A key assumption underpinning formative assessment strategies is that individual pupils must be fully involved in the process. While such engagement and attention on the individual is important, studies suggest that teachers do not always readily engage with formative assessment as a reciprocal process which involves pupils. Additionally, a focus…

In this study student teachers in an elementary education program took part in a book study, "From Rage to Hope", on culturally responsive teaching. Interns critically reflected on their practice and began making changes based on practical strategies from the book. Four themes of learning and change emerged in intern written reflections: Project…

The doctrine of localized brain functions has strongly influenced many educators. Gerald Edelman's recent research challenges this doctrine by advancing categorization and recategorization as the brain's overriding activities. Instruction that focuses overmuch on similarities is misguided and confusing. Instead, classroom instruction should employ…

After informally studying his first grade class, a teacher tentatively concluded that some students are phonetic learners and some are not. A faster method of identifying phonetic and nonphonetic learners is needed. No study that fails to consider differences in learning styles can possibly yield valid results except by chance. (MLH)

Educators have three approaches to learning styles: focusing on the individual, using comprehensive models to adapt instruction to major learning differences, and identifying key elements of an individual's learning style and matching instruction and materials to these differences. One controversial aspect of learning styles is the use of…

Examines how children with special needs can best be identified and categorized without "labeling" them and discusses proven procedures or strategies for use with children who need special or diverse reading instruction. (GC)

The article describes the dramatic improvement in reading achievement, decrease in discipline problems, and improvement in student attitudes in a North Carolina elementary school over a two-year period when students were taught through their preferred learning styles. (DB)

Utilizes the information processing model of human memory to provide teachers with suggestions for improving the teaching-learning process. Briefly explains and specifies applications of major theoretical concepts: attention, active learning, meaningfulness, organization, advanced organizers, memory aids, overlearning, automatically, and…

Teachers must learn to recognize and eliminate gender bias, because it can limit students' ambitions and accomplishments (Sanders, 2003). A gender-neutral position practiced by teachers recognizes individual and group differences, and believes that both girls and boys can reach their fullest potential if they are sensitive to the quality and level…

Presents a model for analyzing teachers' time allocation procedures in collective instruction along with a qualitative analysis of 10 elementary school teachers' implementations of short sequences of mastery learning. Sequences illustrate possible ways teachers adjust conditions that are formulated in the model. (Author/MP)

As dropout and student disengagement rates reach alarmingly high levels, learning styles theory offers one way to expand teaching methods and curricula to reach more students. Although accommodating individual differences is appealing, nagging doubts and murky research results (detailed in a sidebar) persist. Another sidebar explores culture/style…

This booklet of short essays on humanizing the education of children was printed to help elementary educators focus on the main purpose for their being--to help children fully realize their humanity. The author's educational philosophy and its applications are covered by such subjects as the individual in a democracy, the meaning of freedom, the…

There are enormous differences in a child's ability to learn and perform movement skills. The mastery learning model matches student needs to quality and quantity of teaching. This article summarizes findings from mastery learning research in the cognitive domain and offers suggestions for applications of the mastery strategy. (DF)

Statistics from research studies indicate that boys have more difficulty than girls in learning to read. As a result, changes being made in the educational system are aimed at adapting early instruction to the individual needs and capacities of boys as well as girls. This booklet focuses on past research on sex differences in reading achievement,…