Examined the skill and gender of individual group discussants and the sex composition of the group as factors potentially influencing perceptions of emergent leadership. Confirmed that task competence, more than gender, was crucially related to an individual's emergence as the group's leader. (PD)

A classroom floor plan, conforming to theoretically equable features (line of sight bearings, expanding/concentrically diminishing wave forms, vectors proportionate, "time") is presented to show that an equable state exists but is entirely theoretical and as a reminder that different options can exist without diminishing the basic human…

Describes a systematic approach to reading instruction with gifted students that increases their reading ability and broadens their interests. (AEA)

Results confirm the hypotheses that performance/self-esteem has a substantial impact on an individual's chances of being perceived as a group's emergent leader, his or her ratings by other group members and trained observers on key leadership variables, and his or her self-assessment as a group participant. (PD)

This article outlines a group career-counseling project designed to assist minority students in developing effective job interview skills. (Author)

An experimental "oral survival" French course is described. Role playing, discussions of reading assignments, a taped mystery thriller and educational games were used to force students to speak French and to lose their inhibitions against speaking. Testing showed students' French speaking ability to be much improved. (CHK)

This paper introduces the Connecticut Community Conversations project and discusses the origins of the partnership between Public Agenda and the Graustien Memorial Fund in Connecticut. It describes Public Agenda's model of community dialogue and engagement and how it was specifically applied in the project. It then looks closely at the experience…

This full-color, kid-pleasing collection of language-arts activities is ideal for K-2 children of all ability levels--and for English language learners too. The practical and easy-to-implement lessons also are convenient for substitute teachers, classroom assistants, and volunteers. Flexible and versatile, these unique cards can be used for guided…

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of forum discussion embedded within metacognitive guidance on mathematical literacy. In particular the study compares two learning environments: (a) Forum discussion with metacognitive guidance (FORUM+META); and (b) Forum discussion without metacognitive guidance (FORUM). Participants…

This booklet presents lesson plans and activities that were used in a study exploring the reader response patterns produced by Year 12 students from three different schools to the teaching of classical literature in translation. The emphasis is placed on their reading and reacting to the Homeric "Odyssey." Lesson plans and activities…

As the United States enters the 21st century, the rich diversity of its people may be its greatest promise and its greatest challenge. The country still struggles with a legacy of racial discrimination and ethnic disparity, even if their forms are subtler today. This book is designed to promote public deliberation that can help individuals find…

The "Vicarious Learner" project at Glasgow Caledonian University and the University of Edinburgh is looking broadly at issues concerning the role of dialogue in learning. This paper looks at the more general question of how the value of dialogue in learning depends on the structure of the environment in which it takes place. In…

This book offers a tested method for utilizing groups in the English classroom. It uses theory and ethnography to document why groups succeed and how to remedy them when they are failing. Five chapters focus on: (1) "Group Work Matters" (e.g., how to make groups worth it, the need for groups, and the process of finding communication);…

The purpose of this study is to investigate learning effects of online peer-support for generating critical questions and counter arguments in small group online discussion. The online peer-support includes descriptions of what to do and generic and domain specific examples of questions. About 45 students were recruited from an online introductory…

The main purpose of this Naturalistic inquiry study is to explore four ethically diverse Web-based Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) students' perceptions of and experiences in knowledge construction and group collaboration. Findings suggest that individual and group successes are interconnected and rely on successful negotiation…