Understanding how students develop learning opportunities through peer-to-peer interaction is vital for advancing research and practice on collaborative learning environments. This study investigated the discourse practices middle grade students utilized to resolve conflict in ways that promoted or inhibited learning opportunities. Seventy-seven…

"Improving Mathematics in the Early Years and Key Stage 1" reviews the best available evidence to offer five recommendations for developing the maths skills of 3-7-year olds. Recommendations include integrating maths into different activities throughout the day -- for example, at registration and snack time -- to familiarise children…

Discusses the problems of teaching current events to primary grade students and suggests methods of instruction. Problems include determining areas of interest, levels of knowledge, extent of misconceptions, and ability to understand a given issue. Methods suggested are daily newspaper clippings, small group discussions, and opinion polls. (AM)

Suggestions to help teachers organize small groups within the elementary classroom setting are provided, and group task roles and group maintenance roles are examined. Four small-group activities dealing with the American cowboy are described; for example, groups are asked to write a poem about the American cowboy. (RM)

This article reviews current literature on small group instruction with moderately to severely disabled students, discussing such components as group size, homogeneous/heterogeneous groupings, task selection, instructional strategies, attentional cues, presentation of the discriminative stimulus, trial presentation, choral and individual…

Small group work, which has become a standard feature of foreign language classes, lowers the stress level of students and makes them less anxious about speaking. Specific suggestions are offered for prereading, comprehension, and analytical small group activities. (Contains 12 references.) (LB)

A small-group teaching method for physical education which uses grids comprising 10-yard squares is outlined. It is stated that grids can be used for both indoor and outdoor activities. The advantages of using grids and specific physical objectives which can be met are listed. A detailed example of an activity in which students use a variety of…

The author outlines the learning benefits of teacher-led small group discussions. (SJL)

Small group cooperative learning can be applied with all age levels of mathematics students. A community of learners actively working together enhances each person's mathematical knowledge, proficiency, and enjoyment. Classroom procedures for cooperative mathematics lessons are outlined. (JD)

Discusses the objectives, organization, assessment, student reactions, and evaluation of an abstract algebra course in which small-group instruction was used. Concludes that better understanding is achieved and the students assimilate more concepts using this method, although the pace is slower than that in a traditional classroom setting.…

Details an approach which involves taking students through the problems of film production while teaching (1) theory; (2) actual tools of production; and (3) practical methods of organizing work. Contends that precise, challenging, technical exercises performed in an interactive social framework maximize skill development. (PD)

Describes the responses of five high school students to a short story. Summarizes other research on student response groups. Proposes ways to use the response process in classroom literature programs. (RL)

Presents sequential assignments that require group cooperation and allow technical communication students to perceive the connection between self and subject as they become involved in various discourse communities rather than acting out simulated case studies. (HTH)

Argues against the use of rigid syllabuses for the teaching of literature and advocates instead a seminar approach in which students are required to read and think beforehand, with one or two of them having been given specific assignments as stimuli to discussion. (HOD)

By "conferencing" ideas in writing, the teacher involves students in the experiment and invites them to join with the teacher in investigating writing. (HOD)