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A discussion of communicative task-based second language learning looks at what differentiates a number of related classroom approaches: (1) two orientations, one focusing on learning-to-communicate and the other on communicating-to-learn; (2) emphasis on input, reception, and analysis in contrast to emphasis on communicative tasks; (3) specification of language content and related tasks; and (4) classroom procedures. The focus is on the teaching of English as a second language. Contains 15 references. (MSE)

This document consists of three issues (1994) of a Spanish language periodical directed at elementary and middle school-aged children. Contained in these periodicals are a variety of activities designed to encourage the reader to learn and practice the Spanish language. Each issue focuses on a particular topic, e.g., "The Spring,""Inventions and Discoveries," and "My District." Issue 5 features four activities centered around clouds: (1) "Many Types of Clouds; (2) "Identification of Clouds"; (3) "Clear Days, Clear Nights"; and (4) "Clouds in Three Dimensions." Some of the topics in Issue 6 are: (1) "I Learn about Paper"; (2) "I Find Information"; and (3) "I Work with Paper." Issue 7 is divided into the following sections: (1) information concerning a district in Los Angeles, California; (2) preparation of dossiers of information on one's own district; and (3) details of the information dossiers on one's own neighborhood. Each one of these sections contains pictures, questions to be answered, and activities to be performed by the young readers to sharpen their skills in Spanish. Activities include things to do, games to play, reading, information to learn, subjects to investigate, and drawing. (CK)

The Teacher Education Study in Mathematics or TEDS-M is a study conducted under the aegis of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). The lead research center for the study is the International Study Center at Michigan State University (ISC/MSU). The ISC/MSU worked from 2006 to 2011 with the International Study Center at the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and the National Research Coordinators (NRCs) in 17 countries to produce this study. TEDS-M received funding from IEA, the United States of America National Science Foundation, and the collaborating countries. TEDS-M focused on how teachers are prepared to teach mathematics in primary and lower-secondary school, and studied the variation in the nature and impact of teacher education programs within and across countries. TEDS-M is the first cross-national study to provide data on the knowledge that future primary and lower-secondary school teachers have acquired in their mathematics teacher education. The key research questions for the study focused on the relationships between teacher education policies, institutional practices, and future teacher mathematics and pedagogy knowledge. Individual chapters contain figure, tables, footnotes and references. [For related reports, see "TEDS-M 2008 User Guide for the International Database. Supplement 1: International Version of the TEDS-M Questionnaires" (ED542382), "TEDS-M 2008 User Guide for the International Database. Supplement 2: National Adaptations of the TEDS-M Questionnaires" (ED542381), "TEDS-M 2008 User Guide for the International Database. Supplement 3: Variables Derived from the Educator and Future Teacher Data" (ED542385), and "TEDS-M 2008 User Guide for the International Database. Supplement 4: TEDS-M Released Mathematics and Mathematics Pedagogy Knowledge Assessment Items" (ED542384).] [This paper was edited with Maria Teresa Tatto. Contributors include Alena Becker, Ralph Carstens, Jean Dumais, Sabine Meinck, Plamen Mirazchiyski.]

This supplement contains all adaptations made by countries to the international version of the TEDS-M questionnaires under careful supervision of and approval by the TEDS-M International Study Center at Michigan State University. This information provides users of the TEDS-M International Database with a guide to evaluate the availability of internationally comparable data for use in secondary analyses. The adaptations to questionnaires are presented in four sections: Section 1: Institutional Program Questionnaire; Section 2: Educator Questionnaire; Section 3: Future Teacher Questionnaire (Parts A, B, and D); and Section 4: Adaptations to questions about education levels (ISCED classification). Each section contains adaptations specific to individual education systems followed by general or common cultural adaptations and variables. The listed adaptations include questions that countries were required to adapt, questions that were not administered, and questions that countries modified to suit their national context. [For the main report, "TEDS-M 2008 User Guide for the International Database," see ED542383. For related reports, see "TEDS-M 2008 User Guide for the International Database. Supplement 1: International Version of the TEDS-M Questionnaires" (ED542382), "TEDS-M 2008 User Guide for the International Database. Supplement 3: Variables Derived from the Educator and Future Teacher Data" (ED542385), and "TEDS-M 2008 User Guide for the International Database. Supplement 4: TEDS-M Released Mathematics and Mathematics Pedagogy Knowledge Assessment Items" (ED542384).] [This paper was edited with Maria Teresa Tatto.]