This handbook covers such research issues in middle level education as advisory programmes, teaming, effective teachers, staffing, and teacher preparation programmes.

The current global marketplace demands more workers who are scientifically literate, yet few are being adequately prepared to meet that demand. Particularly underrepresented are women and minorities, who often lack the social and academic support that stimulate and sustain interest in science, math, and engineering. The authors of this book demonstrate that early intervention, especially during grades 4 through 8, can help overcome some of these obstacles. They show how increased career awareness and exposure to mentors and role models can help students see science and math-related careers as desirable and viable options. And they explain how test preparation, activity-based instruction, cooperative learning, and tutoring can help to improve academic outcomes. The authors also provide critical information on ten successful intervention programs, including MESA, Project SEED, and Operation SMART - and they offer practitioners specific guidance for developing, funding, and implementing similar programs in their own schools.

Many foundational concepts in biology are notoriously difficult to teach. The challenge grows tougher when you add the need to align with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). This book makes your job easier by opening your mind to fresh and effective approaches for today's high school classrooms. Hard-to-Teach Biology Concepts provides an Instructional Planning Framework that helps you understand students' learning needs, incorporate appropriate teaching strategies, and interpret the framework and teaching tools through the lens of NGSS. Contributing authors show how they use the framework to teach four NGSS disciplinary core ideas: growth and development of organisms, ecosystems, heredity, and biological evolution. Although the teaching models are specific and illuminating, the book doesn't dictate what's right for you. Veteran teachers and those new to the classroom can use the framework to develop students' conceptual understanding based on what works best for student and teacher.

Adopting a life story approach, this book explores the memories of those who attended Irish secondary schools prior to 1967. It serves to initiate and enhance the practice of remembering secondary school education amongst those who attended secondary schools not just in Ireland, but around the world.

A must-have vocabulary/reading comp textbook for homeschool parents, high school English teachers, and reading specialists. Tenth grade level spelling and vocabulary skills lesson textbook using poetry as the basis for coordinated reading, spelling, vocabulary, writing and recitation lessons. To achieve the highest level of reading comprehension, there is no shortcut to, or substitute for, learning to use literally tens of thousands of words in their various contextual applications. Easy-to-use lessons encourage students to read and appreciate poetry while building vocabulary and spelling skills in the quest for enhanced reading comprehension. General EALRs included. Part of the RSVP Reading2Presentation Skill-Building Series. Digital worksheet print set available for purchase at www.wordcopro.com in the home-school resources section.

How can you effectively motivate young people to engage with foreign language learning? How can young people engage with new ideas and cultural experiences within and outside the classroom? The new edition of A Practical Guide to Teaching Foreign Languages in the Secondary School offers straightforward advice and inspiration for training teachers, NQTs and teachers in their early professional development. Written by a team of expert professionals, it offers a wide range of strategies for successful teaching in the languages classroom. Key topics covered include: Helping pupils develop better listening skills Effective speaking activities Choosing the best texts and technology for reading skills Teaching grammar Internet tools and services for teaching and learning Integrating formative assessment The intercultural dimension of language teaching Collaborating with primary schools and successful transition Teaching Arabic and Mandarin Working with TAs and FLAs Classroom research and reflective practice This fully revised and updated second edition includes new chapters on homework, motivation and less widely taught languages, while the core sections on reading and writing, planning, and culture and diversity have been significantly updated to reflect important changes in research, practice and policy. A Practical Guide to Teaching Foreign Languages in the Secondary School extends the popular Learning to Teach Foreign Languages in the Secondary School by providing detailed examples of theory in practice, based on the most up-to-date research and practice, as well as links to relevant sources supporting evidence-informed practice. It is an essential compendium of support and ideas for all those embarking upon their first steps in a successful career in teaching foreign languages.

Gender is a hotly debated topic in the field of education. The role that language plays in educational contexts especially in the classroom has long been acknowledged. Innovatively combining approaches in the analysis of classroom discourse, this book offers rich empirical findings as well as being theoretically interesting and valuable.

