Presents an interesting example of Russian pedagogical thought. Personality-oriented instruction generally refers to cognitive style. Attempts a broad classification of objectives and procedures for this type of instruction. Includes many references and terminology from Russian pedagogy (for example, psychodidactics, social-pedagogical model,…

This study of 25 teachers in literature-based language arts programs in poor urban areas found that assessment issues produce considerable conflict for teachers as they attempt to understand and track children's literacy development and their own effectiveness in teaching children to read and write. Results suggest that assessment is not merely a…

Overviews work in genre theory and its application to first and second language instruction and differentiates three traditions in genre theory: English for specific purposes, North American New Rhetoric studies, and Australian systemic functional linguistics. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications of genre theory for English…

Describes and illustrates the interaction between personal, policy, and organizational factors that influence teachers' decisions regarding content and teaching methods. Specifically questions how this information might be used in determining the efficacy of educational reforms. Includes verbatim comments from teachers and a sample of interview…

Maintains that fundamental historical concepts can be imparted to high school students through the use of photography, painting, film, literature, and other forms of popular culture. Provides many examples of students utilizing popular culture to understand conceptions of historical time, locate meaning, and empathize with historical people. (MJP)

Describes a field sketch mapping project conducted with a sixth-grade class. The project involved selecting appropriate sites around the school to map, organizing the students, and instructing them about measuring distances and drawing maps. Illustrations include assignments and examples of students' work. (MJP)

Presents the results of an exercise investigating the representation of women in national and regional newspapers. Discovers that stories about women consistently focus on victimization and gender oddities. They also routinely include personal information excluded in stories about men (physical descriptions and familial status). Includes…

Examines several important principles of writing (e.g., different approaches for different audiences) and applies these to economics and business education. Discusses approaches to teaching writing in this context. Includes a rhetorical case assignment, teaching tips, and discussion of students' reactions to this approach. (MJP)

Describes a class project conducted by multiethnic, limited English speaking, fifth-grade students. The students produced their own videos as part of lessons they developed about their countries of origin. Maintains that this process increases language and social skills while it develops social studies content. (MJP)

Investigates teachers' interpretation and evaluation of historical documents and the teachers' construction of historical truth. Discovers teachers use a variety of approaches, including comparing historical sources, searching for accuracy, and attempting to discern a narrative or story. Discusses implications of this and poses questions for…

Considers the applications and limitations of supplementing political science instruction with USENET discussion groups. Maintains that the engaging and topical nature of the discussion groups can enhance traditional course materials. Notes, however, that USENET comments often are not indicative of the general public. Briefly discusses reference…

Utilizes selections from 17th century philosophical writing as instructional material for a series of learning activities that reveal the influence of the material on early American democratic thought. Activities involve selections from Isaac Newton, John Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, The Declaration of Independence, and Bishop Bossuet. (MJP)

Examines how new educational technologies can invigorate existing educational communities, facilitate the creation of new educational communities, and interfere with the formation of desired types of educational communities. Focuses on e-mail, listservs and newsgroups, electronic publication, and the World Wide Web, and discusses issues of equity.…

Goals of block building in early childhood classrooms focus on physical, social, cognitive, and emotional development. Reports survey results of the value teachers place on block play. Offers illustrations of task cards to use with blocks in math, language arts, social studies, and science. Discusses guidelines and suggests idea cards and sentence…

Observes the ever-changing relationship between media technology and political coverage and illustrates this through the use of political cartoons. Briefly reviews political reporting from the days of the early republic and hand-printed newspapers to the current era of the Internet. Includes historic cartoons and suggested activities. (MJP)