In her previous books, "Literacy Work Stations and Practice with Purpose," Debbie Diller showed teachers how to productively occupy the "rest of the class" while meeting with small groups. Now Debbie turns her attention to the groups themselves and the teacher's role in small-group instruction. "Making the Most of Small Groups" grapples with…

Discusses grouping as the method by which ESL classes can be individualized, while at the same time serving to encourage student communication. Identifies three categories of grouping, along with the skill areas for which each is most effective. Also presents four classroom management models and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of each. (EKN)

In-depth interviews with eight teachers who consistently and successfully developed individualized, personalized classrooms are reported. The object of this investigation was to determine how these teachers perceive the teaching and learning process and how they view themselves and their development as teachers. The teachers varied in their…

This article examines some British classroom studies and raises further research questions on small group instruction (SGI) as a teaching tool. Considered are teachers' use of SGI; its efficacy for cognitive, language, and social development; and student-to-student interaction patterns in relation to seating, sex, and ability mix. (SJL)

New and innovative approaches to teaching in elementary schools are often advocated by university teacher education programs but fail to reach the actual classroom. This phenomenon was explored by interviewing graduates from the University of Utah elementary education program. These teachers were required to take two courses designed to prepare…

Recent research by Smith and Glass indicates that academic achievement is often correlated with class size. Findings from the Beginning Teacher Evaluation Study suggest that teachers can do a better job with smaller classes partly because they are able to individualize instruction. Yet the possibility of reducing class size significantly is…