Background/Context: Recent sociocultural studies of detracking describe the ways in which notions of ability--local understandings of students' intellectual capacities--are at play in these settings, shaping both the politics and the practice of the reform. This study extends this examination into the classrooms of detracking schools. Purpose:…

This document examines the state of political education in Germany since reunification. The study chronicles the history of political education in Germany. It argues for greater organization and for creation of standards for political education in German schools. The document offers goals for political education as a subject along with an…

This paper explores how teachers who choose the New Literacy approach to the teaching of reading and writing reconcile the conflict between their need for personal pedagogical integrity and public demands for accountability. The paper's first section describes one teacher's changing conceptions of evaluation of student writing. The second section…

This pamphlet is about effective communication and helping citizens make use of every available way to "send them a message." Highlighted are tips on making personal visits to members of Congress and their staff, placing telephone calls and writing effective letters. There is a directory of telephone numbers and addresses to contact the…

Joseph Harris, in his article, "The Rhetoric of Theory," talks about theory, or more appropriately, theorizing, problem-posing rather than problem-solving. In other words, the act of theorizing is more useful and meaningful when viewed and enacted as an activity that attempts to continuously interrogate and to suggest relationships and…

This text consists of numerous statutes selected by the Illinois Association of School Boards' staff for their relevance to public school governance and administration. The publication covers legislation enacted as of January 1, 1998, and includes a myriad of education-related topics. The bulk of the text focuses on schools themselves, featuring…

In 1996, the Board on International Comparative Studies of the National Research Council sponsored a workshop to assess what has been learned about making education standards internationally competitive and to examine why criteria for international competitiveness have been so difficult to articulate. A summary of the issues raised at this…

This paper explores "political kitsch," a propaganda that incorporates familiar and easily understood art forms to shape the direction of public policy. Kitsch differs from art in that it is a powerful political construction designed to colonize the receiver's consciousness. It reassures and comforts the receiver through the exploitation…

The aim of this paper is threefold. The first section shows how the political uses of language engendered by both western-style liberalism on the one hand and various forms of nationalism on the other lead to the negation of democratic ideals. Because of the current international situation, political aspects of language are receiving more and more…

Issues in the current discussions surrounding educational choice are discussed in this paper, which examines several underlying assumptions through an analysis of selected metaphorical constructs in a selective review of the choice literature. A conclusion is that the rhetorical power of choice is based on imprecise, limited, and ambiguous…

Schools are developing effective forms of antiracist education and finding ways to empower minorities. This book examines possible strategies for antiracism education in England, particularly in predominantly white primary schools, and the macro- and micro-political factors influencing their development. Case studies of schools and teaching…

Studies focusing on televised presidential primary debates include four prespectives. From a historical perspective, televised presidential primary debates have increased slowly from 1956 through 1980. With the 1975 Federal Communications Commission ruling that independently sponsored campaign debates were news events exempt from "equal…

Researchers have put forth the idea that the mass media have an "agenda setting" function, that the more coverage an issue receives, the more important the public perceives that issue to be. A study tested the hypothesis that the campaign agenda presented by the media would have a stronger agenda setting effect than the aggregate media…

Locality development, social planning, and social action are three types of social change models examined in terms of how they might better serve the elderly as a political force. Political education and political action for and by the elderly are recommended as appropriate areas for social welfare agency involvement. (LH)