Analysis of the use of a cloze-procedure test to measure the English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) proficiency of Japanese college students revealed that the cloze test correlated significantly with an essay test and improved prediction of ESL proficiency, suggesting that carefully constructed cloze tests could be useful in integrative language…

Discussion of the evolving role of the school library media specialist focuses on a model of the teaching role in the development of a critical thinking curriculum. Topics addressed include literacy redefined; restructuring media programs; collection development and information access; staffing changes; and intervention and evaluation strategies.…

Reviews research on school library media programs from the ERIC database that addressed the status of school library media programs, the information seeking process, the use of technology, censorship, school library media collections, collection development, funding, use studies, the role of the library media specialist, and professional training.…

Contends that the conflict between the traditional, textbook-dominated establishment and the supporters of the whole-language movement is nothing less than a revolution. Describes tenets of the whole-language approach as they apply to the overarching goals of the social studies curriculum. (CFR)

Reviews the potential use of computer technology for the education, training, and occupational placement of people with severe motor neurone disorders (e.g., cerebral palsy) based on experiences in a program in Spain. Highlights include computer literacy, computer-assisted teaching, quality of output, software development, synthesized speech, and…

Describes a teaching activity consisting of a problem-solving story about a company in a small town that is burying hazardous material which may create future problems for the community. The activity challenges students to address ethical issues relative to responsibility and accountability for protection of the water supply. (PR)

Describes a program in second-grade Dutch mathematics classes that emphasizes mental addition and subtraction of two-digit numbers up to 100. Deals with a strategy of counting by 10s from any number. (Contains 56 references.) (RLB)

Quality indicators of secondary schools were defined through ratings made by 754 school district superintendents in Texas. The top five indicators identified were attendance statistics; student attitude information; dropout rates; college placement; and computer literacy. Standardized testing criteria did not rate highly. (SLD)

Describes programs and activities of the Close Up Foundation for special needs students. Explains how the experiential citizenship education activities are adapted for hearing impaired, visually impaired, recent immigrant, Native American, Alaskan Native, Puerto Rican, and Pacific Island nation students. Includes two classrom activities used in…

Argues that it is essential to encourage young children to have a protective relationship toward nature and aesthetic values. Describes classroom activities such as the caring of house plants or nature walks. Discusses how sensory experiences can be used to develop ecological attitudes and values. (CFR)

Describes the "Adopt-a-School Project" that is part of the preservice art education program at the University of Kentucky. Contends that the confidence gained during this experience encourages the students to continue in art education and in their own personal art production pursuits. (CFR)

Argues that effective history instruction requires students to think about content rather than merely reproduce it. Contends that this can be achieved best through peer interaction based on student research papers that require students to state opinions or positions. Provides an assignment example and a evaluation handout. (CFR)

Identifies potential conflicts in cultures of instruction between language teachers and learners because of different expectations in how languages ought to be taught. The article discusses data from a study of Chinese language instruction at the University of Oregon, noting what teachers and students considered most and least important features.…

Discusses the linguistic and psychological barriers that exist for English-speaking students of Arabic. The article explains theoretical and practical issues in teaching Arabic as a foreign language and describes the implementation of four principles in the Foreign Service Institute approach. Suggests that this approach is transferrable to…

Describes an instructional activity in which fifth graders identified geographic and economic factors that caused a town to become a ghost town. Discusses instructional procedures and materials used in the activity. Includes extension activities, maps, and suggestions for adapting the activity to other geographic regions. (CFR)