Second language acquisition has an identity problem. It is a young field struggling to emerge from the parent fields of education and applied linguistics. In this book, the author proposes a way to help second language acquisition develop a systematic and coherent focus using the philosophy of science as the lens. The structure of the book allows…

Content weakness in textbooks is a major obstacle to effective social studies teaching. Chapters 1-3 of this book provide the Education for Democracy Project's Statement of Principles, a consideration of history's role as the core of social studies education, and the role of textbooks in teaching world history. Chapters 4-14 examine five selected…

Second language teaching is viewed from the perspective that its core objective is to teach the cultural context of discourse in the target language, rather than to teach the traditional four language skills and culture as a fifth component. The discussion begins with an examination of the context of communication within the classroom, suggesting…

This interpretive book explores some of the contexts in modern American society within which toys seem to be very important and discusses some of the conflicting interpretations regarding those contexts. Part I, which concerns the toy in the family, discusses the toy as bond and obligation, as solitariness, and as consolation. Part II discusses…

Intended as both a theoretical and practical analysis of interpersonal communication, this four-part book presents a framework for communication education and proposes methods for classroom implementation. After an overview of new directions in communication education, the book outlines the foundations of communication education, discusses…

The debate over teaching the "canon," a collection of great books authored by Homer, Plato, Shakespeare, Kant, Darwin, and others that has traditionally represented the Western intellectual tradition, as a core of the college curriculum, is examined. Discussion begins with a description of how the canon has been taught from ancient…

School board censorship of library books and of curriculum materials and methodology can infringe on fundamental constitutional rights, according to this seventh chapter in a book on school law. In the last decade, cases in federal courts have tended to support the authority of school boards to control library materials. However, board authority…

While many parents are familiar with Montessori schooling at the preschool level, Montessori elementary and middle schools have also proliferated in the past decade. This book provides an overview of Montessori theory and practice, with special emphasis on the child's elementary school years. Chapter 1 presents an introduction to the origin and…

Many of the most exciting advances in science are taking place in biology, yet many students leave school without having learned biology's basic principles, and few are stimulated enough to continue in the sciences. This book presents information and expert views from teachers, curriculum developers, and others on why and where biology education…

Approaches to teaching about international politics and avenues to peace should be realistic and pragmatic rather than based on generalities about global education and peace education. This volume contains essays on international economic relations, cultural and linguistic understanding, and the conflict of ideologies and value systems in…

After three years in power, Soviet leader, Mikhail S. Gorbachev, has emphasized that he intends to carry out a restructuring of the Soviet system in an effort to make the Soviet economy capable of assimilating the opportunities offered by contemporary science, technology and methods of management. Chapter 1, a brief introduction, stresses that…

This collection of 10 papers aims to provide teachers at all levels with ideas on a number of important aspects of mathematics education. The Report of the Committee on Inquiry into the Teaching of Mathematics (Cockcroft Report) has provoked wide discussion in England, and the papers examine some contemporary issues in school mathematics in light…

Examining the question, "Why are children not mastering what they ought to be learning in school?," this book merges cognitive science with educational agenda to show how incompatible children's minds and natural patterns of learning are to current educational materials, practices, and institutions, making a case for restructuring the…

This National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Yearbook shows how NCTM's recommendations for improving mathematics education--contained in the booklet, An Agenda for Action--are being implemented in schools. The 27 articles are grouped under 8 headings, corresponding to the 8 recommendations in the Agenda. The articles apply to all levels…

Intended to provide a publication outlet for systematic and substantive reviews and syntheses, both empirical and theoretical, and for integrative reports of programatic research, this volume focuses on what children learn when learning to read, and how this learning can be facilitated. The first chapter of the volume offers an analysis of writing…