Cross-cultural research covering multiple languages and cultures involves negotiating conceptual and linguistic challenges. This paper focuses on how researchers working across cultural and linguistic boundaries navigate the research process and negotiate a common understanding of the constructs under study. Working towards intersubjectivity…

This article presents findings from an empirical study in which we investigated Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) students' linguistic resources in the L2 (English) to convey different Cognitive Discourse Functions (Dalton-Puffer 2013; 2016)--"Describe, Compare (Categorize), Report, Evaluate" and "Explore"--in two…

This study examines the different ways in which fractions are dealt with in two elementary mathematics textbook series: Kang Hsuan (KH) in Taiwan and Laskutaito in Finland. The results showed that the total number of fraction questions in Laskutaito is higher than that in KH and that Laskutaito highlights the basic definition of fractions to help…

Children are known to be fast learners due to their neural plasticity. Learning a non-native language (L2) requires the mastering of new production patterns. In classroom settings, learners are not only exposed to the acoustic input, but also to the unfamiliar grapheme-phoneme correspondences of the L2 orthography. We tested how 9-10-year-old…

In this study, we aimed at comparing Finnish primary school students' physical activity and sedentary time during outdoor-learning and traditional school days. Outdoor learning is defined as purposeful and planned learning experiences in the outdoors . The study population consisted 20 students in grades 1-6 at one primary school. Physical…

Two cohorts of teachers participated in a professional development program in summer 2016 and 2017 focused on incorporating global perspectives and activities into K-12 classrooms using contemporary technologies. One part of this program required teachers to plan and carry out a global project with an international classroom as a means to…

Individuals with autism often exhibit atypical levels of attention to eyes. High support need and minimally verbal individuals with autism have typically received less attention in research. This study explored a preference based computer game to include the less-studied individuals with autism in their own school environment. Four high support…

While policy debate is often focused on the whole teaching profession, primary and secondary teachers differ in more ways than one. While all countries require teachers to have at least a bachelor degree to enter the profession in primary or lower secondary education, the structure and content of the programmes vary and are less geared towards…

The purpose of this study was to investigate how computer-assisted use of Reading-through-Writing (RtW) method relates to the level of literacy and reading motivation of school children in grades 1 and 2 (N = 261-385). The research also explored the extent to which the RtW method was perceived as useful among teachers and by school children with…

The purposes of this study were to compare the differences in the use of geometry in elementary school mathematics textbooks among Finland, Mainland China, Singapore, Taiwan, and the USA and to investigate the relationships between the design of the textbooks and students' performance on large-scale tests such as TIMSS-4 geometry, TIMSS-8…

The current article provides an important insight into measurement differences between two commonly used self-reports and accelerometer-determined moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) scores within matched samples across 1 school year. Participants were 998 fifth- through eighth-grade students who completed self-reports and 76 fifth- and…

Positive teacher attitudes are considered an important prerequisite for the successful inclusion of students with special educational needs in the mainstream classrooms. This study surveyed teacher opinions about inclusion in Finland (N = 298) and Brandenburg, Germany (N = 163), two educational systems in which the number of students transferred…

This article presents a comparative case study on the ways in which children's school ecologies facilitate their adjusting positively to first grade in risk-filled contexts in South Africa and Finland. The insights of two children (one South African, one Finnish) from socio-economically disadvantaged communities, their teachers, parents and…

Parenthood is a phenomenon that is not easy to research. This study analyzed the emphases of parenting in the light of three comparison groups. The research was grounded on Bradley's (2007) theory of six fundamental parenting tasks. This was a case study focusing in one second-grade classroom. The teacher, 18 parents, and 19 pupils were recruited…

This paper reports the results of the improving thinking skills (ITS-1) intervention study on the thinking skills of low-achieving first graders. The intervention programme consists of 12 lessons, each lasting for 45 min. Lessons offer enriched-discovery learning activities and tasks to be solved through inductive reasoning. We used a…