Incorporating engineering in the elementary school curriculum provides students with ways of connecting, applying, and reinforcing knowledge in math, science, and design. To bring what is essentially a new discipline to K-12 education means developing and supporting new tools for the classroom, additional curriculum, teacher training, and support…

The articles in this journal issue reflect the theme of "passages." Five articles contain teachers' reflections and descriptions of the following forms of passage: (1) passing from the classroom to motherhood and back again; (2) passing from academe to the world of work--the retraining of literature professors; (3) ways in which students gain…

First of a two-part series identifying probable changes in English instruction resulting from technology's impact on society and schools. Predicts consequences of interactive reading and writing software, style checkers, teacher-monitored networks in electronic writing labs, computer generated texts, and desktop publishing. (JG)

This book offers broad, practical strategies for teaching science and engineering courses and describes how faculty can provide a learning environment that helps students comprehend the nature of science, understand science concepts, and solve problems in science courses. The student-centered approach focuses on two main themes: reflective writing…

CraftPlus is an integrated learning package that consists of a K-8 spiraling, core writing curriculum based on explicit Target Skills instruction; professional books; grade-level Curriculum Guides; sixteen workshop and classroom demonstration DVDs; and a CD with student samples and other classroom support materials. The grade-level Curriculum…

This book describes the special way one teacher, Jeanette Amidon, approaches children's thinking, with a particular focus on reading and writing instruction. The root value of her first-grade classroom in Massachusetts is respect for children's ideas, with the children's art and writing as visible signs of the teacher's respect for their thinking.…

This nine-chapter book, written in Europe by a French-speaking Swiss educator, explores the rationale for using educational biography approaches in adult education and presents examples that illustrate various uses of these life history activities. Chapter 1 provides an introduction and overview of educational biography, and Chapter 2 describes…

This paper describes and examines an experimental and innovative program at the Center for the Teaching of Foreign Languages at the National Autonomous University of Mexico to provide teacher education courses by means of distance learning. This program was undertaken in response to a scarcity of qualified language teachers. It is aimed at…

A cut score validity analysis for a pretest writing prompt and the SAT Verbal and Math assessments was performed for academic writing course placement. This study was carried out as part of a broader program of assessment aimed at understanding the impact of the writing course and eventually set the baseline for assessing the impact of 'writing…

The Write for Your Life project allows students to examine life events that affect their health and well-being by creating spaces for them to inquire into the circumstances of their lives. This paper examines Write for Your Life in a Texas middle school with a diverse student population, focusing on three students' writing projects. (SM)

Susanna, a young girl from a low-income Chinese immigrant family, develops her oral language proficiency quickly in Head Start and kindergarten; however, she needs more support in her reading and writing. This case study examines an unusual journey of Susanna's learning to read and write in English. Observations in her home indicate a home with…

The Association Method is an instructional strategy currently being used with children with hearing loss, children with speech and language disorders, and children with reading disabilities. It is a systematic, incremental, phonetically based, multi-sensory approach designed to increase the understanding and use of spoken language; improve…

Five approaches currently used in adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) literacy instruction are described. A group of strategies developed by Paulo Freire are participatory or learner-centered, and revolve around the discussion of issues drawn from learners' real-life experiences. The Whole Language Approach, more than a specific method or…

This curriculum guide was developed and updated for a 2-year project conducted to improve the productivity of the work force through improvement of literacy skills in the workplace by providing instruction to employees in the printing industry in the Baltimore (Maryland) metropolitan area; Carroll County and Charles County, Maryland; and York,…

This study surveyed teacher education students during their student teaching assignments in order to determine their perspectives on their preparedness for the classroom and their observations or use of effective teaching strategies during their student teaching experiences. Responses were obtained from 31 preservice teachers, 26 elementary and 6…