To create an introductory literature course which helps students develop positive feelings about reading and confidence in their abilities to create viable meanings out of a text, an alternative to the standard lecture format or "Socratic" class discussion is needed. Formed from a variety of research, theory, and classroom experience,…

To explore how fifth grade students used their oral language in small group discussions to remake information, a study set up a series of small group tasks in the curriculum areas of social studies, current events, science, poetry, and mathematics for one class of 28 Canadian students. Students were randomly divided into seven groups of four…

A study investigated the effect or lack of effect of peer collaboration on the writing of female freshman composition students. Four freshman composition classes conducted by two experienced instructors participated in a 3-week study. One instructor taught two classes by teacher-lecture and teacher-led discussions exclusively. Another instructor…

This paper describes the implementation of a sex education course at the seventh grade level in a rural, conservative school district in Rutherford County, North Carolina. A discussion is presented on the four areas of the program implementation that were considered sensitive. The first area is involved with the ways in which informed parental…

Appropriate for elementary school students, this resource unit on the American cowboy provides four activities for small group work. The unit also lists objectives and discusses the organization and dynamics of small groups. The general objective is for the student to learn how to work within groups and how to resolve group conflict. The…

The 16 papers in this collection discuss options and areas for future research on teams, including performance requirements, structure, communications, training techniques, and organizational determination of team performance, from the perspectives of varied disciplines; e.g., psychology, computer science, management science, and decision theory.…

This paper provides an orientation to learning centers for middle school teachers. A description is given of the characteristics of a learning center and the kinds of student activities that can best be conducted in an area set apart for individual or small group projects. Benefits from using learning centers, are cited, such as added variety to…

The results of an earlier experimental study of the effectiveness of a set of principles for small group instruction in first grade reading groups called for a revision of the list of principles. Revised principles were written for (1) group organization (seating, transitions, starting the lesson); (2) the introduction of lessons and activities…

Cooperative learning is a generic classroom technique that requires students to work and talk together about academic material while learning effective interpersonal skills. This packet, prepared in conjunction with the Minnesota School Effectiveness Program, describes the benefits of cooperative learning and defines its critical attributes,…

The Reading Assistance Program at San Jose State University was introduced through the aid of credential candidates from the reading specialist, educational counseling, and bilingual-multicultural specialist programs. Low-achieving university freshmen were taught in small groups using the jigsaw technique in which each student is given a piece of…

This staff development module is part of one of three groups of career guidance modules developed, field-tested, and revised by a six-state consortium coordinated by the American Institutes for Research. This module is designed for guidance personnel who work in counseling and guidance at the secondary school level. The goal of this module is to…

All learning takes place through the unification of body and mind. Within the realm of motor skill learning, the term mental practice has been used to explain this phenomenon. It has been found that individuals can use their imaginations to learn and to improve upon their performance. Mental practice can be used by teachers who have too little…

The use of small instructional groups can make several contributions to college writing courses. First, small group instruction is participatory, it provides helpful feedback, and it fosters higher levels of cognition. There is near universal acceptance of the theory that students of all ages learn best when participating actively in their own…

The "Being a Special Person" segment of the Choices and Careers: Free to Choose program is based upon five areas of study; this document features summaries of the information in those five units along with the basic aims of each unit. "The Outside You" unit focuses on being natural and the importance of good health habits.…