The challenges of naming a bounded disciplinary body of knowledge for the social sciences has made it difficult to define and clearly articulate 'what counts' for disciplinary learning in school curricula. The shift to 'new' generic skills with an associated autonomy of curriculum content choice and learner-centred approaches has introduced…

One of the key requirements of the Common Core State Standards for Reading is that all students must be able to comprehend texts of steadily increasing complexity as they progress through school. By the time they complete the core, students must be able to read and comprehend independently and proficiently the kinds of complex texts commonly found…

Reviews recent research on sociocultural approaches to historical understanding and concludes that students' judgment of historical significance is substantially shaped by the social and cultural characteristics of the learner. Recounts several episodes revealing how minority and mainstream students differ in their trust of the authority of the…