One of the realities of educational practice in the late 20th century is the increasing role of assessment, especially of children's oral and written language. While there are many issues and problems surrounding this assessment, one problem that needs to be addressed is the lack of alternative ways of assessing children's language and literacy for K-12 practitioners. There are many ways to approach the assessment of language and literacy. How one approaches the assessment of oral and written language depends, in large part, on how language is defined and on what purposes language is viewed as serving. In this book, alternative ways of assessing language are based on three different perspectives defining language and its uses: anthropological, socio-psycholinguistic, and literary. Although applying these perspectives to language is not new, only recently have educators and others taken seriously the need for assessment of language to be consistent with the perspectives of language underlying classroom instruction. Simply put, as language education (including reading, writing, and oral language) becomes increasingly based upon anthropological, socio-psycholinguistic, and literary principles, the assessment of language and literacy must also be based upon such principles. This book discusses and illustrates how to reconceptualize assessment in terms of the alternative perspectives outlined here.

Children's literature is ubiquitous in preschool and elementary school classrooms and in school libraries. Teachers use children's literature for pedagogical purposes and to excite children's imaginations and expose them to "worlds" beyond their own experience. Over the past thirty years, teachers have increasingly used children's literature to expose their students to cultural, racial, and religious diversity as well as introducing their students to issues of social justice and social equity. Unfortunately, Jewish children's literature is often absent in the preschool and elementary school classroom. When it is present, it is almost exclusively Holocaust literature. The result is that Jewish people are nearly invisible in the children's literature found in preschool and elementary school classrooms and when it is available, it presents a "picture" to children of Jews as victims. The purpose of our book is to address this problematic situation and provide teachers with guidance in the use of Jewish children's literature in the preschool and elementary school classroom. There is a broad range of authentic, high quality Jewish children's literature that could be used by preschool and elementary school teachers regardless of how many Jewish children they have in their class. It is as important for teachers with no Jewish children in their classroom as it is for teachers with some or many Jewish children in the class to expose all of their students to Jewish children's literature. Our book introduces preschool and elementary teachers to a broad range of high-quality children's literature books and stories and provides them with background information so that they can use Jewish children's literature thoughtfully with their students.

Children's literature is ubiquitous in preschool and elementary school classrooms and in school libraries. Teachers use children's literature for pedagogical purposes and to excite children's imaginations and expose them to "worlds" beyond their own experience. Over the past thirty years, teachers have increasingly used children's literature to expose their students to cultural, racial, and religious diversity as well as introducing their students to issues of social justice and social equity. Unfortunately, Jewish children's literature is often absent in the preschool and elementary school classroom. When it is present, it is almost exclusively Holocaust literature. The result is that Jewish people are nearly invisible in the children's literature found in preschool and elementary school classrooms and when it is available, it presents a "picture" to children of Jews as victims. The purpose of our book is to address this problematic situation and provide teachers with guidance in the use of Jewish children's literature in the preschool and elementary school classroom. There is a broad range of authentic, high quality Jewish children's literature that could be used by preschool and elementary school teachers regardless of how many Jewish children they have in their class. It is as important for teachers with no Jewish children in their classroom as it is for teachers with some or many Jewish children in the class to expose all of their students to Jewish children's literature. Our book introduces preschool and elementary teachers to a broad range of high-quality children's literature books and stories and provides them with background information so that they can use Jewish children's literature thoughtfully with their students.

* Provides educational researchers with philosophical and theoretical frameworks as well as methodological practices for conducting discourse analysis of educational events * Provides multiple cases to illustrate and model the use of philosophical and theoretical frameworks and methodological practices * Provides ways for conceptualizing how discourse analysis of language and literacy in educational settings can contribute to the improvement of the everyday lives of educators through providing a new language with which to examine and re-fashion classroom life. * Expands on a popular and cutting-edge book to bring it up to date for an international audience, with a more diverse and international array of examples

An up-and-coming reporter, Johnny Follyn lands the job of a lifetime when he accepts an assignment to Libya to write a story on the Standard Oil Company. Intent on showing just how beneficial the oil company is to the people of Libya, Johnny isn't prepared for what he discovers.

As Johnny tracks the operations of Standard Oil, he also becomes more involved with Libya's history. When Johnny stumbles upon the secrets of an ancient riddle, he sets out to find the answers. With the help of a professor and his friend Ismail, Johnny delves deeper into the past, never thinking of the consequences.

