This book attempts to define and discuss language in relation to the processes of teaching and learning at the elementary level. Three specific themes are developed. The first theme is that considering language as virtually synonymous with "words" or "vocabulary" seriously limits the understanding an individual can have of the complexity of…

This paper argues that storytelling needs to be reexamined in light of the changing nature of the elementary school. The problems of storytelling are discussed and five teaching procedures are offered: it is important for the teacher to read several stories before selecting one; the story must be divided into units of action; those sections of the…

The primary purpose of this book is to offer suggestions and writing examples for use in teaching children to write poetry. Each of the 15 chapters deals with a particular subject that could be useful in introducing poetry writing to students. The chapters discuss such topics as developing word consciousness in children, writing cinquains and…

Students approach courses in communication with a lifetime of experience in the processes to be studied. Their already deeply imbedded attitudes and habits must be considered in planning instruction. Accompanying each course unit might be a series of introspective questions that encourage students to become aware of their relevant preconceptions,…

This report is intended to provide a history of the development and evaluation of a set of training materials. The goal of this unit is to help school staff develop an understanding of the knowledge and skills necessary to identify, collect, organize, and analyze information useful in making decisions about program modification. The unit deals…

After participating in an inservice workshop designed to improve question-asking skills, nine teachers conducted discussion lessons based on science history stories selected from a fourth-grade reading series. Pupils within each class were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group participated in discussion lessons that involved the…

The objective of this study was the development of a teaching model based on the concept and use of (non-simulation) games in the mathematics classroom. The game model was defined according to the organization described by Joyce and Weil. Six games were used in the study; each televised game session was preceded by a pre-test and followed by a…

This report evaluates the effectiveness of two teacher preparation patterns. Pattern A students take specified professional coursework followed by a one-quarter, full-time teaching practicum. Pattern B Students spend multiple quarters in a classroom under guidance while engaged in professional coursework. A formal assessment of teaching…

Evaluated is the validity of the behavioral categories held in common among three classroom observation systems. The validity model employed was that reported by Campbell and Fiske (1959) which requires that both convergent and discriminant validity be demonstrated. These procedures were applied to data obtained from the videotapes of 62 teacher…

This paper outlines objectives and procedures followed to develop career awareness through foreign language instruction at a junior high school in Maryland. The purpose of Project Aware was to make the student cognizant of the need for occupational and career exploration as early as possible. The outline contains (1) basic procedures, (2) sample…

This commentary on innovations in language instruction developed at the State University of New York at Stony Brook examines how German is taught with the aid of a computer. The article describes selected features of the introductory German course, including (1) computer-assisted instruction, (2) programed language laboratory manual, (3) study…

Selected passages from "Alice in Wonderland," seen as being analogous to the current state of the art of language instruction in American Schools, illustrate the decline of authority in the language classroom as a motivating force. Criticism is directed to the "bandwagon approach," which has led to the emergence of such terms as "program…

The purpose of this study was to determine the current status of mathematics laboratories in secondary schools and to formulate guidelines for their further development. Based on questionnaires returned by 137 teachers and 51 state supervisors, the findings were organized into eight areas: teacher preparation, profile of the laboratory situation,…

The purpose of this study was to compare instruction in multiplication and division by means of manipulative materials and pupil discovery to instruction using abstract and semi-concrete materials combined with teacher explanation and exposition. The effect of the two methods on pupils' attitude and achievement also was compared. Ten classrooms…

Teaching procedures of Project Physics Unit 3 are presented to help teachers make effective use of learning materials. Unit contents are discussed in connection with teaching aid perspective, multi-media schedules, schedule blocks, and resource charts. Brief analyses are made for transparencies, 16mm films, and reader articles. Included is…