As education policy in the U.S. focuses increasingly on the quality of classroom instruction, there is a growing need to identify valid constructs and develop reliable tools that measure student opportunities to learn academic knowledge and skills. The purpose of this study is to examine the relative contributions of two different classroom…

The second edition of CHAMPS helps classroom teachers design (or fine tune) a proactive and positive classroom management plan that will overtly teach students how to behave responsibly. The new 2nd edition includes tips and resources to make this definitive guide to classroom management even more user-friendly. CHAMPS strategies are easy to…

The purpose of the article is to describe step by step procedures teachers can use to successfully engage their students in the development of science fair projects. The article further explains how the student should prepare their science fair project for science fair competition. It is expected that increasing student participation in science…

Students' class participation can be increased by having each child display a response to each of the teacher's questions. Suggestions are given for evaluating and using pre-printed response cards and write-on response cards. Evidence for the effectiveness of response cards in increasing learning and on-task behavior is offered. (DB)

A study evaluated the effects of three active responding techniques (i.e., hand raising, choral responding, the response card) on students participation and on-task behavior in five preschoolers with attending problems. The response card technique was consistently more efficient for all five children across all dependent measures. (Contains…

Describes a classroom management system that increases both the students' positive attitudes toward general physical science and the teacher's enthusiasm for teaching it.

Suggestions for teachers who wish to increase academic learning time for learning-disabled students include: reducing transition time; shortening recess or free time; creating more teacher-led instructional groups; teaching more and testing less; increasing teacher questioning; increasing teacher enthusiasm; improving seatwork tasks; giving…

Joint teacher and student development of a contingency management plan to help control disruptive behavior was explored with a class of 13 mildly mentally retarded elementary school children after several less extensive teacher directed contingencies were unsuccessful. All students in the self contained classroom had extensive school histories of…

This booklet describes a foundation for effective classroom management and focuses on some of the basic processes involved in creating a cooperative atmosphere in the classroom. Four topics are considered: the beginning of the school year, selecting and arranging activities, monitoring and timing activities in the classroom, and stopping…

Teachers can improve their teaching if their knowledge base about teaching increases. Eight research-based areas, relevant to effective teaching, are discussed: goals and objectives, planning, lesson presentation, student engagement, management, student activity, feedback, and teacher assessment. (IAH)

Describes an eight-week model role-play project applicable to second language classes on secondary, college, and adult levels. The project was found to result in a greater variety in the students' acquired vocabulary, improved written work, enriched cultural knowledge, and an unusual classroom atmosphere. (Author/SED)

Data from observations of 129 elementary, 362 junior, and 525 high school classes were analyzed to raise questions about classroom environment and classroom practices. Results gathered from four instruments are discussed: (1) physical environment inventory, which recorded classroom architectural arrangement, seating and grouping patterns,…

This six-section manual provides information for preparing appropriate classroom narratives and their accompanying student engagement ratings. The manual's introduction emphasizes the importance of an accurate classroom narrative, which is a detailed record of events, time use, and behavior in the classroom. Also discussed is the recording of…

A teacher recounts her experiences in adapting the concept of Academic Learning Time (ALT), developed in the Beginning Teacher Evaluation Study, to sixth-grade classes whose students formerly had been instructed individually. ALT was introduced into reading and mathematics instruction. Its effects on student motivation and achievement are…

Investigated attention-to-task and its relation to instructional context among 24 mainstreamed children with learning disabilities. Observation of students in regular class and resource room revealed significant differences in rate of engagement for classroom setting, type of instruction, and level of peer involvement, indicating that degree of…