According to a former junior high school teacher, eighth graders--inquisitive and opinionated--are not too young to grasp the impact of the Holocaust. This teacher went beyond "The Diary of Anne Frank" to push deeply into topics of genocide, racism, prejudice, and persecution. Students approached this discussion by considering examples…

Describes the organization, planning, and evaluation design of a workshop involving peer-led thematic discussion groups on books for young adults, a notable author as a speaker, and a panel on promoting young adult books. A list of the theme groups and titles used is provided. (EAM)

Examines economic and cultural conflicts between urban African Americans and Korean Americans and the roots of these conflicts in victimization of both groups by Eurocentric racism. Proposes a cultural model of mixed-group dialog based on cultural awareness and sensitivity, respect for each others' stake in society, and commitments to continuous…

Described are how invitations to inquiry have been used in presentations to effectively demonstrate and explain the notion of inquiry and its role in science teaching and how they can be used in teacher education. An initial segment of an invitation to inquiry script and a list of topics that have been used as invitations to inquiry are included.…

Asserts that students gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of what they have read when they have systematic opportunities to integrate reading with drama, oral language, and art. Discusses how to use drama, Reader's Theater, oral interactions, and the visual arts to improve reading comprehension. (PRA)

Asserts that students have difficulty presenting convincing arguments because they have little experience with well-reasoned argumentation. Outlines the parts of an argument and how to practice oral and written argumentation. States that students need specific criteria with which to analyze/evaluate writing and a gradual move from teacher-led work…

South Carolina's Teacher Cadet Program, an "experiencing education" class offered to proficient high school students, is helping attract top students to teaching and is renewing teachers without exhausting them. The course enables students and teachers to engage in profound discussions about growing up and stimulates critical analysis of…

Determines whether reading comprehension scores of intermediate-grade language-deficient students improved with use of literature-based integrated language (whole language) instruction. Finds a significant gain after 25 weeks of instruction. Suggests that the effectiveness of whole language instruction may be significantly enhanced with the use of…

A Florida survey shows middle school students' favorite advisement activities to be parties, holiday and special day celebrations, discussion, service projects, games, group activities, and freedom to choose activities. Teachers' favorites are student of the day/week, academic advisories, organization and goal-setting days, career exploration,…

Fifteen students, ages three to six years, were presented with materials traditionally used in Montessori preschools to teach seriation. Children who were presented the materials with limited discussion or with frequent discussion showed greater interest in the materials but did not score higher on seriation tests than children who were presented…

Describes a three-week project using cooperative learning groups where students address the question of the future of their Arizona community. Demonstrates how groups discussed, argued, and tried to come to consensus for developing a comprehensive community land-use proposal. (PRA)

Offers teaching tips on thematic writing assignments, student resubmission of papers, sharing memorable sentences from students' writings, and nontraditional grading policies in writing classes. (RDS)

Sixteen parents were prompted to increase their interactions with health care providers during their children's health supervision visits. Compared to 16 controls, prompted parents initiated significantly more interactions with health care providers, and more health and behavioral topics were discussed during their appointments. (Author/JDD)

Comparison of handicapped junior high school students (N=11) mainstreamed in low achieving classes with their nonhandicapped classmates found significant differences in the observed behaviors of discussion and not paying attention but no differences in teacher ratings of classroom behavior or report card grades. (Author/DB)

Discusses the use of dialogic learning in an undergraduate literature survey course. (PRA)