Presents a classroom exercise that can help students focus on the difficulties in defining normal sexual behavior. Provides a 30-item questionnaire on which students indicate whether or not a variety of behaviors are normal. States that students then meet in groups and construct a definition of "normal" sexual behavior. (DB)

Describes a high school remedial reading teacher's struggles to get her students to retell details of stories they had read instead of relying on questions from the teacher's manual. Notes slow progress in having the students value their own ability to respond to and understand a story. (RS)

Clarifies the concept of free space--a setting in which people can meet for public talk and contribute to solving public problems--and the need to integrate it into extension leadership and public policy programs. Offers two case studies and insights about how lessons learned from them can be applied to extension education. (JOW)

Educators faced with controversial issues must learn to work constructively with pressure groups and concerned citizens. They must ask questions concerning their own political leanings, response to conflict, understanding of institutional core values, commitment to democratic decision making, and attention to policies and procedures.…

Focus groups conducted with 17 working adults found they were attracted to a degree completion program because of the adult learning environment, flexibility, applied content, and collaborative climate. The high level of participation, quality of responses, and dynamic group interaction confirmed the usefulness of focus groups for continuing…

Examines the use and various kinds of talk in the English classroom. Outlines numerous kinds of talk: social talk, academic talk, writing talk, and private talk. Argues that a proper conception of the work to be carried out by talk is essential for the English teacher. (HB)

Describes the establishment of a hermeneutic circle of portfolio researchers (writing teachers from Alaska to Florida) acting as "outside readers" for each other--six months into the project, the group established an e-mail network called "Portnet." Contemplates the group's experiences during Portnet's first year. (PA)

Contributes to scholarship on communication in groups, and to scholarship on decision-making processes, by discussing five communicative challenges juries face in the course of their deliberations. Reports results of a content analysis reflecting the rules invoked for each of these situations by 97 citizens summoned for jury duty. (SR)

Describes the "parent panel," an approach to building appropriate communication, resolving conflicts, and creating mutual respect between teachers and parents of children with disabilities. Delineates benefits to parents and teachers, describes how to organize the parent panel, provides content guidelines, and provides an example of a panel…

Teachers can improve practice by examining students' work collaboratively. This paper describes how student work can be the basis for collaborative discussions about teaching and learning; notes that collaborative discussions of student work is increasing with the growing use of portfolio assessment; explains how to analyze student work to promote…

Explores issues and ethics of interdisciplinary care based upon discussion among five experienced mental health professionals. Presents their recommendations for effective interdisciplinary work including, ensuring clients give informed consent, maintaining confidentiality, and making sure paraprofessionals and families are involved. Reports that…

Describes a method for using case studies in which student groups alternately present and discuss cases. Discusses balance in team selection, the benefits of exposure to varied perspectives, and the adaptability of the technique as well as the potential for both group and individual assessment. (SK)

Notes several kinds of book clubs (for adults, children, and both) and the joys of sharing reading with others. Discusses 32 children's books (books of poetry, lessons for young writers, on the realities of young people's lives, and books that lead to talk about real heroes) that lend themselves to passionate and spirited book talk. (SR)

Investigates the influence of socio-affective context on the interactive modalities surrounding problem-solving discussions conducted with 8-year-old children. Results suggests that reciprocal friendship facilitates collaboration and the organization of collective work. Discusses two rival hypotheses of socio-affective proximity and…

Describes a study of how people use metaphors to make sense of scientific phenomena and ideas in a process of extended group discussion. Interviews that involved reading an edited scientific text on DNA then discussing a number of questions about various aspects of genetics provide the data for this study. Contains 16 references. (DDR)