For decades, investments in public education have boosted U.S. productivity and earnings, forged a path out of poverty for many families, helped disadvantaged students narrow the learning gap with their peers, and developed a workforce that continues to be among the most productive and innovative on Earth. More recently, this engine of growth has…

This article examines a qualitative study carried out at a middle school in North Carolina, the United States of America. The main purpose of the study was to find effective strategies that teachers can use to help ESL students improve their speaking skills and class participation. Results indicated that both communicative and social strategies as…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine (a) the role of the cooperating teacher in relationship to his or her assigned student teachers, (b) the cooperating teachers' training and preparation for those roles, and (c) the cooperating teachers' perceived needs regarding training and support. Ten cooperating teachers from different…

The problem: It is important to examine how U.S. born ESL teacher's of colors' ethnicity affects White colleagues and administrators, and their own teaching practice in order to eradicate the preconceived notions that a suitable language teacher should be one that is only recognized by the majority on the basis of race. Method: A qualitative…

New models of schooling are necessary as educational institutions attempt to transition into the digital age. This article is an ethnography of Apolyton University, an informal online university of gamers created to enhance pleasure from the game experience, teach the game, and improve upon the game's standard rule set. It identifies the life…

In this essay, Charles Payne and Tim Knowles argue that given President Obama's support of charter schools, it is time for educators and policymakers to closely consider both the possibilities and the limitations of these schools in the context of urban school reform. The authors discuss the unique flexibility of charter schools--namely in…

"Strategic Management of Human Capital in Education" offers a comprehensive and strategic approach to address what has become labeled as "talent and human capital." Grounded in extensive research and examples of leading edge districts, this book shows how the entire human resource system in schools--from recruitment, to selection/placement,…

"Vocabulary Plus" is an interactive strategy which links vocabulary development with content area learning for English learners. This strategy uses interactive read-alouds of thematically- connected informational text matched to the grade-appropriate state standards and content of core subjects. When using "Vocabulary Plus",…

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) of India uses multiple media and modes for reaching out to its distant learners. For most of the programmes offered to these learners, print is the master medium and other media supplement it. Instructions for the Bachelor in Education (B.Ed.), one of the popular programmes of IGNOU, are also…

Student-centered tasks, such as having students select vocabulary to be learned, offer one way of supporting both content area learning and independent word learning. The underlying foundation of these tasks is the vocabulary terms and phrases that students personally deem important for understanding what is read. With this in mind, the authors…

Teacher read-alouds are planned oral readings of children's books. They are a vital part of literacy instruction in primary classrooms. Teachers can use read-alouds to develop children's background knowledge, stimulate their interest in high-quality literature, increase their comprehension skills, and foster critical thinking. While reading,…

Today, it is a challenge for teachers to convince resistant readers that literature holds secrets, adventures, and revelations worthy of their time and attention. When teachers demonstrate how to explore literature and guide students in doing so, teachers help break down barriers that are common among middle school students. Unfortunately, when…

Discusses criteria to apply in the selection of textbooks and teaching methods for the teaching of English as a second language. (Text is in French.) (CLK)

The position of assistant principal has existed since the mid-1920s. Although the assistant principal's role has evolved, no consensus exists as to its defined nature. Traditionally, assistant principals spent most of their time working on student discipline, attendance, and various administrative/ non-educational duties. This study seeks to…

The nation's focus on the literacy skills of students--especially boys--has produced many notions of reform. School districts reorganized and changed curricula to meet the needs of struggling readers and writers. In New York City, where this author was teaching, "Balanced Literacy" (a reading and writing workshop) had been implemented in…