A report from the Educational Resources Information Center at the National Council of Teachers of English; includes ERIC abstracts of documents pertinent to this topic. (RD)

The school psychologist should conduct half hour discussions with entire classes with the teacher present. The discussions should be partially or wholly unstructured so that students can speak freely on whatever they feel strongly about. Students and teacher gain an appreciation of others' ideas and feelings. Excerpts from a tapescript of a…

Contrasted high-functioning and low-functioning persons in small groups using two studies based on Carkhuff's and Maslow's models of effective functioning. Results revealed high-functioning persons perceived interpersonal effectiveness as a Gestalt; low-functioning persons perceived interpersonal dimension operating independently. (JAC)

Describes Freshmen Awareness Groups, discussion groups designed to unite students, teachers and counselors in sharing ideas and feelings and becoming more aware of themselves and each other. Activities and goals for the five weekly sessions are outlined. (JAC)

Shows how to use a student-created character, Stanley Realbozo, in a highly motivating unit on character and plot development in the short story. (MM)

Frequently, tutorial or seminar members take no part in discussion, a feature considered essential to this teaching method. Tutors may be largely responsible by dominating discussion. Student participation can be increased by varying teaching methods; reducing discussion group size, brainstorming, idea development techniques, and student…

Describes a developmental counseling program designed to help deaf children. Discusses the following strategies: (1) counselor-teacher relationships; (2) student communication strategies; (3) learning group discussions; (4) group counseling; and (5) individual counseling. (RC)

Presents two assignments that show (1) how George Orwell's "Politics and the English Language" can be applied to business writing and (2) how structured student-teacher conferences can generate enthusiasm for oral expression in a business communication course. (AEA)

In describing the just community approach to moral education developed at Cluster alternative high school, the author focuses on the setting of collective norms and relationships between these norms and Kohlberg's moral development stages. He finds this approach to moral education to be more comprehensive than the moral discussion approach. (SJL)