An ethnographic study of three public elementary school classrooms explored how teachers organized time and space and through this organization attempted to construct classroom power relationships. The study involved intensive observation of classroom interactions in two fifth-grade classes and one first-grade classroom and close analysis of…

This paper examines: (1) the use of questions by children at different levels of proficiency in Spanish and English, and (2) the congruency between the language constructs used to measure language proficiency and the natural language repertoire of children as seen in video-tapes of classroom interaction. A quantitative analysis of the data…

This book about widening educational participation draws on an ethnographic study of 23 students returning to learning through access courses provided at their local further education college in suburban England. Chapter 1 explains how certain poststructural concepts (discourse, hegemony, deconstruction, and subjectivity) are used as analytical…

Articles are divided into two sections. Section 1, "Research and Theory, includes: "The Influence of Pronunciation Instruction on the Pronunciation of English Word-Final Consonants by Brazilian Learners" (Roseanne Silveira); "Perceptions, Interactions and Immersion: A Cross-Comparative Case Study of African-American Students'…

Thirteen marginal Philippine communities were examined in an ethnographic study of the meaning of functional literacy and whether literacy invariably promotes development. The 13 sites were purposely selected to provide a broad sampling from three standpoints: (1) major livelihood and form of economic activity (farming, fishing, urban poor,…

Evaluates two British ethnographic studies by Bruce Carrington and Edward Wood, and by Cecile Y. Wright claiming to find evidence of teachers' racist attitudes and behaviors toward Afro-Caribbean students that contributed to student underachievement. Delineates methodological flaws. Argues that Wright's findings that the source of racism is in…

This personal report of classroom experiences at an urban commuter college relates the experiences of a teacher and a group of working-class students studying the book "Utopia," which is also the metaphor for the hoped-for learning experience. The book, illustrated by excerpts from student-submitted work, shows how pedagogical theory leads to…

Articles on second language teaching and learning include: "Ethnographie comparee de la salle de classe en France et en grande-Bretagne" (Comparative Ethnography of the Classroom Environment in France and Great Britain) (F. Carton); "Pour une approche micro et macro du francais parle dans la formation des enseignants de FLE"…

The booklet describes a multimedia project which introduces secondary students and interested adults to the ethnic history of Westport and Norwalk, Connecticut, from 1900 to 1979. Objectives of the project were to demonstrate ways to explore the past and relate it to the present, forge links between generations, encourage understanding and respect…

This study is an attempt to tell the story of a Mexican American bilingual education teacher whose professional and personal life spans the beginning of modern bilingual education to the present atmosphere of "accountability." Her voice connects the macro and micro aspects of being a minority educator in the contested context of…

This volume presents 64 abstracts of keynote and parallel paper presentations of the Irish National Academy for Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning's (NAIRTL) conference on the theme of flexible learning. The Flexible Learning conference was a joint initiative by NAIRTL and the Learning Innovation Network. The keynote presentations can…

The collection of essays on language contact and language conflict includes: "Language Choices: Contact and Conflict?" (Martin Putz); "Language Ecology: Contact Without Conflict" (Peter Muhlhausler); "Towards a Dynamic View of Multilingualism" (Ulrike Jessner); "A Matter of Choice" (Florian Coulmas); The…

This study used the Multiple Worlds Model, with culture as a central component, to examine adolescents' worlds and the types of transitions they make as they move from one context to another. Material for case studies was obtained from a 3-year research project with 55 adolescents varying in gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, achievement…

A collection of readings addresses issues in empirical investigation of language and literacy in a social context, and provide models useful to researchers undertaking small-scale studies. They include: "Introducing Ethnography" (Martyn Hammersley); "The Relations between Researcher and Researched: Ethics, Advocacy and…

The history of immigration to Norwalk and Westport, Connecticut, from the Revolutionary War period to 1979 is presented. The reading is part of a project to investigate the ethnically varied cultural heritage of the Norwalk-Westport area. It is arranged in two major sections. Section I focuses on Westport--described as an attractive suburban town…