Presents a variety of innovative, inexpensive, and effective uses for photography that have been seen in elementary and secondary school classrooms. Activities in four areas are included: curriculum enhancement in literature, writing, science, social studies, and art; problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity; school public relations; and…

Examines the literature on the effectiveness of computers in social studies instruction and learning. Topics include drill and practice, tutorials, study guides, games and simulations, inquiry and problem solving, graphics, and word processing and writing. Contains 58 references. (LRW)

Outlines three major approaches to writing instruction (expressive, cognitive, and social); examines areas in which faculty, employers, and higher education policymakers agree and disagree about necessary writing skills; describes institutional structures that support writing, including writing centers, course offerings,…

Examines relationships between critical thinking and writing. Compares a pencil-and-paper and computer-assisted versions of a process/model program to a traditional composition program. Reports experimental groups showed greater argumentative powers. Extends approach to poetry and technical writing. Suggests collaborative learning potential.…

Describes the following teaching ideas: note writing; books supplementing a unit on measuring; parents' activities calendars; quick phonics inventory; map reading; language experience chart stories; predicting activities with titles; summer mail for learning disabled students; role playing; teaching guides for novels; sentence transformation; and…

Discussion of the use of multimedia programs in writing labs or classrooms focuses on the use of "HyperStudio" in high school sophomore advanced English classes for students' research projects. Highlights include computer writing lab activities; teaching strategies, including small group demonstrations, printed instructions, and…

Five articles offer suggestions for hands-on map making, creative writing instruction in productive environments, assessment of students' number sense, performance assessment for reading, and integrating science and art to celebrate the beauty of autumn leaves. (SM)

Development and implementation of a holistic method for scoring writing assignments in a college general education chemistry course are described. The system included assessment of discrete elements in the paper's focus, appearance, content, and structure according to specific criteria. The approach saved considerable scoring time and enhanced…

This case study describes a boy from kindergarten through third grade with above average intelligence but difficulty learning to read, write, and spell. The paper emphasizes the human approach to learning, which took into account the boy's strong points, unique learning style, strong sense of responsibility, and the need to alleviate feelings of…

Three cases of use of collaborative learning techniques in the college classroom are described: a developmental mathematics course, a graduate-level writing project, and college science instruction. Each case includes description of specific class activities and assignments, results, and teacher concerns and comments. (MSE)

Literature-based children's literacy programs usually lack cultural foundation on the part of teachers providing the instruction. A framework for a cultural base for educators addresses this cultural gap. A series of professional development activities is presented that reflects the theoretical framework and increases cultural sensitivity. (SLD)

Common instructional practices in the teaching of language minority students are described. The case study of a fourth grade classroom in Longmont (Colorado) illustrates how a teacher's enthusiasm for literacy instruction creates an environment where all students, including the Hispanic language minority, can be active participants. (SLD)

Scaffolding is a conceptual framework through which educators rethink the in-school learning experience. The following three models of culturally sensitive scaffolding offer important lessons for literacy education: (1) signifying and interpreting "speakerly texts"; (2) talk story, turn taking, and classroom discussion; and (3) community…

Discusses the rationale and attributes of the whole-language approach and applies it to secondary social studies instruction. Describes assessment strategies used with the whole-language approach and maintains that evaluation of student writing helps prepare them for appraisal in the workplace. (CFR)

The study used a qualitative approach to examine the development of metacognitive awareness strategies among student writers. The purposes of the study were to determine the indices of metacognitive awareness strategies used by students, the role of preservice teachers, and the relevance of instructional strategies. Participants were preservice…