This article explores some of the common mathematical difficulties that 11- to 16-year-old students experience with respect to their learning of physics. The definition of "understanding" expressed in the article is in the sense of transferability of mathematical skills from topic to topic within physics as well as between the separate…

The attainment gap in science may not be as well-documented as the gap in English and maths, but it is just as pervasive. Our research has shown that disadvantaged pupils start to fall behind in science in Key Stage 1; the gap only gets wider throughout primary and secondary school and on to A-level. Helping schools to use evidence and to…

Science is a subject steeped in specialized vocabulary and elementary preservice teachers may find themselves less than comfortable with that vocabulary. Couple this with their long documented fear of the subject and we have teachers who enter their first classrooms unsure of themselves and the content and thus, less able to prepare their own…

Four classroom activities for second language learning are described. They include games and other exercises designed to enhance vocabulary development, review grammatical structures, encourage conversation on a variety of topics, and introduce cultural elements into instruction. All use materials that are readily available, and all are intended…

A manual for teaching vocabulary to students of English as a second language is introduced by a discussion of the reasons for neglecting vocabulary development in the past and the reasons for the present emphasis on it. The chapters that follow develop practical instructional methods for each language learning level. The topics include: (1)…

It is not enough for students of English as a second language enrolled in English-language elementary school programs to speak English fluently at the conversational level; they must be provided with language and an environment for continuing cognitive development through the application of high-level thinking skills, often without the benefit of…

Teaching grammar for its own sake is largely counterproductive when the goal of instruction is to have students communicate spontaneously, fluently, and accurately in the target language. The ideal foreign language program is one providing the best possible environment for language acquisition to take place. Explicit teaching about the language…

In one high school French department, videotaping began to be used as part of a final examination. It was found that the students wanted to see their tapes and began to critique their own and others' performances. The next year, taping was done earlier in the school year so that the tapes could be used as performance models. Students were more at…

The curriculum guide for Ohio's secondary level programs in English as a second language (ESL) begins with background information on factors to consider in developing an ESL curriculum, including limited-English-proficient students' characteristics, the language acquisition process, skill areas to be covered, instructional goals for four major…

The six issues of this newsletter for teachers and tutors of adult English as a second language (ESL) contain articles on classroom teaching techniques and activities, including dictations, presentations, hints for teaching beginners, multi-level crossword puzzles, conversation activities, reading exercises, guessing and describing games, use of…

A bibliography of brief annotations of instructional materials for the Russian language includes 93 documents from the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC), the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), and the Joint Publications Research Service (JPRS), that do not go out of print and are widely available in depository systems.…

The guide describes North Carolina's standard course of study in modern languages for grades K-12 and corresponding instructional guidelines. The first part is organized in six chapters: purpose, overview, and rationale for the standard course of study; intended program outcomes; the interrelationship of proficiency, grammar, vocabulary, and…

This bibliography is intended as a resource for teachers and service-providers who work with participants in LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada) programs of basic English-as-a-Second-Language education. It lists and describes Canadian teaching materials appropriate for adult immigrants' English language learning and their…