Describes a teacher inservice project intended to develop a language policy for using writing as a learning tool. Argues that the inservice context for teachers as learners is similar to that of the classroom and that the opportunity for talking should likewise be used for learning in the classroom. (HTH)

In considering how a teacher can assert authority without giving up the benefits of classroom interaction, two premises should be acknowledged: students of a multi-ethnic classroom or with a wide range of writing skill deficiencies require more authority; and teachers should take responsibility for modeling acceptable patterns of discourse and…

This paper is about improving mathematics achievement among the lowest attaining students in some mainstream secondary school through focusing on thinking in ordinary lessons. The research is funded by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation (grant numbers 01-1415 & 02-1424) and involves three academics and nine teacher-researchers. A research perspective…

Most students prefer visual input--through normal development or instructional reinforcement--yet, most teachers provide information to be taken in by listening. This mismatch can confound the learning process. To determine how well teachers listen and what their preferences might be, more than 300 Arkansas educators (predominantly female public…

This tipsheet explains that an interpreter's role is to facilitate communication and convey all auditory and signed information so that individuals with and without hearing may fully interact. It outlines the common types of services provided by interpreters, and discusses principles guiding the professional behaviors of interpreters. When working…

A female African American educator with dreadlocks in a class of predominantly white college students begins each semester by warning students that the terms "black" and "white" will be used regularly. She also points out factors that might inhibit speaking in class, such as white students' fears that awkward phrasing of their…

Presentation and discussion of children's picture books as well as classroom meetings were implemented on a twice-weekly basis in a fourth grade classroom in an attempt to improve each student's sense of community within the classroom. A survey ("Measuring Classroom Community") which was administered to the teacher and to each student as well as…

People learn differently. One model for instruction does not suit all participants well, especially when those participants are from different cultural backgrounds. Based on research into the speaking patterns of Puerto Ricans in the United States, as well as in Puerto Rico, inferences can be drawn about how those patterns of communication would…

This book focuses on learning as a social process. The language of teaching and learning within classroom literacy lessons, and how this language contributes to building a culture of learning, is a key principle that underlies each concept presented in the book. Each of the chapters asks teachers to examine the interactive nature of classroom life…

This paper focuses on second language (L2) learning through task-based interaction as well as the compatibility of the theories of task-based learning and Vygotsky's sociocultural theory. Language tasks encourage L2 learning by using language as a tool to accomplish a goal. This study analyzes the interaction of first-semester French students…

This paper asks what it means to construct classroom practice so that the expertise of students and teacher is called forth to respond to the challenge of meeting students' needs for English in the world and for the world. The paper suggests a model and metaphor of the classroom as an atelier--a place of artisanal practice in which the expertise…

This paper examines the impact of storytelling in educational venues. Specifically, the paper compares data and findings from four ethnographic, qualitative, arts-based studies that examined either students' or teachers' reactions to oral narration in classroom settings. It suggests that, through stories and storytelling, people are exposed to…

Talk is an important medium of instruction and assessment in schools. By talking to pupils and listening to what they have to say teachers assess and support pupils' learning. For pupils to be successful and make the most of the learning opportunities offered, it is important that they become active participants in the discourse of the classroom.…

Talk remains by far the most used medium of instruction and classroom action. Classroom talk is typically dominated by triadic dialogue or an I-R-E (Initiate-Response-Evaluation) pattern of talk noted in the literature as consistent across grades and subjects. Studies seem to indicate that teachers utilize traditional forms of talk, even though…

This study attempts to evaluate the effects of one specific positive-reinforcement-oriented contingency management program on students' total and school-related self-concepts as well as their personal and social adjustment. (Author)