Action research is demanding, and often unpredictable. In this article, the author first introduces the context of her research on "Cultural Mathematics" and briefly describes the preparation for the course, with minimal comment on the methodology. She presents some of the challenges that arose during the course, using the categories…

Professional development is defined as the main route to quality teaching, which in turn leads to improved learning for all students. Because the real challenges of professional development become apparent only after the implementation process has begun, the present paper focuses on integrating professional development experiences with classroom…

This article investigates a language learner's cognitive ability (i.e., form-orientation) in detecting the corrective nature of non-salient feedback, by reviewing the operationalizations and reported effectiveness of recasts in recent SLA literature. Two directionalities which seem to have resulted in the divergent findings of recast effectiveness…

Using a sociohistoric developmental lens, this paper traces the construction of texts composed by fifth graders in an urban classroom in order to answer the following questions: How do children develop as writers in school? How do writing and drawing function in children's texts? How do teaching practices shape children's writing development?…

Little research and practice has focused specifically on Stage 2 of the doctoral student experience--the critical transition from "dependence to independence". In the United States, a student completes coursework, passes candidacy exams, and begins the dissertation proposal process during Stage 2. Given the distinct experiences associated with…

The place of culture in teaching English as an international language (EIL) is a complex issue, given the diversity of contexts in which English is currently being used globally. Building on a sociocultural perspective that language use is open to negotiation and is context-dependent, this paper argues that the design and content of…

The literature on neighborhood effects on schooling theorizes that neighborhood cultural context is an important mechanism generating such effects. However, explanations that rely on subcultural theories, such as oppositional culture, have met with considerable criticism on empirical grounds, and no alternative account of the cultural context of…

This study describes symbolic representation in block play in a culturally diverse suburban preschool classroom. Block play is "multimodal" and can allow children to experiment with materials to represent the world in many forms of literacy. Combined qualitative and quantitative data from seventy-seven block structures were collected and analyzed.…

Dynamic Assessment (DA) originated in the writings of L.S. Vygotsky more than 80 years ago, and despite its popularity among a small community of specialists it is not widely pursued by educational researchers. This paper seeks to strengthen dialogue between DA proponents and the broader assessment community by identifying potential contributions…

For decades foreign and second language teachers have taken advantage of the technology development and ensuing possibilities to use e-learning facilities for language training. Since the 1980s, the use of computer assisted language learning (CALL), Internet, web 2.0, and various kinds of e-learning technology has been developed and researched…

This study used an ecological, person-centered approach to identify subgroups of families who had similar profiles across multiple dimensions of Mexican-origin mothers' and fathers' occupational characteristics (i.e., self-direction, hazardous conditions, physical activity) and to relate these subgroups to families' sociocultural…

The adoption of the English language paradigm and the subsequent implementation of bilingual policies worldwide are generating new linguistic hierarchies. These have an effect on the linguistic diversity at the sub-national level and on individuals' linguistic human rights. This article reports the results of a case study on an individual's…

To develop dispositions essential to linguistically responsive teaching (Lucas & Villegas, 2011), preservice teachers need opportunities to engage in reflection and dialogue about the sociocultural and sociopolitical dimensions of identity, language and culture pertinent to Latino/a English language learners. In this article, we present two…

This case study describes services for students with disabilities at Karuna Home in Bylakuppe, Karnataka, India, a residential facility established to address the needs of individuals whose parents are primarily Tibetan immigrants. Interview, observation, and document review data collected over three months were used to describe and explain…

Educational practitioners in the higher education institutions of the UK have increasingly promoted the use of wikis. The technology enhanced learning experience of the UK was transferred to a local higher educational agency in Malaysia through a collaborative research project called WiLearn. By examining a student cohort enrolled in Chinese…