Young people who are either at risk of disengaging or disengaged from mainstream education in Ireland are often supported by what is termed 'out-of-school' or the 'alternative education' sector. A recent review of out-of-school education provision (Department of Education. 2022. "Review of Out-of-School Educational Provision." Dublin:…

From being largely at the margins of higher education for many years, online learning now finds itself in the mainstream. This paper offers a critique of the online learning literature both pre- and post-2020, looking at changes in response to this shift. Evidence tells us that online learning plays a significant role in enhancing student equity,…

This paper engages with the central theme of this special issue, "From the Margins to the Centre," as a particular kind of narrative that occupies the imagination of literacy educators in the academy, particularly those who are located in the "centre," but whose experience ironically finds them "pinned to the margins"…

This article provides a case for the benefits of captioning recorded lecture content in the Australian higher education sector. While online lecture captioning has traditionally been provided on a case-by-case basis to help students who are deaf or hard of hearing, this paper argues for a mainstream approach in order to benefit a range of student…

This commentary highlights findings from two reviews of research on the preparation and continuing development of regular classroom teachers to teach English language learners. Since both reviews use my "central tasks of teacher learning" framework, the commentary also assesses the framework's usefulness in highlighting areas where…

Environmental education in K-12 and initial teacher education contexts appears to be at a cross-roads despite UNESCO's declaration of its importance in educating future generations about the global challenges we face and our resistance to change the behaviours that create these conditions. This paper argues for the interdisciplinary status of…

As the number of English language learners in mainstream classrooms increases, so too does the need for teachers skilled in classroom-based language assessment (CBLA). All teachers must be able to monitor, evaluate, and support the English language development of their students. With a paucity of research on how to prepare teachers to enact…

Learning to value difference and diversity is a central goal of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) professional practice programmes in New Zealand. Yet the authors have continued to struggle to work with their ITE students to move them as a group towards such valuing in both theory and practice. In this article events that lead up to the changes…

David Bleich's exploration of language conflicts in the university in "The Materiality of Language: Gender, Politics, and the University" helps explain the ongoing struggle over basic writing as between two radically different understandings of language. Progressive educators and writing teachers see language as rhetorical and…

Collaboration in education is seen as a legal mandate, best practice in teacher practice, and necessary for the inclusion of children with special needs. Over the years, there have been a number of evolutionary incarnations of the collaborative model, each possessing various ingredients identified as important, if not essential, components of a…

Up to 15 % of the student population in integrated classrooms has mild or moderate hearing loss (MMHL) (Niskar et al., 2001), a communication disability that can impact language development, academic performance, and social-emotional quality of life. Due to the mostly intelligible speech of these students, teachers may easily overlook their…

The paper provides a critical overview about teaching children in regular classrooms, designing and enriching curricula for gifted children and using multiple intelligence theory as teaching mathematics by giving several examples. Teaching mathematics or science to gifted children doesn't seem easy because every student is different than each…

Dissatisfaction with student success has caused a crisis in developmental education. Critics from both inside and outside the field question whether remedial courses really prepare students for future college work or even if they are properly part of the college mission. In this article, we review research and present information that suggests…

Despite federal mandates to educate students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment, teachers continue to have mixed feelings about their own preparedness to educate students with disabilities in the general education setting. However, research has demonstrated that teachers with more positive attitudes toward inclusion are more…

This article examines the Erasmus Mundus Special Educational Needs (EM SEN) programme experience and the ways in which it influenced the authors' perception of reflection and research involving inclusive education. The authors argue that incorporating reflective practice and research into an international Master's programme holds promise for…