Describes "Language and Literature," a rigorous general education course offered at Saint Mary College (Kansas) for all nontraditional students entering a degree curriculum. Explains how the course matches the college's goals. Examines writing assignments and teaching methods. Reports on students' evaluations of the course. (DMM)

Reports on dialogue journals as effective writing tasks which bridge the gap between spoken conversation and the traditional tasks of essay and report writing. Suggests that the use of dialogue journals improve classroom management and discipline, while creating an individual tutorial relationship of both an academic and personal nature. (MM)

Addressing many students' ignorance of library usage, describes an assignment requiring a critical bibliography to be submitted followed by a critical essay. Emphasizes the need, even in introductory large lecture classes, for a working partnership between instructional staff and professional librarians and for students to become familiar with…

Physical education teachers can help obese children develop effective movement patterns while encouraging an active lifestyle. Teachers should be familiar with: (1) the impact of obesity on children's physical and mental health; (2) the importance of exercise for weight control; and (3) implications for the physical education program. (PP)

Sketches the historical movement from orality to literacy that Walter J. Ong theorizes, applying it to basic writing instruction for open admissions students. Suggests that teachers first concentrate on narrative and rhetoric to develop writing about particularized details, saving sentence control exercises such as sentence combining for…

Three activities used with first-year French students are described: (1) drawing pictures by following directions which demonstrates knowledge of subjects and prepositions, (2) reading a poem in French and rewriting it in French prose, and (3) learning numbers through role-plays involving money. (PMJ)

Discussed is an activity that allows preservice teachers to write about their own relationships with science teachers and their experiences with hands-on science activities in an autobiography. Directions, excerpts from past autobiographies, and the implications are included. (KR)

Five principles of Daily Life Therapy are examined: group-oriented instruction; highly structured routine activities; learning through imitation; reduction of unproductive activity levels through rigorous exercise; and a curriculum based on music, movement, and art. These tenets are discussed in terms of current theory, research, and educational…

Outlined are strategies for dealing with the problem of students' lack of ability to verbalize multi-syllable vocabulary words in the sciences. A pronunciation examination, the development of corollary writing skills, vocabulary development, student journals, writing exercises, and microthemes are discussed. (RT)

Describes a series of activities designed to encourage students to tap their experiences with other cultures as a resource for their writing. Provides a sample "response sheet" to use with a writer's workshop exercise. (MM)

Presents numerous whole language activities used by kindergarten teachers, including experience charts, dictated stories, student-written "books," and recipe writing. (RS)

A grid system designed to help students and other writers exploit familiar forms of discourse for better thinking and composing is outlined. The technique helps link topic and discourse form innovatively, promotes understanding of the contextual character of every writing task, and can encourage students to read in order to master writing…

As illustrated in one college world literature course, videotape recording projects that require students to interpret and perform literary works can encourage them to incorporate their new learning with their own experiences. In the process, history becomes more real and literary works become more understandable and relevant. (MSE)

Compares providing staged assignments for teaching research methods to providing a spotter for safety in gymnastics. Describes guidelines for a research proposal. Discusses problem definition, literature review, hypothesis development, data collection, and analysis. Argues that students must know the rules and reasons for the ideal model of…

Lists several common physical fitness exercises that may cause more harm than good (both physically and emotionally). Physical educators must be aware of the dangers of certain exercises and activities. The article examines problems with inappropriate warmups, peer team selection, exercise as punishment, elimination games, and standing in line.…