Argues that a democratic, emancipatory research model consisting of collaborative and explicit statements of purpose, design, data collection, analysis, publication, implications for practice and future research is possible and ideal for the educational community. Argues that this model has evolved to overcome the limitations of the rationalistic…

Reviews the history of education in the United States, focusing on student control opportunities in writing instruction. Observes that, contrary to literature on the subject, student ownership of written work may not always be the appropriate or best possible alternative. (MM)

Presents an ethnographic study of a first-grade whole-language classroom. Focuses on the teacher's philosophical evolution and the pivotal classroom interactions that served to translate her beliefs into practice. Notes that, even for a master teacher, the temptation to retain control was formidable. (RS)

Discusses the movement to provide a position for drama within the curriculum, opposition to the movement, and recent works which highlight the potential for drama in the language arts. Points out that drama teaches students to negotiate and create meaning. (ARH)

Discusses current research and issues concerning multilingual learners, and makes suggestions for school programs addressing bilingualism and multilingualism. (MM)

Looks critically at the theoretical and ideological underpinnings of the practice of story mapping. Discovers a deep contradiction between the author's definition of reading as a constructive process and the reductionist nature of story mapping, which inhibits students' potential to explore a diverse range of personal responses by promoting…

Argues that the idealism that is central to most stories of good teaching practice can become an obstacle when teachers who do not work in optimal conditions try to turn "theory" into practice. Offers an alternative narrative of "good" teaching: teacher and students constructing an intellectually engaging experience under less-than-optimal…