But someone doesn't want Johnny to succeed, and they will do anything in their power to stop him.

Set against a thrilling backdrop of oil fields, cultural clashes, and lost civilizations, "Labyrinth" is a fascinating odyssey through history and the minds of people-past and present.

Written by leaders in the field of literacy and language arts Education, this volume defines Dialogic Literary Argumentation, outlines its key principles, and provides in-depth analysis of classroom social practices and teacher-student interactions to illustrate the possibilities of a social perspective for a new vision of teaching, reading and understanding literature. Dialogic Literary Argumentation builds on the idea of arguing to learn to engage teachers and students in using literature to explore what it means to be human situated in the world at a particular time and place. Dialogic Literary Argumentation fosters deep and complex understandings of literature by engaging students in dialogical social practices that foster dialectical spaces, intertextuality, and an unpacking of taken-for-granted assumptions about rationality and personhood. Dialogic Literary Argumentation offers new ways to engage in argumentation aligned with new ways to read literature in the high school classroom. Offering theory and analysis to shape the future use of literature in secondary classrooms, this text will be great interest to researchers, graduate and postgraduate students, academics and libraries in the fields of English and Language Arts Education, Teacher Education, Literacy Studies, Writing and Composition.

This volume explores the multiple and complex relationship between classrooms and literacy through four major themes: community, cognitive consequences, access, and power. Chapters emphasize community dynamics in exploring the relationship between classrooms and literacy. The work focuses on the ways in which literacy is used to establish and maintain community, to the relationship between communities both within and outside of the classroom, to the institutional context, to the community agenda and purpose, and to the needs of the community and individual members.

Introducing a new framework for teaching and learning literature in secondary schools, this book presents Dialogic Literary Argumentation as an inquiry-based approach to engage students in communicating and exploring ideas about literature. As a process of discovery, Dialogic Literary Argumentation facilitates conversation-"arguing-to-learn"-as a method to support students' diverse perspectives and engagement with one another in order to develop individual and collective understandings of literature and their place in the world. Covering both the theoretical foundation and application of this method, this book demonstrates how to apply Dialogic Literary Argumentation to teach literature in a way that foregrounds dialogue, learning through inquiry, diverse views, listening to others, and engagement with our communities. Ideal for preservice teachers in literacy methods courses and practicing teachers, it features real-world cases, discussions of the principles presented, resource lists, and conversation starters for professional learning communities, professional development, and teacher education.

Written by leaders in the field of literacy and language arts Education, this volume defines Dialogic Literary Argumentation, outlines its key principles, and provides in-depth analysis of classroom social practices and teacher-student interactions to illustrate the possibilities of a social perspective for a new vision of teaching, reading and understanding literature. Dialogic Literary Argumentation builds on the idea of arguing to learn to engage teachers and students in using literature to explore what it means to be human situated in the world at a particular time and place. Dialogic Literary Argumentation fosters deep and complex understandings of literature by engaging students in dialogical social practices that foster dialectical spaces, intertextuality, and an unpacking of taken-for-granted assumptions about rationality and personhood. Dialogic Literary Argumentation offers new ways to engage in argumentation aligned with new ways to read literature in the high school classroom. Offering theory and analysis to shape the future use of literature in secondary classrooms, this text will be great interest to researchers, graduate and postgraduate students, academics and libraries in the fields of English and Language Arts Education, Teacher Education, Literacy Studies, Writing and Composition.

Applying a languaging perspective, this volume frames the teaching and learning of literacy, literature, language, and the language arts as social and linguistic actions that generate new questions to make visible social, cultural, psychological, linguistic, and educational processes. Chapter authors explore diverse aspects of a languaging framework, the perspective of language as a series of ongoing and evolving interactional social actions and processes over time. Based on their research, the authors suggest directions for addressing substantive engagement as well as the marginalization, superficiality, and violence (symbolic and otherwise) that characterize the educational experience of so many students. Responding to the need to foster and support students' intellectual, social, and affective worlds, this book showcases how languaging relations among teachers and students can deepen interactions and engagement with texts; enhance understandings of agency, personhood, and power relations in order to transform literacy, literature, and language arts classrooms; and improve the lives of teachers and students in educational settings.

