This article describes the use of structured interviews to obtain information on which to base hypotheses about the functions of students' behavior disorders and the effectiveness of alternative interventions to teach new behavior. Phases and purposes of the structured interview are illustrated with several examples. (DB)

Argues that show-and-tell is an important school learning activity that gives students an opportunity to practice and improve their oral language abilities. Offers a technique for the informal assessment of show-and-tell activities. (FL)

The author, a former chief reader for Advanced Placement European History, provides secondary school and college instructors with criteria for constructing essay examinations. Topics include goals, language/wording, directions, sequence of questions, breadth versus specificity, compare and contrast questions, quotations, dates, and current events.…

Having writers ask questions about their own papers promotes commitment to the revising and proofreading process. Students can ask teachers or peers the following: (1) What do you like about my paper? (2) What questions do you have about my paper? (3) What kinds of polishing does my paper need? (RL)

Discusses a retelling performance checklist that uses elements of story grammar to help teachers assess comprehension in a meaningful way. (FL)

The Helping Relationship Inventory was used to see whether objective improvement in medical student (n=109) communication skills occurred in a relatively brief (nine-hour) small-group course in interviewing. The study demonstrated that even brief small-group interviewing courses can effect a positive change in communication skills. (Author/MSE)

This article provides ideas on how to conduct alumni telephone surveys: (1) use the information gathered; (2) implement a survey; (3) develop appropriate questions; (4) test a survey instrument; (5) train interviewers; (6) collect the data; (7) analyze the results; (8) report the results; and (9) use the results to take action. (MDM)

One dental education program used patient-instructors to give individual feedback from the patient's perspective to students after each of five interview scenarios. Feedback was constructive and behaviorally oriented. Ratings assessed process and content skills. Results indicates student interpersonal skills improved significantly, content skills…

This paper was designed to provide professional counselors with a comprehensive but concise method of accurately evaluting, interviewing, and planning for treatment of eating disorder clients. The paper is organized in five sections. The first section, Diagnosis, compares, contrasts, and offers clear explanations of the diagnostic criteria for…

Suggests open-ended study questions distributed early in the semester and later used on literature exams that will promote independent thinking and develop students' interpretive skills, while at the same time indicating whether the students have benefited fully from reading, lectures, and discussion. (HTH)

This book shows educators how to rethink teaching by challenging their beliefs about knowledge and learning. It helps teachers organize for student learning rather than plan for teacher telling by applying constructivist learning theory in the classroom. It presents a constructivist perspective on how to arrange classroom events for student…

Argues that multiple-choice tests, if correctly constructed, are still effective assessment tools. Focuses on constructing multiple-choice questions that address course content objectives but also require higher order thinking. Lists and defines concepts and curriculum objectives. Includes standard and database multiple-choice questions that offer…

Delineates and describes four types of questions which may help teachers learn more about student understanding, namely, silent questions, oral questions, written questions, and students' questions. (PK)

Complete medical interviews and physical examinations, performed on simulated patients by a class of interns, were videotaped and scored using a rating scale developed for the purpose. Findings show that the system can be used for feedback to both students and program administration concerning performance quality. (Author/MSE)

The work in second language education of the Assessment of Performance Unit, established by the Department of Education and Science of England and Wales to monitor certain areas of the public education curriculum is described. The focus is on the development of a rationale for testing, the elicitation procedures used in the assessment of speaking…