An Adventure with Autism and Social Communication Difficulties is an exciting storybook and guidebook pair, designed to help readers understand the impact of social communication challenges on everyday life for children and young people. The Man-Eating Sofa: People often say that 'school is the best time of your life', but for Lara, school is loud and confusing. She much prefers watching James Bond films or building furniture in her dad's workshop. When the teachers in Lara's new school realise that she is autistic, they are able to help with strategies to make school more tolerable for her. An exciting and engaging story for children aged 8-12. This book explores some of the challenges faced by students who find social communication, sensory processing and regulation difficult. Supporting Autism and Social Communication Difficulties in Mainstream Schools: Created to help parents, teachers and practitioners support young people who find social communication challenging, this guidebook explores the educational, social and psychological impact of autism and social communication and interaction difficulties, as well as offering strategies to help educators recognise and support these issues in the school environment.

We've learned a lot in recent years about the important role vocabulary plays in making meaning, yet many teachers still struggle with vocabulary instruction that goes beyond weekly word lists. Effective vocabulary instruction is particularly vital in the content areas, where the specialized language used by "insiders" often creates a barrier to understanding for those new to the subjects. In "Inside Words," Janet Allen merges recent research and key content-area teaching strategies to show teachers how to help students understand the academic vocabulary found in textbooks, tests, articles, and other informational texts.

Each instructional tool is listed alphabetically along with its purpose: building background knowledge; teaching words that are critical to comprehension; providing support during reading and writing; developing a conceptual framework; and assessing students' understanding of words and concepts.

"Inside Words" builds on Janet's previous books "Words, Words, Words" and "Tools for Teaching Content Literacy," to provide a much-needed middle and secondary school resource for teaching vocabulary, not only in the language arts, but in all of the content areas.

At a time when lowering the dropout rate is said to be a national priority, America's longest running and largest dropout prevention program has gone strangely unnoticed. This highly readable book explores the hidden world of the continuation high school, the most common form of alternative high school. Deirdre M. Kelly analyzes the factors that limit its success and focuses especially on gender issues in these schools: how girls and boys slip in and out of the system in different ways, for different reasons, and with different consequences. Kelly finds that mainstream high schools attempt to mask their own dropout and pushout rates by sending marginalized students to continuation schools. These schools, therefore, become as much safety valves for the system as safety nets for the students, and the resulting contradictions and stigma hamper success. In the two continuation schools that she examined closely, completion rates were low. Kelly discusses the history of the continuation school and the ethnic and class composition of the student body: in cities, African-Americans and Latinos predominate, and in the suburbs, mostly middle-class whites attend. She examines for the first time how formal and hidden curricula and peer influences affect girls and boys differently and lead them to drop out of school. Drawing on a year's on-site observations, interviews with students and teachers, school records, and theories of gender, class, and ethnicity, Kelly both analyzes and brings to life what more than one student describes as the emotional "soap opera" of high school.

Science fairs, clubs, and talent searches are familiar fixtures in American education, yet little is known about why they began and grew in popularity. In Science Education and Citizenship, Sevan G. Terzian traces the civic purposes of these extracurricular programs for youth over four decades in the early to mid-twentieth century. He argues that Americans' mobilization for World War Two reoriented these educational activities from scientific literacy to national defense -- a shift that persisted in the ensuing atomic age and has left a lasting legacy in American science education.

A volume in Research on Religion and Education Series Editors Stephen J. Denig, Niagara University and Lyndon G. Furst, Andrews University This book is a study of the contributions of Catholic K-12 schools in the United States to the public interest from the 1800's to the present. It presents seven strategies that have the possibility of leading Catholic schools in positive, new directions. Outsiders often misunderstand the mission, purpose, and inclusivity of Catholic schools. This book brings a new focus on Catholic schools from the perspective of their service to this country through the education of Catholics and non-Catholics. In 16 chapters, a variety of scholars examine these schools across three periods: echoes of the past, realities of the present, and future directions. The intention of the editor and authors of this volume is that Catholic schools and those interested in conducting Catholic school research will find guidance, especially in examining newer types of partnerships flourishing in different types of Catholic schools in different regions of the country and types of schools from rural, suburban to city and inner-city schools. By increasing the data we have, such studies could help stem the tide of Catholic school demise. In addition, Catholic school leaders, and parents who chose them or are thinking about choosing them, will find here a balanced description of what constitutes a Catholic school and how they are different from public schools. In understanding better the role and function of Catholic schools in serving the public interest, new ideas, innovations, and improvements can help these schools survive and grow.