Applying a languaging perspective, this volume frames the teaching and learning of literacy, literature, language, and the language arts as social and linguistic actions that generate new questions to make visible social, cultural, psychological, linguistic, and educational processes. Chapter authors explore diverse aspects of a languaging framework, the perspective of language as a series of ongoing and evolving interactional social actions and processes over time. Based on their research, the authors suggest directions for addressing substantive engagement as well as the marginalization, superficiality, and violence (symbolic and otherwise) that characterize the educational experience of so many students. Responding to the need to foster and support students' intellectual, social, and affective worlds, this book showcases how languaging relations among teachers and students can deepen interactions and engagement with texts; enhance understandings of agency, personhood, and power relations in order to transform literacy, literature, and language arts classrooms; and improve the lives of teachers and students in educational settings.

* Provides educational researchers with philosophical and theoretical frameworks as well as methodological practices for conducting discourse analysis of educational events * Provides multiple cases to illustrate and model the use of philosophical and theoretical frameworks and methodological practices * Provides ways for conceptualizing how discourse analysis of language and literacy in educational settings can contribute to the improvement of the everyday lives of educators through providing a new language with which to examine and re-fashion classroom life. * Expands on a popular and cutting-edge book to bring it up to date for an international audience, with a more diverse and international array of examples

Focused on the teaching and learning argumentative writing in grades 9-12, this important contribution to literacy education research and classroom practice offers a new perspective, a set of principled practices, and case studies of excellent teaching. The case studies illustrate teaching and learning argumentative writing as the construction of knowledge and new understandings about experiences, ideas, and texts. Six themes key to teaching argumentative writing as a thoughtful, multi-leveled practice for deep learning and expression are presented: teaching and learning argumentative writing as social practice, teachers' epistemological beliefs about argumentative writing, variations in instructional chains, instructional conversations in support of argumentative writing as deep learning and appreciation of multiple perspectives, contextualized analysis of argumentative writing, and the teaching and learning of argumentative writing and the construction of rationalities.

Focused on the teaching and learning argumentative writing in grades 9-12, this important contribution to literacy education research and classroom practice offers a new perspective, a set of principled practices, and case studies of excellent teaching. The case studies illustrate teaching and learning argumentative writing as the construction of knowledge and new understandings about experiences, ideas, and texts. Six themes key to teaching argumentative writing as a thoughtful, multi-leveled practice for deep learning and expression are presented: teaching and learning argumentative writing as social practice, teachers' epistemological beliefs about argumentative writing, variations in instructional chains, instructional conversations in support of argumentative writing as deep learning and appreciation of multiple perspectives, contextualized analysis of argumentative writing, and the teaching and learning of argumentative writing and the construction of rationalities.

As religiously grounded moral arguments have become ever more influential factors in the national debate-particularly reinforced by recent presidential elections and the creation of the faith-based initiative office in the White House-journalists' ignorance about theological convictions has often worked to distort the public discourse on important policy issues. Pope John Paul II's pronouncements on stem-cell research, the constitutional controversies regarding faith-based initiatives, the emerging participation of Muslims in American life-issues like these require political journalists in print and broadcast media to cover religious contexts that many admit they are ill-equipped to understand. Put differently, these news events reflect subtle theological nuances and deep faith commitments that shape the activities of religious believers in the public square. Inasmuch as a faith tradition is an active or significant participant in the public arena, journalists will need to better understand the theological sources and religious convictions that motivate this political activity. The current national discourse has brought faith and its relationship to public policy to the forefront of our daily news. Since 1999, the Ethics and Public Policy Center, through the generosity of the Pew Charitable Trusts, has hosted six conferences for national journalists to help raise the level of their reporting by increasing their understanding of religion, religious communities, and the religious convictions that inform the political activity of devout believers. This book contains the presentations and conversations that grew out of those conferences.

This frontline volume contributes to the social study of education in general and literacy in particular by bringing together in a new way the traditions of language, ethnography, and education. Integrating New Literacy Studies and Bourdieusian sociology with ethnographic approaches to the study of classroom practice, it offers an original and useful reference point for scholars and students of education, language, and literacy wishing to incorporate Bourdieu's ideas into their work. More than just a set of stand-alone chapters around social perspectives on language interactions in classrooms, this book develops and unfolds dialogically across three sections: Bridging New Literacy Studies and Bourdieu - Principles; Language, Ethnography and Education - Practical Studies; Working at the Intersections - In Theory and Practice. The authors posit 'Classroom Language Ethnography' as a genuinely new perspective with rich and developed traditions behind it, but distinct from conventional approaches to literacy and education - an approach that bridges those traditions to yield fresh insights on literacy in all its manifestations, thereby providing a pathway to more robust research on language in education.

