Classroom use of role-playing in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction in Japan is described. The purpose is to improve students' verbal and nonverbal communication skills and to link and use previously built schema, in both structured and improvised situations. Units designed around a short listening passage, a short reading passage, and…

Intended to encourage children to develop their imaginations naturally, with only a small amount of help from adults, this book presents over 125 activities for creative and pretend play for young children. The book's introduction describes the importance and benefits of pretend play, the adult's role, and needed materials and space. The…

In this unit, students prepare a report on China, specifically on the relevance of key events in China's recent history (The Communist Revolution, The Great Leap Forward, The Cultural Revolution, Tiananmen Square) to its current economic and political changes. Students assume the role of presidential advisors who are expected to know the present…

On February 19, 1942, at the height of U.S. involvement in World War II, President Roosevelt authorized military leaders within the War Department to place all Japanese Americans residing on the West Coast in detention camps. The following months saw the relocation of some 120,000 Japanese Americans, of whom 77,000 were U.S. citizens. The decision…

Teachers can help lessen their students' frustrations, make classroom time more productive, and prevent behavioral and learning problems by providing students with information and skills with which to make informed, positive, and independent choices regarding their emotional, social, physical, and mental well-being. This resource for teachers…

Ideas for classroom activities and student-developed materials for immigrant English programs are drawn from worker's discussion of feelings and perceptions of the workplace. They include sociodrama, singing, photography, and cartoons. (MSE)

Describes an integrated science unit to help preservice teachers gain confidence in their abilities to learn and teach science. The teachers role played being salmon as they learned about the salmon's life cycle and the difficulties salmon encounter. The unit introduced the use of investigative activities that begin with questions and end with…

Discusses how students can be motivated by clear expectations, feedback, rewards, praise, grading, and the categorization of goals. Highlights Maslow's hierarchy of needs and its application to motivation. Summarizes motivational techniques used at two universities and one business: role playing in teacher training for secondary physical…

Discusses a court case in which cultural and linguistic differences obstructed the presentation of Aboriginal evidence. The article argues that a cross-cultural understanding of the assumptions and practices inherent in the interview process are essential prerequisites for any lawyer representing an Aboriginal client. (20 references) (Author/CK)

A 7-week summer program for college-bound American Indian students prepares them for college and trains them to become leaders. Through role playing a fictitious Native tribe, students encounter realistic dilemmas similar to those facing tribal governments and realize that tribal leaders' decisions involve many social and political issues…

Reviews second-language teaching methods and classroom practices in Arab countries as well as the general proficiency of secondary school leavers. The article proposes a teaching method in which the learning activities play a key role. Results of the implementation of this method are discussed. (18 references) (Author/CK)

Continues an article from an earlier issue that reported on a study of memorable social studies activities experienced by college students when they were in elementary schools. Finds that activity-oriented instruction was remembered most positively. (CFR)

Outlines class activities to help students understand how the U.S. Supreme Court reaches its decisions and how the decisions change over time. Includes objectives, resources, issues and questions, procedures, and evaluations. Suggests that students will learn the facts and issues of important civil rights cases and form opinions on the decisions.…

Asserts that a common problem facing educators is finding suitable pedagogical tools that capture the realities of cities in developing countries. Presents a role-playing simulation exercise that supplements and complements the case study approach to this topic. (CFR)

A "cognitive apprenticeship" approach was evaluated with 58 high-risk grade 7 social studies students. The three teachers were trained to provide explicit instruction of higher order cognitive strategies through modeling, monitoring, and collaborative role-playing activities. Students' writing showed significant improvements and was judged similar…