Content Area Reading and Writing: Fostering Literacies in Middle and High School Cultures

Book Description

Through this strategy-driven, theory-based book, content-area teachers gain a thorough understanding of the fundamental role that reading and writing play in content-area learning. Unique to this book is the attention paid to helping teachers understand how the high school cultures students belong to affect their view of literacy and learning. This book presents a diagnostic perspective on teaching—encourages future teachers to examine students' performance/work on an individual basis—helps teachers see how each student's culture, background, personality, and prior knowledge inform his or her learning and suggests "best practice" for that particular learner. The author offers step-by-step approaches to gauge student literacy, build vocabulary, and implement instruction that improves comprehension, encourages critical reading, supports writing for learning, and facilitates collaboration for literacy development. Content includes research-based review of writing and numerous writing strategies; research-based overview of motivation for literacy in the content areas; and features a full range of plans to get beginning teachers off to a "good start" by showing how to create a cohesive methodology that aligns state standards with integrated strategy instruction and authentic assessment. For future middle and high school educators.

Customer Reviews:

Authoritative blend of theory and practice.......2006-02-28

Very useful text regarding developing literacy in the classroom for both seasoned and new teachers. Many examples provided. Clear prose; challenging ideas presented. A must have text.

The Way Schools Work: A Sociological Analysis of Education (3rd Edition)

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A Good Text for Sociological Analysis of Education
Critical Theorist View of Schooling in America -- Blame the white, male, middle-class culture
A Crucial Invitation to the Lexicon of Education
A Poor Attempt to Criticize Schools...
An excellent introductory guide to the sociology of educatio

The Way Schools Work: A Sociological Analysis of Education (3rd Edition)
Kathleen Bennett de Marrais , and Margaret LeCompte
Manufacturer: Allyn & Bacon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Cultural Foundations of Education (4th Edition)
Philosophical and Ideological Perspectives on Education (2nd Edition)
School and Society: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives
The Structure of Schooling: Readings in the Sociology of Education
Framing Dropouts: Notes on the Politics of an Urban Public High School (S U N Y Series, Teacher Empowerment and School Reform)

ASIN: 0801319560

Customer Reviews:

A Good Text for Sociological Analysis of Education.......2006-05-26

This book is very effective in helping the reader to grasp a wide range of interpretive theoretical perspectives on education today. The text covers both the policy side of the question (control and finance, bureaucracies, school reform, and teaching as a contested profession) and the anthropological side (youth culture, oppositional culture, engagement and alienation). The text also covers curriculum theory and theories of knowledge.

This book is particularly strong in contrasting and comparing social transmission and social transformation interpretive theories, particularly: functionalist theory, conflict theory, critical theory, and interactionism. There is a useful glossary of sociological terms in the back of the book, as well as 30 pages of excellent references for those who want to delve more deeply into the concepts raised.

Chapters include: Theory and its influences on the purposes of schooling; The social organization of schooling; Youth culture and the student peer group; The labor force in education: teachers, counselors, administrators, and ancillary staff; Social class and its relationship to education, What is taught in schools: curriculum and the stratification of knowledge; Ethnic minorities: equality of educational opportunity; and gender equity in schooling.

Each chapter is divided into logical and coherent subheadings and includes a useful summary of chapter contents. There are also suggestions for things to think about or activities to assign to help students grasp the concepts covered in the text more clearly.

The text works well for foundations of education, sociology of education, education and public policy, and education and society courses.

Unfortunately, like most textbooks today, this one is overpriced at about $75.

Critical Theorist View of Schooling in America -- Blame the white, male, middle-class culture.......2005-10-02

In the authors' view, The Way Schools Work is that they insidiously promote and support the values of America's dominant culture--the white, male, middle class which actively works to keep minorities and women in their place. The first chapter is such a muddle that it is difficult for one to determine exactly what the authors are trying to say. With the help of classroom discussion, I was able to sort out the characteristics of the sociological theories presented. Since the rest of the book is based on understanding these theories, I have to give the book low marks for not making this chapter crystal clear. In general, the book eschews the notion that if you work hard in school, you can succeed in American society. If you believe that notion, the authors allege, then you have bought into the dead-wrong functionalist view of meritocracy. Most of the studies cited in this textbook are at least 20 - 30 years old, and I wonder why more recent data was not given to support their contentions. This textbook presented a most negative, depressing picture of American schooling and places the blame for the dismal state of our schools squarely on the oppressive society in which we live. I respectfully disagree, and think that it is a much more complex issue. I do agree, however, that our public schools are not meeting the needs of our students.

