This study evaluated 90 junior high level public school teachers' interactive verbal behavior in response to three seating arrangements (row, herringbone, and u-shaped) across four dimensions: frequency of indirect teacher talk, frequency of direct teacher talk, frequency of student talk, and silence or confusion. Results indicate that: (1)…

This book, stressing safety and prevention of accidents, is designed for children and adults to read together. Each chapter uses a Stop, Think, Act, and Remember (S.T.A.R.) formula to guide children through common situations that require first aid skills. Each first aid topic begins by presenting one or more problem situations that are solved by…

This report analyzes the moment-by-moment construction of interaction by language minority children in a cooperative learning activity. The interaction occurred among students in a Spanish-English bilingual 3rd grade classroom as part of a cooperative learning curriculum known as Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC), which was…

This paper examines issues in establishing an initial social/communicative repertoire with individuals who have severe to profound disabilities, with emphasis on intervention involving the most severely affected. The paper stresses the importance of beginning intervention efforts even before learners show intentional behavior and discrimination of…

A longitudinal study at a large predominantly White university revealed that faculty/student interaction had a significant impact on African-American students' decision to persist. Subjects included 310 freshmen (128 African Americans, 131 Whites, 49 Hispanics, and 2 Asians). Hispanics and Whites were better retained after the 4 years than…

Research that has been conducted relating to the use of graphics and how various design variables interact with graphics in influencing the process of learning within individuals is explored. Research directions and approaches that may provide enhanced guidelines for integrating graphics into future interactive learning environments are described.…

This report describes a "culturally contexted" conversation analysis approach to the study of naturally occurring speech in supervisory conferences. The supervisors and teachers were participants in a graduate program for beginning teachers, and the conference's purpose was supervisory evaluation of teachers' classroom performances. Ethnographic…

This study investigated variables that might be associated with outcome differences in language development of 10 children (ages 10-20 months) with blindness or severe visual impairments, attending a developmental vision clinic in southern England. Subjects' early patterns of expressive language development were examined and related to observed…

This paper presents the results of a qualitative study of the interaction between computer assisted instruction (CAI) and cooperative learning. The constructivist perspective is discussed in relation to other learning theories, and is emphasized as the theoretical basis for the study because of its focus on prior learning, student characteristics,…

Findings of a longitudinal study indicated that maternal demographic and psychological characteristics were significantly correlated with maternal behavior at infants' fourth and twelfth months. Data were again collected on mother and child during the kindergarten year to determine the stability of maternal characteristics and to test the…

The three papers in this report relate to the development and activities of the University of the West Indies Distance Teaching Project (UWIDITE), through which the University of the West Indies (UWI) is continuing experiments on the use of telecommunications to extend its regional services. A report to the advisory council, the first paper,…

Prepared as part of a series applying recent research in oral and written communication instruction to classroom practice, this booklet reviews research and presents suggestions designed to improve the classroom communication climate. The first section of the booklet describes the process of building a supportive environment to reflect a range of…

This document presents the findings of a two-year investigation of Interactive Research and Development on Schooling (IR&DS). IR&DS is an alternate means of conducting school-based research and development and an extension of Interactive Research and Development on Teaching (IR&DT). IR&DS is seen as a means to: (1) involve school personnel in…

A study examined student initiated and teacher initiated influence patterns that make up aspects of bidirectionality. The study also identified ways in which these patterns relate to student learning and attitudes. Study subjects included 21 fifth-grade students and their teacher. Thirty-six social studies lessons, representing a unit, were…

Reliability data suggest that, although there are many problems, it is feasible to systematically evaluate a student's analytic and persuasive competence in free oral argumentation. The first part of the paper describes the contexts within which the evaluation project took place. Specifically discussed are the five areas of analysis on which the…