Mathematics instruction can work to open or constrain children's opportunities to learn, and the busy, interactive nature of instruction makes it challenging for researchers to identify patterns in high-quality opportunities to learn. While researchers have documented how whole-group discussions and small-group work can contribute to such…

For decades, stark disparities in academic achievement have existed between racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse students and White students. These discrepancies have resulted in significantly less of these marginalized students enrolling in higher level science courses and, subsequently, pursuing careers in science fields. While these…

Zearn Math is a popular software platform for K-8 mathematics learning, designed to enable all students to successfully access grade-level content. RAND researchers collaborated with Zearn, the product's developer, to design this evaluation. Then RAND conducted the study independently, randomly assigning 64 schools in an urban Texas district to…

Reading comprehension is a fundamental and indispensable skill for academic achievement and daily functioning. Sadly, a significant number of children and youth, particularly those diagnosed with learning disabilities (LD), encounter difficulties in acquiring this vital capability. Thankfully, several well-established approaches exist to offer…

This study examines the effect of Including Neurodiversity in Computational Thinking (INFACT), a collection of material for teaching Computational Thinking (CT) in grades 3-8. CT has many definitions, but all borrow concepts from computer science to structure problem-solving processes more generally. The materials are designed for use in inclusion…

Enrolment without attendance is a common problem among nomadic populations in Africa. This study examines the curricula, cultural diversity and learning environments of children enrolled in nomadic primary schools in Nigeria. The study sample comprised 200 (169 female, 31 male) teachers and 50 grade 5 and 6 students (23 female, 27 male) of 25…

A "Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards" ("NGSS") are intended for all students, hence "all standards, all students" (NGSS Lead States 2013). To make this vision a reality, the "NGSS" highlight three key instructional shifts: (1) explain phenomena or design solutions…

The purpose of this dissertation study is to examine the ways underprivileged fifth-grade students enacted digital multimodal composing practices and enhanced their understanding of digital multimodal composing in activity systems of ELA and science classes in a public school. This study was conducted within one fifth-grade classroom at McGrove…

The 21st century has brought rapid global change to the cultural and linguistic landscape of many nations; this rapidly changing landscape has prompted educators to argue that the lived and evolving reality of contemporary classrooms demands a re-examination of current curriculum, pedagogies and assessment practices. Australian classrooms now…

The case presented in this study focused on the experiences of students enrolled in a Saturday day music program situated in an underserved community. Students in this community represent a wide variety of cultural backgrounds, and we were interested in whether younger students in the program would benefit from receiving lessons from an older…

Students in grades 3-6 need to use increasingly sophisticated comprehension skills and strategies as they read and build knowledge across disciplinary content areas. Grounded in research, this book presents effective practices for integrating literacy instruction with literature, science, and social studies. Chapters address text selection,…

This case study investigated the practiced language policies of a French elementary school educator, Catherine, as she implemented the French National Cycle of instruction for the early elementary grades with a culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) class of students. The findings revealed that macro-level policies--such as curriculum and…

Policy and practice communities increasingly are emphasizing conceptual, cognitively demanding, and "ambitious" instruction. Within this context, we examine whether such practices serve the needs of students with specialized academic needs. Across upper-elementary classrooms in four districts, we find that exposure to…

School Drama Classic is a co-mentoring teacher professional learning programme developed through a partnership between Sydney Theatre Company and the University of Sydney's School of Education and Social Work. Developed in 2009, this teacher professional learning programme aims to enable primary teachers to develop the expertise and confidence to…

This case study examines four Japanese pre-service teachers' (PST's) experience of learning Bob Moses' student-centered pedagogical framework (Moses & Cobb, 2001) in the context of teaching English as a foreign language, a subject arguably the most difficult for both Japanese students and teachers. The framework is most effective when used to…