Investigated the experiences of a group of adults enrolled in the Pure Mathematics module of the Certificate IV in Adult Tertiary Preparation in 2000 at one of the Institutes of TAFE in Brisbane, Australia. Classroom learning experiences, exposure to technology, and the impact of returning to study on other facets of students' lives were…

Discusses a numeracy course, focused on project work around HIV/AIDS, that has been constructed for first-year university students in South Africa. (Author/VWL)

Examines the dynamics of reading, writing and telling stories. Argues that working collaboratively can motivate writers in ways which encourage them to redraft their work purposefully and explicitly in pursuit of particular creative effects. Exemplifies ways in which knowledge about language at word, sentence and whole text level can effectively…

Looks at the impact government initiatives on classroom practices and the process of writing. Notes that the first year of the project has gathered and analyzed data from a longitudinal study of writing in Ohio, and a series of contrasting case studies in England. Finds that government mandates set up professional dilemmas that teachers had to…

Considers that the written form of English is at variance with a majority of other alphabetic scripts and is increasingly being seen as a contributing factor to illiteracy in the English-speaking world. Confirms results from earlier studies and clearly links word characteristics to literacy failure. Relates implications from this and previous…

Explores the operational definitions of community-based literacy learning, first by discussing literacy as situated activity and then by proposing three separate orientations to the concept of community as it relates to the literacy curriculum. Discusses three different orientations to community that appear in the literature on literacy reform:…

Describes perspective and imagery thinking strategies taught during Guided Reading lessons. Notes that these strategies enhance comprehension by giving students techniques for manipulating meaning. Considers how social and physical perspective thinking strategies allow students to identify and apply a variety of perspectives, while imagery…

Attempts to address, on behalf of the teacher of reading, some pedagogically significant aspects of metacognition. Tests the effect of using Metacognitive Awareness Guidance (MCAG) in reading assessment tasks given to nine-year-old Israeli pupils. Notes teachers' reactions related to four aspects: use of self-talk, use of metacognitive learning…

Presents a work-in-progress paper that describes an early but crucial stage in the development of a project about effective literacy teaching. Notes that the project is about reviewing the evidence on effective literacy teachers and their teaching, taking 1990 as a starting point. Notes the purpose is to share preliminary thoughts with interested…

Examines the literary practices four children chose to engage in outside of their inner-city school located in Sheffield, England. Suggests that children use literacy in richly diverse ways for purposes they see as meaningful. Concludes that while literacy presented by these children reflected community literacy practices, children also acted with…

Examines evidence from a study of teachers of the literacy hour as implemented by 20 teachers in the first year of the National Literacy Strategy. Suggests that though there should be opportunities for metacognitive modeling in the literacy hour, teachers find it difficult to use these opportunities. Argues that concern for improved performance…

Discusses the narrative role of images in three prize-winning children's books. Argues that the contribution of images to interpretive possibilities of the narrative are typically not sufficiently addressed in reviewing picture books. Suggests reviewers and teachers should take an approach described as "reading images." (PM)

Argues for the realignment of Shakespeare with the popular forms which influence the social world of young children. Explores what teachers and performers need to learn and unlearn when telling Shakespeare's stories in the company of children. Considers the grounds of creativity for teachers when abandoning prescription in teaching Shakespeare.…

Describes how five and six year olds responded to and appropriated aspects of the National Literacy Strategy (NLS). Outlines how the children displayed increasing literacy and collaborative skills while working with consonant blends, alphabetical order, and spelling. Concludes NLS is not the whole story in regards to learning about literacy. (PM)

Investigates how the writing of some Year 6 children was influenced by exposure to the work of a contemporary author of children's literature and through reading a variety of fairy stories, tales and nursery rhymes. Concludes the children's awareness of story structure resulted in thought-provoking short stories with intertextual references. (PM)