AJLD_DEC-06.indd

Abstract Much of what is commonly claimed as 'effective teaching practice' and implemented during the early and middle years in Australian schools, for either mainstream students or for those experiencing learning diffi culties, is not grounded in fi ndings from evidence-based research. Issues surrounding 'effective teaching practice' came into particularly sharp focus during the 2004-2005 National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy (NITL). Following a brief outline of the NITL context and controversies surrounding 'effective teaching practice', this paper focuses on teaching strategies that are demonstrably effective in maximising the achievement progress of students during the early and middle years of schooling. It is argued that since teachers are the most valuable resource available to schools, an investment in teacher professionalism is vital by ensuring that they are equipped with an evidence-based repertoire of pedagogical skills that are effective in meeting the developmental and learning needs of all students. all students

Chapter 2 New Insights into the Roles of Dendritic Cells in Intestinal Immunity and Tolerance

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a critical key role in the initiation of immune responses to pathogens. Paradoxically, they also prevent potentially damaging immune responses being directed against the multitude of harmless antigens, to which the body is exposed daily. These roles are particularly important in the intestine, where only a single layer of epithelial cells provides a barrier against billions of commensal microorganisms, pathogens, and food antigens, over a huge surface area. In the intestine, therefore, DCs are required to perform their dual roles very efficiently to protect the body from the dual threats of invading pathogens and unwanted inflammatory reactions. In this review, we first describe the biology of DCs and their interactions with other cells types, paying particular attention to intestinal DCs. We, then, examine the ways in which this biology may become misdirected, resulting in inflammatory bowel disease. Finally, we discuss how DCs potentiate immune responses against viral, bacterial, parasitic infections, and their importance in the pathogenesis of prion diseases. We, therefore, provide an overview of the complex cellular interactions that affect intestinal DCs and control the balance between immunity and tolerance