Presents classroom data from over a 10-year period on group work in practice. Findings indicate that collaborative learning tasks need careful planning of both the task and classroom organization. Transcripts of children's talk are analyzed to determine how the composition of the groups, the task set and the classroom organizational strategies can…

To examine classroom discussion, observations were made in 20 college classes and surveys were administered to 20 faculty and 579 students. Results indicate that little time was devoted to interaction and few students participated. However, teaching techniques (praise, probing for elaboration, accepting answers, repeating students' answers, using…

This article provides a theoretical framework for teacher sensitivity and responsiveness, describes the evidence that supports this focus, and delineates the research, interventions, and challenges that bear upon the enhancement of teacher-child sensitivity and responsibility in early childhood special education. A pilot program for facilitating…

A study involving three students (ages 7-12) with deaf-blindness found their special education teachers were highly responsive, although physical preoccupation with other students occasionally prevented them from being able to provide responses in accessible forms. They struggled with expressing themselves in forms that were accessible to the…

Compares Native American and Caucasian students' perceptions of teacher good will and delivery communication competence as well as attitude toward school. Finds that Native American students perceived teachers to have less good will and delivery competence and had more negative attitudes toward school compared to Caucasian students. (SR)

This commentary on four studies on instructional discourse highlights the possible reasons for variations in instructional engagement within and across the studies, discusses the challenges to engaging student with learning disabilities in discipline-based instruction, and stresses the value for the learning disabilities field of greater attention…

Measures preferences students express for communicator styles of their instructors. Finds the most preferred styles were friendly and attentive, followed by relaxed, impression leaving, animated, dramatic, open, precise, dominant, and contentious. Finds that other variables such as IQ, demographics, and students' learning style preference were…

Discusses pedagogy and classroom dynamics, in particular the interaction between teachers and female adult students. Considers the question of authority. Considers the argument that older students have the "authority of experience," which provides them with power over the teacher. Discusses the possibility that professors give more latitude to…

Describes class discussions in an undergraduate English fiction class. Draws a parallel between students' reactions to reading material and the instructor's own responses to fiction as an undergraduate. Suggests that a literature teacher can depart from the usual role of telling students how they must read a given story. (SG)

Colleges are grappling with decisions on whether ethnic studies courses should be required. Asian American students are responsive in Asian American studies courses when the class composition is largely Asian. With more White students in class, the Asian experience must be translated in a different way and Asian students become more reticent. (VM)

Assessed relationship between cohesion and dimensions of self-disclosure in classroom setting versus therapy groups and intimate relationships. Determined that unintentional and positive disclosures rather than self-disclosure were associated with high classroom cohesion. (Author/CM)

The use of technology in the language classroom is chronicled from early phonograph use through the emergence of the language laboratory, and computer technology. The role of appropriate materials and the importance of interaction and communication, even with technological aids, are stressed. (21 references) (Author/MSE)

Examined whether and how the quality of students' explanations of chemical phenomena was affected by changing the method of giving the question and answer between the spoken and written formats. Concluded that there was no difference between the performance of students using any of these combinations of formats. (Author/YP)

Presents a sequence of hands-on activities to help students understand the concept of arithmetic mean and gain experience in using mathematical models. Students create models in the process of solving problems and communicate to the class the meaning attached to the models. (MDH)

Proposes the technique of group discussions in the learning of mathematics. Examines the teacher's role in creating an environment that encourages student participation; presents four techniques to initiate discussions in elementary school classes; and offers five attributes teachers need to develop in students for effective discussions. (MDH)