This book highlights the roles of several individual difference (ID) variables on the language learning process, exploring them from both the students' and the teachers' perspectives. It presents the results of a large-scale, mixed-methods investigation which was conducted with secondary school pupils and their teachers in Hungary. The…

Describes a questionnaire sent to 90 publishing researchers who were members of college music faculties asking why they engaged in research activities and what specific rewards they believe were obtained because of their research. States that the main reasons for research were intellectual curiosity, enjoyment, self-improvement, and perceived…

Describes students' views on how teaching methods could be improved. Suggestions for teachers include deemphasizing errors, providing a pleasant atmosphere, showing enjoyment, bringing in humor, admitting mistakes, giving homework, and letting students talk. (SRT)

Specific student attitude problems in compulsory language courses are described and solutions to them are presented, including first-day pep talks, teacher approval and positive attitudes, use of interesting topics, props, provision for student creativity, skillful use of questioning, and use of novelty. (MSE)

Standard teaching methods do not work in teaching severely handicapped children. The teacher of the "specially handicapped" needs dedication, an undying "creative urge" to make a difference in a human life, personal insight, and sensitivity to an as yet unknown dimension of the human spirit. (Author/MH)

While effective schools research has inspired new efforts toward improving education for all students, it is flawed by offering simplistic prescriptions based on correlational studies focusing on basic skills achievement. Effective school research and theory can be upgraded by a more careful definition of the goals of learning and a systematic…

The classroom practice of promoting glib recitation, on cue, of the surface structures of a foreign language is criticized. This practice has been based on the belief that it equates with, or leads to, communicative performance but the author claims that the attempt to simplify language learning into a sequence of skills beginning with listening…

Reports on a study of instructional strategies and beliefs among 18 middle-school U.S. history teachers and 60 middle-school students. Finds the most widely used strategies involve active learning, group projects, and student participation. Includes a table of the 10 most used strategies and 4 recommendations for instructional design. (CFR)