Which of the following statements is most accurate?

1)  ANSWER: d

2)  ANSWER: c

3)  ANSWER: a

4)  ANSWER: Students may identify any three characteristics (intense parental involvement, length of school year, careful planning and delivery of a national curriculum, large amounts of homework, less variability in achievement thanks to support for slower students, emphasis on students' character and sense of responsibility, educators' sense of responsibility for student learning, the relatively high status and authority of Japanese educators, school schedules with time for counseling and planning, lessons that deemphasize rote learning, rigorous examinations for entry into the teaching profession, language patterns that facilitate learning, and outstanding day-care facilities). Students' responses should be assessed on the basis of (1) how accurately they identify and describe three characteristics, (2) how well they explain the potential link of the three characteristics to high achievement, and (3) how sound their reasoning is in identifying potential implications for the United States.

5)  ANSWER: Analyses of the studies suggest that characteristics such as class size, time allocated to instruction, teachers' experience or training, and amount of homework generally do not account for achievement scores. The tell and show teaching approach so prevalent in the United States and elsewhere also appears not to be correlated with math performance. It may do little good, therefore, for the United States to try to raise achievement by altering aspects of these characteristics. However, the analyses indicate that, unlike in many other countries, the U.S. math curriculum is unfocused, repetitive, incoherent, and not very demanding. In addition, it is highly differentiated.
That is, we tend to sort students into tracks that make higher math available only to high-achieving students. The most productive route, then, to improving U.S.
performance may be to upgrade mathematics curricula and instruction so that all students are challenged to perform at a higher level.

6)  ANSWER: Many of the immigrants may need assistance becoming acclimated to the school setting. Consequently, bilingual education programs, multicultural education, and perhaps compensatory programs may be needed.

7)  ANSWER: The process of developing both includes (1) assessing the needs and capabilities of all learners and (2) selecting or creating the instructional materials and activities that will address those needs.

8)  ANSWER: The key issue seems to be whether there should be limits on what students are permitted to read. A variety of topics are listed as targets for the censors, and materials that are interpreted as antifamily, antireligious, or anti-American are subject to possible censorship. Teachers need to be aware of the numerous special interests that seek to censor materials and content.

9)  ANSWER: If curriculum is organized around a particular textbook, it may incur the same criticism that textbooks usually receive; they tend to be general, noncontroversial, and bland. Because they try to reach the largest audience possible, they fail to meet the needs or interests of any particular group or individual. Textbooks can be superficial and can discourage critical analysis and evaluation, and it would be better for a curriculum to encourage these skills. The benefits of consulting a textbook are that it provides an outline for planning lessons, summarizes large amounts of information, and supplies additional resources.

10)  ANSWER: Children are more proficient in the use of technology. Their teachers, parents and education curriculum must make the change to adjust the focus to a more diverse selection of technology. It has forced the educational system to contribute more financial and human resources in keeping up with the speed at which children are learning new technology.