Discusses the rationale for minicourses and microteaching and the value of their use in methods courses to help prospective teachers acquire competence in basic teaching skills. (RB)

Describes tutoring experiences provided for senior methods students with college freshmen in composition and short story courses at Colorado State University, Fort Collins. (RD)

Proposes techniques to help instructors of preservice teacher education programs in social studies improve their programs. Techniques involve collecting data from the schools, determining a definition of social studies, selecting teaching competencies and instructional strategies, and assessing teachers' and student teachers' abilities to perform…

The most effective teachers of teachers should be those who have had recent public school experience and training in the most modern methods. Methods courses should be devoted solely to methods, but "real world" problems should also be part of preservice preparation. (SK)

A study was done to determine if there are advantages in teaching a science methods course in conjunction with field experience. Results showed that taking the science methods course with the field experience did not help education majors to understand science processes. (JN)

Deals with results and implications of a national study of Canadian practices in preservice environmental education. Points out needs for improved communication, continued research, more funding, better teaching materials, more attention to the field, and better leadership in teacher training institutions. (JD)

The authors describe a model graduate reading program designed for potential reading specialists. The model suggests that teaching educational philosophy, psychology, sociology, and physiology precede the teaching of reading methodology, thereby first developing a theoretical foundation. (KC)