Present study aims to shed light on the relationship of working memory and executive functioning in bilingual elementary school children when compared with monolingual population of the same age. The investigation of the relationship between working memory and language learning abilities of children, who are bilingual, is particularly important as it plays a key role in understanding the literacy and language competence of bilingual populations. The purpose of this study was to examine Verbal Working Memory and Executive Functions in 20 bilingual elementary school students who were compared to 20 monolingual school-age students in different cognitive tasks. The research results showed that bilingual students did not appear to perform better in Working Memory compared to the performance of monolingual students of the same age. Correspondingly, bilingual students performed better in the task of inhibitory control and cognitive change. The findings of the present study reinforce the hypothesis that when learning a language, be it the mother tongue or the foreign /second language, the working memory does not correlate to all executive functions but forms a separate cognitive function. The implications of bilingual learning strategies in multicultural class settings are discussed as a pedagogical memory frame that can empower academic achievement while acknowledging the importance of acquiring standardized language skills by promoting a variety of memory strategies.

A number of research findings show that, because of the phenomenon of classroom heterogeneity, in our days, there is a need for the application of differentiated instruction. The latter is a modern teaching approach, which has as its ultimate objective the provision of the best possible education for pupils with special educational needs, including autism. By applying differentiated instruction, the teacher can enhance the learning skills of students as well as contribute to their cognitive and socio-emotional development. The purpose of this research is to investigate the effectiveness of differentiated instruction in the writing and reading skills of a boy with autism in early childhood education. To this end two types of research methodologies were applied, qualitative research (semi-structured interviews) and action research through a series of activities, based on the principles of differentiated instruction. The results of this research showed that the application of differentiated instruction has produced positive results, for the boy who has autism, in both reading and writing.

This research refers to gender stereotypes, which exist in English language coursebooks in Greek primary schools and the possible influence these stereotypes may exert on the choice and development of an individual's career. After conducting a content analysis on the Primary School's English language coursebooks, the results prove the existence of gender stereotypes mainly in the 5 th and 6 th grade coursebooks. The references and pictures, which show male performing certain occupations obviously outnumber the ones depicting female occupations. Furthermore, in the coursebooks, there are stereotypical ideas such as: manual occupations which are ruled by men, while occupations which relate to education and care are performed by women. Moreover, an attempt was made to triangulate this research with semi-structured interviews, which were conducted to English language teachers. According to the English language teachers' experiences, the existence of gender stereotypes on occupation is evident in the English language coursebooks of the 4 th ,5 th and 6 th grades, but is minimal in the textbook of the 3 rd grade. To sum up, most of the teachers, who were interviewed claim that later in life, career choice is influenced by the stereotypes which exist in the 4 th , 5 th and 6 th grade coursebooks, but only to a limited extent. According to the teachers who were interviewed, the teaching methods and approaches, which are applied by the teachers and which concern the teaching of the coursebooks and the social and family background of the students are the main factors, which influence the student and which exert a strong impact on the student's career choice.

The study described in this article investigated EFL writing in the 1st Grade of a State Junior High School. More particularly, the study examined whether the use of alternative assessment methods, such as self-assessment and peer-assessment checklists, in a differentiated class environment, can have a positive effect on learners’ writing skills. For the needs of this research an experimental and a control group were targeted. The teaching materials which were used in the research process were differentiated according to the principles of Differentiated Instruction and learners were assigned to write different writing genres.Findings revealed that differentiated instruction had an impact on the learners’ writings. However, there were limitations regarding the time that had to be allotted in the designing of the lessons and the instruction itself. Also, the instruction was limited to a small group of learners. However, the implications of the research brought to light the involvement of the learners in the assessment process.

The present research aims at identifying the way teachers in the Greek private sector become aware of their students’ needs and how they implement this knowledge in course and syllabus design. More specifically, teachers’ beliefs on the role and effectiveness of needs analysis in course and syllabus design were explored through both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The reason for conducting a study of this kind and caliber is the fact that syllabuses are mainly test-oriented within the context of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) in private institutes in Greece, as obtaining certificates is the primary goal, and teachers are asked to align courses and syllabuses to their students’ needs. The findings revealed that teachers acknowledge the significance of needs analysis and implement their findings in course design. They also revealed the methods they use in order to become aware of their students’ needs. These results will benefit EFL teachers who want to maximize their potential and facilitate their students’ learning.

The particular study focuses on the use of board games and argues that they are a useful and practical tool in order to stimulate six year old students' motivation in learning topic vocabulary in a foreign language classroom. It explains how a number of ready-made board games can be adapted, according to the educational aims, the students' age and language level in order to maximize positive results in foreign language learning. Through playing board games, young students not only become much more active, but they also anticipate coming to the learning classroom more eagerly since they involve the elements of joy, interaction, cooperation and competition. Moreover, games place the teacher in a background role, acting more as a facilitator; therefore they allow students to take on more responsibility for their learning.To this end, an experimental study design, employing both qualitative and quantitative data research tools, was adopted. The participants, who were eight students of six year old age, were divided into two groups. In the experimental group, only board games were applied in order to give students the opportunity to practise the disseminated topic vocabulary while the ISSN 2162-6952 2017 www.macrothink.org/jse 2 control group practised their vocabulary through the activities proposed by the coursebook and the worksheets which were constructed by the researchers. A pre-test and post-tests were administered to students before and after the action research and semi-structured interviews with the students of the experimental group were conducted in order to probe into the students' views concerning the proposed tool and method of instruction. The analysis of the tests indicated a difference in favor of the experimental group. Finally, the findings of the students' responses revealed the beneficial effects of using board games to stimulate vocabulary learning to students of the specific age group and language level. Journal of Studies in Education

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The main purposes that have triggered the present research are the potential benefits of implementing portfolios in a foreign language A1 class of students, as an alternative means of assessment. A case study was conducted in a Private Language Institute which examined the contribution of the portfolio in enhancing writing and reading skills. Alternative assessment, which is process oriented and is also an interactive and learner centered process, was expected to lead to increased motivation, learner autonomy and consequently to improved reading and writing performance (Burner, 2014). This research aimed at investigating how two groups of students, one of which formed the experimental group and was taught through differentiated instruction and the other which comprised the control group and was taught through the use of conventional books and materials which were used in the Private Language School, perceived and responded to the language goals. Feedback on portfolios aimed at demonstrating students' strengths and weaknesses and encouraged them to learn by moving away from traditional ''paper and pencil '' tests (Smith, 1996). Although formative assessment lacks the status given by parents or teachers, compared to a grade, it may be more suitable in selecting evidence of knowledge, especially the ability of students to perform certain tasks. In this procedure, not only will students have to evaluate their own work, but the teachers will also be required to reflect on her practices and choices for future development.