This article provides early childhood practitioners a way to develop a common understanding of the importance of play in the early learning experience of young children. Meaningful discussion among teachers, parents, administrators, and teacher candidates regarding play in early childhood education programs is critical to ensure the growth and…

The paper describes the implementation of a 3-year cognitive skills development curriculum, Instrucmental Enrichment (IE), at the North Carolina School for the Deaf in a question/answer format. The following questions are addressed: What are the goals? Who is it for? How is it taught? What is the IE classroom climate like? What is the theory? What…

The central aim of this monograph is to stimulate discussion, both of the assumptions that are made about what makes one teacher more effective than another, and of the actions and decisions that are taken as a result of these assumptions. Organizationally, the monograph: (1) presents a brief overview of research on teacher effectiveness; (2)…

The handouts from the Ohio conference PACE (Positive Approaches to Children's Education) VI are presented. Among them are: (1) "Hugs" (submitted by A. Braselton); (2) "Rhythmic Activities for 2001" (L. Hardman); (3) "A Strategy for Cognitive Development in Physical Education" (C. Regimal); (4) "It's the Kids That…

Examines biological and environmental determinants of creative/divergent thinking in light of two studies--one showing an inverse relationship between serum uric acid and divergent thinking and one showing a positive correlation between family size and creativity in upper socioeconomic status groups. Outlines classroom practices that promote…

The introductory course has a variety of objectives for both students and the college, including recruitment and screening of majors, provision of prerequisite knowledge, explorations of learning, developing commitment to college, and cognitive development. Fostering these goals depends on the students, faculty, and classroom climate. (MSE)

Despite current process theories of composition, many teachers of writing still adopt traditional pedagogical approaches in the classroom. Under the "old pedagogy," correctness is valued over content, revision is approached as cosmetic change, formulaic rhetorical modes are taught before students set pen to paper, and the lecture is…

Most people, including children, have preferences for how they learn about the world. When these preferences are clearly noticeable, they may be thought of as sensory strengths. For some children, sensory strengths develop because of a weakness in another sensory area. For these children, multisensory instruction can be very helpful. Multisensory…

Focusing on writing as a language process, this booklet describes a framework for writing instruction that has as a major consideration the totality of language. The first section discusses writing as a language process, emphasizing that as children learn to write, they can also learn to listen, speak, and read. The second section focuses on the…

Over a decade of research findings representing the work of more than 100 scholars are contained in the growing body of knowledge about effective schools. This report summarizes the results of studies that focus specifically on the characteristics of effective principals, classrooms, and teachers. The report also offers notes of caution to users…

Illustrates how history can be taught through a problem-solving method. Encourages teachers to use critical thinking methods based on experience, helping students develop a systematic approach to thinking about historical problems. Stresses developing students' ability to evaluate historical sources allows teachers to direct a more interactive…

Discusses the importance of teacher intervention in the use of Logo in elementary and junior high schools, emphasizing a process-oriented approach to teaching. The use of worksheets, questioning techniques, and providing a socially reflective and interactive environment are described, and a checklist to see if criteria are being successfully met…

This curriculum adaptation provides a methodology that enables the classroom teacher to recognize the needs of the otitis media-affected child in the classroom. It discusses areas of concern related to otitis media; suggests activities that can enhance these children's language skills; and shows ways to enhance the learning environment by…

Intended to bridge the gap between current research and theory about literacy learning and teaching and teacher knowledge of that theory and research, this book raises questions about what teachers should know about language, literacy, and learning to help children become confident, reflective, independent learners both in and out of school.…

British students in four age groups--4 to 5, 7 to 8, 11 to 12, and 15 to 16 years old--were observed in their classrooms in order to explore the relationships among the learner, knowledge, and thinking, and the role that writing plays in what is learned. In the infant classroom, writing was quite visible in the form of labels, questions,…