An introductory speech course was revised to fit the goals of Hispanic students. Content analysis of Hispanic student comments during informal advising sessions indicated that students admire the ability to analyze audience preferences, the ability to attract listeners with melodic discourse tone, and the ability to project a professional image in…

In addition to describing the readers' workshop concept, this book provides practical suggestions and mini-lessons that will help teachers set up their own workshop and assess its effectiveness. The book notes that readers' workshop is a child-centered approach to teaching reading that brings the "real" world of reading into the…

Clarifying the place of phonics and spelling in a whole language program, this book presents classroom-tested strategies, models, and activities to help students make graphophonic connections, giving them the tools they need to become confident, lifelong readers and writers. Chapters in the book are: (1) Phonics and Spelling in Perspective; (2)…

Changing the dramatic play area in a child care setting promotes creativity and gives children the chance to experience a place they may never experience in real life. Whenever possible, the children should be involved in the process of changing the area, by moving furniture and exchanging props, as well as brainstorming ideas for changes. The…

This manual, in notebook form, is a compilation of lesson plans, activities, resources, and environmental ideas for teachers of kindergarten through 12th grade. In response to teachers' requests, the manual includes worksheets, diagrams, poems, classroom games, and activities presented in 17 sections labeled A through P. The sections cover: (1) a…

The Calculators in Primary Mathematics Project was a long-term investigation into the effects of the introduction of calculators on the learning and teaching of primary mathematics. The Australian project commenced with children who were in kindergarten and grade 1 in 1990, moving up through the schools to grade 4 level by 1993. Children were…

A number of educators have expressed concern over the poor quality of listening skills exhibited by United States public school students. Furthermore, there is concern regarding "automaticity," or "passive" listening, which involves the perception of sounds without understanding. Not until a 1978 amendment to the Elementary and…

The design of instructional materials for second language listening comprehension is discussed, based on the premise that such materials must reflect a view of the nature and processes of listening. Two distinct kinds of cognitive processes involved in listening are examined: bottom-up processing, or the use of incoming data as a source of…

Getting students to read can often be a very exasperating, frustrating experience for classroom teachers, parents, and reading specialists alike. However, the use of jokes, cartoons, funny stories, comedy records, and joke books can be used to instill a love of reading. Humor can also be used to improve interpersonal skills, and reading and…

A study addressed the general issue of whether or not a touring college drama production would somehow stimulate greater interest, on the part of elementary teachers and students, in the use of drama as a classroom learning medium. Specifically addressed were whether (1) educational gains would be realized; (2) data would show measurable gains in…

A great deal has been written in the English as a second language (ESL) literature on what vocabulary building entails and on how vocabulary should be taught. There is, however, little consensus on methodology and there are few good vocabulary texts. In order to develop a procedure for vocabulary building in ESL, some recent articles on vocabulary…

An activity unit for teaching students how to write a summary and a precis of a written work is presented. Instructions to the teacher for introducing and carrying out the unit are given along with a list of student objectives. Definitions of relevant terms are included. The activities, some of which are to be done individually and some with a…

An approach to writing for junior high through college writing and literature classes is presented in this brief article. AUTHOR'S COMMENT (excerpt): Writing from literature, instead of only about literature, can provide creative approaches to the study of literary works. The activities listed can be done in conjunction with the study of a single…

Improvisational gaming is a technique involving the use of theater and drama in the teaching of other subjects. The student uses intuition, sense-memory, and imagination in a holistic approach to learning which teaches social skills while it teaches subject matter. Everyone can act and improvise; getting everyone involved is seldom a problem as…

Seven activities designed to teach kindergarten students about animals are offered in this unit. Instructions for each activity include a behavioral objective, materials needed, step-by-step procedures, and an evaluation suggestion. Topics of the activities are: (1) characteristics that distinguish animals from other living organisms (including…