Carol Twigg, president of the National Center for Academics Transformation and a secondary school teacher, debates on whether technology in the classroom improves student learning. She claims that the key to increasing student learning is to get students more engaged in what they are studying.

This article looks at the use of art in developing students' prewriting ability. The activities, strategies, and objects used provide students with the background knowledge, motivation, vocabulary, structure, and fluency they need to compose and rehearse written pieces. The article describes research conducted on the effects of combining art with…

Wouldn't your job be easier if students were just more interested in learning? Now, here's a book that will open your eyes to where the desire to learn actually comes from and what teachers can really do to activate it. Using stories from classroom teachers, counselors, administrators, and students, Bob Sullo explains why the desire to learn is…

The educational system of the future must embrace a learner-centered perspective to maximize high standards of learning, motivation, and achievement for all learners--for both students and their teachers. The learner-centered perspective begins with a focus on knowing and understanding each learner in the context of a deep understanding of the…

Nine teaching methods are described (conditioning, habit formation, lecture, audio-visual aids, seminar, case study, simulation games, conscientization, and affective learning) and each discussed with reference to the types of material, learners, and teachers to which it is best suited. (JT)

In this interview, James Block explains the model of mastery learning, developed by himself and B. Bloom, according to which individual differences in academic ability are lessened by appropriate teaching methods. (GW)

The in-service teacher workshop described here offers solid, practical training at your pace. No need to stay after school, no need to pay a fee. Just read Instructor's professors-in-print each month, carry out the assignments at the end of each article, and send them to the authors for review. (Editor/RK)

Synthesizes the conclusions drawn from a literature review on principles for motivating students to learn. Outlines numerous pointers for creating essential learning preconditions and for motivating, including maintaining high expectations, supplying extrinsic incentives, and capitalizing on students' intrinsic motivation. Provides strategies for…

The study examined effects of task-sequencing variables on the academic performance of an 8-year-old severe stroke victim. Previously acquired (maintenance) task trials were systematically interspersed among new (acquisition) task trials. Results showed improvements in both academic responding and subjective ratings of motivation in spelling,…

Starting with H.W. Seliger's distinction between second language learning strategies (abstract cognitive functions used to acquire knowledge) and learning tactics (activities learner uses to acquire language), presents the most important tactics and comments on which learner characteristics and teaching methods take advantage of them. Tactics…

Describes a visit made to Sweden to ascertain why Swedish citizens speak such excellent English. Motivation was a key factor. Describes observations of the methods of teaching English as a second language in Swedish schools. Makes recommendations for foreign language teaching in Great Britain based on these observations. (SED)

Discusses some of the relevant research and concludes that if reading is considered as one avenue of learning then other modes should be given equal status. (TO)

Author introduced the Presidents' Game as a method of presenting history in a manner relevant to student interests. (RK)