of combining achievement and ability test scores to reduce regression effects are illustrated. implications for selection policies and research on giftedness are also discussed.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of in-service training on teachers' knowledge of effective classroom management strategies. Twenty teachers from Jos metropolis participated. A single group pre-post test design was used, with a one-day training on classroom management techniques as the independent variable and the number of strategies that teachers suggest as effective for managing student behavior as the dependent variable. An open-ended structured interview was used to measure the dependent variable. The study found that the number of strategies that teachers believe are effective for classroom management was significantly higher after the training, indicating that the training was effective in improving teachers' knowledge about classroom management. Specifically, the number of proactive strategies that teachers believed were effective for classroom management significantly increased after training, whereas the number of reactive strategies remained unchanged. Thus, teachers' knowledge about effective classroom management strategies can be effectively modified by a brief, one-day in-service training.

Poor teaching methods are blamed for a large number of Nigerian pupils in government schools becoming either non-readers or struggling readers [20]. This study investigated the effects of a Reading Intervention that trained primary school teachers in specific strategies of teaching reading skills in order to enhance instructional practices. In a quasiexperimental design with 15 teachers and 140 primary pupils, teachers were trained for four weeks using activities derived from the whole language or literature-based approach. The teachers then trained pupils for eight weeks in reading skills in an afterschool programme. The reading assessment measured pupils' skills in oral language, print awareness, sight word recognition, phonemic awareness, and listening comprehension. Results of post-test showed progress in pupils' ability to express themselves in English; recognize a large number of sight words; generate language experience stories and read simple story books. Another outcome included production of storybooks from children's language experiences stories.

Nigeria has a rich oral tradition. In the pre-literate Nigerian culture, knowledge and wisdom were shared through the oral methods of proverbs and storytelling. However, in modern formal education, knowledge is communicated largely through text. The purpose of this paper was to compare students’ performance based on these instructional mediums. Two studies using a between-subjects experimental design were conducted among Nigerian university students. Both studies included two conditions: lecture (oral) and reading (text). In both conditions, the same content was presented. In the reading condition, students read the content as an article whereas in the lecture condition, students listened to the content as a lecture. Post-test examination performance was then compared. Both experiments found that reading resulted in considerably higher academic performance than lecturing.Keywords: Instructional medium; Curriculum innovation; Teaching and learning