Using their tried-and-tested English Method training, the authors unpack the core learning issues, such as differentiation and the development of thinking skills, essential to all initial teacher training programmes. Linking theory and practice, with direct links to key theorists and ideas about learning, each chapter includes: a modelled analysis of a pupil's writing or talk on a particular theme; an exploration of the learning challenges within a specific age range or modality of English; focussed, practical activities centered upon a specific text, including oral, written, visual, multi-modal, print-bound and electronic material; and follow-up activities, including immediate questions for reflection, guided reading and ideas for use in the classroom. This is the complete guide that every trainee English teacher planning for learning in the secondary classroom needs.

Fred Gann, founder of four alternative education programs, believes that all true alternative education programs exist for one fundamental purpose: to make a positive difference in a student's life. In "Groundwork, " Gann delivers a roadmap to re-engage disenfranchised students through an effective alternative education program.This step-by-step guide demystifies the principles of alternative education and outlines how to create a program in which each student assumes personal responsibility for his or her learning and experiences a framework for developing success. With personal examples and anecdotes, Gann provides a clear, accessible plan for the implementation of alternative programs in support of a district's traditional school setting. "Groundwork" examines the following: The four questions that must be asked when founding a new program The components of a true alternative educational program Five techniques for implementation Positive-based disciplinary practices Program longevity and the art of survivalIn "Groundwork, " Gann presents a blunt and uncompromising demand for educators to invest in kids and calls for public education to provide programs which reconnect at-risk youth with their educational environments.

Foreword, Tim Urdan and Frank Pajares. Risk Factors Related To Academic Achievement In Adolescence, Daniel J. Flannery and Kelly L. Wester. A Self-Regulation Approach to Understanding Adolescent Depression, Karen D. Rudolph. Abusive, Wanted, and Illegal Sexual Experiences in Adolescence, Nancy D. Kellogg.

Literacy and popular culture are intrinsically linked as forms of communication, entertainment, and education. Students are motivated to engage with popular culture through a myriad of mediums for a variety of purposes. Utilizing popular culture to bridge literacy concepts across content areas in K-12 settings offers a level playing field across student groups and grade levels. As concepts around traditional literacy education evolve and become more culturally responsive, the connections between popular culture and disciplinary literacy must be explored. Disciplinary Literacy Connections to Popular Culture in K-12 Settings is an essential publication that explores a conceptual framework around pedagogical connections to popular culture. While highlighting a broad range of topics including academic creativity, interdisciplinary storytelling, and skill development, this book is ideally designed for educators, curriculum developers, instructional designers, administrative officials, policymakers, researchers, academicians, and students.

This book provides a timely examination of the effects of class size reduction (CSR) on teaching and learning processes. It represents a departure in that the research covered focuses solely on the relationship between CSR and effective teaching in real secondary school classrooms. The book also presents a much-needed and powerful student voice on the impact of class size reduction on teaching and learning processes. It conceptualises the effects of class size on teaching and learning processes in secondary school classrooms, which are another under-researched perspective in this field. Drawing on multiple case studies concerning teaching and learning processes in large and small Hong Kong secondary-school classes, it highlights the qualitative differences in teaching and learning processes. On the basis of those studies, the book argues for a more purposeful, dynamic approach to education for teachers working in small or reduced-size classes.

Federal and state funding agencies have invested billions of dollars into secondary STEM (Science, Technology, Education, Mathematics) educational reform over the past decade. This volume addresses the interplay of external and internal variables associated with school reform and how this dynamic has impacted many efforts.

Throughout the country, a growing number of college students, recent college graduates, and mid-career adults are thinking about becoming teachers. Teaching in middle and high schools combines a lifelong pursuit of learning, a long-held dream of joining a field that they respect, a chance to work with young people, and an opportunity to make a difference in society.

"The Essential Career Guide to Becoming a Middle and High School Teacher" offers a step-by-step guide to preparation, certification, and employment as a teacher. It provides guidance about issues and choices facing prospective educators, including making the decision to teach, assessing the differences between middle schools and high schools, identifying an excellent teacher education program, understanding alternative pathways to certification, taking state-mandated teacher tests, succeeding as a student teacher, and finding a first job in the profession. A complete state-by-state listing of programs, including current "U.S. News & World Report" Top Fifty rankings and certification requirements rounds out this valuable guide.

