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Widespread concern has been expressed about the persistent low mathematics achievement of students in the US, particularly for students from low-income and minority backgrounds and students with disabilities. Instructional gaming technology, when designed and fictionalized well, has the potential to improve the motivation and mathematics achievement of students with or at-risk for mathematics difficulties (MD). Despite these potential advantages, the research base is scant for efficacious technology tools in early mathematics. This paper describes development and testing of the NumberShire intervention, and discusses results from feasibility studies in kindergarten, first, and second grade classrooms. Project NumberShire supports the development of in-depth knowledge of whole number concepts for students with or at risk for MD in grades K-2, a focus recommended by mathematics education experts. NumberShire is a browser-based, educational video game in which players build an idyllic fairytale village by learning and applying whole number knowledge in three domains of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. To test the initial feasibility and usability of NumberShire, researchers aimed to answer four research questions: (1) Is NumberShire reliably efficient and easy for students and teachers to use?; (2) Are students able to focus on and benefit from mathematics content in the game, rather than being distracted by other features?; (3) Are students operating the game as intended?; and (4) Are students engaged in NumberShire mini-games and activities? In fall 2012, 125 students participated in feasibility testing, 50 of which teachers identified as being at risk for difficulties in mathematics on the basis of student performance on screening measures (e.g., EasyCBM) and other classroom assessments. Classrooms were located in three elementary schools in Oregon and Massachusetts. This study used design experiment methodology and iterative end-user testing trials to examine initial feasibility and usability of the NumberShire intervention. Mixed methods research design was also employed to study initial student learning during the feasibility test and guide program revisions in preparation for a formal, rigorous, small scale RCT pilot study to assess intervention promise. Feasibility data were collected in fall 2012 and spring 2013, from a variety of assessment, game, and interview activities. In winter 2013, research staff summarized data from all observations and interviews conducted in second grade classrooms. Results from the first half of the feasibility study suggest second grade students were engaged in and able to use NumberShire with general ease. Second grade teachers perceived the NumberShire intervention as being aligned with important skill objectives and found the features of the intervention useful. Preliminary results suggest NumberShire may support student achievement for second grade students working to demonstrate proficiency with whole number concepts aligned with the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSO 2010). Tables are appended.

The traditional treatment of literary texts in Slovene schools took place in the form of a search for the "true message" of the literary work. The new Slovene literary didactics assumes that the teacher no longer explains to the student the meaning of this or that literary work. Rather he/she knows that the literary work can be comprehended only within the range of the immanent horizon of expectation. The teacher can provide the structure, the directions, and the possibilities or outlines (for discussion about literature), but the real link in the literary class is the link between the author and the reader. Full reception does require the understanding of the literary work, the perception of a large enough number of textual indicators--too large a gap between the author's and reader's code of comprehension can prevent or at least reduce the intensity of the literary aesthetic experience. A study explored the perception of the cause-effect relationship in the reception of the fairy tale in the period of concrete intellectual operations. Of the children questioned about "The Golden Bird" by Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm, only 68% perceived and understood the cause-effect relationship and completed a task with sentence parts correctly. Findings show that the perception of cause-effect relationships between motifs necessitates a certain level of syntactic-linguistic development, which not all children attain at the same time. (Contains 19 notes and 13 references.) (NKA)

This paper presents and discusses the responses of a class of first-grade students and a class of fourth-grade students to the elements of psychological maltreatment in the fairy tales "Cinderella" and "The Twelve Months." Responses of the first-grade students indicate that both boys and girls felt that the fairy tale heroine let herself be treated badly because she was nice. When asked what they would have done if they were treated like that, the responses of the female students indicated that they believed that being nice would set things right in the end. However, the boys indicated that their reactions to mistreatment would be to strive to defend themselves rather than to passively accept their circumstances. Responses of the fourth-grade students indicated that they felt that the fairy tale heroine let herself be treated badly because she was not only nice but she was also powerless. When asked what they would have done if they were treated like that, both boys and girls thought that they would strive to defend themselves or would actively seek to change their circumstances. The study has practical applications in that it appears that fairy tales can be used as a resource for raising children's awareness of the elements of psychological maltreatment. The paper also includes a discussion of the theoretical frameworks thought to be important in explaining the importance and impact of fairy tales, including psychoanalytic, social-learning, behavioral, and feminist viewpoints. (Contains 26 references.) (GCP)

Fifth Graders (N=626) from public, Catholic, Christian, and home schools reacted to values of forgiveness versus retribution in the two main versions of "Cinderella" by choosing which ending they preferred for themselves, for a 4-year old sister, and for a 4-year old brother. Girls preferred the forgiveness ending for themselves (p<.001) and for a sister (p<.01) more than boys did. Variations according to school and region (city, suburbs, rural) were slight, except for home school girls who preferred the forgiveness ending in all choices. Unexpectedly, both boys and girls would read the forgiveness ending to a sister, but tended to read the retribution ending to a brother. Reasons for choices are given as well as comparative data from older participants. For future research, it would be informative to conduct in-depth interviews with children of different ages and genders about values in children's stories. (Contains 4 tables of data and 28 references.) (CR)

