Presents four Directed Reading-Thinking Activities (DR-TA) for use in secondary social studies classrooms. Defines a DR-TA and shows its applicability in teaching students effective study habits when reading social studies textbooks. Offers strategies intended to engage students with their textbooks, highlighting interior monologues and grouping…

Argues the archaeologist/anthropologist approach motivates and engages students, and teaches interpretive and problem-solving skills. Outlines a role play for intermediate grades in which students observe, describe, and make inferences about the contents of a suitcase packed by someone known to the students. Lists objectives, materials,…

Stresses the crucial role that parents play in improving student motivation and achievement in school. Sees the parent-teacher conference as an invaluable tool for involving parents in their children's education and winning community support for public schools. Advises how to conduct a productive parent-teacher conference. (CH)

Describes a program in a first grade classroom in a rural school district which integrates holistic and direct instructional ideas by using the basal reader as one part of an otherwise holistic literacy program. Presents the major benefits of and some concerns about the program. (RS)

Describes the objectives, implementation methods, and classroom methods used by high school teachers of English participating in the Permantapan Kerja Guru (PKG): Strengthening of the Work of Teachers Project in Indonesia. The PKG is a teacher development program intended to help teachers develop their confidence and personal and professional…

An exploration of the effectivenes of college overseas study programs on improvement of foreign language skills addresses student motivation, academic expectations, curricular changes, language pledge requirements, communication with native speakers, and the purpose and image of study abroad programs. Suggestions are made for improving…

The process of developing a medical school applicant interview that focuses on nonacademic student attributes is described. Monash University (Australia) looked at four personal attributes in evaluating applicants for undergraduate medical education: (1) quality of motivation; (2) appropriateness of cognitive style; (3) appropriateness of…

Encapsulates a series of verbatim statements made by young musicians about the joy music has brought to their lives. The musicians, all students at Black Mountain Middle School in San Diego, California, exhibit a wide range of responses discussing their commitment, hard work, and sense of accomplishment. (MJP)

Contends that, although many teachers feel discouraged about working with at-risk students, social studies courses provide the ideal place for teachers to intervene with these students. Defines and discusses at-risk students and their needs. Includes 18 recommended instructional strategies for working with high-risk students. (CFR)

Argues that the integration of mainstream literacy into social studies instruction is necessary to ensure that students in urban middle school classrooms learn content. Also argues for instruction from a "multiple literacies" approach in order to validate and engage disinterested students. (CFR)

Asserts that linking music ensemble programs and cooperative learning strategies often has been overlooked. Describes the benefits of cooperative learning techniques for music performance preparation. Concludes that the small-group approach can enhance traditional music programs by offering students the chance to make their own decisions. (CFR)

The design and results of a program to support writing and, by extension, research among new college faculty (n=16) are reported. The strategy emphasized six components of writing (motivation, imagination, fluency, control, audience, and resilience), and was found to help participants meet goals for improvement (more articles accepted in refereed…

Describes an eighth grade computer literacy course in which students used spreadsheet programs to illustrate statistics for classroom presentations. Discusses the use of color and animation in graphs, and the value of active participation using technology to increase student motivation, retention, and self-expression. (AEF)

Maintains that undergraduate sociology students often are intimidated by course requirements in statistics and research methods. Describes course content and instructional strategies used to enhance student understanding and motivation. Reports that student evaluations of the course were uniformly positive. (CFR)

Reports on a study of the impact of metacognition among 10 middle school-aged British students with learning difficulties. Finds that student awareness and subsequent control over thought processes were enhanced through self-reporting and self-appraisal. Examines this kind of reflection on enhanced learning capabilities and self-esteem. (CFR)