When children begin formal schooling, their fundamental communication skills, speaking and listening, are well developed but limited in scope and range; it becomes the teacher's task to assist the children in achieving communicative competence. A developmental project called "Developing Communicative Competence in Children" identifies four…

The main focus of this secondary-level psychology course is that of enhancing student interest in and understanding of psychological concepts, principles, and hypotheses through exploration of their relationship to current and arresting topics and problems, including problems of individual development and interpersonal relations. The curriculum…

Personalized systems of instruction (PSI), also called individualized instruction or contingency-managed instruction, were developed in the mid-1960s at the college level by Fred Keller, a reinforcement learning theorist. The Keller plan consists of five features: self-pacing, unit mastery, student tutors, optional motivational lectures, and…

Appendix E is a proposal for a biological science course for prospective elementary teachers. The major topics covered are 1) the perpetuation of life; 2) the maintenance of life; 3) living things in action; 4) living things in relationship to their environment. A weekly course schedule is also included. Appendix F is a proposal for preservice…

Educational experiences which facilitate the development of original thinking and learning are (1) the "open system" of education which stresses freedom at home and at school; (2) the emphasis on sensory awareness of the environment; (3) the development of curiosity and sense of wonder; (4) the growth of imaginative powers and original thinking…

Chapter One of this manual includes a definition of "disadvantagement," and discussion of implications for manpower requirements, distribution of the disadvantaged, employment conditions and outlook, early environment, predominant acquired characteristics, and response to training. Chapter Two discusses concepts of motivation, including drives,…

Topics of personal relevance to students can be used as a foundation for foreign language acquisition and become part of the developmental process of the learner. An example of a German unit of study incorporating interpersonal development is described. (CB)

Discusses the collaborative mode, a learner-centered method of instruction in which authority for curriculum formation is jointly shared by the learner and the practitioner. Examines the teacher's role, student participation, assessing teaching style, and elements of the Principles of Adult Learning Scale: learner-centered activities,…

Suggests that real life can be depressing enough without subjecting teenagers to a steady diet of reading assignments whose content is largely negative. Laments that a search has turned up so few examples of "good" literature and asks for suggestions. (RBW)

Recounts the experiences shared in a writing workshop for senior citizens in Harlem. Notes how the teacher developed as a workshop leader, what techniques were used to elicit writing by participants, and the "chemistry" of participant interaction. (RL)

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics'"Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics" perceive teachers as key figures in changing the way mathematics is conceived and taught. Discusses research related to teacher reflection and its relation to classroom practice. (MDH)

Caregivers must build a trusting, loving relationship before trying to toilet train any child. Before toilet training begins, myelinization, a neurological development necessary for controlling sphincter muscles, must be complete and toddlers must be able to sit easily for long periods. To help children recognize toilet needs, caregivers should…

Written by a retired kindergarten teacher with 25 years of experience, this paper presents the text for a video demonstration of at-home sensory activities to stimulate development in children from birth to age 5. The introduction notes recent research indicating that learning begins at birth, and explores the effect of early stimulation on…

This Spanish-language handbook, which was written by a retired kindergarten teacher with over 25 years of experience, is intended to help parents and caregivers prepare their child for formal schooling. It describes 260 learning activities, each based on a different developmental concept, and most requiring materials usually found in the home. An…

Case studies are presented of three gifted students, indicating the social and academic problems which are standing in the way of their potential development. The students include a Vietnamese-American ninth-grade girl who has difficulty with English and does not feel accepted by other students, an underachieving seventh grade boy who speaks out…