-Education

Following in the vein of her best-selling elementary book, June Chapin focuses on key topics that are critical to the teaching of social studies in the middle and secondary classrooms.

This brief, practical book enables readers to concentrate on the crucial, relevant strategies and content to become effective social studies teachers who will be able to teach in a wide diversity of classrooms.  The goal for the reader is to teach social studies creatively and thoughtfully so that their students become knowledgeable and responsible citizens acting on core values and beliefs.

"Between Two Grammars builds on earlier works in the field of language learning and teaching and brings new ideas about language teaching in a Creole-speaking environment. Using Jamaica as the example, the history of education is examined with a view to explaining some of the current attitudes to schooling and the objections to accepting Jamaican Creole (Patois/Patwa) as a necessary part of the consciousness of the classroom teacher. Constructed with an understanding of the unique requirements for language teaching in the Caribbean, whilst integrating theory and practice, Dr Byan's recommendations in Between Two Grammars are the result of years of research within the fields of sociolinguistics, language education, Caribbean history and teacher education. Educators, whether in training or in practice; and Education policymakers will find Between Two Grammars not only an enriching presentation of the nature of language debates in the Caribbean but also an empowering tool for improved language teaching practice. "

Written with style and  whimsey, this text focuses on what classroom teachers really need to know about assessment rather than looking at a collection of measurement esoterica. This well-written book is grounded in the reality of teaching today to show real-world teachers who want to use assessment in their classrooms the latest tools necessary to teach more effectively. The fifth edition of Classroom Assessment addresses the range of assessments that teachers are likely to use in their classrooms. With expanded coverage of problems related to measurement of special education children, a new student website with online activities, and an improved instructor’s manual, this book continues to be a cutting edge and indispensable resource not only for instructors, but also pre and in-service teachers.

Written with energy and wit, this reader-friendly text discusses practical ways in which teachers can use well-written tests to improve their effectiveness in the classroom." "Exploring a wide range of classroom assessments as well as how these assessments can benefit student learning, the thoroughly revised sixth edition of "Classroom Assessment" retains its humorous tone and unique practice exercises while adding new research, new material, and new features. This edition covers both contemporary classroom assessment issues, including "No Child Left Behind," instructor accountability, and formative assessments, while also covering traditional assessment topics such as assessment validity and assessment reliability. Three new chapters include fresh and expanded material on formative assessments, the evaluation of instruction, and properly grading assessments. In addition, a new section at the end of the book provides students with critical thinking exercises that involve real-world assessment issues and that cover central topics from each chapter. Another new feature teaches readers how to best communicate with parents about assessments and assessment results.

This book for elementary and middle school teachers and literacy methods courses articulates a powerful theory of critical literacy instruction. Critical literacy practices encourage students to use language to question the everyday world, interrogate the relationship between language and power, analyze popular culture and media, understand how power relationships are socially constructed, and consider actions that can be taken to promote social justice. By providing both a model for critical literacy instruction and many examples of how critical practices can be enacted in daily school life in elementary and middle school classrooms, Creating Critical Classrooms meets a huge need for a practical, theoretically based text on this topic.

Teachers, both in and beyond teacher education programmes, are continual learners. As society itself evolves, new settings and the challenges they provide require new learning. Teachers must continually adapt to new developments that affect their work, including alterations to qualification systems, new relationships with welfare professionals, and new technologies which are reconfiguring relationships with pupils.

In 1932 George Counts, in his speech "Dare the School Build a New Social Order?" explicitly challenged teachers to develop a democratic, socialistic society. In Democratic Social Education: Social Studies for Social Change Drs. Hursh and Ross take seriously the question of what social studies educators can do to help build a democratic society in the face of current antidemocratic impulses of greed, individualism and intolerance. The essays in this book respond to Counts' question in theoretical analyses of education and society, historical analyses of efforts since Counts' challenge, and practical analyses of classroom pedagogy and school organization. This volume provides researchers and teacher educators with ideas and descriptions of practice that challenge the taken-for-granted meanings of democracy, citizenship, culture, work, indoctrination, evaluation, standards and curriculum within the purposes of social education.

This book provides a broad introduction to an overview of developmental disabilities for future practitioners, educators, healthcare personnel, parents, and other lay people. KEY TOPICS: Written in a manner accessible to all, this book presents a coherent picture of developmental disabilities by focusing on etiology (causes and risk factors), clinical phenomena, social factors, service delivery models, historical factors, and prevention. It stresses the revolution in services for persons with disabilities over the past few decades and emphasizes the importance of using a lifespan developmental model in service and research. MARKET: For psychologists, educators, and special educators.

""How do I get across the important social studies content without being run-of-the-mill or ordinary? How can I make social studies fun and still maintain control of the classroom?""" ""Dynamic Social Studies for Constructivist Classrooms," "Ninth Edition" shows teachers how to make social studies fun. Yet it is also the most practical of social studies texts. It is highly readable and offers a manageable length. The author begins with the sound philosophical approach of constuctivism and then provides many practical examples of classroom instruction and creative tools to assist teachers in bringing this framework to life in the classroom. Readers will feel they are being escorted through model social studies classrooms and will come away with a clear vision of the most effective, creative, and dynamic way to teach social studies. Meanwhile, students will be learning important social studies content that will encourage them to become informed, caring citizens who will make a difference in our world. New To This Edition: NEW! Includes a new chapter (Chapter 3) on Integrated Instruction-helps teachers to fulfill the goals and standards for social studies instruction by incorporating content and skills from other subject areas. NEW!Offers "Backward Design" for Unit Planning- Chapter 10 adapts the popular "Backward Design" suggestions of Wiggins and McTighe to planning and carrying out social studies units. NEW! Online Resources--TeacherPrep and MyLabSchool assets offer important online resources that help students virtually observe relevant classroom activities. NEW! Proposes the establishment of "Democratic Learning Communities"- Helps students experience democracy in their classrooms as a basis for developing the dispositions for democratic living as adults. NEW! Takes a "Developmental Inquiry Approach"- Helps readers understand how to introduce and refine inquiry skills through developmentally suitable instructional strategies. NEW! Includes more examples-Gives even more representative samples of exciting classroom activities to help highlight and illustrate important professional concepts and skills.

By using familiar concepts from classical measurement methods and basic statistics, this book introduces the basics of item response theory (IRT) and explains the application of IRT methods to problems in test construction, identification of potentially biased test items, test equating and computerized-adaptive testing. The book also includes a thorough discussion of alternative procedures for estimating IRT parameters and concludes with an exploration of new directions in IRT research and development.