A University of Texas undergraduate course on twentieth century poetry uses conferencing on computers within the classroom for discussion. The technique encourages participation, promotes spontaneity, allows revision, neutralizes gender bias, and improves student writing. A variety of computer programs are available, and the method can be adapted…

Experiences with the evolution of a University of Maryland, College Park, faculty development program focusing on diversity and classroom climate provide insights into appropriate responses to student diversity. Attention must be given to program rationale, theoretical framework, program content, pedagogical approach, format, scheduling, and…

Discusses the use of assessment portfolios and the process of creating a portfolio from the perspective of a teacher educator using portfolios in a methods course and that of a preservice teacher enrolled in the course. (MKR)

One college teacher's strategy for teaching multicultural education and creating a classroom climate that promotes critical thinking and exploration of feelings, thoughts, and opinions is described. Faculty are encouraged to examine their own moral and ethical views of multiculturalism, actively and supportively listen to students, and model…

Instructional strategies used by a first-grade French immersion teacher to combine science and language arts instruction are described. They involve developing themes from the science curriculum, integrating content objectives and instructional strategies characteristic of both subject areas, using teacher talk and using discourse incorporation…

It is argued that reading aloud to children in school is an important vehicle for developing a child's feelings and their correlative values. In response to possible charges of indoctrination, the author draws a parallel between first-language learning and the learning of a repertoire of feeling. (seven references) (Author/LB)

Suggestions are offered for activities that encourage language learners to communicate with each other in class using the target language. The activities include student pairs and small groups explaining picture stories and answering questions and solving problems presented in short stories. (13 references) (LB)

Describes the creation of a developmentally appropriate curriculum in one child care center using input from teachers, children, parents, and others. Discusses the planning process that combined teacher-initiated activities with child-initiated ideas and questions to produce a unique, dynamic curriculum of age-appropriate and individually…

Study investigated the detection of teacher expectancy effects across language and cultural boundaries. Students and teachers rated taped samples of foreign teachers talking about or to high-expectancy and low-expectancy students, focusing on facial expressions and body language. Teachers had distinctive nonverbal styles, even when language and…

Describes the functions and forms of metadiscourse as an alternative to recitation. Presents an analytic-narrative technique for studying discussion. Offers two illustrative examples from two different middle grade classrooms. (SR)

Participants in classroom discourse must be able to see, hear, speak, and be heard. In managing these aspects of the language classroom, the teacher must also command various strategies for managing students'"face"--the right to contribute or not, the right to acceptance of one's contribution in form and content. (Contains nine…

A hypothetical classroom discussion in an introductory college sociology class provides a focal point for discussion about teaching techniques and the process by which students learn. The interaction and subsequent reflections on it are described by the teacher. (MSE)

Discusses four aspects of mathematics instruction envisioned by the "Professional Teaching Standards": choosing worthwhile mathematical tasks; orchestrating classroom discourse; creating a constructive environment for learning; and analyzing students' understanding and the contribution of teacher practice to student learning. Presents…

Proposes that students learn about their environment by taking field trips into their own schoolyard. Students observe, classify, hypothesize, infer, predict, and measure aspects of the schoolyard. Engages the students in discussion to process their experiences. (MDH)

A three-year study evaluated the effectiveness of 10 systematic strategies for using humor as a teaching tool. Student ratings at the end of three undergraduate and five graduate statistics courses assessed the extent to which each strategy reduced anxiety, improved the ability to learn, and made it possible to perform one's best on problems and…