A Crucial Invitation to the Lexicon of Education.......2001-04-06

For anyone interested in the philosophy, theory, and/or practice of education, this book is a must. It is one of the few texts I have found that takes an unbiased approach to the practice of schooling. It is necessary to know the language of education before moving forward with readings of pedagogy; this text provides just such a vocabulary. Offering a full spectrum of views, practices, issues, and policies, this text is an essential introduction to the world of Education.

A Poor Attempt to Criticize Schools..........2000-07-11

This book is a poor attempt to criticize schools and those who work hard everyday to help prepare students for life. If you are a teacher, administrator, or school official, do not waste your hard earned time and money with this non-sense. It provides no appreciation to the dedication of those who care, no matter their race, ethnicity, or gender.

An excellent introductory guide to the sociology of educatio.......1999-11-03

I have found this book to be an essential part of my collection of books on the sociology of education. As a doctoral student in the social foundations of education, I have consistently drawn on the material in this book for both papers and lectures. The book's organization and index make it an easy to use resource guide, much like an encyclopedia of the sociology of education. The text gives a general overview of the issues surrounding the historical and contemporary context of the public school system in the United States. While the book is limited in the extent to which it can talk about topics such as theories of reproduction and resistance, it nevertheless provides a starting point for further research endeavors. Don't sell yourself short on this one, it is well worth the price you have to pay.

Average customer rating:

Get the supplements!
C'est Magnifique!
great review book, good for hw, GREAT value
Best Value Ever
An Excellent Guide to Introductory French

Contacts: Langue Et Culture Francaises
Jean-Paul Valette , and Rebecca M. Valette
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Valette: Contacts 1-19, 7th Edition (World Languages Program Series)
Larousse French English Dictionary
English Grammar for Students of French: The Study Guide for Those Learning French
Easy French Reader
501 French Verbs (501 Verb Series)

ASIN: 0618007482

Book Description

Both students and instructors find this popular introductory text easy to use. The grammar lessons are presented in a logical sequence with constant vocabulary reinforcement and practice of the four skills—listening, reading, writing, and speaking. In addition, Contacts meets the five "Cs" of the national standards for foreign languages—culture, connections, comparison, communities, and communication—which are denoted by icons when they appear in the text.

Grammar is presented in 33 manageable lessons, combined with Aperçus culturels (cultural readings) in English for the first 6 Leçons and in French after Units 5, 7, and 9. Communication sections at the end of each lesson give students instructions in English for task-oriented, paired activities.

Web icons next to the Notes culturelles features direct students to related sites. A new activity then asks them to compare some aspect of the culture to their own experiences.
Web icons with the Vivre en France feature direct students to the text-specific web site for a research activity related to the unit. This section has also been added to the Workbook.

Customer Reviews:

Get the supplements!.......2007-10-05

For the love of gawd, get the supplements!!!

There is a workbook...get it.

There are CDs...get them.

You will need (and probably be required) to get both.

Make sure they are both 7th edition.

On the + side, you will likely use this book for French 1, French 2, French 3, and French 4. (take good care of the book and materials is my suggestion).

Another note: For my French class, the CDs are loaded in the language lab's system. I did not "have" to buy them, but I find the additional practice at home helps.

C'est Magnifique!.......2007-01-07

This was a required text for my college French I and French II course. I have to say that this was an excellent book, possibly one of the best French textbooks I've ever used. The format is nice and clean, and overall everything from vocabulary, culture, and grammar was easy (and fun) to understand and follow. Even though the practice sets were inconsistant (some times they were either too easy, too hard, or just too confusing), overall Contacts is an excellent textbook for those who're beginning French learners, and for those who just want to review before going into the intermediate level. I loved this book so much that I decided to keep it instead of selling it back to my college book store. ^_^

great review book, good for hw, GREAT value.......2006-03-26

I bought this b/c I needed it to go along with my French 102 texbook, MUCH cheaper than buying it thru my university or with the text. Very good to help students review material. I would definitely recommend to others who wish to learn french (with the text of course).

