This book provides adolescents with strategies for building developmental assets that have been identified as crucial to success. The assets were identified using data from a survey of more than 250,000 students in grades 6-12. The 40 highlighted assets, grouped into two main types, are designated as either external or internal. The external…

A study examined the impact of high school vocational education and training (VET) courses on small, rural communities in Tasmania (Australia). Data were gathered from site visits and interviews with school principals, VET coordinators, and VET students from three rural Tasmanian high schools. Findings show that the programs met the immediate…

This collection of papers presents a variety of field-tested examples that use problem-based learning (PBL) for teacher education in many professional development settings. It describes PBL activities for preservice, novice, and experienced educators at all levels. The eight chapters describe teacher educators' experiences using PBL in their…

This guide provides K-3 teachers with information to help foster positive social skills such as caring, cooperation, communication, and appreciation for diversity through music, movement, and language arts. The guide includes a recording with 46 easy-to-learn songs (20 of which are in both English and Spanish) to use with young children. The songs…

Developed by classroom teachers during the development phase of Minnesota's Graduation Standards, this performance package is made up of locally designed assignments that, taken together, show whether a student has learned and can apply the knowledge and skills related to writing in the English language for a variety of academic purposes and…

This paper reviews current trends in the training of teachers, particularly in the areas of content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge, pedagogical reasoning, training, and beliefs. Content knowledge consists of the key facts, concepts, principles, and explanatory framework in the discipline, in this case mathematics. Pedagogical content…

This document, which was written for adult educators in Georgia, offers instructional plans and practical strategies for helping students in adult literacy, adult basic education (ABE), General Educational Development, and English-as-a-second-language (ESL) programs live longer and healthier lives. The document begins with a discussion of why…

The challenge of the Australian lifestyle has historically led bushmen on journeys of arduous adventure which actively developed unfettered spirits and extraordinary endurance. These qualities have contributed to the development of the Australian psyche. As a way of passing on the qualities and values of Australian bushmen of years ago, an…

This study surveyed 68 Taiwanese preservice English elementary teachers regarding their beliefs about language learning and teaching. The survey examined their beliefs in five areas: child development, teaching English to children, teaching strategies and techniques, the nature of language learning, and self-efficacy and expectations. Data…

The author's experiences of learning her heritage language of Deg Xinag, an Athabascan language spoken in Alaska, serve as a backdrop for discussing issues in learning endangered indigenous languages. When Deg Xinag is taught by linguists, obvious differences between English and Deg Xinag are not articulated, due to the lack of knowledge of…

The digital divide remains a formidable issue in rural areas where the only broadband access to the Internet may be at public schools or city governments. As the only locations in rural areas with adequate technological resources, schools, libraries, health facilities, and agricultural extension facilities can be places where citizens learn about…

This collection of articles includes: "Implementing Discourse Analysis for Intermediate and Advanced Language Learners" (Maria Palmira Massi); "A Comparison of Front-Page News in Japanese and British Quality Press Newspapers: Cultural Differences Reflected in the Press" (Christopher Bond); "Have You Ever Heard of Ogino…

This study examined program participation and academic progress of second language learners, following a cohort of Texas public school students from the school years, 1992-93 to 1999-00 as they progressed through the elementary and middle grades. Researchers examined the following: changes in Texas policy related to students with limited English…

This issue of "Working Papers in Educational Linguistics" begins with "Negative Evidence in Language Classroom Activities: A Study of Its Availability and Accessibility to Language Learners" (Teresa Pica and Gay N. Washburn), which revisits the issue of negative evidence in second language classrooms. The second paper,…

This publication is designed to help local administrators and teachers achieve the fundamental goal of the No Child Left Behind Act, that is, improved learning for all students. For administrators, it furnishes information useful for understanding the key issues that must be dealt with at the district, school, and classroom levels; provides a view…