For adolescents who struggle with reading, a lack of confidence and reluctance to read in content areas such as history/social science presents challenges to learning. More specifically, difficulties with text comprehension and analysis limit content knowledge acquisition and self-expression, which can impact academic success. Therefore, it is…

This paper reports on an experience carried out with second course students of the School of Aeronautical Engineers at the Polytechnic University of Madrid in the subject class Modern Technical Language. In the previous years the problem in that class had been the scarce participation of the students in the oral practices. They seemed to be lead…

This paper presents a multimodal discourse analysis of children using "drill-and-practice" literacy software at a primary school in the Western Cape, South Africa. The children's interactions with the software are analysed. The software has serious limitations which arise from the global political economy of the educational software…

Discusses a design-feature framework for analyzing "simulations" in realistic-communication activities in foreign language classrooms. The link between design factors and two aspects of student language (quantity of output and topic-structure) with reference to two "simulation-type" activities are examined. (30 references) (GLR)

Utah State University's intensive Spanish program uses video simulations of real-life experiences as the basis for classroom instruction in lieu of following a textbook, allowing the class to become student-centered, rather than instructor-centered, through a problem-solving group endeavor. (Author/CB)

Student talk about mathematics will improve understanding. Ways that teachers can facilitate more student talk in their classrooms are presented. (PK)