Offers some suggestions that can be used to maximize the literacy learning that can and needs to occur during independent learning time. Presents three possible classroom organizational structures, and elaborates on the one that many teachers are (re)discovering: learning centers. Concludes that independent activities must set up children for…

Presents the "Structured Reading Lesson" as one simple way to structure reading activities so that the before, during, and after phases of the reading experience are all touched upon. Considers how reading strategies that students have developed to comprehend fictional narratives do not always help them with textbooks. Presents…

Describes a drama teacher's approach to students' intolerance, exclusion, and disrespect towards other students. Notes the approach sets an atmosphere that helps to prevent expressions of conflict before they become tense, either verbally or physically. (RS)

Describes a portion of the authors' work with a group of elementary teachers during the first eight months of an ongoing study investigating critical literacy in classrooms. Examines the understandings and classroom practices of two groups of teachers: newcomers and novices. Provides insights into the concerns teachers have when they begin…

Discusses how current scholarship argues against one-shot, high-stakes writing tasks. Presents work from students that were part of a team-taught curriculum that coordinated writing and reading classes. Designs activities that would provide a core of material for students to draw on in their final testing situations. (SG)

Argues in response to Nassaji (1999) that although the article contains useful suggestions for communicative activities, it is vulnerable to serious criticism in terms of an incoherent theoretical justification, a failure to provide a promised discussion of relevant empirical evidence, and an unmotivated restriction on the nature of the tasks…

Responds to comments made by Ronald Sheen about an earlier article titled, "Towards Integrating Forum-Focused Instruction and Communicative Interaction in the Second Language Classroom." (Author/VWL)

Discusses classroom activities that increase reading speed. The activities are designed to increase second language learners' reading rates to a satisfactory level, so students are successful in academic reading tasks. (Author/VWL)

Offers some ground rules for using collaborative learning effectively in the secondary English class. Describes three assignments involving collaborative effort that the author has used successfully in her teaching. (SR)

Discusses the observation web, a technique used to reflect on activities that are used in the English-as-foreign-language classroom. The observation web is divided into 8 sections, each of which corresponds to a certain feature of an activity used in the lesson: linguistic, cognitive, progressive, informative, teacher-centered, student-centered,…

Describes a Spanish-as-a-foreign language email project carried out with kindergartners through third graders from six elementary schools. The project involves a traveling Teddy bear named Tito. (Author/VWL)

Considers the use of playdough as a manipulative to help children learn mathematics. Provides snapshots of various lessons using playdough. (Author/CCM)

Notes how students learn to examine multiple elements of a text with critical perspective making analogies between others' writing and their own. Concludes that students may only have one opportunity to workshop their writing, but that intense learning experience, coupled with critical responses to another 20 or so drafts, coaxes writers into…

Describes how American and Russian students engaged in service learning in their own communities as part of an organizational communication class in which they learned communication principles and applied their skills to assist non-profit organizations. Describes both projects, stumbling blocks, and course outcomes. (SR)

Discusses the use of the constructivist model for teaching the effective uses of computer technology. Details five computer-based constructivist projects based on a problem-solving format: Computer-Supported Intentional Learning Environment (CSILE), Learning Through Collaborative Visualization Project (CoVis), Computer Clubhouse, JASPER, and…