Discusses several documents in the ERIC system that deal with the problems teachers face when trying to respond to the issue of television's impact on education and with ways that they can use television to students' educational advantage. (HTH)

Defines and discusses metaphors and how people in every field of knowledge use metaphors to teach and learn. Stresses the importance of using metaphors as part of instruction in every aspect of education. (MG)

Defines semiotics and outlines its implications for teaching language arts. (PRA)

Graphing calculators present a challenging task for mathematics teachers in the classroom. This digest offers four distinct methods for using graphing calculators in mathematics classrooms, including: (1) tools for expediency; (2) amplifiers for conceptual understanding; (3) catalysts for critical thinking; and (4) vehicles for integration.…

This Digest explores the practice of looping, a pedagogical strategy in which a teacher advances from one grade level to the next along with his or class. It describes how teachers and students in looping classes need not start from scratch every fall, learning new sets of names and personalities. By spending several years with a class, teachers…

Reviews two approaches to critical thinking and shares seven steps from one approach which promote critical thinking skills. Shares an example of an activity showing how this approach can be used in many areas of the curriculum. (MG)

Argues that educators have the intent and the means to develop students who can reason and reflect across all content areas. Outlines three principles involved in teaching critical thinking. (RS)

Focused on the oral tradition of storytelling, this annotated bibliography contains 29 references of articles and papers in the ERIC database. The first section of the bibliography lists sources on the diversity of approaches to what constitutes a story. Articles concentrating on ways of using stories to promote a more immediate and fulfilling…

This digest looks at research findings and instructional applications of effective teacher presentation skills. Research has identified five critical skills: eliciting frequent responses, maintaining an appropriate pace during the lesson, maintaining attention, monitoring student responses and adjusting the lesson, and ensuring all students an…

Describes several classroom cooperative learning activities that allow students to work in teams to achieve a common goal. (AEA)

This digest suggests that bibliotherapy is a potentially powerful method for school teachers and counselors to use on many levels and in every school grade. It begins with a brief review of the history of bibliotherapy; continues with a discussion of some approaches to bibliotherapy (interactive, clinical, and developmental); then addresses the…

Teaching through inquiry can take many forms with most descriptions of inquiry emphasizing investigations. Though inquiry-based teaching strategies typically engage students in investigations, it is not the physical activity that defines inquiry. Teaching through inquiry is distinguished by its emphasis on a questioning attitude, gathering data,…

This special education research brief provides a synopsis of the steps in curriculum-based assessment (CBA) and lists resources that provide more detail on the method and applications of CBA. The described CBA method involves selecting or developing a method of measurement, assessing student knowledge, tailoring instruction to student needs, and…

This bibliography contains 23 annotations of resources in the ERIC database (ranging from 1985 to 1989) on helping students develop higher level and analytical skills, such as critical reading and thinking. The citations include instructional strategies for teaching visual literacy, religion, spelling, reading, semiotics, problem solving,…

The purpose of this monograph is to review and synthesize the literature pertaining directly to the use of cloze as a teaching technique. The literature review is arranged into eight sections: (1) analysis of comparative studies, in which studies that have compared the cloze procedure are examined; (2) analysis of instructional goals, in which the…