This frontline volume contributes to the social study of education in general and literacy in particular by bringing together in a new way the traditions of language, ethnography, and education. Integrating New Literacy Studies and Bourdieusian sociology with ethnographic approaches to the study of classroom practice, it offers an original and useful reference point for scholars and students of education, language, and literacy wishing to incorporate Bourdieu's ideas into their work. More than just a set of stand-alone chapters around social perspectives on language interactions in classrooms, this book develops and unfolds dialogically across three sections: Bridging New Literacy Studies and Bourdieu - Principles; Language, Ethnography and Education - Practical Studies; Working at the Intersections - In Theory and Practice. The authors posit 'Classroom Language Ethnography' as a genuinely new perspective with rich and developed traditions behind it, but distinct from conventional approaches to literacy and education - an approach that bridges those traditions to yield fresh insights on literacy in all its manifestations, thereby providing a pathway to more robust research on language in education.

In the past two decades many developing countries have embraced the challenge of globalization by rushing to dismantle trade barriers and to promote increasingly liberal market-oriented policies. However, a broader response to globalization is both necessary and possible if countries are to develop as quickly and as fully as possible. Exploring this complex interrelationship between globalization, liberalization, and human and social development, this innovative book undertakes a full analysis of development policy, strategy and practice in a variety of countries, with equal weight provided to Asia, Latin America and Africa. An internationally renowned team of contributors examines the complex network of connections and the implications for international development policy, strategy and practice. Advocating the inclusion of sustainable human development as a key element in countries' responses to globalization, key points highlighted include the need to nurture an enabling environment, and to promote education and R&D. These elements, coupled with sound macroeconomic management, are all required in equipping a country to integrate more effectively into the world economy. This innovative new approach to globalization and development set out in this volume will be essential reading for academics and practitioners alike.

Introducing a new framework for teaching and learning literature in secondary schools, this book presents Dialogic Literary Argumentation as an inquiry-based approach to engage students in communicating and exploring ideas about literature. As a process of discovery, Dialogic Literary Argumentation facilitates conversation-"arguing-to-learn"-as a method to support students' diverse perspectives and engagement with one another in order to develop individual and collective understandings of literature and their place in the world. Covering both the theoretical foundation and application of this method, this book demonstrates how to apply Dialogic Literary Argumentation to teach literature in a way that foregrounds dialogue, learning through inquiry, diverse views, listening to others, and engagement with our communities. Ideal for preservice teachers in literacy methods courses and practicing teachers, it features real-world cases, discussions of the principles presented, resource lists, and conversation starters for professional learning communities, professional development, and teacher education.

In the past two decades many developing countries have embraced the challenge of globalization by rushing to dismantle trade barriers and promoting increasingly liberal market-oriented policies. However, a broader response to globalization is both necessary and possible if countries are to develop as quickly and as fully as possible.
An internationally renowned team of contributors examines the complex network of connections between globalization, liberalization and human and social development and the implications for international development policy, strategy and practice.
"Solving the Riddle of Globalization and Development" advocates the inclusion of sustainable human development as a key element in countries' responses to globalization and builds on many of the best responses to globalization that the programme has encountered: from governments, business and civil society. Key points include the need to nurture an enabling environment, promote education and R&D, expandeconomic choices for everyone and foster a policy-making process that connects all social groups to the economy. These elements, coupled with sound macroeconomics management, are all required in equipping a country to integrate more effectively into the world economy.
The innovative new approach to globalization and development set out in this volume will be essential reading for academics and practitioners alike.

