The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are here to stay--for awhile at least--and students will be tested on their ability to meet these standards. In order for students to succeed--in order for them to be College and Career Ready--they will need the support of educators working together to give them practice in meeting these standards. World…

New demands of the Common Core State Standards imply instructional transformations for all classrooms in the United States, but teachers of students designated as English language learners (ELLs) are among those most likely to feel the impact in their daily professional lives. Language is an integral part of classroom learning in all subject…

The English Language Arts Common Core State Standards (ELA CCSS) come at a time when many reading teachers, literacy coaches, and classroom teachers seek more extensive literacy practices than the policy mandates of No Child Left Behind and Reading First. These initiatives placed requirements for instruction in core aspects of reading at the…

The idea that secondary English language learner (ELL) students can master rigorous academic content quickly and deeply goes against much accepted wisdom in the field, but Aída Walqui--the author and Director of WestEd's Teacher Professional Development Program, which houses the Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL) initiative--and her…

Discusses how language arts educators can promote enduring change, including the need for continuous cooperation, collaboration, and reflection; the active involvement of all the stakeholders during every stage of nurturing visions; and how to support this complex growth process with flexibility and with an enduring commitment. (SR)

A project was designed to help mainstream teachers in Grades 1-3 facilitate language learning in all students, but especially in those who have language disorders. A naturalistic study followed teachers participating in the project to examine what factors promote change in teachers' knowledge, beliefs, and practice. The overall approach to…

The first part of the document presents a collection of workable ideas, organized by topic, which were submitted by principals who used them to improve the programs in their schools. Some areas of interest covered include community involvement, student-choice electives, parent reporting, career education, and counseling and changing behavior. Also…

A fifth-grade teacher researched the experts, observed master teachers, and experimented to find out what worked best for her and her students as she made the transition from the basal to the process approach to teaching the language arts. Taking courses and meeting with others helped support her decision to change. During the process of change,…

The case study presented in this paper describes the thinking-in-action of a first grade teacher who, within the natural setting of her classroom, was constructing a new way of teaching language arts by changing to a whole language approach. In contrast to traditional implementation models, this study highlights the constitutive nature of…