Play-based learning is a combination of rich play and curricular outcomes. When implemented in a classroom, play-based learning has a multitude of positive effects on the students, both academically and social-emotionally. As leaders of a play-based learning classroom, educators must understand the different types of play, how to create an…

Academics is not the sole component of school readiness; rather, it is a compilation of children's physical, social--emotional, language, and cognitive development (National Association for the Education of Young Children [NAEYC], 2009; National Education Goal Panels, 1997). The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC,…

This brief is the first in a series that highlights key features of high-quality instruction for English learners, and the role formative assessment plays in their success. Formative assessment supports teachers to enact these features by providing them with tools to gauge and react to student learning in real-time. These practices also support…

Multicultural education is a reform movement grounded in the belief that all students should have equal opportunities to learn (Banks & Banks, 2015). Therefore, the diversity brought to educational institutions should be considered as assets not deficits. One way to accomplish cultural parity is to incorporate equity pedagogy, which occurs…

This article outlines a three-phased approach to enhancing online student-instructor interaction using asynchronous threaded discussions: check-ins. These instructor-initiated touchpoints, a form of Classroom Assessment Technique, are staged throughout the grading period to help affirm online presence, clarify expectations, monitor performance,…

At a time when teachers are feeling exceptional amounts of duress, literacy coaches often feel ineffective. However, coaches can be more important than ever when their collaborations increase teachers' self-efficacy, resiliency, and success with students. This article provides six simple rules that literacy coaches can use to enhance their work…

Motivating today's adolescents to read is a challenge. This article discusses the kinds of literacy instructional practices that leverage what we know about adolescent motivation. It also reviews several evidence-based literacy interventions designed to engage and motivate adolescent readers that can potentially lead to improvements in student…

Motivating today's adolescents to read is a challenge. Martha Abele Mac Iver, Marcia H. Davis, and Douglas J. Mac Iver discuss the kinds of literacy instructional practices that address what we know about adolescent motivation. They also review several evidence-based literacy interventions designed to engage and motivate adolescent readers that…

In this article, F. Tony Carusi considers the politics of instrumentalism performed between educational policy and research that figures the teacher as the primary means to raise student achievement. By reducing teachers to a means toward an end, policy and research work together to collapse what teachers are into what teachers are for, and in…

In today's dynamic and high-tech learning environment, offering flexible and innovative assignment options is crucial for engaging students across varied learning preferences and backgrounds. Alternative formats, such as gamification and storyboards, can boost engagement, spark creativity, and enhance learning outcomes in college classrooms. By…

Participating in fair-minded, text-based classroom dialogue has immense benefits. It contributes not only to learning and academic success but also to the ability to effectively participate in democracy. This article presents how to prepare for and participate in discussions that will powerfully equip students to listen carefully, learn from their…

This study delves into the integration of collaborative and active learning methodologies as a means to enhance both academic achievement and self-motivation among students in the realm of vocational education. Collaborative learning, with its emphasis on teamwork, problem-solving, and social responsibility, complements the active learning…

This is the protocol for a Campbell systematic review. The objectives are as follows. This systematic review will examine the impact of the Integrated Thematic Instruction (ITI) on academic attainment and other possible outcomes of primary and secondary school students compared to standard teaching. We will seek to answer the following research…

With the ever-expanding role of technology in schools, many teachers have participated in one-time, stand-alone workshops to learn how to use a new program, app, or other tool. While that may provide a helpful introduction to the basics and highlight inspirational examples of what the tool can do, it doesn't often translate into teachers applying…

Teachers face many challenges, including that of educating English language learner (ELL) students. These students are often placed in regular classrooms and create extra demands on the classroom teacher. Many strategies can be employed with ELLs that relate to best teaching practices. Potential trouble areas are discussed, as are the strategies…