Noting that handwriting is a subskill that often becomes an instructional end rather than a means to enhance written communication, this paper examines research on handwriting and its implications for instruction. Following an introduction on the current status of handwriting instruction, the paper summarizes research on handwriting legibility,…

Presents a quiz to help high school principals determine their educational philosophy and the degree of compatability between philosophy and practice. Presents research findings showing that conventional approaches to instructional factors, such as furniture, scheduling, student mobility, instructional methods, and homework, may not be the most…

Promotion of an alliance between college teachers and students requires shifting from a perception of the teacher as an agent of student change to that of teacher as partner in the change process. Twenty-five guidelines cover mutual respect, shared responsibility and mutual commitment to goals, effective communication and feedback, cooperation,…

Provides an overview of the theoretical basis and methods used for social studies classroom research. Suggests improvements in classroom climate constructs by integrating social studies literature and traditional classroom research approaches. Offers recommendations for improving future research. (SG)

Reviews the research on competition in classrooms for gifted students. It finds that competitive classroom structures involving extrinsic rewards may undermine the task commitment and involvement characteristic of intrinsic motivation and that this relationship is stronger for gifted students than for other students. Some short-term benefits of…

This article examines some popular theories of classroom management in an effort to generate practical suggestions for teachers and administrators who deal with youngsters on a day-to-day basis. The suggestions are presented in an alphabetical arrangement and cover many areas of concern to educators. Some of the topics covered are: audience,…

In considering exactly what takes place in creative writing classrooms, this collection of 22 essays reexamines the profession of writing teacher and ponders why certain practices and contexts prevail. The essays and their authors are as follows: "Introduction: Of Radishes and Shadows, Theory and Pedagogy" (Hans Ostrom); (1) "The…

The concern for literacy dominates the elementary classroom as instructional theories mesh with the realities of practice. Reviews of research literature, such as "Becoming a Nation of Readers," have given considerable support to meaning-centered, active language learning curricula. Questioning whether today's children will be literate…

Discipline problems in both regular and special education settings can be prevented through the effective use of three key elements: (1) organizational management of classroom elements; (2) anticipation and re-direction of student behavior; and (3) positive, encouraging interactions with students. Organizational management of classroom elements…

Recent research on effective classroom management practices is summarized. Effective practices include organizing classroom space, establishing rules, developing classroom procedures, maintaining the learning environment (e.g., matching instruction to individual needs and monitoring pupil performance), and assessing the effectiveness of management…

An integrated language perspective on teaching in the elementary school is outlined in this book. The text provides the theory on which the perspective is based and provides many examples of how it may be translated into practice. Chapter one provides the general principles of the integrated language perspective. Chapter two describes the…

Creating a learning and instructional environment for teaching students in a "humane and efficient" manner, this book is designed to empower teachers by providing them with specific suggestions for problems they will encounter as they provide students with direct, explicit instruction in reading. As in earlier editions, the book devotes…

When students have difficulty writing, it is often because they are apathetic or afraid of failing, rather than because of a serious lack of skill. Basic writing teachers must break through student apathy and fear before the students can begin to progress. One way is to ask basic writers to unscramble sentences or analyze ambiguous sentences to…

The lessons learned by this book's authors, who observed literacy events in third- and fourth-grade classrooms, altered their vision of teaching and learning. The book shares their observations of how students engage in literacy events and construct meaning within these events, focusing on three factors that significantly influence the…

This book, a collection of essays on teaching, first explains the theoretical foundations of a collaborative, integrated, literature-based curriculum, and then links the theory to real-life accounts in individual chapters. The book shows how to put theory into practice by selecting appropriate books, creating an interactive classroom environment,…