The study reported in this article aims to capture the possible changes to the discursive mode of College English (CE) teaching in China by comparing teachers' questions, feedback, and teaching exchanges across two levels of quality courses constructed at different years. Based on transcribed data of 20 videos, it reveals that the general…

Because the pressure of technological advancement has made teaching factual knowledge increasingly difficult, educators have been developing curriculums to transmit intellectual processes applicable to many tasks instead of subject matter content. One of the 20 educational Follow Through programs, the Tucson Early Education Model, surveyed 42…

Reviews the literature on teacher clarity and communication skills, then describes a study showing that teachers must be trained in ways to reduce vagueness terms, mazes, multiple utterance questions, and overall frequency of questions posed to students. (FL)

Examines the relationship of student questions to teacher comments in college classrooms across the university. Finds 6 categories of student questions (with an average of 3.6 student questions asked per hour of instruction), 8 categories of antecedent teacher comments, and 7 categories of consequent teacher comment. Considers explanations and…

The ideas presented in this brochure are for teachers interested in creating opportunities for students to pose questions during literature-based discussions, in heterogeneous whole group and peer-only discussions. The brochure notes that the method is a highly motivating way to conduct discussions because students of all reading abilities can…

Study determined what parts of teacher behavior actually affect students and why students only pay attention at certain times. Researchers observed preschool teachers interacting with students, recording all behaviors. Results indicated only 58 percent of teacher behaviors were effective. The more cognitively complex demands ran greater chance of…

Presents some considerations about the variable of "wait time," a pause after a teacher question so that students can think or a pause after a student statement. (PEB)

Teacher behavior and expectations and teacher-student communication patterns were investigated among urban and suburban teachers of educable mentally retarded and educationally handicapped (emotionally maladjusted and learning disabled) students. Classroom observers recorded teacher-student interaction using a version of the Brophy-Good…

Twelve fifth- and sixth-grade field-dependent and field-independent teachers were observed for 96 hours in regular elementary classrooms. Statistically significant differences were obtained from 8 out of 10 instructional behaviors observed between field-dependent and field-independent teachers. (Author/SJL)

This study of dimensions of variation in preschool teachers' classroom talk involved 10 white, middle-class, experienced teachers in developmental classes. Audio recordings and observations were made of 30 minutes of free play time, 5 minutes of transition time, and 25 minutes of group time. For 8 of the teachers, group time included 10 minutes of…

Reported is a study to investigate the effectiveness of an instructional technique designed to enable preservice students enrolled in science methods courses to acquire skill in the use of nonverbal cues and the use of silence. Students were randomly assigned to experimental (9 students) and control (10 students) groups. The vehicle for skill…

This student guide was developed as part of the Utah State University Protocol Materials Project. The guide includes an introduction to protocol materials and an explanation of the concept of extension, that is, improving the quality of student response and increasing the number of students participating in a discussion. Four techniques for…

Especially when engaging students in activities on Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives, teachers frequently ask questions that, from an educational standpoint, are useless. The most useless of these questions is, "Do you understand?" because comprehension is not a binary process. Understanding has many phases and levels, and a "yes" or "no"…

Research on the communicative competency of faculty indicates that students can be motivated to learn by competent communicators. In general, communication experts have better competency skills, (i.e., they use more effective verbal and nonverbal immediacy behaviors) than do faculty as a whole. An area much in need of development for most faculty…