Best Value Ever.......2005-10-03

This book is one of the best looking used items I have ever purchased. I was amazed that I got such a beautiful book for such a great price. The seller was prompt in sending it also.

An Excellent Guide to Introductory French.......2005-08-18

This book was used in my French 101 and 102 classes: Introductory French 1 and 2. I really liked it. Although its strength is grammar and vocabulary, it also teaches some French cultures in every chapter. You can learn listening with audio-CDs. But learning speaking is very hard if you self-study (based on my experience). I utilized the workbook and audio-tapes fully. They were very helpful tools to learn. A great collegiate introductory French book!

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Average customer rating:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
History: Fiction or Science? Astronomical methods as applied to chronology. Ptolemy's Almagest. Chronology III
Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America: Lost History And Legends, Unearthed And Explored
Before the Pharaohs: Egypt's Mysterious Prehistory
They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies

ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Middle Egyptian: An Introduction to the Language and Culture of Hieroglyphs

Average customer rating:

Essential Reading for Scholars and Enthusiasts.
Enough of the grammar already!!!
We want more of the kind...
Excellent Book...but Gardiner still worth it!!
An good text book!

Middle Egyptian: An Introduction to the Language and Culture of Hieroglyphs
James P. Allen
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Concise Dictionary of Middle Egyptian (Egyptology: Griffith Institute)
Ancient Egyptian Calligraphy A Beginner's Guide to Writing Hieroglyphs
Egyptian Grammar: Being an Introduction to the Study of Hieroglyphs (Egyptology: Griffith Institute)
How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs: A Step-by-Step Guide to Teach Yourself, Revised Edition
Reading Egyptian Art: A Hieroglyphic Guide to Ancient Egyptian Painting and Sculpture

ASIN: 0521774837

Book Description

This is an introduction to the writing system of ancient Egypt and the language of hieroglyphic texts. It contains twenty-six lessons, exercises (with answers), a list of hieroglyphic signs, and a dictionary, as well as twenty-five essays on the most important aspects of ancient Egyptian history, society, religion and literature. It also offers scholars of linguistics a complete grammatical description of the classical language of ancient Egypt.

Customer Reviews:

Essential Reading for Scholars and Enthusiasts........2007-08-28

Dr. Allen has really done a good job laying it all out in this book. Obviously, this is something of an esoteric subject, but for many budding scholars and amateur enthusiasts who are genuinely interested in learning this language, this book is essential reading. The grammer is clearly explained, and compared to contemporary languages, and the hierglyphs are easy to discern after a few lessons.

What is also commendable is the use of essays throughout the book that lay out the broader context of Middle Egyptian. Without that, the book would be noticeably drier. I think the only addition I would make to this book would be use of example dialogue to help reinforce the concepts. Otherwise, this is a good book to own.

Enough of the grammar already!!!.......2006-11-04

This is an excellent book, no doubt. Allen is quite obviously an academic when it comes to Egyptian and linguistics. Let me repeat, this is an excellent book: for people with a linguistic background. That said, Joe Blow (read people with the average educational background in grammar) will most likely, as I did, find this approach to Egyptian with its constant, non-stop emphasis on adverbial complement this and noun phrase that approach, overwhelming to say the least. The meanings of the exercise sentences are rather vague and not easy to translate. In 3000 plus years, some Egyptian somewhere must have written a sentence or two more suitable for use in a beginning language learning text. Add to this the fact that each chapter does not have a vocabulary list to prepare the student for the exercises, and doing the chapter-end exercises becomes a futile exercise in page flipping to look up answers in the key in the back of the book. Vocabulary items used in the sample sentences in the texts in the chapters are frequently not included in the dictionary in the back. It doesn't matter how much grammar you know if you don't know what the words mean. As a college text with an instructor, this book is probably excellent, however for the do-it-yourselfer who wants to learn at home, forget it! Like the old saying goes: I just want to know what time it is, I don't need to how to build a watch. Can anybody suggest a book to learn Egyptian, written for educated, interested adults, but who don't have degree in linguistics?

We want more of the kind..........2005-09-23

Probably the most pleasant book you will use, not just to learn about hieroglyphs, but also, to learn about ancient egyptian culture.

