Discussion of the culturally diverse college student population focuses on how teacher understanding of that diversity (in which the students are experts), and on how it can inform the classroom culture can help defuse tensions and become a source for teaching. Dynamics of the culturally and linguistically diverse classroom are outlined and…

Offers basic guidelines for college teachers in responding to students' writing in the disciplines, with the central principle that teachers' comments should reflect their instructional goals for individual students. Suggests that fewer, more carefully designed comments are likely to be more effective than many unfocused responses. Examples of…

Explains use of quality circles, a system of regular faculty meetings with students to discuss how a course is going, in law courses. Argues that quality circles give constructive criticism of teaching, let teachers counter criticisms and explain methods, help with diversity issues, offer a mechanism for criticizing students, and give students a…

Describes creation and implementation of a college service-learning course on "Nonviolence, Peace and Community" in response to local social conflict. The facilitators attempted to create the course from the community, using community participation, collaborative self-directed learning, a Socratic approach to group discussion, and an…

Briefly expounds on tips for classroom management. These include stay calm and in control, ignore the behavior of disruptive students, meditate, maintain a positive atmosphere, enforce the rules, take necessary disciplinary action, be prepared, change when necessary, conduct an orientation period, and stress the importance of music. (MJP)

Discusses interviews of third- and sixth-grade students and their teachers regarding their perceptions of what makes a student a successful responder in classroom interaction. Findings reveal that students designated by their teachers as "effective responders" could articulate behavioral and content features of effect response, whereas…

An ethnographic study and discourse analysis examined how a third-grade bilingual teacher in a dual-language immersion classroom used her teacher-talk to provide support for her students' learning in sociocultural, linguistic, cognitive, and academic areas. All areas of support were closely interrelated in her teaching, and all were necessary to…

Examined student behaviors during laboratory activities and the amount of time involved in each behavior. Approximately 89 percent of the student time was spent interacting with others. The amount of time spent on various activities appeared to be dependent on the nature of the activity and on the make up of the laboratory group. (YP)

Presents a qualitative view of the science classes of a high school teacher that had been judged exemplary before the study. Reports on the nature of classroom learning and interactions, and contextual factors. Includes the teacher's reactions to observations of the classroom. Concludes that fundamental changes are necessary to improve science…

Reviews second-language teaching methods and classroom practices in Arab countries as well as the general proficiency of secondary school leavers. The article proposes a teaching method in which the learning activities play a key role. Results of the implementation of this method are discussed. (18 references) (Author/CK)

A high school English teacher describes personal experiences in "untracking" instruction and offers insights into techniques and considerations for making untracked instruction effective. Issues addressed include attendance and missed work, deadlines, classroom communication, assignments, student choice in reading materials, and student…

Twelve First-Nations teacher-education students at the University of British Columbia were interviewed concerning experiences in anthropology classes. Students were disturbed by instructors' authoritative presentations of First Nations issues, presentations that did not correspond with students' knowledge and experience. Analyzes the process of…

A study of classroom interaction in French foreign language reading classes in Brazil is reported. Based on analysis of 40 hours of classroom discourse, it is concluded that student responses represent internalization of teacher and student roles, mutual relations, previous foreign language background, and conceptions of reading in the foreign…

Implementation of an electronic-mail track as one option within a four-year medical humanities curriculum was seen by participating students as more educational than lectures, "live" group discussions, problem-based exercises, and formal papers. Participants made gains in computer literacy, critical thinking about ethical and social…

Suggests how teachers can address the complexities of promoting literacy in children with vastly different social, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. Recommends that the physical environment, language, and literature of the classroom should reflect the various children's cultures and interests in order to add meaning to their learning and enrich…