Discusses sources of instructional materials pertaining to industrial arts and vocational education for the handicapped, presents brief guidelines for teachers interested in developing their own materials, and offers guidelines for effectively selecting and using instructional materials in teaching special students. (SH)

Discusses factors, beyond intuition, that produce optimal teaching: written objectives; organization of exhaustive research; selective rearrangement of subject matter; well-timed distribution of course syllabus and other handouts; planning of lesson presentation, conclusion, classroom activities and outside assignments; sensitivity to level, time…

Discusses some of the reasons why idioms are difficult for second language learners to learn, including the fact that most materials for teaching idioms are inadequate. Criteria are suggested for choosing idioms to teach; 10 activities are described which will help students understand and produce idiomatic English. (Author/SED)

Through the use of history resource folders containing literature and primary source materials, elementary teachers can involve children in historical issues. Discusses how to design and construct the resource folders and provides suggestions for themes, source materials, and learning activities. (RM)

It is suggested that reading material for individualized instruction in second language learning should be adapted to provide students with a set of guiding questions. Specific types of questions and possible formats are presented. These suggestions were applied to a workbook accompanying a short novel. (Author/RM)

The psychological and linguistic foundations of the cloze procedure are outlined, and standard approaches and terms used are reviewed. Notes are given on cloze in testing, in relation to language structure, and as a teaching device, focusing on the manipulation of the technique for a variety of purposes and situations. (MSE)

Discusses problems professional teachers had in producing videotape materials for an organic chemistry course. Indicates that the tape program is a valuable addition to the organic lab course--its projected long lifetime compensating for the considerable task of its preparation. (Author/JN)

The two experiments described investigated the effects of pictures on the recall of prose passages from newspapers by children. Both single pictures expressing the main idea and groups of pictures illustrating each sentence helped fourth graders recall content. (Author/BK)

The author shows how comprehensive musicianship can be taught within school band performance through preparation of a lesson plan and study guide for each selected musical composition. The lesson, or Unit Study Composition, includes historical and analytical notes, a glossary, concepts, objectives, and assignments. The lesson development process…

Intended for teachers of handicapped children, the article provides information on a standardized recording format useful in sharing successfully developed instructional materials and procedures with other teachers. (SBH)

Discusses the application of learning and instructional strategies in open and distance learning settings. Highlights include teaching and learning theories; materials development; distance learners; learning and instructional strategies; and a conceptual framework for applying learning and instructional strategies in open and distance learning…

Reviews current views about the status of grammar learning through task work and suggests that grammar learning can be addressed at different stages during task performance: prior to the task, during the task, and after the task. Examples are given of how this can be achieved in materials' design and in the classroom.(Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse on…

In this paper we develop materials to address student interest in the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004. We discuss the physical characteristics of tsunamis and some of the specific data regarding the 2004 event. Finally, we create an easy-to-make tsunami tank to run simulations in the classroom. The simulations exhibit three dramatic…

With the increasing diversity of pupils in general education classes, teachers are seeking simple methods to teach all of their pupils while maintaining the integrity of the curriculum. COLA is a mnemonic device to help teachers apply the principles of layout and design when creating instructional materials. Use of the COLA strategy can enhance…