Describes a study which shows that large communications classes can be taught as effectively as smaller ones if the instructor uses "environmental" teaching methods, in which extensive student participation is guided through the use of explicit learning strategies and objectives. (MM)

Evaluates the experience of participating in an Early Literacy Inservice Course (ELIC) in Australia two years after the course. Discusses early problems with scheduling and parent expectations, and shows how reading and writing instruction adapted to the problems while maintaining the process writing approach. (SKC)

Discusses the importance of interpretive programs in the Northern Territory of Australia. Describes the typical interpretive approach of local school science curricula, which serve 20,000 Aboriginal children. Addresses the curriculum framework, learning strategies, and process skill development, illustrating them through a lesson on mangroves. (TW)

The Coalition of Essential Schools promotes the following principles: (1) personalized instruction; (2) student-as-worker, teacher-as-coach; (3) focus on adolescents; (4) focus on essential skills and knowledge; (5) teachers as generalists; (6) diploma by exhibition of mastery; (7) goals for all students; (8) tone of expectation, trust, and…

This paper reviews two theoretical approaches (cognitive-developmental and functional-interactive) to the study of the writing of bilingual exceptional children and discusses their implications for effective writing instruction. Also described are two illustrative research projects, one employing the dialogue-journal technique on a microcomputer…

How-to books can help gifted students learn the methodologies used by practicing professionals in a variety of fields. This article contains information about choosing, locating, and using how-to books, including an annotated bibliography of exemplary books in science, social science, research methodology, communication modes, and inventing and…

Approximately 100 national spelling bee finalists and their parents were surveyed concerning their early literacy experiences and spelling practices. The fourth-eighth grade spellers showed an early interest in language activities; passed through developmental spelling stages earlier than average; and mastered words via visual memory strategies,…

A professor of education returns to the elementary classroom as a teacher's aide and learns that administrators can support teachers by (1) working to eliminate fragmentation in daily routines, (2) protecting teachers from overextension, (3) focusing more on individual students, (4) promoting teacher collegiality, and (5) fashioning a school…

This annotated listing provides information on 23 microcomputer programs in the areas of career/vocational information, college and financial information, and job-seeking skills. Information provided for each program includes the title, appropriate level for use (children to adult), availability, hardware required, and a brief description. (CDD)

Study of 68 school media centers in 11 states was conducted to field-test collection mapping as a technique and to amass enough data to enable individual schools to compare their collections with national pool of school collections. Collections of participating schools were also compared to nationally recognized selection lists. (CDD)

Discusses the relative lack of use of technology in American schools, compared with the explosion of technological advances in other aspects of society. Promotes a revision of the organization of schools. Stresses the need to increase student productivity, individualize the curriculum, and implement capital-intensive technologies for instruction.…

Describes a two-year (1983-1985) systems study of the human services provided adolescents aged 10-17 and their families in one rural Pennsylvania community. Describes teacher/student survey, human services utilization survey, case reviews, and development of community-based advocacy plan. Discusses study's impact on local human services network…

Describes a first-year chemistry laboratory experiment which uses a simple computer program written in BASIC, to analyze data collected by students about the density of a set of marbles. A listing of the program is provided, along with a sample printout of the experiment's results. (TW)

Discusses the need for mathematics laboratories to supplement classroom instruction in mathematics for engineering students. Provides a description of such a laboratory, including a listing of equipment and materials that are recommended. Describes the uses for personal computers and suggests various problems that could be explored in the…

Describes an experimental course in communication offered to nonnative English-speaking pharmacists at the University of Maryland and reports the results of an evaluation of the course. The course was team-taught by a pharmacist specializing in communication for pharmacists and by an English-as-a-second-language specialist. (Author/SED)