This timely update of the popular "Environmental Science Activities Kit" includes more than 35 lessons for middle and high school science teachers on the most compelling and relevant environmental topics, such as global warming, food and water production, alternative energy sources, endangered species, land-use issues, and many more.

Former Secretary of State for Education Kenneth Baker claims that secondary education has become a five-year programme with a single, narrow aim: to prepare pupils for high-stakes GCSE exams at 16. From 2015, all young people will be legally required to stay in education or training until they are 18. Kenneth Baker sees this as a historic opportunity to re-think the aims and structure of English education. He argues that the National Curriculum should extend only to the age of 14 and that there should be four distinct pathways from 14-18 to take account of young people's emerging interests talents and ambitions: Liberal Arts; Technical; Sports and Creative Arts; and Career. All pathways will provide a broad education, but each will have a distinctive character matched to the talents and ambitions of individual students. In 14-18 - A New Vision for Secondary Education, Kenneth Baker builds a compelling case for reform, with contributions from a range of educationalists who draw on the history of English education, practice elsewhere in the world, and their experiences. An essential read for anyone interested in the future of secondary education.

This book - the finale in a trilogy by the authors - traces the way in which a number of disadvantaged schools and communities were able to move beyond deficit, victim-blaming and pathologizing approaches and access resources of trust, relationships, connectedness and hope. It describes how these Australian schools and communities were able to benefit from working with 'street-level' bureaucrats who had reinvented themselves around notions of socially just forms of capacity-building. The book provides a set of insights into what is possible from a critical engagement for school and community renewal perspective, by working with the resources that exist within disadvantaged contexts, even in damaging neoliberal policy times. Critically Engaged Learning breaks new and important ground across urgent and fractured boundaries.

A volume in Adolescence and Education Series Editors Tim Urdan, Santa Clara University and Frank Pajares Emory University Paulo Freire wrote that "sometimes a simple, almost insignificant gesture on the part of a teacher can have a profound formative effect on the life of a student." Sometimes, of course, this formative effect is not the result of a simple, isolated gesture but rather of a proactive and sustained series of gestures on the part of a teacher. Many of us have been deeply influenced by one or more teachers who have exercised a formative effect in our development as students and individuals. We remember these teachers with fondness, tell their stories to our own children, think of them with affection, respect, gratitude, even reverence. Sometimes, we recognized this influence as it was happening, and we grew close to these remarkable individuals, keeping them in our lives even after we graduated from their classes. Often, however, they themselves were unaware of the influence they exercised over us, for it was not until years passed that we realized their effect. If time and distance did not prevent it, perhaps we found our way back to these educators and shared with them our appreciation and gratitude. In this volume, outstanding scholars in the fields of adolescence and education provide short stories describing their most memorable teacher. Some provide the story on its own; other follow it with a brief analysis drawn from theory and research in education, psychology, and human development to identify key concepts and principles that apply in explaining why the selected teacher was so effective and memorable. Some write about one specific teacher; others write about the qualities that they believe contribute to teaching excellence, including anecdotes from various teachers to support the qualities they identified. Each tells the story with an eye toward being accessible to a wide audience of readers. One need not be an academic, or an expert in education or psychology, to understand and find meaning in these stories. In essence, these are stories and analyses that capture just what it is that makes a particular teacher, as our title describes, unforgettable. This book would be excellent for teacher preparation courses, educational psychology courses, and for anyone who is interested in the art and science of teaching.

This book - the finale in a trilogy by the authors - traces the way in which a number of disadvantaged schools and communities were able to move beyond deficit, victim-blaming and pathologizing approaches and access resources of trust, relationships, connectedness and hope. It describes how these Australian schools and communities were able to benefit from working with 'street-level' bureaucrats who had reinvented themselves around notions of socially just forms of capacity-building. The book provides a set of insights into what is possible from a critical engagement for school and community renewal perspective, by working with the resources that exist within disadvantaged contexts, even in damaging neoliberal policy times. Critically Engaged Learning breaks new and important ground across urgent and fractured boundaries.