Excellent Book...but Gardiner still worth it!!.......2004-08-01

I am writing this review simply to clarify and answer a few of the questions and comments that the previous reviewer had about the textbook.

1) This is a textbook intended for college students and self-study and assumes no previous encounter with English or Middle Egyptian grammar; therefore, as one might expect, the book presents descriptions of nouns, as well as more complicated aspects of grammar such as prospective, subjunctive and relative forms. However, if one is privy to the definitions, than one can simply skip over the descriptions of these grammatical aspects and continue learning Middle Egyptian.

2) Rare usages or unusual translations are covered in the book and although they do not appear in an appendix, they do contain astericks or other diacritics or concise descriptions.

3) Enough examples are provided so that an intelligent person can build upon previous examples and construct the answer to the exercise, similar to a math book that provides some examples and then offers more complicated, but solvable exercises.

4) Although the book does lack grammatical paradigms (mostly since no one really knows what inflections Middle Egyptian contained) and vocabulary lists, it does provide references, a sign list, a dictionary, the answers to the exercises, and an index.

5) The paperback binding is actually quite good. I have used it for a while and, although borrowed from the local library (most of those books are usually mistreated or handled periodically), it has shown little signs of deterioration. More importantly, there is at least a half inch spacial blank gap between any word or hieroglyph at the inner edge any page, making the inner edges easy to read.

6) Although the chapter four essay argues that the "Western notion of religion [...] has seperated religion from spheres of [...] government, social behavior, intellectual pursuits, and science" p.43, it never states that this is how the western notion of religion always viewed and continues to view these concepts. The Egyptian religion embraced most things as the Gods themselves. For example, two people falling in love in Greek and Roman religion was an act of Eros, and love making a gift from Aphrodite; however, an ancient Egypian might argue that two people falling in love and making love is the personification of the love between Osiris and Isis.

That said, this is a wonderful textbook that will leave any serious student or amateur the craving for more since, unfortunately, it does not cover all there is to know about Middle Egyptian. A second step would be to purchase Sir Alan Gardiner's "Egyptian Grammar" a little outdated but unmatched in depth and coverage of Middle Egyptian. His book remains the "BIBLE" of Middle Egyptian of and for most egyptologists.

An good text book!.......2004-01-05

If you want to learn the basics of hieroglyphs. Dont buy this book first. Buy "How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs: A Step-By-Step Guide to Teach Yourself". Then buy the text book by Allen.

Book Description

For a full description, see entry for Makino et al., Nakama 1: Japanese Communication, Culture, Context.

Customer Reviews:

Hai, Soo desu........2004-09-01

I recently finished the intensive intermediate course at Harvard--another summer of boot camp--and this was the text for the first 2/3 of the course. I think that it is a very good text, and along with the lab manual and CDs, the Nakama system is extremely effective. There is also a great website, "Friends of Nakama," which should be very helpful to anyone using these texts. There you'll find lots of good quizzes for vocabulary and kanji.

Unfortunately, my instructors seemed to dislike kanji immensely--kanji were never discussed as a topic in their own right, in spite of their evident interest to gringos like me who have been drawn to a study of Japanese BECAUSE of kanji (among other things). One Chinese student in the class hypothesized that the Japanese hate kanji because they are kanji, i.e., Chinese characters. But, I digress.

The important point here is that Nakama DOES discuss kanji in historical and linguistic context, and that, in my opinion, is a very good thing.

Nakama is your best friend.......2004-08-26

Nakama is a great tool for students who are begining their Japanese Languages study. Nakama 2 is the continuation of Nakama 1, and continues the emphasis on situational Japanese. The grammar targets are useful and informative. Learning "nakereba naranai" (have to) form IS a different concept from "-ba" (if) form. Thankfully, the text presents a practical approach to structure and not an overly "rules" based approach.

After Nakama I, a bit disappointing..........2002-06-15

I used both Nakama I and Nakama II for the first four semesters of university Japanese classes, and Nakama I was brilliant--the early introductions to hiragana and katakana, the mnemonic devices, the themed vocabulary lists. I felt that it gave us a great start, but Nakama II went downhill.

