Middle Level Education

Because young adolescents have unique intellectual, social, emotional, and physical needs, there has been a major push to develop strong middle level programs in American schools. This annotated bibliography is a comprehensive guide to literature and resources on middle level education in the United States. Included are more than 1,700 entries for books, articles, dissertations, government reports, newsletters, videotapes, and other materials on various aspects of middle level education. Entries are grouped in topical chapters, and each citation is accompanied by an evaluative annotation. The volume concludes with a descriptive listing of resources, such as organizations and journals.

During the last decade, there has been a major push in the United States to develop strong middle level programs in American schools. The key purpose of such programs is to meet the unique intellectual, social, emotional, and physical needs of young adolescents who are too old to be called children and too young to assume the responsibilities of adulthood. Effective programs are those in which the school administration actively seeks to make the middle school meet the needs of the student, rather than force the student to fit the school.

While the concept of middle level education has existed since the early 1960s, it has received much attention during the last decade, due to the growth of sociological, psychological, and educational research on adolescents. This reference book is a comprehensive guide to literature and resources on middle level education. Included are more than 1,700 entries for books, articles, dissertations, newsletters, government documents, videotapes, and other publications. Entries are arranged in topical chapters, and each entry includes an evaluative annotation. The volume concludes with a descriptive list of resources, such as organizations and journals.

SAMUEL TOTTEN is Associate Professor of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, where he is also the Director of the Center for Middle Level Education, Research, and Development. His publications include Social Issues and Service at the Middle Level (1996).

TONI SILLS-BRIEGEL is Assistant Professor of Middle Level Education at Southwest Missouri State University at Springfield. She has written numerous articles and has coauthored two books on cooperative learning and whole language.

KATHLEEN BARTA is Assistant Professor in the Department of Nursing at the University of Arkansas College of Education. Her clinical background is in the care of children.

ANNETTE DIGBY is Associate Professor and Assistant Dean for Professional Education at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. She has published two books and has written numerous articles on cooperative learning, middle level education, and university/public school partnerships.

WILLIAM NIELSEN is Regional Coordinator for the Arkansas Statewide Systemic Initiative (a National Foundation Initiative). He has elementary and middle level teaching experience in all disciplines with a diversity of student populations. His most recent teaching experience has been in math methods for elementary preservice and inservice teachers at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.