Iona and Peter Opie's contribution to children's literature began with a volume on the origins of nursery rhymes. A nursery rhyme tells a brief and memorable surrealist story about people, animals, or familiar activities. Most nursery rhymes were not originally composed for children but were fragments of ballads or folk songs, remnants of ancient customs or rituals, simple songs from taverns, and jests or innuendoes. "The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes" contains an alphabetical listing of verses, with the earliest recorded print date, variants, pictorial examples, and notes and comments for each rhyme. Iona and Peter Opie's work included compiling school children's lore and playground rhymes in "The Lore and Language of School Children," and "The People in the Playground." In the process of producing numerous other publications, the Opies compiled a collection of 20,000 titles of children's literature. Following Peter Opie's death, the Bodleian Library in Oxford (England) purchased the Opie collection, which will be microfilmed and indexed by UMI (University Microfilms International). Iona and Peter Opie used their collection and scholarship to give the world a new way of looking at children's literature. (Contains 31 references.) (Author/SWC)

Uses of pre-recorded and student-generated videotape recordings in the foreign language (FL) classroom are described and discussed from the perspective of their utility in helping students achieve target language communicative competence. It is suggested that viewing authentic video materials provides an opportunity to observe extralinguistic elements (distance, body language, vocalization patterns) necessary for successful communication. Developing their own videos allows students to transform this and other "passive" knowledge into active communication. In creating and producing videos, students must first decide which actions must be performed, interact to carry them out, and finally, react to one another in communicating their message. Student-generated video projects can take many forms and be adapted for use with different levels of language, civilization, and literature classes. In small groups (3-4 people), students work out topic details, distribute the workload, and plan out-of-class meetings. Three successful video projects are described: (1) use of authentic French television news broadcasts as a model for student news broadcasts; (2) writing, production, and filming of a version of a traditional fairy tale; and (3) student performance of some type of communicative activity. Evaluation, debriefing, and written peer critiques are explained. Contains 20 references. (MSE)

This report describes a family literacy program for adult students with mild learning challenges including mental retardation. The program's objective was to upgrade the reading skills of parents and introduce them to a wide variety of enjoyable children's literature. During each of 20 weekly sessions, a class of no more than 15 parents was exposed to a group of books all pertaining to the same topic. The final phase of the project was development of a project journal that included sample lesson plans, materials, and some observations made by both the teacher and participating parents. The family literacy journal follows the four-page report. It begins with a list of project objectives. Sample lesson plans are provided for a 20-week program. A list of steps that parents should go through upon receiving their children's books each week is presented. Lesson plans consist of these components: objectives, procedures, materials list, related activities, and teacher observation. The lessons cover these topics: bears, animals, childhood experiences--Curious George, painful childhood experiences, Christmas, nursery rhymes, Dr. Seuss, dinosaurs, Clifford, Caldecott award, Valentine's Day, fairy tales, letters/alphabet, numbers/counting, seasons, St. Patrick's Day, self-esteem, weather, community helpers, and transportation/a visit to the library. The journal also includes a section of parent observations and a brief list of professional resources. (YLB)

To explore the suggestion that subjects modulate their reading strategies in accordance with how they expect to be tested, several test expectancies (multiple-choice, true/false, essay, and cloze) were implemented in addition to a non-specific test expectancy as a control. Subjects were 124 students at Purdue University (Indiana). After reading three practice texts for which subjects were administered a test that was in line with their expectancies, subjects read and attempted to free-recall a fairy tale or an expository text. The only expectancy to significantly enhance recall relative to the intentional learning control was the essay expectancy, and this enhancement was limited to the expository text. Results were congruent with the hypothesis that subjects expecting an essay test perform more organizational processing of the text than do those expecting other test formats. The authors suggest that there was no increase in recall of the fairy tale due to the essay expectancy because subjects routinely perform organizational processing while reading a fairy tale. Regression analyses and recall data indicated that recognition test expectancies produced little change in reading strategy. Four tables present study data. A 28-item list of references is included. (Author/SLD)

In this paper, we explore the affordances of literature-based, arts-infused and digital media processes for students, as multimodal practices take centre stage in an English Language Arts unit on fractured fairy tales. The study takes up the challenge of addressing multimodal literacy instruction and research in ways that utilize a range of modalities. Incorporating the perspectives and multimodal texts of five students, Alvin, Adamma, Emmett, Layla and Yacoub, we highlight the highly supportive writing environment made possible for these fifth grade learners. The oral, embodied, visual, and written group explorations of the language of fairy tales, story and parody, found in fractured fairy tales, afforded the students numerous, rich opportunities to explore and experiment with language, which ultimately led to the production of individual fractured fairy tales written with a level of sophistication their teacher had not previously seen in their writing.

Analysis of three Native American Cinderella-type tales finds that although each has flaws in depicting Native American culture, overall they are culturally accurate and respectful. Such tales can be used as teaching tools to help children understand Native American cultures and beliefs while making them aware of how culture and beliefs can easily be disrespected. (Contains 24 references.) (TD)

Faculty at McNeese State University (Louisiana) and local civic, educational, and cultural groups encouraged their community to commemorate the anniversary of the births of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, German scholars who recorded fairy tales, myths, legends, and folk songs that are now an important part of the western world's cultural heritage, through a series of programs and performances. First, interested collaborators were located in the community and in national organizations. Brainstorming was used to identify potential projects, which then were accomplished separately. A newsletter for communication of involved individuals provided information exchange, moral support, and program momentum. Stories were written for the local media for publicity, enhancing coverage. Participants were given both public and individual recognition for project completion, and awards were given to main organizers. The main projects were: a successful school system-wide reading project organized by librarians, including a reading challenge and series of creative literature-based activities; German cultural activities in many schools; art projects involving professional artists and children of all ages; and public play productions. The celebration reached many segments of the community through creative and enjoyable activities, achieving more than its original goal, and will be expanded to other cultural topics in the future. (MSE)