No abstract

Students at two different sites (a 12th‐grade English class focused on workplace preparation and an alternative program for students who had been expelled from school) read graphic novels and, using ComicLife software, created their own graphic sequences called “autographics” based on their personal experiences. The authors explore how image, text, and sound converged to make meaning for these adolescents as they read and wrote graphic novels and describe the literacy skills the learners developed.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of classwide peer tutoring (CWPT), a peer‐mediated teaching approach, on the social interaction behavior of children who are English language learners and children who are native English speakers. Two second‐grade classrooms from an elementary school were selected as the research setting. CWPT was the independent variable, and children's frequency of social interactions was the dependent variable. All children from the two settings were observed and videotaped during the study. Findings of this study indicated that CWPT was as effective for English language learners as it has been for native English speakers in shaping positive social interactions. In both groups, children engaged in very few negative behaviors. Questionnaires from the teachers and students indicated that both groups enjoyed the CWPT process, and they intended to continue using CWPT. The findings encourage teachers of English language students to implement CWPT regularly in their natural classroom settings. The results also indicate that the appropriate arrangement of learning environments is critical for children's social interactions. The opportunities provided for social interactions contribute significantly to the educational success of English language students despite their limited English proficiency.

One goal of the teacher's professional portfolio is to describe the full range of abilities and document effective teaching over an extended period of time. In this article we discuss the procedure that teachers can use in developing their own portfolio assessment to help generate data for making decisions about teaching performance. The development of a teacher portfolio requires planning, time, organization and cooperation from students, colleagues, parents and supervisors. The format of the portfolio may vary from individual to individual and be based upon personal preference. Organizations and contents of the teacher portfolio are suggested. Questions and associated lists of teaching artifacts are discussed based on the authors' experiences as early childhood classroom teachers and university professors. The answers to these questions will guide the selection of activity-generated products to best represent the essence of the teacher performance.

No abstract