Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to work toward more fully conceptualizing literacy practices as social by theorizing the combined relational and intellectual context for learning. This context is created through students' and their teachers' uses of language. In particular, the quality of language that creates this intellectual relational…

A longstanding aim of education efforts to position students as knowledge constructors so they are engaged in the building and shaping their learning environment. Current education reforms situate student sense making around authentic science inquiries where students are engaged in the practices of science. In the science classroom, this means…

New understandings about learning and a vision of vocational education as lifelong planning and learning to work with others and be productive converge to suggest that vocational education will be a central force in this century. Vocational programs will continue to stress personal and cognitive development, connections between practical and…

Describes a professional-development program for experienced elementary teachers that focused on teacher learning. Data collected over 18 months and qualitatively analyzed for setting features and learning processes indicative of an intellectual focus identified five setting features and two broad patterns of engagement (from less- to…

Educators are warned against trying to implement open education without first understanding and believing in the philosophical, personal, and professional roots'' from which present open education practices have sprung. Twenty-nine assumptions about children's learning and about knowledge that reflect the philosophy of most open education…

Studies in intellectual development, brain organization, and learning are summarized. They show that neither intelligence nor giftedness are solely the result of cognitive functions. Both rely on the use of the total brain in an appropriate environment. Intelligence is dynamic. It must be used and developed or it will be lost. (PS)

Issues of instructional effectiveness need to be examined at three levels: (1) the context in which instruction takes place and the rewards provided for teaching well; (2) comparison of teaching paradigms; and (3) the knowledge to be learned and the skills that are part of the learning process. (MSE)

Intelligence-friendly classrooms require a teaching/learning process governed by extant knowledge and theories about developing human beings' intellectual potential. Guidelines are based on setting a safe emotional climate, creating a rich learning environment, teaching the mind-tools and skills of life, developing learners' skillfulness,…

The purpose of this fastback is to help teachers find out how children acquire a second language and explore the linguistic foundations on which sound English as a Second Language (ESL) curricula can be developed. It is intended for the regular classroom teacher, not the ESL specialist. Central findings in research on second language learning…

This paper challenges those involved in early childhood education to reexamine unquestioned assumptions concerning the benefits of early schooling. A synergic effect is posited by bringing together research areas that had formerly remained somewhat autonomous: Neurophysiology, vision, hearing, parent attitudes, affective domain, comparative school…