A study analyzed the functions of 25 publicly accessible college-course Web sites, then surveyed some of the sites' authors. All sites performed course-management functions valued by instructors; a small subset also demonstrated easily implemented, successful, and pedagogically interesting uses of the World Wide Web. Pages conveyed implicit and…

Contrasts two models of instruction: building on ideas in shared endeavors; and transmit-and-test formats. Discusses how these contrasting formats may relate to interactional patterns observed in toddlers and caregivers in a Mayan and a middle-class European-American community; and elementary school children in Japan and the United States. (SR)

Reviews assumptions encountered in connection with the teaching of writing in English as a Second or Foreign Language at university level. The article argues that the central issue is a problem of cross-cultural communication rather than a strictly pedagogical one and that teachers' expectations, not students' behavior, must change. (26…

Argues that the method of "collaborative modelling" developed to teach reading skills may be utilized in generating and assessing pupil talk within the classroom. Pupil pairs were given different texts from science, English, and geography and asked to re-present them in another form. Results indicate the value of the talk emerging from…

Presents an eighth-grade classroom where students collaborated with the teacher to decide how to designate time spent on reading, creative writing, and journal writing. Discusses needs assessment, student suggestions, choosing the solution, and implementation. A sidebar outlines student-determined writers' workshop, readers' workshop, and…

The teacher of a college seminar on education in contemporary American society, addressing sensitive personal and political concepts, used one-minute essays to "take the pulse" of the class daily. Daily summaries of essay content provided students with evidence of the teacher's commitment to monitoring the process, added a level of…

Steps taken by instructional designers in constructing a case study for use in faculty development are outlined, from the original case study idea to selection of an appropriate classroom incident, writing the case, and planning the teaching process (identifying relevant issues, preparing discussion questions, and organizing discussion). The text…

Explores helping students of color, particularly African Americans, who for various reasons are underserved by urban schools. Twelve European American cultural practices are described that could create discontinuity for African American students or for any student who is culturally different. (GR)

Describes a National Science Foundation (NSF) project that addresses changing the science curriculum and how science is taught in college classrooms to increase participation of all students in science, especially women. Preliminary results based on qualitative and limited quantitative data suggest that the project is meeting its objectives.…

Describes the ways one middle school teacher works with students to develop the unique culture of the class. Considers the use of collaborative projects, and notes how the classroom functions as a setting for the developing social group in which experience is continuous and intertextual and communication is referential. (JPB)

Explores socio-institutional dimensions of German-American telecollaboration and ways they may shape foreign language learning and use. Intertwines socially and institutionally contingent features of language valuation, computer know-how, Internet access, and learning accreditation, and the micro features of situated classroom interaction.…

Course management systems (CMSs) enable teachers to easily post assignments, lesson plans, announcements, and course documents. They also allow students to participate in online discussions and chats and turn in assignments online. Unfortunately, commercial systems are often expensive to purchase and maintain, removing them from the reach of many…

This article discusses how teachers and parents can help build children's communication skills. Children's language develops in predictable stages. Here, the author outlines these stages. She also gives suggestions to parents on how to help build their communication skills at home. Language learning takes place throughout the classroom. The author…

A number of descriptive studies of language classrooms have identified recasts as a frequent form of feedback used by teachers following learners' nontarget-like oral production. Some classroom-based researchers (e.g., Lyster, 1998) have suggested that recasts are less effective than other forms of feedback because of the ambiguity of their…

Problems in comprehending the language of instruction may contribute to language minority children's difficulties with different educational tasks. In this project the relationship between difficulties in language comprehension and task solutions was explored by studying in depth the concrete interactions and communications in mathematical lessons…