This study examined prospective elementary teachers' learning about scientific inquiry in the context of an innovative life science course. Research questions included: (1) What do prospective elementary teachers learn about scientific inquiry within the context of the course? and (2) In what ways do their experiences engaging in science…

The aim of the current research was to examine pre-service, general and special education teachers' attitudes to and knowledge of metalinguistics (awareness of language structure) in the process of learning to read. Effective teachers of reading, writing, and spelling need to understand the relationship between speech and print because these basic…

Many teacher education programs are working at a feverish pitch to ensure that their graduates are considered "highly qualified" in light of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation, which reduces teacher competency to proof of subject matter knowledge as demonstrated by passing a state test and completing requisite number of courses in the…

This paper reviews studies of teacher cognition in relation to the teaching of grammar in first, second, and foreign language classrooms. Teacher cognition encompasses a range of psychological constructs and these are reflected in the research reviewed here. Thus, in turn, I discuss studies of teachers' declarative knowledge about grammar, of…

The intent of this qualitative study is to narrate (Brodkey, (1987a). "Education Quarterly," 18, 67-76; "Written communication," 4, 25-70; Qualitative communication research methods. (1987b). Lindlof, (1995). (pp. 172-174): London Sage Publications) the master teachers as aggregate sample subjects' pedagogical understanding and…

In every classroom where interactivity is part of the learning process, teachers become facilitators. Facilitating in the multicultural classroom presents special challenges for teachers in overcoming psychosocial problems that may be present when people from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds interact. Students represent different…

During the last two decades teachers in many countries have found themselves facing new demands and changes. In his "intensification thesis" Apple made a powerful attempt to conceptualize and explain these changes: the growing economic and management oriented perspective on education leads to intensification of teachers' work, implying deskilling…

The specialist knowledge and skills of science teachers is far too easily overlooked and undervalued, due, in part, to the tacit nature of the knowledge that underpins expert science teachers' practice. For science teachers to better recognize, describe, and share their professional knowledge there is a need to develop new and meaningful ways…

This study examined to what degree the existing curricula, teaching practices, and assessments in 15 elementary physical education programs were aligned with the National Standards for Physical Education (NASPE, 1995) in the USA. Fifteen elementary physical education teachers voluntarily participated in this study. Data were gathered through…

In this article, the authors conducted a bit of action research. As a starting point, they gathered information from physical education majors regarding their knowledge of appropriate practices in elementary physical education as outlined by the Council on Physical Education for Children (COPEC). The authors constructed an 80-item survey from…

Two teachers participating in an online study group provided the foci for in-depth case studies. Transcripts of conversations they had with colleagues about issues related to reform-oriented pedagogy were analyzed from both acquisition and participation perspectives on learning. Both teachers exhibited mainly marginal changes to their pedagogical…

Maintaining that urban teaching and learning is characterized by many contradictions, this book proposes that there is a wide range of social, cultural, psychological, and pedagogical knowledge urban educators must possess in order to engage in effective and transformative practice. It is necessary for those teaching in urban schools to be…

This is a cross-cultural comparative study that sets out to explore teachers' knowledge, understanding and practices of the teaching of Physical Education (PE) to students from different cultural backgrounds. More specifically, it explores key issues in the teaching of PE to Muslim students. Thirteen PE teachers, six from England and seven from…

One of the most relevant issues in classrooms today is the incorporation of technology, specifically computers, into classroom instruction. A review of the literature reveals that six of the most important variables in determining the degree to which teachers integrate computers into their instruction and planning are knowledge, anxiety, personal…

Four variables have been identified by research as having a powerful influence on teachers' teaching practices and student learning. These are: (1) content coverage; (2) content exposure; (3) content emphasis; and (4) quality of instructional delivery. These four variables are important to the investigation of students' opportunity to learn…