The development and validation of the School Observation Scale is presented. The scale can be used by elementary teachers to record observations of pupil behavioral characteristics associated with learning disabilities and minimal brain disfunction. (Author/JKS)

Observer disagreement is important because it limits the reliabilities of observational measures. To avoid this limitation, observers should be trained, and criterion-related and intraobserver agreement measures should be used both before and during a study. Several agreement coefficients are examined for their applicability. (Author/BW)

Changes in student teachers' verbal behaviors after feedback from video tapes of classroom activity are discussed. (GW)

Describes modifications of the Learning Environment Inventory (LEI) instrument for measuring classroom climate to make it suitable for individualized junior high school classrooms. Reports validation data from a sample of seventh graders. (SL)

It appears that successful teaching is based upon a large number of variables that must be present to at least a minimum degree, rather than one or two critical factors. (MM)

Suggests that the traditional method of observing teachers and classrooms used by researchers should be abandoned. (Editor/RK)

Examined are the potential contributions of research on social reciprocity to the assessment and remediation of social withdrawal among educationally handicapped preschool children. (Author)

Devised a classroom observation code that would identify hyperactive children reliably. Children referred for hyperactivity had significantly higher scores than comparison children on 12 categories. There was greater within-subject variability in the hyperactive group. Motor activity for both groups was significantly inversely related to age.…

A follow-up study examined what eight preservice physical education majors saw in a 15-minute games lesson with fifth-grade students. Analysis indicated that, unlike the first study where student teachers recorded statements about pupils or pupils and the teacher, current student teachers recorded statements about the teacher, the pupils, and the…

Discusses ways in which teacher supervision and observation can help teachers to explore and see teaching as a process through such methods as taping and transcribing class activities, grouping tape or transcription excerpts, arriving at a common language to discuss them, and making multiple interpretations about them. (Author/CB)

Presents two methods of enhancing therapeutic relationships through having special education teachers observe and use students' verbal and nonverbal behaviors during social interactions. Discusses how teachers can identify students' predominant sensory modalities used to communicate experiences and can adopt behaviors similar to their students'…

Describes how curriculum specialists and supervisors can use two generic observation categories of effective teaching--development and management of lessons and presentation of subject matter--to identify quality teaching of writing across grade levels. (SRT)

Advises principals to back up their impressions of teachers' performance by using three types of documentation: informal (logging incidents and actions during the school year), formal (classroom observations); and summative (year-end, written evaluations of each teacher's overall performance). Sound instructional leadership requires documentation…

Presents teachers' and students' criticisms of teacher preparation programs at the University of Illinois, Northern Illinois University, and New Mexico State University and of student teaching in particular. (SRT)