During their teaching program, pre-service teachers participated in a course concerning teaching in the heterogeneous classroom. As an introduction to the issue of "gifted children," the pre-service teachers were given an assignment: (1) to interview gifted children (identified as gifted by the Ministry of Education, according to IQ…

Recommends the use of student-written sociological short stories as an alternative to traditional term papers. Describes how students choose a topic and use sociological theories and research to outline a plot, characters, dialogue, and settings. Includes excerpts from student stories and recommendations on student evaluation. (CFR)

Asserts that the rapid growth of the limited-English-proficient (LEP) student population has been a great challenge to social studies teachers. Proposes five reading and writing activities that actively involve LEP students in meaningful instructional tasks and encourage higher level thinking skills. (CFR)

Argues that effective history instruction requires students to think about content rather than merely reproduce it. Contends that this can be achieved best through peer interaction based on student research papers that require students to state opinions or positions. Provides an assignment example and a evaluation handout. (CFR)

Reports on a study about the influence of different writing tools and classroom environments on students' writing processes and achievement. Finds that using computers rather than pen-and-paper writing was less teacher dominated and more student independent. Discusses implications of the study. (CFR)

Maintains that to encourage student discussion about history, students must have something to say and be willing to say it, and the teacher must be able to guide a discussion. Describes a secondary-level course in which student discuss assigned readings on an electronic mail bulletin board. (CFR)