Nine primary teachers were interviewed to determine whether their reading beliefs for their classrooms differed from beliefs they might have had if they were teaching either an upper elementary grade or a classroom of students from a socioeconomic (SES) background different from their present classrooms. The teachers stated their beliefs for five…

This series, designed for use in inservice teacher workshops, addresses the question, "How do children and teachers use language to get things done?" The transcribed classroom discourse presented and discussed in each volume illustrates functional language in a real context based on the videotaping of undoctored classroom events from…

A study was designed to evaluate whether congruency or incongruency between a teacher's intended discovery/inquiry laboratory instructional strategy and his/her actual behaviors used to implement that strategy had an effect on higher level learning by students. Also assessed was whether student performance on science projects can be an effective…

This paper reports on approaches shown to be successful in preventing and dealing with disruptive behavior in the classroom. The studies on preventing classroom disruptions state that the best prevention is effective instruction, achieved through lending increased importance to teacher preparation programs that emphasize teaching content,…

Teacher effectiveness research has used changing criteria over the years in assessing and evaluating teacher performance and its effect on student achievement. Early researchers accepted the idea that there should be a relationship between the personality or traits of the teacher and student outcomes. Lists of characteristics of superior teachers…

This kit has been designed by teachers at the Atlanta Area Center for Teachers (Georgia) to offer beginning teachers support and suggestions as they begin the challenge of their first year of teaching. Because most new teachers in Georgia must participate in Competency Based Teacher Performance Certification, this package has been sequenced…

An experienced second grade teacher participated in three two-hour planning sessions in which she planned for the course of instruction for the school year in mathematics, science, and writing. The teacher "thought aloud" as she planned, and two researchers present took written notes. In general, her yearly planning was aimed at setting…

The five chapters of this report describe the development of a descriptive model of writing instruction in grades three through six. Data reported came from a study that included observations of 160 classes of writing instruction in eight classrooms throughout one school year. Following the first two chapters, which offer an overview of the study…

Presented is a summary of the 1977-80 Project LEO studies, which focused on science teaching strategies and learning outcomes for disruptive elementary school children and on more refined application of the "student-structured learning in science" (SSLS) teacher behavioral pattern in secondary school science classrooms. Included within…

The purpose of this paper is to outline theory and methods associated with a research strategy for identifying elements of cultural congruence or incogruence in classroom speech events. The hypothesis of "sociolinguistic interference" proposed by D. Hymes is discussed and studies of language education of Hawaiians and other minorities…

A study was undertaken as part of the process of trying to develop an instrument for systematically coding reading and other language arts activities in the secondary content area classroom. Six teachers chosen from five secondary schools were each observed while teaching four randomly selected classes over a two-week period. All observations were…

This study examines the relationship between covert decisions by teachers and classroom behavior. The decisions of 12 classroom teachers were analyzed through stimulated recall and content analysis techniques. Results indicate that there is a clear and powerful relationship between thought and action. A majority of covert decisions led to…

Descriptive data were collected over a two-month period on two middle elementary classrooms to which student teachers had been assigned. From this data typical patterns of teaching/learning behavior were identified for each classroom. The student teachers were then interchanged, and the data collection continued for another two months. Comparison…

The relationship between Hawaiian children's motivation in school and their teachers' use of contingent social reinforcement was examined in the Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP). Student motivation was measured by observation of an unspecified number of subjects' on-task behavior--i.e., how often they worked, attended to the teacher, or…

A survey conducted among educators in the state of Georgia sought to verify the generic qualities of a set of teacher competency statements claimed to be essential for teachers, regardless of subject or level. The results of the survey are presented in this report which is organized into the following six chapter subjects: (1) introductory…