This paper investigates the potential relationship of Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) to gesture and second language learning. It is asserted that the ZPD is both a tool and a result, not a tool for result; it is both product and process at the same time. The process of learning a new language/culture in the case of a person who is…

The nine readings in this monograph focus on ways to improve the social skills of students with emotional/behavioral disorders. The following readings are included: (1) "Analysis of Literature on Social Competence of Behaviorally Disordered Children and Youth" (Sarup R. Mathur and Robert B. Rutherford, Jr.); (2) "A Validation of Social Skills for…

The study described in this report examined the ways in which teachers prepare to teach using microcomputers. The participants in the study were four teachers who used computers in instruction, and who had been identified as outstanding by an educational foundation. They represented elementary special education, high school gifted education,…

This monograph reports on the establishment of a videotape data bank designed to record activities in physical education classes for analyzing and describing teacher and student behaviors. The process of obtaining approximately 80 tapes of elementary and high schools classes and of developing procedures for efficiently describing what was…

Though the need for a language or languages to describe teacher behavior has been recognized for some time, few systems of analysis exist. A conceptual framework and a set of terms have been developed to describe the messages students and teachers send and receive in second language classrooms. This system is called FOCUS (an acronym for Foci for…

The syntax module of the language development curriculum portion of the Early Childhood-Special Education Teacher Preparation Program at the University of Virginia includes the following areas: (1) various aspects of syntax development as background for an outline of the ontogeny of syntax development in children 18-106 months of age; (2) syntax…

This booklet offers teachers, paraprofessionals, and parents practical, easy-to-read suggestions to help them understand emotional and behavioral development and disabilities in young children. Through a variety of examples, the booklet emphasizes techniques that show the teacher how to encourage and assist the young child to move toward emotional…

Project Impact is an innovative three year program being carried out in mutual cooperation by the Cleveland Public Schools and the Department of Education at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio with Elementary Secondary Education Act Title III funding. The program seeks to humanize the educational process in the urban schools by…

Background: After the failure of several important methods comparison studies in the 1960s, the influence of interaction analysis stimulated interest in foreign language classroom processes. More careful observational studies gradually revealed which process variables were of interest. Also, there has been much research on teacher talk, with a…

This study investigated the collaborative interactions of junior high school boys (N=36) with learning disabilities while engaged in writing stories using a word processor. Half the subjects were of Anglo-American background and half of Mexican-American background. Each subject worked in two dyads, ethnically homogeneous and ethnically…

Validity is a central issue in use of self-report data for the investigation of teacher thinking. "Triangulation," or use of several data sets to test, corroborate and elaborate each other, is one method for increasing validity of findings. This paper illustrates a process of triangulation of data obtained by three different data…

This paper explores the value, the sources, and the components of energizing experiences in college classrooms. Energizing experiences are described as moments of interest and excitement or vitality within the college classroom environment. Data on energizing experiences were gathered from the team teaching experiments by graduate students in…

This unit of the Flexible Learning System (FLS) provides instruction for adults in helping children develop problem solving skills and attitudes, with particular emphasis on shifting the responsibility of solving classroom problems from teacher to children. Problems are treated as opportunities to learn in which individuals or groups want…

This research is a case study examining numeracy teaching and learning practices in an early childhood multiage setting with Pre-Primary to Year 2 children. Data were collected via running records, researcher reflection notes, and video and audio recordings. Video and audio transcripts were analysed using a mathematical discourse and social…

The paper discusses high school students' attitudes towards teachers' verbal questioning behavior and assesses the relevance of students' preferences to test score gains. Data were sought for several questions. What cognitive levels of teacher verbal questioning behavior do social studies students prefer? What is the relationship between students'…