New publications

Designed for teachers to help students who struggle with reading, this book outlines classroom-tested strategies and lesson planning advice. The focus is on encouraging students to read a broad range of difficult texts with a deeper level of comprehension. The book outlines strategies for students to monitor their own comprehension, maintain concentration, collaborate with peers to strengthen understanding and use critical thinking skills to analyse real world issues and understand the relevance a book may have for their own lives. It is recommended for middle primary through to upper secondary teachers. Available from Curriculum Corporation

This book addresses the question of whether literacy is a social and cultural practice, or a set of cognitive skills to be learned and applied. The authors explore how reading and writing skills are developed, and offer a theory of literacy that places cognitive development within a sociocultural context of literacy practices. Research suggests that students learn to read and write through the knowledge and skills that they bring with them to the classroom, as well as from the ways that literacy is practised in their own different social communities. The authors argue that effective literacy instruction depends on the understanding of this broader premise. (Adapted from publisher's description)

Critical Perspectives on the Curriculum of Teacher Education is a collection written by members of Miami University's doctoral program in Educational Leadership. The chapter authors discuss and present new possibilities for formal and informal curriculum interventions in teacher education. This book presents new ideas on key issues surrounding educational theory and practice in teacher education. Issues discussed include commercialism in schools, class distinctions and feminism in teacher education. (Adapted from publisher's description)

This interim report forms part of a research project into the supply of and demand for chemistry students in Australian industry and society. The review has sourced information from secondary schools, universities and employers in the industry via survey, with comments from over 4000 chemists. A literature review and international overview also contribute to the findings, which suggest a poor public profile for chemistry and a current shortage of qualified chemists. The report argues that this challenge must be dealt with by schools and universities, through curriculum and teacher direction and enthusiasm. Science education in Australia must be able to develop high science achievers to world class standards, as well as provide the knowledge for all students to understand and comment on current issues such as the environment. Further research and analysis has been undertaken and a final report is due for release this year. (Adapted from publisher's description and advertorial in Teaching Science Vol 51 No 1, Autumn 2005)