The authors present a social linguistic/social interactional approach to the discourse analysis of classroom language and literacy events. Building on recent theories in interactional sociolinguistics, literary theory, social anthropology, critical discourse analysis, and the New Literacy Studies, they describe a microethnographic approach to discourse analysis that provides a reflexive and recursive research process that continually questions what counts as knowledge in and of the interactions among teachers and students. The approach combines attention to how people use language and other systems of communication in constructing classroom events with attention to social, cultural, and political processes. The focus of attention is on actual people acting and reacting to each other, creating and recreating the worlds in which they live. One contribution of the microethnographic approach is to highlight the conception of people as complex, multi-dimensional actors who together use what is given by culture, language, social, and economic capital to create new meanings, social relationships and possibilities, and to recreate culture and language. The approach presented by the authors does not separate methodological, theoretical, and epistemological issues. Instead, they argue that research always involves a dialectical relationship among the object of the research, the theoretical frameworks and methodologies driving the research, and the situations within which the research is being conducted. Discourse Analysis and the Study of Classroom Language and Literacy Events: A Microethnographic Perspective: *introduces key constructs and the intellectual and disciplinary foundations of the microethnographic approach; *addresses the use of this approach to gain insight into three often discussed issues in research on classroom literacy events--classroom literacy events as cultural action, the social construction of identity, and power relations in and through classroom literacy events; *presents transcripts of classroom literacy events to illustrate how theoretical constructs, the research issue, the research site, methods, research techniques, and previous studies of discourse analysis come together to constitute a discourse analysis; and *discusses the complexity of "locating" microethnographic discourse analysis studies within the field of literacy studies and within broader intellectual movements. This volume is of broad interest and will be widely welcomed by scholars and students in the field language and literacy studies, educational researchers focusing on analysis of classroom discourse, educational sociolinguists, and sociologists and anthropologists focusing on face-to-face interaction and language use.

The authors present a social linguistic/social interactional approach to the discourse analysis of classroom language and literacy events. Building on recent theories in interactional sociolinguistics, literary theory, social anthropology, critical discourse analysis, and the New Literacy Studies, they describe a microethnographic approach to discourse analysis that provides a reflexive and recursive research process that continually questions what counts as knowledge in and of the interactions among teachers and students. The approach combines attention to how people use language and other systems of communication in constructing classroom events with attention to social, cultural, and political processes. The focus of attention is on actual people acting and reacting to each other, creating and recreating the worlds in which they live. One contribution of the microethnographic approach is to highlight the conception of people as complex, multi-dimensional actors who together use what is given by culture, language, social, and economic capital to create new meanings, social relationships and possibilities, and to recreate culture and language. The approach presented by the authors does not separate methodological, theoretical, and epistemological issues. Instead, they argue that research always involves a dialectical relationship among the object of the research, the theoretical frameworks and methodologies driving the research, and the situations within which the research is being conducted.
"Discourse Analysis and the Study of Classroom Language and Literacy Events: A Microethnographic Perspective: "
*introduces key constructs and the intellectual and disciplinary foundations of the microethnographic approach;
*addresses the use of this approach to gain insight into three often discussed issues in research on classroom literacy events--classroom literacy events as cultural action, the social construction of identity, and power relations in and through classroom literacy events;
*presents transcripts of classroom literacy events to illustrate how theoretical constructs, the research issue, the research site, methods, research techniques, and previous studies of discourse analysis come together to constitute a discourse analysis; and
*discusses the complexity of "locating" microethnographic discourse analysis studies within the field of literacy studies and within broader intellectual movements.
This volume is of broad interest and will be widely welcomed by scholars and students in the field language and literacy studies, educational researchers focusing on analysis of classroom discourse, educational sociolinguists, and sociologists and anthropologists focusing on face-to-face interaction and language use.

Moving beyond current theories on literacy practices, this edited collection sheds new light on the complexities inherent to the social, cultural, and ideological contexts in which literacy practices are realized. Building on Brian V. Street's scholarship, contributors discuss literacy as intrinsically social and ideological, and examine how the theorizing of literacy practices has evolved in recognition of the diverse contexts in which written language is used. Breaking new intellectual and theoretical ground, this book brings together leading literacy scholars to re-examine how educational and sociocultural contexts frame and define literacy events and practices. Drawing from the richness of Brian V. Street's work, this volume offers insights into fractures, tensions, and developments in literacy for scholars, students, and researchers.

Moving beyond current theories on literacy practices, this edited collection sheds new light on the complexities inherent to the social, cultural, and ideological contexts in which literacy practices are realized. Building on Brian V. Street's scholarship, contributors discuss literacy as intrinsically social and ideological, and examine how the theorizing of literacy practices has evolved in recognition of the diverse contexts in which written language is used. Breaking new intellectual and theoretical ground, this book brings together leading literacy scholars to re-examine how educational and sociocultural contexts frame and define literacy events and practices. Drawing from the richness of Brian V. Street's work, this volume offers insights into fractures, tensions, and developments in literacy for scholars, students, and researchers.