Academic English (AE) refers to the language used in school to help students acquire and use knowledge. This article reviews current literature to determine what is known about the nature of AE within the context of K-12 schooling. It describes how AE is conceptualized in the education research literature, how these conceptualizations are realized in instructional practices, and the implications of these conceptualizations for teacher education and professional development. The student population that is the primary focus of the article is English language learners, but the findings have implications for all students who struggle with learning AE. The article raises critical challenges in defining and operationalizing AE for instruction and suggests areas for further inquiry.Keywords: academic English, general education, English language learners, English as a second language instruction, teacher education, teacher professional development Language is at the heart of teaching and learning. It is the medium through which concepts and skills are learned and assessed, social relationships and identities are formed, and increasingly deeper and more complex disciplinary understandings are constructed over time

The new drug approvals of 1987, 1988, and 1989 were analyzed to determine whether there are any emerging trends in the US drug development and review processes. Sixty-four new drugs were approved by the FDA during this period, of which 55 met the Center for the Study of Drug Development's definition of a new chemical entity (NEC). For the 55 NCEs, the mean length of the investigational new drug application (IND) phase (IND filing to NDA submission) was 5.2 years, the new drug application (NDA) phase (NDA submission to approval) was 2.9 years, and the total phase (IND filing to NDA approval) was 8.1 years. Nine of the 55 NCEs were classified by the FDA as 1A (important therapeutic gain), 15 were classified as 1B (modest gain), 29 were classified as 1C (little or no gain), and 2 were classified as 1AA (drugs to treat AIDS and AIDS-related conditions); 10 drugs were granted orphan status. The mean NDA phase for 1A drugs was 2.4 years; 1B drugs, 2.9 years; 1C drugs, 3.1 years; 1AA drugs, 1.4 years; and orphan drugs, 2.5 years. Forty-four of the 55 NCEs (80%) were available in foreign markets before US approval was given, with a mean of 6.5 years of prior marketing. These data are consistent with figures for previous years and suggest little change in the rate of new drug development and review in the United States.

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This study compares teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of block scheduling during the first and second year of implementation with their perceptions during the third and fourth year at four high schools. Variables included initial perception, subject area taught, and years of teaching experience. Results show a consistent rating among teachers from year one to year four. a Teachers' initial perceptions when making the change from traditional

In this qualitative study, we ask how 40 rural educators of English learners (ELs) culturally position themselves and their students. We obtained data through a cultural autobiography assignment that prompted teachers to describe their interactions and relationships with others. Drawing on both rural and non-rural experiences, teachers established their ability to exercise agency, mediated by individual histories and beliefs and the context of their rural settings. Teachers developed their capacity to reflect on the ways they position themselves toward their ELs, a crucial first step in creating culturally sustaining pedagogy. Implications point to the potential of cultural autobiography as a means to heighten rural teachers’ awareness of how their experiences and interactions nuance their cultural identity. Such reflections can expand notions of culture beyond common social identifiers and enable teachers to forge links with their students that would otherwise not be apparent. We suggest this autobiographical process is particularly important for rural teachers who are new to teaching ELs in their classrooms.