This paper presents an exploratory study of two consecutive reading sessions conducted in primary school by two different teachers. Our purpose is twofold. From a theoretical viewpoint, we propose a tentative set of conditions of teaching effectiveness by relying on the Joint Action Theory in Didactics. From a methodological viewpoint, drawing on…

Explores the reasons educational reforms fail. Demonstrates that the study of such failures provides insight into the complex political dynamics of policy making. Information from two case studies of France and West Germany indicates that in industrialized societies, the state tends to maximize the political gain derived from educational reform…