Investigates the effects of audiovisual media on preschool children's attitudes toward music presentations from "The Lion King" and "Fantasia." Finds that the listening times for music-plus-video presentations of both selections were longer and a majority of the children expressed a preference for "The Lion King" over "Fantasia." (CMK)

Explores the impact of unannounced quizzes on students' performance on examinations by comparing course segments with quizzes to segments without quizzes. Finds that test scores following quizzes averaged half a letter grade higher than scores from segments without quizzes; C students demonstrated a grade gain of 84% of a letter grade. (CMK)

Describes the experience of a college teacher teaching, for the first time, an introduction to literature course with a whole-language approach. Describes how she abandoned her position as imparter-of-knowledge and as authority, and joined the students as one of many readers and writers. Discusses how class activities were structured and notes…

Notes that while informed teachers of writing have moved toward more dialogic approaches, they still have colonial tendencies when responding to student writing. Suggests an activity that invites students to talk back to the teacher-reader as a means of helping them move more effectively toward revision. (PA)

Demonstrates ways in which three students in a multi-age, literature-based grade 3/4 classroom constructed and reconstructed their subjectivities based on demands of the social setting. Notes that each student's participation was influenced by gender, social class, ethnicity, and the task. Suggests that interpretations of students' interactions…

Describes an experiment in pairing the novels "The Great Gatsby" (F. Scott Fitzgerald) and "Jazz" (Toni Morrison) in a teacher preparation class. Relates that the students (all European American) initially resisted "Jazz" and accepted "Gatsby" as a timeless classic. Includes responses about another Toni…

Describes TACTweb, a World Wide Web-based text and analysis environment that represents the results of text queries as hypertext, and the TACTweb workbook, a tutorial that introduces college students to the hypertextual capabilities of electronic literature and to the analysis of electronic editions of traditional text. Student feedback is…

Considers the consequences of adult praise of children, focusing on when praise is dispensed, its indiscriminate use, children's dependence on others' judgment, use of praise to manipulate behavior, and its effect on motivation. Lists questions for evaluating the use of praise. (KB)

Suggests the use of environmental print word sets in active, hands-on learning sessions in order to develop skills required for alphabetizing words. Notes that the environmental print word sets allow students to concentrate on the alphabetizing task rather than the recopying of word lists. Considers the importance of alphabetizing, shows the…

Examines how data from student self-report surveys and other sources can be used to assess the weaknesses in current school iincidentreporting systems and improve the validity of surveillance data on school violence. Assesses the validity of data from Gun-Free Schools Act reports on the number of guns in school in light of nationally…

Through the use of a question notebook, students can practice grammar and develop their vocabulary. This class activity also helps students to begin to write and express their own curiosity. (Author/CK)

Comparison of traditional hand-raising student participation and use of write-on response cards during science instruction in a fifth grade inner-city classroom found that frequency of active student response was 14 times higher with response cards than with hand raising. Additionally, students (n=22) scored higher on quizzes and tests in the…

Suggests that the distinction between "genre" and "text type" is important and useful. The article presents an analysis of various texts from two genre-based coursebooks, one which focuses on adult second-language literacy development, and another which focuses on writing in academic context. The article also suggests ways to…

Analyzes interviews from 130 African American elementary school students about the merits and educational consequences of adopting the philosophies of integrationism and nationalism. Overall, students believed that persons who adopt the philosophy of Malcolm X would be more motivated to do schoolwork and more willing to collaborate with classmates…

Although Internet filtering is still implemented within the Davenport (Iowa) School District, students' involvement and awareness has helped resolve many components of this dilemma. Filters have been lifted from one computer in each high school's journalism classroom. Free speech requires adult monitoring of students' Internet use. (MLH)