Claims that research findings of curriculum scholars may be harmful to the successful practice of teaching resulting from the following pathologies within the academic study of curriculum: (1) employing a generic approach toward curricular problems; (2) using meaningless educational jargon; (3) transferring metaphors from other disciplines to…

"Plain English" practitioners advocate rewriting texts to increase readability. However, a comparison of sections of an academic text with corresponding Plain English "translations" shows that, although readability may be increased, significant changes in meaning occur. (SK)

Frederick Douglass, as a nineteenth-century writer, experimented with all manner of discourses including sentimentality, romance and, more significantly, the vernacular tradition. In his works like "My Bondage" and "Life and Times of Frederick Douglass", the confidence of a writer willing to experiment with contrasting forms and willing to make a…

This article clarifies early childhood curriculum organizer terminology. Three main words used to describe curriculum: units, projects and themes are featured. A historical evolution and defining characteristics of each term are included to elucidate definitions so professionals can use common jargon.

This paper comments on the topic of literacy and politics by answering a question: "Why can't literacy educators seem to reach the politicians?" The discussion in the paper shows how educators and politicians communicate in different languages; when speaking about education educators tend to use their own jargon, while policymakers tend…

Discusses the language used in mathematics classrooms and states that appropriate language is based not only on the words we say but also on how those words are being perceived. Indicates that teachers should give students time to develop the meaning of numbers, operations, or problems. (ASK)

Discusses PC (personal computer) and telecommunications terminology in context: Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN); Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL); cable modems; satellite downloads; T1 and T3 lines; magnitudes ("giga-,""nano-"); Central Processing Unit (CPU); Random Access Memory (RAM); Universal Serial Bus…

This article criticizes the methodologies, epistemologies, and rhetoric found in much of the educational research published today. An aesthetic view of research overcomes many of the dangers inherent in the metaresearch methodologies and epistemologies currently used. Less arcane and jargon-ladened language would make research more accessible to…

Examined influence of behavioral jargon on elementary school teachers' (n=94) acceptance of two behavioral interventions, one reinforcement-based (DRI) and one punishment-based (time-out) within context of consultation analogue. Overall, DRI received significantly higher acceptability ratings from teachers than did time-out, although ratings of…

This article discusses professional language and communication in real-life settings and provides a critical overview of research on language for specific purposes. Ideas for renewing this field of study are presented. (78 references) (MDM)

Analyzes problems with the discourse of criticism (jargon, lack of practical connection) and of possibility (ineffective idealism) in curriculum studies. Substitutes the discourse of imagery, in which critical scholars address how as well as why language practitioners can understand. (SK)

Describes an activity having students investigate and report the names of acronyms. Presents a list of common acronyms used in biological education. Author found that having students investigate acronyms improved their comprehension of the large number of seemingly complex and intimidating bioscientific jargon. (PR)

Adult educators engaged in critical practice must address four issues: (1) the connection between their own political commitment and encouragement of learners' critical thinking (CT); (2) whether CT should be based on one intellectual tradition; (3) accessibility of the language of CT to learners; and (4) balance between CT's liberatory…

Discusses issues of document organization, document length, and writing style for avoiding bureaucratese in writing government documents. (SR)

Professional socialisation refers to the acquisition of values, attitudes, skills and knowledge pertaining to a professional subculture. This paper reviews the literature about professional socialisation and the dimensions that contribute to the process and definition of professional socialisation. This literature analysis is undertaken of cognate…