This paper revolves on the premise that teachers' adoption of developmental model is more likely to improve student learning and performance as compared to the utilization of deficit approach. Deficit or clinical approach to learning has the tendency to focus on things that students cannot do, thus followed by teacher prescriptions of a…

ESL learners can find it challenging to use English in a way that is pragmatically appropriate to the situation and interlocutor. In this article, we explore the impact of increased proficiency on learners' pragmatic performance. ESL learners in Australia at four proficiency levels completed three role plays, and we analysed how the learners…

Teacher effectiveness research now informs the rationale of much Australian education policy aimed at redressing student under-achievement. The approach draws a "straight line" between teacher practice and student outcomes, "controlling" for and ultimately dismissive of other possible influences. The paper calls into question…

John Paul College, a K-12 School in Queensland, Australia, recognises the centrality of classroom teachers to the ongoing improvement of student outcomes. The College has implemented a multi-tiered "professional renewal and assessment process." These changes of emphasis are the result of significant research and subsequent/associated…

Healthy learning environments for young people are underpinned by respectful relationships. Unfortunately, Australian students who do not form reasonable relationships with peers and staff are unlikely to benefit from being at school. These students tend to disengage and are often excluded. However, a growing number of Australian schools have…

The College Assessment for Learning Program (CALP) was initiated in order to improve student learning outcomes and to strengthen professional conversations across three campuses. It was based on a backward mapping process developed earlier at one of the junior campuses with successful outcomes. Analysis of NAPLAN, School Certificate and Higher…

In a context of increasing numbers of refugees and asylum seekers globally, recognition of the importance of the school environment for promoting successful settlement outcomes and inclusion for refugee-background young people is growing. Yet schools may be poorly equipped to recognise and respond to the multiple challenges faced by children and…

Many studies of immigrant students in education focus on a single point in time. As a result, explanations of the performance of immigrant and minority students tend to be static, emphasising enduring socioeconomic, school or cultural factors. This article examines the dynamics of the differences in educational outcomes between immigrant and…

The opportunity for high-achieving university students to take on leadership roles in mentoring and peer learning contexts is perhaps underutilised. Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) programs are an example where the role of the peer leader, who facilitates the study session, is crucial to the success of the program. The implementation of PASS…

A self-assessment schedule has been developed for first-year geography students at Curtin University of Technology. Its purpose is to guide students towards independent learning by encouraging them to reflect more on "what" and "how" they learn. Results of the 2003 and 2004 trials showed that the self-assessment schedule had a…

In Australia the internationalization of education implies an increasing amount of "non-Anglo", predominantly South-East Asian, students from different ethnic and language backgrounds in the classroom. This impacts on the effectiveness of action learning of professional skills, which is highly valued and supported by Australian…