Convincing evidence suggests that a considerable number of U.S. students struggle to develop mathematics proficiency. One subgroup of students who have a high probability of mathematical failure is English learners (ELs), who now represent 10% of the U.S. student population; 70% of these students speak Spanish at home (Fry & Passel, 2009). ELs…

Effective teacher-student learning relationships can propel students to advanced ways of knowing and acting. In much arts based higher education learning, dynamic and fluid interplay of cognitive, meta-cognitive and aspirational aims and goals are prevalent and passed to students in a learning relationship that can be described as a cognitive…

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of video modeling presented via smartboard for teaching children with autism about social response in the form of gestures, and verbal and facial expressions indicative of happiness and anger, and evaluate the method in terms of maintenance and generalization. The study used a multiple probe design…

This study explored the benefits of using preferred interests to model social skills in a peer-mentored environment for students with special educational needs (SEN). Research suggests that in order for true inclusion to take place, students must participate socially with their peers, outside the classroom space. However, funding and availability…

The attainment gap in science may not be as well-documented as the gap in English and maths, but it is just as pervasive. Our research has shown that disadvantaged pupils start to fall behind in science in Key Stage 1; the gap only gets wider throughout primary and secondary school and on to A-level. Helping schools to use evidence and to…

This chapter provides evidence-based supports for communication, social skills, and for using restricted patterns of interests and activities educationally for students with autism. Supports for receptive language, expressive language, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), visual supports, social narratives, and augmentative and…

This exploratory study documents the practices of a group of mentor teachers (MTs) in high-need schools within a high-accountability district. These MTs support teacher candidates, called residents, in an urban teacher residency program. The primary research question--what are the mentoring practices of a group of strong MTs?--led the authors not…

The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between teacher discourse around social norms, student mathematical roles, and student mathematical explanations in the classroom. Mathematical explanations are important for learning mathematics and professional organizations encourage their use in the classroom. This study sought to…

Adults adopt the traits of characters in narratives, but little is known about whether children do so. In Study 1, 7- and 10-year-olds (N = 96) heard a 2.5-minute recording about a professor or cheerleader. Reporting higher engagement in the professor narrative related to more time playing with an analytical toy (a Rubik's cube), whereas reporting…

This article presents a descriptive analysis case study conducted in the stream of teacher action research. An instructor-generated questionnaire was administered to teacher education program participants (n=141) who are practicing U.S. teachers of English learners (ELs). All respondents were enrolled in an online graduate-level teacher education…

One of the biggest challenges students face in any undergraduate methods course is a lack of confidence in their mathematical abilities, leading to a struggle for both retention of information and for continued involvement in research-based courses. In my article, I present a new approach to improving self-efficacy in undergraduate methods…

Teachers often find themselves in a position in which they need to adapt technology-enhanced materials to meet the needs of their students. As new technologies--especially those not specifically designed for learning--find their way into schools, teachers need to be able to design learning experiences that use these new technologies in their local…

The present study evaluated the effects of the On-Task in a Box intervention on student on-task behavior when used as a class-wide intervention. The intervention package includes self-monitoring, video modeling, and reinforcement contingency components. A multiple baseline design across three elementary classrooms was used to determine the effects…

There are many studies in the literature in which individuals with intellectual disabilities exhibit social skills deficits and which show the need for teaching these skills systematically. This study aims to investigate the effects of an intervention package of consisting computer-presented video modeling and Social Stories on individuals with…

As a new century begins for "The Modern Language Journal," we argue that highly effective pedagogy requires viewing language and language learning as both cognitive and social phenomena, and that teachers who seek to truly understand the nature of their responsibilities do not have the luxury of choosing one perspective over the other.…