The aim of the present study was to investigate the extramusical effects of a music education program in one preschool classroom over a period of six weeks. The class had not previously been exposed to regular music lessons. Readily available teaching resources containing sound recordings were used. Analysis revealed six themes that addressed the…

Achievement in most academic areas depends on reading. This study examines the relationship between play therapy and reading. Twenty-four first graders from two North Louisiana schools, who were repeating first grade and who had scored lowest on the Gates MacGinite Reading Test (GMRT) and the Stanford Reading Achievement Test the previous year,…

Many early childhood educators are beginning to experiment with and use portfolio assessment. Teachers are also observing young children at play and documenting their play activities for assessment purposes. Close observation of sociodramatic play gives teachers accurate perspectives on young children across the developmental domains of…

This conference focused on the central role of play and arts throughout the early childhood years, the unique learning styles of young children (ages 3-8), and children's developmental needs. Special emphasis was placed on curriculum, assessment, the essential role of the arts in learning, multicultural awareness, needs of special populations, and…

Art education combined with the sciences can be a leading force in raising the consciousness of students and teachers to the needs of our fragile planet. By teaching environmental aspects to the visual arts curriculum, we will also be teaching that one of the similarities we all share is the need for beauty. The sciences have traditionally carried…

Originally developed for the Department of Defense Schools (DoDDS) system, this learning package on developing oral language is designed for teachers who wish to upgrade or expand their teaching skills on their own. The package includes a comprehensive search of the ERIC database; a lecture giving an overview on the topic; the full text of several…

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT: Two-semester program: The working center of the program is the production of two original plays, written by the drama teacher of Raney Junior High and based on ideas or interests researched by teacher and drama students. Four goals direct the writing of each play: (1) to have the original play do…

Based on the experiences of classroom teachers of theatre, the elective dramatics course described in this guide is designed to enhance ninth grade students' aesthetic awareness, social development, intellectual growth, and technical knowledge. Following a brief course description and overview, the guide presents complete instructions for seven…

A program to identify culturally-diverse adolescents with the potential of becoming gifted adults is described, and instructions for conducting theater activities are presented. "Talent Search and Development Model Project" of the New Haven Connecticut School System involves middle schools serving primarily Black and Hispanic (bilingual)…

Prepared by classroom teachers, the papers in this collection combine practical knowledge with recent findings from writing research. Among the topics discussed in the 25 papers are (1) student teacher conferences, (2) using poetry to develop writing fluency, (3) writing as a learning process, (4) oral and written discourse, (5) creative dramatics…

Intended for teachers of gifted students in grades 4-12, the curriculum uses six of Shakespeare's comedies ("The Taming of the Shrew,""The Tempest,""Twelfth Night,""The Comedy of Errors,""As You Like It," and "A Midsummer Night's Dream") as materials for nurturing intellectual and…

Classroom activity ideas for Japanese English as a second language students include a Punch and Judy puppet show (script included); a Halloween puppet trick-or-treat game to learn vocabulary and an American custom; a mime game using verbs; hangman; games of prediction, chance, and sorting or grouping; a Japanese card game similar to "slap"; a…

An improvisational dramatics program was developed to improve the reading achievement and school attitudes of disadvantaged elementary school children. The program, based on the rationale that encouraging self-awareness and creative self-expression will improve communication skills, reading achievement, and attitudes, was used with 141 fourth,…

Based on the perspective on childhood literacy which assumes that listening, speaking, reading, and writing abilities develop concurrently and interrelatedly rather than sequentially, a kindergarten literacy program was implemented in classrooms in San Antonio, Texas, to influence young childrens' writing development. Writing was linked with other…

Music can be an effective motivational vehicle for teaching listening skills, literature, oral and nonverbal communication, creative writing, handwriting, spelling, and grammar. One idea for integrating music into the language arts involves the use of song lyrics as reading materials. Since contemporary country music, and its precursor folk music,…