Presents to science teacher educators information from the second language acquisition literature that is useful in understanding the linguistic needs of second language learners in today's classrooms. Examples of how this material can be incorporated into science methods courses is included. (LZ)

The elementary teacher education programs at Ball State University, University of Toledo, University of Georgia, Eastern Michigan University, Utah State University, Austin Peay State University, and University of Southern Mississippi are described. Each includes special science courses for teachers, appropriate methods courses, and opportunities…

Presents a first-hand account of an experience in team teaching a methods course in physical education teacher education, focusing on the conceptualization and implementation of reflective teaching in physical education. The paper offers data from preservice teachers' journals and observations and recollections of in-class discussions. (SM)

Responds to commentaries about the author's article "Teaching about Validity." Links these commentaries and the original article to suggestions for curriculum design in teaching about qualitative research methods. Discusses the idea of "meaning making" as a possible way to integrate the approaches described in the commentaries and original…

In this paper, the author describes a partnership between the preservice elementary education students and preservice art education majors at a local university in Georgia. The goal of this partnership was to implement an interdisciplinary curriculum in the general classrooms of nearby Boulevard Elementary School. The educational objectives of the…

This article centers on the role that civic knowledge plays in the education of students who choose to major in social studies education at Purdue University. However, the authors also use this as an opportunity to join a debate regarding the content organization of history and social science that predates the origins of the social studies in…

This research describes three beginning teachers and the development of their literacy instruction. Research questions addressed included a) what characterized their instruction throughout their beginning years of teaching and b) were they using the content from their literacy methods coursework? Additionally, as their former teacher for literacy…

We present a design for a junior level numerical methods course that focuses on a series of five open-ended projects in applied mathematics. These projects were deliberately designed to present many of the ambiguities and complexities that appear any time we use mathematics in the real world, and so they offered the students a variety of possible…

Methods courses, the mainstays of preservice teacher education in social studies, are curiously understudied in general terms although there are numerous focused studies on such topics as methods textbooks, problem-based learning, and critical thinking, including an issue focused on reflections on the methods course in the "International Social…

The author describes the evolution of a traditional on-campus secondary science methods course into a dynamic field- and campus-based professional development school collaboration. Whereas science teaching methods were taught in an isolated and independent course, they are now integrated within an interdependent experiential semester that…

This article describes a mathematics and literature interdisciplinary project for preservice elementary teachers that was implemented in several urban middle school classrooms. This project, based on the novel Chasing Vermeer by Balliett (2004), involved a dramatization of one of the chapters from the book and a follow-up mathematical exploration.

Teacher educators can use active engagement strategies to help teacher candidates interact meaningfully with assigned readings for literacy methods courses. This approach to active engagement with required readings helps teacher candidates learn the content, concepts, and processes from text, and enables them to experience as learners the…

A study investigated the effects of actively involving students in a social studies methods class on instructor evaluations given by students. Subjects were 30 undergraduates who were all elementary education majors except for one special education major. Subjects (27 female and 3 male) ranged in age from 21 to 53 years old. The experimental…

In response to criticism of methods courses, this paper takes the position that the development of a body of knowledge concerning professional practices is central to the education of professional teachers. Focusing on the complexity of the teaching situation, a discussion is presented on the importance of mastering methods and models of teaching.…

This paper presents a means to analyze the interactions that take place during a supervisory conference between a student teacher and the college supervisor. The theoretical perspective is described and transcripts of conferences for the Michigan State University Multiple Perspectives Teacher Education program are used as examples. Following…