Compares the use of standardized tests and authentic assessment to measure student progress and achievement in art education. Reviews a variety of authentic assessment models and techniques. Concludes that authentic assessment is a powerful measure of student achievement and teaching effectiveness. (CFR)

In our early childhood teacher education program the young child is positioned as a competent and resourceful participant in his/her own learning. Reflection on this image led me to recognise that some aspects of tertiary institutions mean students themselves can be positioned as less empowered learners. As a result of this recognition, new…

The Santa Cruz County Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) program provides social and instructional support for novice teachers assigned primarily to language minority classrooms. This report, an evaluation and assessment of the program, is organized into chapters as follows: (1) "Introduction and Overview"; (2) "Program…

This paper describes the use of "buddy journals" to generate enthusiasm for writing, provide writing practice, and build friendships between two classes of middle school students with learning disabilities and cognitive impairments. The buddy journals were introduced to the students as a way to get to know someone better and perhaps make a friend.…

Ways that teacher educators can provide opportunities for novice teachers to develop their beliefs about teaching and learning and their teaching practices are discussed. It is suggested that practical teaching experience is essential to teacher development, but that teachers must also be able to process their experiences in ways that allow time…

This collection of articles on use of films in second language instruction, particularly for teaching English as a second language (ESL) in Japanese colleges and universities, includes: "Whole Movies and Engaged Response in the Japanese University ESL Classroom" (David P. Shea); "Films in English Class: Going Beyond a Content…

A two-semester course in English composition offered in a Japanese university is described. The course is designed to transition students from minimal skills in communicative writing at program entry to a course in field-specific technical writing by exposing students to several writing genres. Key activities of the course include pre- and…

This curriculum guide is intended for a high school senior seminar program in which students (gifted, talented, and of all abilities) progress through three main stages: (1) identifying a project; (2) identifying a mentor; and (3) completing the project. The guide includes lesson plans, suggested activities, organizational diagrams, suggested…

A variety of classroom techniques for second language vocabulary learning are described, based on the principle that different approaches work with different students under varying conditions. The techniques include: rote rehearsal; the use of visual aids, including items that are acted out by students for the benefit of the class; role-playing;…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe the essential components of the current science education experience as constructed by female high school physics and advanced chemistry students. The participants identified five major factors as salient components of the science education experience: (a) mathematics, (b)…

The goals of this guide are to: (1) Educate teachers and help them prepare for having a student with autism in their classroom; (2) Emphasize the critical importance of communication and collaboration with the parents of their student with autism; (3) Support the creation of an inclusive environment for all the learners in their classroom; and (4)…

This document contains a Handbook, a Guidebook, and an Implementation Guide. The Handbook, designed to complement the Guidebook, discusses topics such as: "What is an Educational Portfolio?"; "Types of Portfolios in the Teacher Preparation Program"; "Types of Artifacts for Documentation in the INTASC Standards";…

Development of theories concerning social identity and language learning is explored, and ways in which English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers can support students in this process are discussed. During the 1980s and 1990s, emphasis in research on language learning shifted to its social context. Theorists have begun to find the focus on…

This unit was created and first taught by the author in the children's demonstration class that was part of the 1995 Teacher Educator Partnership Institute sponsored by the National K-12 Foreign Language Resource Center (NFLRC) at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. The mission of the NFLRC is to improve student learning of foreign languages in…

Argues that computers in early childhood classrooms serve to raise young children's self-esteem, self-concept, and place in the classroom community. Provides examples of specific computer exercises including storytelling, journals, autobiographies, classroom data collection and recording, and classroom activities. Notes that these computer…