This paper reports on a small-scale study of the social interactions between six children labelled with special educational needs and their peers in their respective early years settings. Data from play observations, photographs and staff interviews is used to examine the dynamics of the connections that they make with other children. The position…

Consistent with research conducted by George Spindler 60 years ago, teachers continue to perceive groups of students, typically students that differ from the teacher, as less capable of accomplishing meaningful tasks, belonging and contributing to social groups, and engaging actively in challenging work. The bias is especially great for students…

The purpose of this study was to use a systems approach to examine informal communications, meaning those occurring outside of scheduled meetings, among stakeholders in a preschool early intervention program. This investigation expands the discussion of how occupational therapy treatment decisions are made in educational settings by using a…

Peer tutoring in Higher Education is being used with increasing frequency to aid in student learning, motivation, and empowerment. Although an extensive body of research documents the efficacy of such programs, it exhibits a surprising lack of awareness of the social dynamics involved. This study focuses on peer tutors and students as they…

Teachers should be trained to provide an educational environment encouraging academic and human growth for all students whatever their ethnic background may be. (JD)

The workshop discussed was designed to initiate skeptical school personnel to the T-group approach, while providing a safe and non-threatening atmosphere for exposure. Workshop participants consisted of 24 "teachers of the gifted." An attempt was made to integrate procedures from a wide variety of group approaches so as to provide the participants…

Data collected in both classroom and open design schools suggest that teacher-pupil interactions in classrooms are not as routine as is often assumed, and that open plan schools may not provide for dynamic and fruitful teacher-teacher interaction to the extent that was earlier thought to be the case. (Author/NQ)

Focuses on teachers' group identity, seen as a process of co-construction of their group voices within the context of large-group dialogs. Findings identified three types of dialogs: conversation; discussion after a presentation; and interactional dynamics. Findings also indicated four types of teachers' voices: pragmatic; multiculturalist;…

The author presents a model for inservice teacher training entitled the Process Oriented In-Service Experience (POISE) and attempts to identify changes occurring in the process movement and dynamics of interaction as reflected in attitudes and behaviors of teachers participating in this modified, small-group, process learning experience under…

A system for observing and coding verbal interchanges between the teacher and his pupils, at all instructional levels, is described in this study. The system, widely known as the Flanders System of Interaction Analysis, is reviewed in terms of its effect on the classroom behavior of teachers and on student attitudes. The application of the…

An investigation of the interaction patterns of Polynesian and Pakeha (New Zealanders of European extraction) children and teachers in school and play areas of Auckland, New Zealand was undertaken to discover possible ethnic differences in modes of social interaction relevant to learning. Observations of children (ages 2 to 11) and their…

An observational study of peer dynamics found three very different systems of peer interaction among Hawaiian children at three preschools. The children were demographically similar: part-Hawaiians from lower to lower-middle class backgrounds. Sixty children were studied in videotaped sessions. In Preschool 1, children usually play as dyads; in…

This study investigated the extent of student interaction in undergraduate classrooms and the relationship between instructor techniques and interaction, as well as differences in interactions experienced by freshmen compared to those of juniors and seniors (upperclassmen). Survey questionnaires were completed by 36 instructors, 226 freshmen, and…

A study examined the impact of teaching handicapped students in regular vocational education classrooms on class interaction and instructional variables. During the study, researchers conducted individual interviews with 22 vocational education instructors from 11 randomly selected school districts throughout Texas and later conducted a total of…