The author advocates the expression of wonder and excitement in biology teaching in order to convey the fresh joy of discovery to young students. (SA)

This study considers the educational and social effects of different classroom settings on 99 primary-age children. Results show children in open-plan units are similar to those in the classroom unit in terms of intelligence, reading recognition, and vocabulary, but differ in their informal social interactions. (KC)

By keeping a diary of her class activities, the author was able to analyze her teaching behaviors and judge if they helped or hindered her goal of developing her students as independent learners. Extracts from the diary are included. (SJL)

Cultural context is examined to explain teacher response to attempts to socialize them to a new primary curriculum in recent years. It is recommended that future research on educational innovation concern itself with such issues in addition to the usual concern for academic consequences of change. (MSE)

Results of a research project investigating students' ratings of classroom resources and faculty teaching under two classroom environmental conditions are presented. (JMF)

Sixty-three mother-child dyads, selected from middle- and working-class English backgrounds, were observed in semi-structured teaching activities. Results indicated that middle-class mothers used significantly fewer negative statements and imperatives, and significantly more questions. They were also less intrusive. (Author/KC)

The author draws an analogy between today's school system and an assembly line, deploring the notion that all children are taught the same thing at the same time, ending in humiliation, disgrace, and failure for some, and nonchallenging academic activities for others. (KC)

Three basic evaluation styles are discussed: (1) Process approach--organization, comportment and presentation; (2) Presage--qualifications, personal qualities, physical appearance; (3) Product--learning outcomes. The pros and cons of these evaluation styles are presented, and suggestions are made to make evaluation more useful in determining…

Results of a study of the relationship between students' feelings about themselves as learners and teaching styles (teacher-directed v self-directed) indicates that students exposed to a self-directed model feel more successful as learners, more autonomous with respect to decisions about learning, and more cooperative with peers. The survey…

Twelve fifth- and sixth-grade field-dependent and field-independent teachers were observed for 96 hours in regular elementary classrooms. Statistically significant differences were obtained from 8 out of 10 instructional behaviors observed between field-dependent and field-independent teachers. (Author/SJL)

For four- and five-year-old lower socioeconomic status children learning basic mathematics, more indirect teacher behavior and the active involvement of the student in the learning process are significantly more effective in facilitating student achievement than is a direct instruction/passive reception learning mode. (JD)

Because many teachers demonstrate limited use and knowledge of feedback strategies positively associated with student achievement, providers of preservice and inservice teacher education should review feedback research and instruct teachers on its effective use. (CJ)

Identifies 20 major ideas about writing instruction resulting from a study of 93 Australian teachers of Grade 10 English. (RL)

The relationship between gain in attitude toward and increases in knowledge of educational research was investigated in preservice social studies teachers. Results indicated that increases in knowledge did not result in gains in attitude. There were no significant differences between individual-workbook and lecture-workbook instructional…