Problem posing is a tool for developing and strengthening critical thinking skills. Freire expanded on the idea of active, participatory education through problem-posing dialogue, a method that transforms the students into critical coinvestigators in dialogue with the teacher. Problem posing begins by listening for students' issues. Teachers…

Noting that whole language proponents suggest integration of two or more subject areas around a common theme using literature, this paper presents annotations of 31 items from the ERIC database on thematic units of study. Annotations in the paper are organized into six sections--overview, elementary examples, research, secondary examples, special…

Data on the status of education for immigrant amnesty applicants in California under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) are summarized. The amnesty applicants fall into two categories: immigrants who can prove continuous U.S. residency before 1982, and "special agricultural workers" who qualify if they worked in…

A workshop for adult literacy tutors and learners was developed on the basis of the findings of a telephone survey of 45 tutors and presented to a total of 51 tutors and 48 students. The workshop, which was based on an experiential whole-language approach, was structured in a series of three 2-hour sessions. During the first session, tutors and…

The purpose of this study was to determine which equating models are appropriate for the Alabama High School Graduation Examination (AHSGE) by equating two previously administered fall forms for each subject area of the AHSGE and determining whether differences exist in the test score distributions or passing scores resulting from the equating…

This paper contains the text of a keynote speech given at a Study Day attended by older persons and government and industry officials in England, along with summaries of discussion and workshop reports. The keynote speech, "Citizenship, Adult Learning, and Old Age" (Jenny Scribbins), emphasizes the need to recognize the educational…

The Advanced French Business course developed at St. John's University in New York is described. It emphasizes meeting students' needs for knowledge of the specialized vocabulary, expressions, and cultural information in a French-speaking business environment. It is designed for students who are at an intermediate-advanced level in French…

Forty-one research studies completed between 1929 and 1983 investigated the effects of typewriting on the development of children's language arts skills. Information about each of the studies was entered in a Lotus 1-2-3 database containing 43 fields. Effect sizes were calculated for 21 studies. The collected evidence suggests a small positive…

This report describes various strategies which were implemented to increase reading vocabulary and comprehension on consistently below average test scores of first grade students. A targeted group of 25 students were selected for this process. The objectives included increasing comprehension and reading vocabulary, developing a more positive…

This paper presents a secondary-level teaching technique that can be used in an integrated English and health education curriculum. The exercise provides students and teachers with a case study of a suicidal person for the purpose of teaching the warning signs of suicide, appropriate questioning, and referral skills. The case study uses Hamlet's…

If English teachers are going to clean up language and strive toward literacy, they need to stop using phrases that are meaningless, such as "prior knowledge,""dyslexia,""learning disabilities," and "at-risk." The persistent misuse of language moves the United States closer to becoming a remedial nation.…

A case study examined the decision-making process that impelled a teacher to change her literacy instructional practices and the change process she went through when adopting new practices. The teacher (who has taught first grade for 5 years at an elementary school in a large Caribbean island school district) volunteered to try whole language…

This book, intended for teachers of grades 1-3, offers a step-by-step model for teaching writing. Each of the book's 15 mini-lessons includes a model lesson, lists of picture books suited to the writing skill being taught, samples of children's writing, and ideas for extending the lesson. The book's lessons cover exploring ideas for writing,…

This interdisciplinary unit is designed as an introduction to West African culture for both teachers and students who have little background about Africa. The unit provides basic concepts and a conceptual framework for learning more about West Africa. The unit is divided into four sections with 18 lessons. Several lessons are in each section.…

This document is a collection of writings by refugee and minority children from the George Orwell School in London (England) and the Montessori College in Oost, Amsterdam (the Netherlands). About one-third of the students at the George Orwell School, were refugees. These students were aged 11 to 16 years old. About 30 to 40% of the students at the…