Language skills play an important role in learning. Teachers must understand how meanings are formed, why they are often difficult to communicate, and the importance of language in the formation and sharing of meaning. Various communication practices that inhibit or enhance the students' understanding of meaning are explored. (DF)

Although second language pedagogy has tended increasingly toward simulation, role-playing, and natural communication, it has not profited from existing research on natural learning in second languages. The emphasis should be on understanding how the processes of guided learning and natural learning differ, psychologically and sociologically, and…

Three relatively simple conceptual frameworks are suggested to help trainers diagnose optimum learning situations. At their present stage of development, the models are theories that have not been empirically tested. The models are titled the Integral Learner, Understanding versus Application, and the Diagnostic Cube. (CT)

Suggests that there are three phases in the foreign language teaching/learning process through which the learner progresses from dependence on the teacher to independence in utterance. These phases are: (1) presentation, (2) precommunicative activity, and (3) communicative activity. The second phase, which is often passed over, is discussed in…

Suggests that teachers and children may have different ideas about how people talk about stories in classrooms. Describes how teachers loosened their attempts to control children's talk and subsequently shared control with them, and collaborated in exploring stories and in teaching/learning to read. (HTH)

A primary head teacher's reaction to the effect of contrasting teaching methods on children's progress and achievement in primary schools is the subject of this article. (Editor/RK)

The establishment of the "three-dimension-in-one" objectives in the new curriculums has changed the "knowledge-centered" objective model in the traditional teaching syllabuses. This change will cause the transformation of knowledge learning ideology, i.e. from stressing the explicit knowledge acquisition to concerning the value of tacit knowledge.…

Scientific inquiry reflects how scientists come to understand the natural world, and it is at the heart of how students learn. From a very early age, children interact with their environment, ask questions, and seek ways to answer those questions. Understanding science content is significantly enhanced when ideas are anchored to inquiry…

We are researching actions that teachers can take to improve mathematics learning for all students. Structural elements of the lessons being trialled include making aspects of pedagogy explicit to seek to overcome differences in familiarity with schooling processes, and sequencing tasks with the potential to engage students. This article reports…

This project was a field research experience designed to enhance the capacity of middle and high school teachers to incorporate active research into their classroom teaching. Evaluation was designed for both formative and summative purposes. All activities in the project had the goal of using inquiry-based learning in the classroom. Teams of one…

This paper presents reflections on the power of project work as it enhances the character development and self-awareness of the young child. Examples from projects illustrate the development of these human values based on project investigations of 4- and 5-year-old children from Hong Kong International School. The first set of investigations…

This reader brings together work by Howard Gardner and his colleagues at Project Zero (Harvard Graduate School of Education) to provide a coherent picture of what has been learned about the educational applications of multiple intelligences theory from school projects and formal research over the past decade. The chapters are: (1) "In a Nutshell";…

The first in a series of five, module 1 provides everything one will need to run sharply focused, practical staff development training sessions for adult and Post 16 literacy, language and numeracy teachers. Each module addresses aspects of teaching and learning commonly identified as areas in need of improvement and can be used individually or as…

Discusses some of the relevant research and concludes that if reading is considered as one avenue of learning then other modes should be given equal status. (TO)

Article concentrates on the question: "Is programmed instruction effective instruction?". (Author/RK)