So much emphasis is placed these days on measuring the performance of pupils that it is difficult to imagine the social space of the classroom being used for any other purpose. But our intention in this essay is not to succumb to pessimism about the surveillance imposed by standards-based reforms. Such bleak determinism can be challenged by…

If oral communication in a second language (L2) is considered a skill to be prioritized, it is also particularly anxiety-provoking for L2 learners. This is why their willingness to communicate, predicted in particular by the emotions experienced, has been the focus of recent studies to examine its evolution and factors likely to interact with it.…

This article discusses various key words that facilitate differentiated curricular experiences for gifted students. Key words such as "about," "in," "from," and "with" can present a different perspective on the learning experience and stimulate investigative behaviors. They are also a set of words that are…

Conflicts between children, a universal phenomenon across cultures, present unique opportunities for developing executive function (EF) skills, such as problem solving and exercising self-regulation. EF, primarily associated with a set of cognitive skills or processes that includes planning, organizing, and regulating behavior, plays an integral…

This essay will discuss an approach in the pedagogy of geography that engages students with the interpretation, imagination, and the complex understandings and dimensions of geographic thought. My goal here is to make the explicit connection between place experiences (autobiography) and place, sense of place, and geographic thought. I underline…

Twenty-six learners of English enrolled in an MA course were asked to give the metaphors which they think best capture the essence of their learning experience so far. Their metaphors tell how English learning had introduced them to a brand new world and, once they were inside it, led them to a seemingly endless series of new discoveries. The…

Words and labels used about a person inevitably have an impact, whether intended or unintended. This article discusses the need for intentional and overt, critical reflection and discussion in higher education regarding the language faculty and students use. The authors provide language examples commonly used in courses that could have varied…

The term "biases" often comes up in classroom discussions about fake news. Teachers warn students that some sources of information are less trustworthy than others because their creators are biased, prejudiced, subjective, guided by unreasoned opinions. The country's political polarization is on the rise, and the term "biases"…

Peter Medway was an exceptionally able teacher, researcher and thinker, and his work throws light on governments, inspectors and educators. In the early 1960s, Peter met a theory which "established language as a major means of constructing our realities". Later, after teaching English in secondary schools for two decades, he reflected on…

Facilitated discussion before, during and after experiences is widely accepted practice in the field of outdoor adventure education. Much of the literature appears to house the assumption that individual learning may be considerably restricted if participants' experiences are not processed with the help of an external facilitator, as they may not…

This article examines the role of agency for the English language development of three Chinese research students with high English proficiency sojourning in Australia. The focus is on the various approaches the learners employed to strengthen their sense of confidence in their language use in Australia. The data were obtained through in-depth…

Listening comprehension input is necessary for language learning and acculturation. One approach to developing listening comprehension skills is through exposure to massive amounts of naturally occurring spoken language input. But exposure to this input is not enough; learners also need to make the comprehension corpus meaningful to their learning…

This article describes a learning context in which the first grade classroom teacher creates a learning community where she uses different teaching strategies to encourage children's second language use and learning. The first graders share, discuss, and learn both the second language (German) and content.