1. Specific MSS outcome data -areas evaluated- Impact on WRITING Impact on VOCABULARY Impact on INFORMATION PROCESSING SKILLS Impact on CONCEPT LEARNING Impact on CLASSROOM TEST SCORES

2. N= 28 Students w/LD intervention group (gen.ed. classes} 28 Students w/LD control group (gen.ed. classes} Dependent variables 20 typical achieving students Fluency Idea Elaboration Mechanics Impact on composition writing of 8th grade students with learning disabilities Pretest-Posttest Design Matched students in Control Group Typical –achievers used for descriptive purposes Attitude

3. Impact on composition writing of 8th grade students with learning disabilities 5 words less +97 words more than pretest +9 words more than typical 8 th grader FLUENCY Typical 8 th grader 117 words MSS students w/LD POST 126 words Typical 8 th grader w/LD 29 words Non-MSS students w/LD POST 24 words

4. Impact on composition writing of 8th grade students with learning disabilities IDEA elaboration Measure: Analysis of writing Cued main idea statements {use of transition words} Non-cued main idea statements {did not use transitions} # of supporting details RESULTS Performance of MSS students w/LD approximated that of typical achievers

5. Impact on composition writing of 8th grade students with learning disabilities Attitude @ Writing Measure: Self-report survey MSS students w/LD RESULTS Typical students w/LD self-report high levels of both fear & avoidance Typical students self-report some fear & considerable “avoidance” No change in avoidance, but marked reduction in fear & increase in empowerment indicators

6. 7th Grade Alabama Writing Assessment 2002-03 2003-04 Gains Hi-performing school Comparison school 1 41.62%-2.17%43.79% Comparison school 2 28.50%-7.05%35.55% Makes Sense school 37.65%60.51%22.86% 92.64%85.08%-6.66%

7. 7th Grade Alabama Writing Assessment 2002-03 2003-04 Gains Hi-performing school Comparison school 1 Comparison school 2 41.62% 28.50% -2.17% -7.05% 43.79% 35.55% Makes Sense school 37.65%60.51%22.86% 92.64%85.08%-6.66% Hi-performing school Comparison school 1 Comparison school 2 15.56% 3.13% -3.79% -3.39% 19.35% 6.52% Makes Sense school 14.21%20.00% 5.79% 64.00%65.00% 1% Hi-performing school Comparison school 1 Comparison school 2 27.50% 23.40% -7.19% -10.07% 34.69% 35.55% Makes Sense school 27.08%43.83%20.75% NA

8. Impact of Makes Sense Strategies on 5 th grade Alabama Writing Assessment 9 Schools Extremely low performance ’03 21.6% 8 Schools Low performance ’03 38.83% ’04 MSS 62.41% 7 Schools Moderate performance ’03 58.39% ’04 MSS 74.81% 2 Schools Good performance ’03 73.02% 82.68% ’04 MSS 49.24% 27.67 pt. gain 23.08 pt. gain 15.67 pt. gain 9.79 pt. gain State-wide average =.05 pt. gain Lower-performing schools definitely demonstrate the most dramatic improvements Moderate-performing schools performing almost equal to Good-performing schools

9. Action Research by Schools Alabama Writing Assessment % students meeting standards 2002-03 2003-04 Gains Differentiating Making information more learnable Using brain- based pedagogy curriculum 32.71%57.84%25.13% Rural 7th Grade Suburb 7th Grade 38% 61%23%

10. Urban 5th Grade MSS Schools MSS schools vs. pretest-matched Non-MSS school 2002-03 2003-04 Gains 9.01%21.57% 12.56% Non-MSS school 7.99%22.22% 14.23% Non-MSS school ALL students GE students Af.Am. students SPE students 0% Non-MSS school 11.49% 24.72% 13.23% Non-MSS school MSS school MSS school #2 - 20.00% 72.79% 79.54% - 59.54% MSS school MSS school #2 20.00% 15.09% 54.17% 63.63% 34.17% 48.54% MSS school MSS school #2 - 0% - 10.00% - MSS school MSS school #2 54.55% 63.63% 34.55% 48.54% 20.00% 15.09%

11. English Language Learners / ESL 2002-03 2003-04 Gains Differentiating Making information more learnable Using brain- based pedagogy curriculum 24%75%51 pts Makes Sense Strategies implementation California Writing Assessment % students meeting standards Inner-city LAUSD Holms Middle School

12. Impact of think-sheets on 5 th grade LD students’ information processing skills Ability to identify main ideas and details of subject-area lesson BeforeAfter Main Ideas Details 0 2.4 4.0 12

13. Impact on vocabulary test scores 6th grade inclusion class 96% POST 84% POST 85% PRE Control group of 6th grade typical achievers not receiving MSS 84% PRE Experimental group of 6th grade typical achievers receiving MSS 54% PRE Experimental group of 6th grade students w/LD receiving MSS 12 pt gain 87% POST 33 pt gain

14. Concept test scores of students with LD Before After Gains Differentiating Making information more learnable Using brain- based pedagogy curriculum 79% 92% 93% 14 pts 30 pts High Soc Economic 6 th grade 62% 63% 65% Mid Soc Economic 4/5 th grade Low Soc Economic 4/5 th grade

15. Impact on concept test scores 11th grade inclusion social studies class 97% POST 81% PRE 11 TH grade typical achievers 71% PRE 11 th grade students w/LD 17 pt gain 26 pt gain 98% POST