This fastback examines the theory and practice of constructivist teaching and suggests how teachers can decide what form of constructivist teaching they might want to use. Constructivist teaching theory is explored under the headings "knowledge" and "humans." According to constructivist theory, knowledge is constructed by humans, it is conjectural…

This paper provides a critical analysis and evaluation of the relationship between 4-year-old children and teachers in 10 reception (kindergarten) classes at schools in Birmingham, England. It is based on in-class observations and collaborative, action research that focused on the interactions between the children and their teachers, including 300…

A study attempted to determine a variety of facilitating and militating elements that influence Content Area Literacy/Learning Teaching Strategies (CAL/LTS) implementation. It investigated the impact of various contextual or ecological features embedded within the student teaching experience on student teachers' ability to implement various…

A year-long ethnographic case study examined two public city high school English teachers' efforts to reform their literature instruction and evaluation practices through the use of portfolios. One case study teacher ("William") has 30 years of teaching experience and was heavily influenced by New Criticism. The other teacher…

This paper describes a study of the ways in which teachers of foreign languages (English and other languages) to adults begin their lessons, the purposes that underlie their habitual practices, and students' attitudes to these practices. Among the conclusions reached are the following: (1) in the context described, teachers appear to attach…

Humor is an important tool for the teacher in college classrooms. Generally, laughter is a great benefit in anyone's life, having even physiological influence. Laughter reduces stress and may facilitate creativity. However, the use of humor can both enhance and hinder the learning process. Various researchers have tried to identify structures,…

Recent social studies research has been lacking in qualitative examinations of life in secondary social studies classrooms. Although there have been a number of suggestions as to how instruction in high school classrooms should proceed, it is rare to find a detailed description of how students actually are taught in such classrooms. This study was…

This thesis describes a peer observation program implemented among American and Japanese teachers in the English Department of Hiroshima College of Foreign Languages, a two-year vocational college in Hiroshima, Japan. Each participant functioned as both an observer and observee, while pre- and post-observation meetings were held between the…

A study was conducted to investigate the relationship between teaching style and within-term changes in the motivation of two-year college students. "The Echelle de Motivation en Education" (Academic Motivation Scale was administered to 1,597 female and 837 male students at a junior college in Quebec at the beginning of the term and again 3 months…

This digest reviews the literature related to learning styles of American Indian and Alaskan Native students. Several studies show that in some tribes, observation, self-testing in private, and then demonstration of a task for approval are essential steps in learning. Indian children often hesitate to participate in large and small-group…

Intended for the preschool teacher wishing to implement a cognitively oriented curriculum, this instructional guide focuses on the problem-solving approach (as opposed to the teacher-directed approach) to student learning. Each chapter provides space for teachers to plan, implement, and evaluate lessons. Activities in the guide are participatory,…

Explores the variable of social distance between teacher and learner by observing the pattern of interaction between Anglo- and Mexican-American mothers and their own preschool sons, boys from a similar background, and boys from a different ethnic and social class background. (Author/SDH)

Observation in schools by college supervisors indicates a gap between what a teacher knows on a theoretical level and what is actually done in classrooms on a practical level. This study was to determine where teachers perceived encountering encouragement or discouragement for lessons involving hands-on activities in science. A questionnaire was…

Identification of teaching styles congruent with student learning styles to increase academic achievement is examined in this report. A literature review is followed by a discussion of the six elements of teaching style, which include instructional planning, teaching methods, teaching environment, teaching characteristics and classroom management,…

Information is provided regarding major learning styles and other factors important to student learning. Several typically asked questions are presented regarding different learning styles (visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic, and multisensory learning), associated considerations, determining individuals' learning styles, and appropriate…