With technological advancement, multimodality has received paramount importance in teaching and learning. Different technology-based assistance is available nowadays, and computer-assisted language learning (CALL) is one of them. It uses computer-based tools, materials, resources, and information to assist second language learning. Motivation…

Research continues to reveal the pervasive racial disparities among students in schools throughout the United States. Just as concerning, research persistently portrays teachers' self-perceptions as not knowing how to talk and teach about race nor do they feel comfortable doing so. This research sought to understand eight preservice teachers'…

This action research described how a middle school teacher integrated five discussion protocols including structured controversy, pair communication, triad protocol, personal experience panel, and Socratic seminar into her sixth-grade Language Arts classes. Collected data from three different sources indicated an overall improvement of both…

This article starts from the observation that Socratic dialogues in the Nelson-Heckmann tradition can create a sense of belonging or community among participants. This observation has led me to the current argument that Socratic dialogue offers an alternative to more prominent forms of conversation, which I have called 'discussion' and 'discourse…

Supporting young students' oral language development is vital in ensuring their future success as readers. One important way that early childhood teachers can foster language development is by having extended conversations with students. The authors share research about the importance of rich teacher-student conversations and explain how less…

English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) classrooms for recently arrived immigrant English learners are important contexts to help students acquire language skills and adapt to the host country's social norms. In the United States, resources on how to help these learners navigate moral and cultural norms expected in the school system are…

Reading through the articles in this issue of "Communication Education" took incoming editor, Deanna Dannels, back in time to reflect on a camping trip in North Carolina where she and her daughter went gem mining. She reflects on the the one piece of advice from the employee who taught them how to gem mine: "If you want to find…

Recent research has argued that inquiry-based science learning should be guided by providing the learners with support. The research on guidance for inquiry-based learning has concentrated on how providing guidance affects learning through inquiry. How guidance for inquiry-based learning could promote learning about inquiry (e.g. epistemic…

In this response, Scott Titsworth analyzes similarities among the forum essays and then offers ideas for how instructional communication scholars might adopt greater situational awareness in research, theory, and application of their work. [Other essays in this forum include: (1) FORUM: Interpersonal Communication in Instructional Settings: The…

While research suggests that interactive pedagogy drawing on students' ideas can improve learning outcomes, it has been found difficult to change mathematics classroom practice in this direction. The reasons for this difficulty remain poorly understood, hindering change at scale. This article focuses on the under-researched normative aspect of…

Language classroom interactions can be characterized as multimodal, since teachers may resort to a variety of resources provided by their body or by their immediate space in order to convey meaning, manage activities and assess pupils' performances. Furthermore, teachers' multimodal practices constitute an essential component for the…

In this article, we use grounded practical theory to develop a practical theory for using "difficult data" in Language and Social Interaction university classes. "Difficult data" are transcribed, audio/video-recorded data that contain language and ideologies that could be offensive, bigoted, or otherwise disturbing. We provide…

In this paper the role of explanations is discussed in relation to possible consequences originating in the polysemy of the word explanation. The present study is a response to conceptual confusions that have arisen in the intersection between theory and practice, and between science education literature and communication in authentic science…

Research on the language-literature divide in undergraduate second language programs documents the challenge of engaging literature learners in classroom discourse which is conducive to their developing interpersonal speaking skills as measured on the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Scale. In this study, Integrated Performance Assessments (IPAs) were…

Circle time is a near universally used preschool activity; however, little research has explored its nature, content, and quality. This study examined activity types, teacher and child talk, child engagement, and classroom quality in a sample of public preschool classrooms in an urban, high-poverty school district. Results demonstrated that…