I have two main gripes with this book: the bizarre choices for kanji in each chapter and the selective information given about grammatical structures. Nakama II does not teach the most common kanji or kanji with common elements that will be more useful with further study; it takes the idea of "themed" learning and creates situations where, say, you can write all of the kanji in yuubinkyoku (post office) before you can write "migi" (right) and "hidari" (left). This problem extends to the vocabulary lessons as well--light on basic everyday-use verbs, for example, but heavy on less-necessary words.

Frankly, I also didn't get the approach Nakama II takes to grammar--the idea that "here is a grammatical structure, usable only in the narrow context it's presented as a part of, with no further explanation." We learned the "nakereba naranai" construction a good two chapters, I believe, before we learned what the "ba" form was at all. When the more complete explanation is given, it's treated like an entirely new concept.

Nakama II is not all bad, by any means; in fact, it's superior to other textbooks I've purchased, and I'm not quite sure if there is any one Japanese textbook helpful in all areas. But if you attend a school that uses Nakama, keep your fingers crossed that you get as lucky as we were to have a teacher who was intelligent and helpful, or that you can be extremely diligent in filling in the gaps left by this text.

Book Description

For health care providers who wish to learn Spanish to effectively communicate with patients, this book offers an excellent first course in the language. It is a classroom text that uses readings, exercises, and interactive activities to integrate the Spanish medical vocabulary, grammar, and colloquial terms that nurses, doctors, dentists and medical technicians most need. Rich cultural notes explain Hispanic customs and communication styles. This second edition provides an expanded lexicon, a more concise, graphic presentation of structure, added communicative activities, and a workbook section to consolidate learning and promote writing skills. Also included with the book is a 72-minute CD audio program integrated with each of the lessons, which develops listening skills and guides pronounciation.

Customer Reviews:

An Introduction to Spanish for Health Care Workers.......2007-07-06

This is by far the best book in it's field. It is very well organized and presents grammar points in a subtle yet clear manner. The vocabulary is perfect. The compact discs are very clear and accurate. The only negative comment I would have is that it is sad that this book now costs so much, as compared with the original edition. An accompanying workbook would be helpful.

There's a second edition with a free audio CD.......2003-03-26

... The book has been completely revised and an audio CD of the dialogs is included for FREE at the back of the book. Try searching by its full title, AN INTRODUCTION TO SPANISH FOR HEALTH CARE WORKERS and hopefully you will be able to find the MOST RECENT EDITION.
...

Historical Thinking Pb (Critical Perspectives On The P)

Average customer rating:

Historical Thinking: A Must Read for All Teachers of History
The Future of Teaching the Past
Slogging through mud...
Best text out there
Calling all educators: A MUST HAVE!

Historical Thinking Pb (Critical Perspectives On The P)
Sam Wineburg
Manufacturer: Temple University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Knowing, Teaching, and Learning History: National and International Perspectives
Doing History: Investigating with Children in Elementary and Middle Schools, Third Edition
History on Trial: Culture Wars and the Teaching of the Past
Engagement in Teaching History: Theory and Practices for Middle and Secondary Teachers
Teaching History for the Common Good

ASIN: 1566398568

Book Description

Since ancient times, the pundits have lamented young people's lack of historical knowledge and warned that ignorance of the past surely condemns humanity to repeating its mistakes. In the contemporary United States, this dire outlook drives a contentious debate about what key events, nations, and people are essential for history students. Sam Wineburg says that we are asking the wrong questions. This book demolishes the conventional notion that there is one true history and one best way to teach it.

Although most of us think of history—and learn it—as a conglomeration of facts, dates, and key figures, for professional historians it is a way of knowing, a method for developing an understanding about the relationships of peoples and events in the past. A cognitive psychologist, Wineburg has been engaged in studying what is intrinsic to historical thinking, how it might be taught, and why most students still adhere to the "one damned thing after another" concept of history.

Whether he is comparing how students and historians interpret documentary evidence or analyzing children's drawings, Wineburg's essays offer "rough maps of how ordinary people think about the past and use it to understand the present." Arguing that we all absorb lessons about history in many settings—in kitchen table conversations, at the movies, or on the world-wide web, for instance—these essays acknowledge the role of collective memory in filtering what we learn in school and shaping our historical thinking.

