Trends in YA literacy study

 Despite its name, the young adult genre is increasingly dominated by stories about older teens and even adults. But as protagonists get older, younger readers are getting left behind, a University of Mississippi study indicates.

Ally Watkins. (2025). Is Popular Young Adult Literature Aging Up?, New Review of Children's Literature and Librarianship.  DOI: 10.1080/13614541.2025.2513193

http://schoollibraryjournal.com/story/6-Grant-Opportunities-School-Libraries

Middle and High School Critical Thinking Report

 "This report focuses on several elements of students' deeper learning based on fall 2023 and spring 2024 surveys administered to American School District Panel member district leaders. It summarizes how district leaders believe middle and high schoolers' critical thinking skills are best developed in their schools, whether students' input about teaching and learning is collected in these schools, district leaders' examples of their schools' most effective forms of project-based learning, and districts' theories of action for teaching and learning.

Key Findings

• District leaders' examples of successful teaching of critical thinking skills fell into four main categories: teachers posing high-level questions, project-based learning, real-world problem-solving activities, and activities that students chose.
• These examples align with research on effective methods for teaching critical thinking.
• According to reports from district leaders, districts engaged in a wide variety of project-based learning, most commonly science, technology, engineering, math, and career and technical education classes.
• Seven of ten school district leaders reported formally collecting students’ input about teaching and learning, which is another element of deeper learning."

Schwartz, H., & Diliberti, M.  (2024). Encouraging deeper learning in middle and high school: Selected findings from America school district panel surveys. RAND.

https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RRA900/RRA956-28/RAND_RRA956-28.pdf

Middle schoolers and praise study

 Middle-school students respond more to praise than criticism, especially when it comes to curbing problem behaviors, a study found. By making a point of praising desired behaviors at least as much as reprimanding undesirable behaviors, teachers improved overall class conduct by up to 70%, researchers noted.

Caldarella, P. , Larsen, R., & Williams, L. (2021). Effects of middle school teachers' praise-to-reprimand ratios on students' classroom behavior. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions. https://doi.org/10.1177/10983007211035185

Online information literacy study

An international study found that only 2% of 8th graders could critically assess information found online. Economic status and parents' education (i.e., bachelor's degree or higher) correlated significantly with competency.
International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement. (2019). International Computer and Information Literacy Study. Amsterdam: Author.
http://www.iea.nl/publications/press-release/icils-2018-results-press-release

Middle School Tech Access Report

Only one in five middle-school students have access to technology such as animations, simulations and virtual labs, according to a new report. The data show that while Chromebooks are the most popular tool used by students in the classroom, 61% are still using their own devices to complete assignments.
Evans, J. (2019).  Digital learning: Peril or promise for our K-12 students. Irvine, CA: Project Tomorrow.
https://tomorrow.org/Speakup/speakup2018-19-Digital-Learning-Peril-or-Promise-october2019.html

Belonging and Bullying Study

A study of 900 middle schoolers found that students who report having a sense of belonging both at home and school are less likely to engage in bullying. The results indicate that the more a student feels like they belong among their peers and family, the more likely they will feel like they belong at school. In addition, the more they feel like they belong within their school community, the less likely they were to report bullying behaviors. This indicates that parents might be able to play a proactive role in increasing their child’s sense of belonging at school by focusing on improving a sense of belonging in the family.
Slaten, C., Rose, C., & Ferguson, J. (2019).  Understanding the relationship between youths' belonging and bullying behaviour: An SEM Model.  Educational & Child Psychology, 36(2).
https://shop.bps.org.uk/publications/publications-by-subject/educational-child-psychology-vol-36-no-2-june-2019-school-belonging.html

Study Examines Bullying

This paper outlines theoretical considerations for bullying, including developmental changes in (a) the manifestation of bullying, (b) the underlying causes of bullying, and (c) the efficacy of domain-general behavior-change tactics. Results were consistent with theory in that whereas bullying appears to be effectively prevented in 7th grade and below, in 8th grade and beyond there is a sharp drop to an average of zero. This paper provides a basis for a theory of age-related moderation of program effects that may generalize to other domains. The findings also suggest the more general need for caution when interpreting between-study meta-analytic moderation results. Key findings include:

-       Bullying appears to be effectively prevented in 7^th grade and below.

-       In 8^th grade there is a sharp drop to an average of zero.

-       There was a seeming reversal in efficacy through the high school years, such that programs, if anything, cause harm.

-       Developmental theory suggests why this may be the case and provides opportunities for future improved interventions.

Yeager, D. S., Fong, C. J., Lee, H. Y., & Espelage, D. L. (2015). Declines in efficacy of anti-bullying programs among older adolescents: Theory and a three-level meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 37, 36-51. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2014.11.005

Writing Taught in Canadian Classes

This article reports the results of interview research examining writing instruction and assessment practices in Grades 4-8 classrooms in Canada. Researchers found that participating teachers scheduled daily time for writing, either in language arts classes or through integrating writing throughout the curriculum. Teachers assigned creative writing most frequently and did not speak about writing for learning. Students talked to each other while writing and engaged in peer editing. Much of teachers' feedback to students on their writing was verbal.

Peterson, S. S., McClay, J. K., & Main, K. (2010). Teaching writing in Canadian middle grades classrooms: A national study. Middle Grades Research Journal, 5(2), 77-90. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ901785

Bullying in Middle School

This study examined the impact of top dog and bottom dog status on bullying, safety, belonging, and academic achievement. This article provides the first credibly causal evidence that top dog status improves the learning environment and academic achievement. We further find that the top dog effect is strongest in sixth grade and in schools with longer grade spans and that the top dog effect is not explained by new students to a school or student height.

Schwartz, A. E., Stiefel, L., & Rothbart, M. W. (2016). Do top dogs rule in middle school? Evidence on bullying, safety, and belonging. American Educational Research Journal, 53(5), 1450-1484. https://dx.doi.org/10.3102/0002831216657177