Describes Note Cue, a strategy to help students participate in class discussions. Notes that this strategy is well suited to English-as-a-second-language (ESL) students, at-risk students, and culturally different students who may not be familiar with the subtle aspects of English. (RS)

Describes observations of a high school classroom and subsequent interviews with poor readers in the class to uncover their coping strategies. Argues that teachers who focus on effective instruction from only their own perspectives fail to appreciate the needs of unsuccessful readers. Concludes with recommendations for improving teacher…

An imaginary interview with a female law student reveals frustrations about her experience with the content and context of legal education for and about women. (MSE)

Shares experiences of students and teachers to express the importance of searching for occasions and strategies to give students voice, shaping meaning through talk and writing. (MG)

Proposes that looking at classroom experiences out of the corner of one's eye (both literally and figuratively) allows one to know some of the peripheral action, feelings, and results of "moments of passion." Notes that this perspective may be a more characteristic description of such moments than images produced by a straightforward…

Development of effective cognitive-behavioral training approaches for students with learning handicaps in academic domains, such as spelling, requires greater concern for teachers' knowledge of the academic domain, as well as their pedagogical expertise in finely and precisely adjusting their instructional use of language to communicate that…

Describes Discussion Development Group (DDG) resource center and its experiential learning program designed to assist teachers in leading discussion. Describes imagery as important methodological program feature and its use as indicator of communication at its deepest level. (Author/CM)

This examination of the frequency of occurrence of multiple meaning expressions in the oral speech of teachers found that such expressions as indirect requests, idioms, similes, metaphors, and irony were used in about 36 percent of all utterances by two different teachers at each grade level from K-eight. Implications for language-impaired…

Examines features of the negotiation of meaning between learners and teachers of English-as-a-Second-Language, and distinguishes between the declarative knowledge that words have particular meanings and the procedures typically employed for realizing this declarative knowledge. Negotiation exercises based on a checklist of the dimensions of…

The study found that teachers of seventh grade mathematics classes interacted less frequently and for less time with the best students. At the grade 10 level teachers also spent less time interacting with high achievers but called on them more frequently in some situations. Sex differences were not observed. (Author/DB)

Studied the effect of child-adult ratio on communication patterns in six Swedish day-care centers. Detailed records of verbal interactions were studied in group for which ratio was dramatically changed. Found that high child/adult ratio leads to increased adult-initiated monologs and decreased child-initiated communication. (AJH)

Examined the differences between primary (grades 1 and 2) and intermediate grade (grades 4 and 5) teachers in the areas of teacher behaviors, teacher communications, grouping, control, and materials. Classroom observations and student questionnaires indicated that primary teachers used significantly more sanctions, procedural communications, and…

Focuses on how teachers can help young children become better listeners. Shows how building listening skills is dependent upon a positive classroom communication environment. Gives specific goals and activities for the classroom, and for parent involvement and practice at home. Teacher listening behavior, as well as child listening behavior, is…

Analysis of 7 classrooms for children (ages 3-17) with developmental disabilities and a day-care center with nondisabled preschoolers revealed that less than 14% of the 6,000 observation intervals contained an opportunity for communication. Most opportunities involved naming an object or event, followed in frequency by opportunities to request,…

The English-Zulu codeswitching behavior was studied of three senior teachers and the principal of a KwaZulu boarding school in their interactions with pupils. Switches into Zulu were shown to have important different kinds of academic and social functions in the classroom. Implications for teacher education in South Africa are discussed. (Contains…