Customer Reviews:

Historical Thinking: A Must Read for All Teachers of History .......2007-07-24

As a high school teacher of American history I am constantly searching for ways in which to improve my teaching and student learning. After seeing several references in other works to Wineburg's Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts I decided to read the book for myself, as it turns out that decision has proven to be the single best investment in my professional development and my student's ability to grasp the complexities of historical problems. There has been a long standing debate in the field of history education as to the mission of history educators, are we to teach history as a series of factual incidents over a period of time that can be neatly packaged and quantified on standardized tests or are we to teach the process of "doing history?" That is to teach the analysis of historical events usually through primary source documents not as "stuff that happened" but as the complex interaction of people of varied backgrounds with different goals, desires and points of view. As Wineburg points out in his brilliant analysis of how we think about events in the past, history is messy and the "Historical thinking requires us to reconcile two contradictory positions: first our established modes of thinking are an inheritance that cannot be sloughed off, and, second, that if we make no attempt to slough them off, we are doomed to a mind-numbing presentation that reads the present onto the past." Although Historical Thinking is an academic work Wineburg's writing style is accessible and fluent, teachers of history at all levels from the academy to the elementary classroom will benefit from this well written and relevant study.

The Future of Teaching the Past.......2007-07-23

Suggesting ways to get students to think like historians, as an alternative to the regurgitation of historical "facts" is a core theme of the book. Wineburg's book challenges many of our preconceived notions of teaching history, by using many descriptions and illustrations to show how students are thinking currently in their social studies classes and ways that we may improve this.

After teaching high school history and government in Massachusetts for 5 years, Sam Wineburg's book Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts was recommended by a friend and professor at Boston University. It had a profound impact on how I look at teaching history and more specifically how I approach history with my students. I found the book so helpful that I shared it with many of my colleagues and most agree that it is an important book that should be read by all history educators.

If you have appreciated books on history education by scholars like Gary Nash, Eric Foner, James Loewen, or Dana Lindaman, then Sam Wineburg's book is a must read to help further the discussion of how to educate America about its past.

Slogging through mud..........2007-06-12

I like the ideas in this book and think that the author has presented history professionals with plenty of research about how students and teachers interpret what they learn in their history courses. That said, I don't find this book to be particularly well written. Maybe it's just me, but getting through some of the essays was like slogging through mud... obscure language, lousy sentences, and paragraphs weighed down by too many words. I think most of the essays in this book could have been parred down to two or three pages a piece. So, Sam can think, but he writes like a graduate student who says in fifty words what could be said in ten. In fact, I think I can distill the book down to one (long)sentence: "We can't view or interpret what happened in the past accurately because we weren't there and are too affected by the present; therefore, looking back in time is at best like "looking through a glass darkly."

Best text out there .......2006-11-06

I have mixed feelings about this effort. On the one hand, it is clearly one of the more thoughtful discussions of how we learn and think about history. Several of Wineburg's studies raise serious questions about how we know and discuss history. On the other hand, the book is disjointed and offers little in the way of solution. This is fair enough as Wineburg acknowledges both limitations. But for say ... a Social Science Teaching Methods class, the text is too thick with criticisms and too thin with solutions. What is really needed is a text that translates Wineburg's observations into California Social Science Skills Standards (or equivalent). One that takes knowing history seriously, but offers busy young teachers ways to improve their classrooms.

Whatever its limitations, I'd highly recommend the book to all history teachers. While we may not find "The Solution" we will find productive new approaches to creating our own solutions.

Calling all educators: A MUST HAVE!.......2001-09-03

OK, the fact that he is "the" professor who changed the course of my life notwithstanding: This is a terrific book, one that opens doors for teachers who want to think about "what" they do, "how" they do it, "why" they use the materials that they do, and, ultimately, what critical pathways they have opened in their students at the end of the day.

Thought provoking, stirring without being preachy, at times quite funny -- Wineburg quickly shows why he one of the most important voices in Ed Psych -- in Education -- in History -- today.

Most of the folks in the History department at my school now own it. Don't think, just buy. You'll have lots of time to think later.

Go. Click. It's not too late.

It's still not too late. Stop reading. Quickly now...click!

Average customer rating:

EXCELLENT FOR SELF STUDY

Good Textbook

A good start

GREEK TODAY: A COURSE IN THE MODERN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

This is a good textbook.

