At the core of contemporary U.S. language education policy is the dichotomous dividing of bilingual students into English Learners (ELs) who are entitled to extra support and non-ELs who are not entitled to this support. In this article, we genealogically trace the normative assumptions that go into this framing of the issue. We begin by examining…

Prospective elementary teacher (PSET) education programs vary greatly in the courses and course sequences employed to prepare their students. This article explores potential tradeoffs that arise for mathematics teacher educators, PSETs, and their future students due to the choices PSET education programs make regarding their design. Specifically,…

This report describes how effective environmental literacy can be for catalyzing Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) teaching, and how the California K-8 NGSS Early Implementers Initiative has provided professional learning about environmental literacy to prompt and support this synergy. The report also outlines how the California Science…

This book presents a validated observation instrument to support and further develop the pedagogic expertise of teachers of English Learners in US schools. Based on sociocultural and second language teaching and learning theories, the Observation Protocol for Academic Literacies (OPAL) has a variety of uses across teacher preparation programs,…

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) [Achieve, Inc. [2013]] represent a broad consensus that teaching and learning expectations must change. Rather than memorizing and reciting information, students are now expected to engage in science practices to develop a deep understanding of core science ideas. While we want to share in the optimism…

The study of earthquakes can help students build connections between theoretical analysis and real-world applications. However, units on earthquakes typically struggle to bridge that gap between theory and application. Traditional class activities focus on measuring earthquakes, such as triangulating epicenters by analyzing P and S wave arrival…

This theoretical paper describes how Community-based Mathematical Modeling can advance equity and cultivate civic empathy in elementary school settings. We provide a framework for community-based mathematical modeling instruction consisting of five goals: facilitating connections, fostering engagement, promoting rigor, cultivating civic empathy,…

This practical guide shows teachers how to introduce academic language to young children, with an emphasis on appreciating and leveraging linguistic diversity. New educational standards are asking students to master content-area concepts and increasingly complex texts in earlier grades. This practitioner-friendly text provides instructional…

The cochairs of the International Literacy Association's 2017 Standards provide a hands-on guide to using the updated standards for middle and high school classroom teachers. The authors discuss four key notions: Disciplinary literacy instruction enhances content area learning, culturally responsive instruction is critical in our diverse society,…

What is it really like to plunge into the world of science learning and teaching? Find out in this unique book. "Dive In!" grew out of a teacher-scientist project at the University of New Hampshire that promoted active learning and using science practices in the classroom. That experience yielded this book's reason for being: to provide…

The Common Core has brought a sharp shift in what it means to be mathematically literate. Becoming mathematically literate is now as much a matter of acquiring mathematical practices as of acquiring any defined set of content standards. This more ambitious definition of literacy presents a challenge not only for students, but also for teachers who…

With such publications as "Curriculum and Evaluation Standards" (1989) and "Principles and Standards for School Mathematic" (2000), NCTM has played a significant role in defining a vision for school mathematics. In particular, the Curriculum Principle (NCTM 2000, pp. 14-16) described the need for students to learn important…

At its core, project-based learning is based on the idea that real-life problems capture student interest, provoke critical thinking, and develop skills as they engage in and complete complex undertakings that typically result in a realistic product, event, or presentation to an audience. This article offers a starting point for music teachers who…

In this second edition of her bestseller, Christine Sleeter and new coauthor Judith Flores Carmona show how educators can learn to teach rich, academically rigorous, multicultural curricula within a standards-based environment. The authors have meticulously updated each chapter to address current changes in education policy and practice. New…

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are composed of three intertwined dimensions--disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts--that provide a foundation for what students should know and be able to do at various grade levels. The eight science practices outlined in the NGSS are critical components…