RESEARCH SUMMARIES

Research Summaries are abbreviated reviews of professional literature that inform middle level education policy and practice and provide basic information about the education of young adolescents for parents and community members. The Research Advisory Committee of AMLE is currently seeking submissions.

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Equity, Access, and Inclusiveness: Supporting Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Young Adolescents in the Mainstreamed Middle School Classroom
STEM in the Middle Grades
Student Agency
Teaching Historical Literacy in the Middle Grades
Transitioning Young Adolescents from Elementary to Middle School
Understanding and Addressing the Challenges of Teaching Middle Grades Mathematics Conceptually
Developmental Characteristics of Young Adolescents

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Supporting English Learners in the Middle: Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Practices to Support Student Identity Development and Sense of Belonging

The English Learner (EL) population in the United States has increased by 8.1 percent between 2000 and 2017, with an increase in percentage in all but seven states and the District of Columbia (U.S. Department of Education. Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2020). For the purposes of this summary, EL

STEM in the Middle Grades

Math

Research Summary

Science

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education continues to emphasize the teaching of skills that are relevant to today’s information driven economy (Jamali, Nurulazam Md Zain, Samsudin & Ale Ebrahim, 2017).

Student Agency

Democratic Classroom

Research Summary

Student Engagement

Student Motivation

A typical middle school classroom includes young adolescents with a range of skills, interests, abilities, and personalities. One student may relate any topic of study to a favorite sport or video game. Another stretches her digital skills with e

Transitioning Young Adolescents from Elementary to Middle School

Research Summary

Transition to Middle School

Middle school can be an exciting and terrifying time for students transitioning from elementary to middle school. By definition, transition means the change from one place, state of being, or condition to another place, state of being, or condition (Merriam-Webster Online, 2015).

Understanding and Addressing the Challenges of Teaching Middle Grades Mathematics Conceptually

Math

Research Summary

Understanding students’ academic needs and developing curricula to address them has always been a challenge for middle level educators. Competing perspectives on academic rigor and external demands for accountability have often created additional layers of stress for teachers and administrators.