This critical volume provides accessible examples of how K-12 teachers use systemic functional linguistics (SFL) and action research to support the disciplinary literacy development of diverse learners in the context of high stakes school reform. With chapters from teachers, teacher educators, and researchers, this book paves the way for teachers to act as change agents in their schools to design and implement meaningful curriculum, instruction, and assessment that builds on students' cultural and linguistic knowledge. Addressing case studies and contexts, this book provides the framework, tools, and resources for instructing and supporting multilingual students and ELL. This volume - intended for pre- and in-service teachers - aims to improve educators' professional practice through critical SFL pedagogy, and helps teachers combat racism and anti-immigrant rhetoric by contributing to an equity agenda in their schools.

This critical volume provides accessible examples of how K-12 teachers use systemic functional linguistics (SFL) and action research to support the disciplinary literacy development of diverse learners in the context of high stakes school reform. With chapters from teachers, teacher educators, and researchers, this book paves the way for teachers to act as change agents in their schools to design and implement meaningful curriculum, instruction, and assessment that builds on students' cultural and linguistic knowledge. Addressing case studies and contexts, this book provides the framework, tools, and resources for instructing and supporting multilingual students and ELL. This volume - intended for pre- and in-service teachers - aims to improve educators' professional practice through critical SFL pedagogy, and helps teachers combat racism and anti-immigrant rhetoric by contributing to an equity agenda in their schools.

Reform in education has focused mainly on development of new programs and procedures to increase the achievement of the student in the classroom. Teacher evaluations are now based on how students perform in their classrooms on yearly standardized tests. The advent of integrating students with special needs into the regular classroom has brought both benefits and concerns for average and above average students. Special education in the United States has evolved from institutional and segregated environments to inclusion in the regular education classrooms. We examine how the practice has affected all students and question whether this change has created equal opportunity for those students without special education needs. This book researches and reports on issues of current practice: e.g., teacher preparation, placement of students with special needs, implications for the average and above in the classroom and the financial costs driving placement decisions in the education system. We examine the lowering of standards so all can pass tests, report on loss of engagement of students by middle school, and mourn the squandering of creativity to appease a mandate. Sir Ken Robinson relates that, "Education is meant to take us into a future we cannot even grasp." Yet we continue on a road that lowers our educational ranking internationally. We recommend to provide services for all students, and take the system from its current state to one that provides a "Free and appropriate education for all!"

Reform in education has focused mainly on development of new programs and procedures to increase the achievement of the student in the classroom. Teacher evaluations are now based on how students perform in their classrooms on yearly standardized tests. The advent of integrating students with special needs into the regular classroom has brought both benefits and concerns for average and above average students. Special education in the United States has evolved from institutional and segregated environments to inclusion in the regular education classrooms. We examine how the practice has affected all students and question whether this change has created equal opportunity for those students without special education needs. This book researches and reports on issues of current practice: e.g., teacher preparation, placement of students with special needs, implications for the average and above in the classroom and the financial costs driving placement decisions in the education system. We examine the lowering of standards so all can pass tests, report on loss of engagement of students by middle school, and mourn the squandering of creativity to appease a mandate. Sir Ken Robinson relates that, "Education is meant to take us into a future we cannot even grasp." Yet we continue on a road that lowers our educational ranking internationally. We recommend to provide services for all students, and take the system from its current state to one that provides a "Free and appropriate education for all!"