This instructor's guide has been developed to help teacher educators and staff developers use the cases in "Teaching Diverse Students: Cases and Commentaries" in preservice and inservice seminars. It promotes the use of discussion methods as a vehicle for engaging teachers and students in analysis of real-life situations. These…

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…

This teacher's guide is intended to be used with "Genes and Surroundings," an activity unit on human and medical genetics for junior high and middle school students. The unit emphasizes variability and diversity in genetics and is organized around five themes: (1) individuality; (2) continuity; (3) variability in relation to others; (4)…

The way in which science teachers use innovation and the implications for curriculum policy making are addressed in five articles. In "Classroom Knowledge and Curriculum Change: An Introduction," John Olson proposes a humanistic framework for curricular change. Rob Walker's "The School, the Community, and the Outsider: Case Study of…

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.…

This study of school climate elicited from 12 American Indian ninth graders a sense of how they perceive their school. The inquiry does not examine the practices of teachers and administrators, but is concerned instead with statements made by the students themselves. A process of group questioning and continuous observation during group…

Among those who share the responsibility for developing the reading habit in children are the child's family, schools, libraries, publishers, booksellers, and the mass media. There are many ways to read, just as there are many kinds of reading materials, including poetry and narrative stories. Some children read only to follow the plot, others add…

The teaching of critical thinking is discussed, based on the view that methods of teaching critical thinking vary from discipline to discipline. After covering basic concepts related to teaching critical thinking, a framework to examine the process of critical thinking is presented, based on cognitive science and developmental theory, especially…

Two methods to improve the teaching performance of clinical teaching physicians were studied: an intensive feedback method and a seminar. Both methods were designed to help clinical teachers analyze their teaching and implement more effective teaching methods. Pre- and post-intervention data were collected early and late in each attending…

A review of the literature on the transfer of preservice teacher training to the classroom suggests that several definitive factors enhance transfer. A social studies methods course was developed with these factors in mind, and included directed reading activities (DRA) with a text, controversial topic discussion, and inquiry. During the academic…

As oral communication becomes a more substantial feature of courses in disciplines other than speech communication, faculty members in other disciplines need to develop the ability to assess oral communication competence in their classrooms. Faculty development workshops can teach colleagues these skills, using consultations with faculty members…

Humor is an excellent teaching tool because, in addition to preventing classroom boredom and monotony, it introduces lateral aspects of language such as irony, sarcasm, mockery, elision, ellipsis, and euphemism. Humor in language can be approached interactively or structurally through a variety of activities. It can be used to expand vocabulary,…

Ten newsletter issues on the Graduate Teacher Program (GTP) at the University of Colorado are presented. The initial issue provides an overview of the GTP and the University Learning Center, and covers scholarships offered to graduate students, the Graduate Student Advisory Council, and student support services on the Boulder campus. Additional…

This workshop guide is intended to help personnel specialists and educators conduct workshop activities to promote positive attitudes toward women with disabilities. Activities are suitable for use in workshops not only with people in personnel management and education, but also with college students, parents, public school students, and others…

This book grew out of an actual experience developing and implementing a problem-solving process, using the Paulo Freire approach, for teaching English as a second language (ESL) adult students. This process implies a serious and long-term commitment to developing critical thinking skills. The first part of the book discusses who the students are,…