Art, drama, music, dance and literature activities are part of the basic components of an early childhood curriculum. They do not rely heavily on oral language or English proficiency, and this makes them accessible to all children regardless of language differences or language abilities. Teachers can use creative expression and art to practice…

Research supports the belief that most students can learn, but each child concentrates, processes, absorbs, and remembers new and difficult information in a different way. Teaching failing students in ways that complement their learning styles increases their standardized test scores in several academic areas. Instructional practices useful with…

U.S. society is diverse, consisting of individuals who may differ in culture, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, religion, language, gender, exceptionality, and age. Optimum learning for all students can occur only in an environment that supports and encourages such diversity. Multicultural education addresses the challenges of recognizing diversity…

Practical suggestions for working with reluctant, unmotivated students as presented through the acronym "STUDENTS" are given as a guide for increasing classroom participation. STUDENTS stands for: success; tolerance; understanding; directions; expectations; negotiations; tasks; and stimulation. (Author/CB)

This book is intended for early childhood educators, student teachers, practicing teachers, and parents who are interested in improving observation and assessment processes for children from infancy through the elementary school years. The book covers the history, philosophy, and practice of observing, recording, and analyzing children's behavior.…

Creation of a college classroom environment that is genuinely culturally inclusive requires leadership of faculty willing to make major changes in an entrenched, traditional academic culture, including a teaching approach combining personal caring with high expectations, incorporation of new knowledge into the curriculum, and authentic response to…

Research evidence indicates that one important variable in learning or development is the degree of match between relevant learner and environment characteristics. It has been argued that, to provide learning environments that would match student characteristics, teachers should be able to understand and identify the relevant characteristics of…

Based on the idea that a healthier, saner and more creative classroom is possible, this book presents an extended case study of the behavior of two fourth grade girls, focusing on their writing. The book argues that the data gathered from observing students can lead to changes in the classroom and improved teaching practices by providing teachers…

An overview is presented of classroom observation instruments which have been created and refined since 1962. The components of teacher-pupil transactions measured by different observation methods are listed, and the complexities and difficulties encountered when using the instruments are discussed. A description is given of the Coping Analysis…

Students have diverse learning styles, and the challenge to educators is in designing a balanced curriculum across all styles, teaching essential content through a rich repertoire of instructional strategies. This short guide presents information essential to individualized teaching for diverse learning styles. The guide begins with an explanation…

A review of research findings on context variables in the classroom and their effects on student achievement provided a framework upon which to base conclusions on the following factors pertaining to effective teaching: (1) teacher control of the classroom; (2) adjustment of teacher control of learning activities to student abilities; (3)…

A variety of research findings and observations concerning learning styles are compiled in this guide to help teachers understand the implications of their students' learning preferences. The first section describes the Learning Preference Inventory (LPI) as an instrument that asks the student to select among eight learning situations, e.g.,…

This text for pre-service and in-service English education courses presents current methods of teaching literature to middle and high school students. The methods are based on social constructivist/socio-cultural theories of literacy learning, and incorporate research on literary response conducted by the authors. "Teaching Literature to…

This guide provides kindergarten teachers and administrators with practical advice on implementing the Alberta Learning "Kindergarten Program Statement" in their classrooms and schools in the Canadian province of Alberta. Chapter 1 of the guide includes information about kindergarten in Alberta, the developmental characteristics of most…

The collection of papers was written by teacher researchers from an adult migrant English program, and consists of reports and discussions of action research on teaching heterogeneous learner groups. Papers include: "Disparate Groups: Exploring Diversity in Practice through Collaborative Action Research" (Anne Burns, Susan Hood); "A Profile of…