Greek Today: A Course in the Modern Language and Culture
Peter Bien , Dimitri Gondicas , John Rassias , Andromache Karanika , and Chrysanthi Yiannakou-Bien
Manufacturer: Dartmouth
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Greek Today Workbook

Greek: A Comprehensive Grammar (Routledge Grammars)

600 Modern Greek Verbs: Fully Conjugated in All the Tenses Alphabetically Arranged

Oxford English-Greek Learner's Dictionary

Greek: An Essential Grammar of the Modern Language (Routledge Grammars)

ASIN: 1584650338

Book Description

Greek Today presents an up-to-date communicative approach for students of Modern Greek. Aimed at the introductory to intermediate levels, it is a completely revised and expanded edition of the popular Demotic Greek I. Presenting material that relates to a wide range of cultural interests, the textbook offers twelve lessons with a total of sixty grammar points, all conveyed through dialogues that present the realities experienced by young people and adults in contemporary Greece. Lessons are supplemented by songs, poems, realia, images, and cultural texts. A large number of cartoons by Greece's eminent artist Kostas Mitropoulos provide a running commentary on modern Greek culture and its relation to Europe and the ancient Greek past.

Employing a vocabulary of more than 2,000 words and introducing students to the most current Greek idioms, Greek Today also includes etymological notes on the evolution of the Greek language and the Greek roots of many English words.

Beautifully illustrated, Greek Today is accompanied by a CD that contains recordings of the basic texts of each lesson, performed by Greek actors.

Customer Reviews:

EXCELLENT FOR SELF STUDY.......2007-06-22

Learning modern Greek can be a bit of a daunting task.
Specially if you have some knowledges of classical Greek . The modern pronunciation, the iotacism, words that looks alike but do mean something different.. well, it can be a bit scary.

Now, I must say that "Greek Today" is a REALLY GOOD self study textbook. The main book is quite thick and is in a A4 format. It comes along with a workbook that I definitely recommend as it gives great exercises and a great way to make sure you know your vocabulary. All the explanations are in English,and also, the course comes with 2 CD roms, 1 for Mac, one for Windows, with recordings of the dialogue by Greek actors.

Studying that course is pleasant, an easy task and honestly, it makes modern Greek a Doodle to learn compared to its classical sister. NO ghastly hard conjugations, reduced declensions.. what a joy. Greek Today gives you all the pleasure of learning a great and lovely language without the headaches. The website also gives you extra material to study and loads of texts, videos andis very user friendly.
I have tried other textbooks, and THIS one is by far my favorite.

If you re serious about learning modern Greek.. Go for it . Buy that course, (I know it is an investment but you deserve quality ).
Get yourself a cup of agnos ellinikos kafes (real greek style coffee) and start studying.. You won t regret it , I can assure you that

Good Textbook.......2007-05-07

Nicely published, large textbook, with clear layout and clear font. The accompanying CD is well produced also, although it seems to lack a cross-index to the textbook. It is obviously intended for classroom use, under the guidance of a teacher. It can also be used for self-study, perhaps in tandem with " A Manual of Modern Greek" by Anne Farmakides, an older but excellent book which I found extremely helpful.

A good start.......2007-01-17

This I find to be a good start on learning Greek. Learning any language is going to require effort but having the various forms of media may ease it some. Go to their website which is also referred to in the book for additional material in learning this wonderful language.

GREEK TODAY: A COURSE IN THE MODERN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE.......2007-01-11

This is an excellent, comprehensive work on modern Greek language and culture. However, it is not ideally suited for self-tuition and needs back-up from a teacher. It is also essential to use the workbook alongside it in order to reinforce each aspect of the grammar covered. In order to make it more suited to self-tuition it would need to have a key to the exercises and a Greek/English glossary at the end of each chapter. Finally, I think that each chapter could have been divided up into smaller units in order to aid motivation. So much grammar and vocabulary is included in each chapter that it can be of-putting.

This is a good textbook........2007-01-03

It is accessible for English-speaking students and well-rounded in content.

Communicating in the Classroom (Language, Thought, and Culture)

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Communicating in the Classroom (Language, Thought, and Culture)
Loise Wilkinson
Manufacturer: Academic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0127520600

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