Addresses the issue of diverse literacies and the problems of privileging a dominant form of literacy at the expense of those from non-mainstream cultures. Illustrates how the literacy practices of working-class families and communities can be incorporated into learning programs. Stresses the need to legitimate the vernacular literacies of the…

Explores the ways in which mothers and fathers are involved in their children's education both in and out of school. Indicates that mothers generally assume overriding responsibility for their children's education. Reports that the more highly educated mothers try to increase their children's chances of success in the educational system. (CMK)

Focuses on the British inspection of primary mathematics and provides evidence of the potential tensions among expertise, experience, and baggage at two different levels of interpretation within the inspection process. Finds that 'mathematical baggage' enables inspectors to focus on mathematics in the classroom rather than on general aspects of…

Compares the policies of inspection in Finland and England where the former promotes school self-evaluation and the latter utilizes the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED). Finds that OFSTED inspections affect teacher morale and focus on policies and procedures; in Finland, inspections lack a whole-school strategy but encourage changes in…

Explored teachers' self-reported assessment practices and the influence of teaching experience, grade level, and subject area on those practices. Surveys of 893 teachers in 34 schools indicated that they used observational assessment and performance tasks more frequently than traditional assessment. Experienced teachers, elementary teachers, and…

Examined the educational testing and measurement literacy of elementary and secondary teachers. Surveys of 95 teachers indicated that, overall, they did not have extensive knowledge about testing and measurement, though they regularly used the knowledge they had when assessing student progress. There were few differences between elementary and…

Investigated 6000 predominantly American-Indian adolescents' self-reported family connectedness, educational commitment, and risk-taking behavior. Surveys indicated that low family connectedness related to decreased educational commitment and increased risk of absenteeism, substance use, and purchase of substances on campus. American Indian…

Investigated the impact of parental involvement on elementary students' educational outcomes. Data from a study of 193 Los Angeles area second and fifth graders and their mothers indicated that parent school involvement contributes to positive child outcomes. The involvement appears to be a manifestation of parental enthusiasm and positive…

The amount and type of reading instruction going on in middle school science classrooms were studied in middle school classes of four science teachers. About 16% of teacher time was spent in active reading instruction and about 33% in oblique reading instruction. Implications for increasing reading instruction in these classes are discussed. (SLD)

Examined two methods of studying teachers' mathematics-content/pedagogy beliefs and their instructional decision making in 10 videotaped class sessions for each of teachers. Results with a video reflection and a theory reflection method indicate that both methods are useful in obtaining teacher belief data. (SLD)

Perceptions of 36 parents, 60 teachers, and 18 administrators of the inclusion process for students with disabilities were studied in three Pennsylvania school districts. Teachers who will be educating students with disabilities are more skeptical about inclusion than are parents, and administrators are more positive. (SLD)

In addition to giving an overview of Delphi methodology and describing the methodology used by the researchers in two Delphi studies, the authors provide information about electronic communication in Delphi studies. Also provided are suggestions that can be used in a Delphi study involving any form of communication. (SLD)

Argues that today's educational reform image of the teacher who collaborates and constructs knowledge in a decentralized system of education is used in different ideological images of school reform. Four principles of reason that function as unquestioned assumptions in reform are discussed. (SLD)

Argues for a new theoretical perspective on representations that is centered around the notion of inscriptions, graphical representations recorded in and available through some medium. The social practices of inscription users are receiving research attention. Implications for classroom learning-environments are discussed. (SLD)

Health effects of teacher stress and teacher burnout are reviewed separately. Serious methodological and conceptual difficulties in research weaken conclusions that have been drawn regarding the effects on teacher health of stress and burnout. The need for theory-based investigations is discussed. (SLD)