The four narratives presented in this paper represent the classroom triumphs and tribulations of four beginning minority teachers. The vignettes are part of a larger case study investigating the specific socialization experiences of these new teachers, graduates of the Peabody College (Tennessee) Internship/Induction Program, an alternative…

A review of research bearing on second language teaching methodology looks at what it tells about language processing and production, classroom interaction and second language learning, and learning strategy preferences. The perspective taken is that methodology consists of classroom tasks and activities. Implications of the research for the…

A discussion of the education of bilingual children, in both mainstream instructional programs and bilingual or transitional programs, focuses on the manner in which the powerful teacher-student relationship affects student learning processes and the student's language capacity allows him to express his learning. In the first two chapters, the…

Focusing particularly on student writing, this book describes the principles of an interactive classroom and presents specific activities which adhere to those principles. Acknowledging that such classrooms require that the students feel comfortable with each other, the book details several activities that help to build a positive classroom…

A popular concept in education indicates that effective instruction requires the teacher to know the child. A study was conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in order to determine where this knowledge comes from. A group of 15 teachers enrolled in the graduate school listed their students and indicated which students they knew…

Originally developed as part of a project for the Department of Defense Schools (DoDDS) system, this learning package on peer response in learning to write is designed for teachers who wish to upgrade or expand their teaching skills on their own. The package includes an overview of the project; a comprehensive search of the ERIC database; a…

The product of a study documenting the classroom writing behavior of three kindergarten and three second grade students, this research report focuses on the kindergarten data. Following an introductory chapter describing the theoretical assumptions underlying the project, the research questions posed, and the provisions made to insure reliable and…

Problems in the second language classroom that hinder students from speaking the language freely and creatively arise from three sources: the teacher, the student, and the material. Problems involving the teacher include the common lack of an overall and inclusive definition of the course goal, the role and dysfunction of teacher "authority" in…

One of a series of six portraits of high school literature classrooms, this paper gives a detailed, evocative characterization of how one "master teacher" introduced, undertook, and guided the study of literature, focusing in particular on how the teacher interacted with students in the context of discussion of a literary work in class.…

The perceptions of tutors and instructors in the Biloxi Family English Literacy Program concerning their professional roles are summarized, and suggestions are made for improving classroom communication. Teacher responses to a survey indicate specific desirable teacher characteristics and qualifications, including interpersonal communication and…

This study examined the relationship between teacher and student understandings. Subjects consisted of 26 third-grade students, of whom six were chosen for case studies, in a school in a large metropolitan area. All students were Latino, bilingual, and from working class homes. Modified cloze lessons were taught, and three types of data were…

Sixty-eight kindergarten teachers (from a town in Austria) who had previously labeled selected students in their classes as either aggressive or socially competent completed a questionnaire and were observed in their classroom interactions. The questionnaire yielded biographical and sociographical data of the teachers, assessed teacher attitudes,…

Teaching conversation will always pose a great challenge to the foreign language instructor. Even by the third year of language study, the typical time for this skill's development, students have neither the fluency nor the confidence necessary to speak easily. Also, since many are ill at ease in conversing in their native language, getting these…

Despite the surrounding controversy, second language instruction for America's language minority children is an important educational issue for continued methodological innovation and examination. The most effective and productive classroom interaction processes and dynamics in bilingual and second language instruction are still not appropriately…

Ways to prepare and present lectures that hold college students' attention and involve them in the teaching-learning process are discussed. Attention is focused on linguistic, rhetorical, and psychological aspects of classroom communication; common communication problems in the classroom; and how to overcome and avoid communication problems.…