The intention of this study is to explore mathematical discourse and teaching methods in Grades 6 and 7 of primary school in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The school's student population changed from predominately white English/Afrikaans-speaking learners before the 1994 election to predominately black Xhosa-speaking students in…

Children need teachers who understand their physical needs and can allow for appropriate sensory input. Each child is different, with individual strengths and weaknesses. Capitalizing on strengths and thoughtful planning can make life easier for everyone in the classroom (Jones & Reynolds 1997). In this article, the author provides some…

When non-native English-speaking elementary school students, exposed to English in the school environment only, were given high-interest, well-illustrated reading materials in English, measures of reading comprehension, English structures, word recognition, oral sentence repetition, and composition writing indicated that second-language…

This article demonstrates how literacy practices in an 11th grade, urban, English classroom in the United States worked to delineate and patrol gender borders between acceptable masculine and feminine social practices. Drawing upon Blackburn's (2005) and Thorne's (1993) studies of the gendered boundaries that are created and questioned in literacy…

This brief focuses on assessment issues for American Indian and Alaska Native (collectively referred to as "Native") students, as well as other pedagogical issues related to improved teaching and educational outcomes. Although traditional Native educational strategies emphasize cooperation, experiential learning, and reflection, Native students…

A Puerto Rican teacher of an eighth grade consisting of 33 students (19 girls and 14 boys) at a racially-mixed public middle school found that teaching students about race and gender is a risky venture. The median age of the students was 13.8. The racial demographics were as follows: 45% African-American, 31% Euro-American, 18% Latino, 3%…

The guide is designed to assist teachers in postsecondary education, particularly vocational education, with some students from language backgrounds other than English. It both offers suggestions for classroom organization and interaction and poses questions to stimulate teachers' examination of the processes at work in the learning situation.…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the interaction of male and female students with teachers in low-achieving (LAC) and high-achieving (HAC) middle school biology classes. Forty-six students from HAC and 44 students from LAC were observed during a semester for their interaction with their teacher. Findings indicate that males received…

This annual serial volume contains 20 articles offering practical pedagogical ideas from faculty at New Hampshire technical colleges. Section I, "Knowing a Thing," includes "A Rider Teaches Writing: Thoroughbreds and Freshmen," by Barbara Dimmick; "Some Thoughts on How To Incorporate Multimedia in Your Course," by Joyce Schneider; "Community…

Three papers written by graduate students on educational linguistics are included. These papers represent works in progress by students and professors on topics ranging from speech act analysis and classroom discourse to language planning and second language acquisition. The papers are generally based on research carried out for courses offered in…

Noting that many instructional routines discourage complex thought and language, a study examined how teachers and children used language in the first 3 weeks in 3 preschools. Specifically it explored how teachers talk to children, what teachers ask children to do with language, and what children say in school. The language features of…

A study investigated the language use of six native Mandarin Chinese-speaking children, recent immigrants to the United States placed in an English-language kindergarten class. Taking the perspective of an immigrant child, the research focuses on the English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learner's language behaviors when engaging in four classroom…

A discussion of bilingualism in young children in the Soviet Union looks at the three main forms of early bilingualism (bilingual home environment, different languages spoken at home and in school, and second language instruction in school), notes the challenges they pose for development and maintenance of bilingual skills, and then describes a…

This teacher's guide offers classroom techniques for teaching science to bilingual elementary students. Recommendations are made for improving teaching by: lowering students' affective filters; providing comprehensible input; providing for language output; creating a supportive environment; adjusting classroom teaching style; teaching…

The report presents preliminary findings from a study of middle school American history classes with English language learners. The study investigated the construction of social studies knowledge in these classes and the development and implementation of lessons that address the cultural and educational backgrounds of the learners while…