A study examined the positive effects that being a parent may have on communication teachers. Three major advantages that parenthood gives teachers (self-disclosure, use of humor, and the incorporation of games and activities) were considered. Several informal interviews with communication instructors who raise children were conducted. One hundred…

A study assessed the strengths, weaknesses, and degree of implementation of the reading dimension in the English Language Arts curriculum in grades 4, 8, and 11 of English language schools in Manitoba (Canada). At each grade, the student test assessed five major areas of reading performance. Assessment materials consisted of a student test, a…

Professional development schools (PDSs) are usually viewed as school-university partnerships aimed at regeneration of teacher education and/or the reform of public schools in general. This paper examines the gap between creating a PDS structure and achieving these goals, suggesting that bridging the gap may require destabilization of both faculty…

In this study, a questionnaire was designed to assess Montessori teachers' reported likelihood of intervention in some 25 common situations in Montessori classrooms for 3-6 year olds, as well as to obtain limited background information on the teachers. Subjects were 422 Montessori teachers including 30 from Trinidad (where the questionnaire was…

A study examined the influence of behavioral activities such as teaching, research, and service on faculty career satisfaction using Astin's theory of involvement. The research tested Astin's theory in predicting variations in career satisfaction by disciplinary category, and the contention that disciplinary differences are critical for…

Exploring what happened in the classroom as a teacher used a whole language approach with her culturally varied, urban fourth-grade students, this report tells the story of a unit on personal, narrative writing which occurred from April to June. The report describes how the teacher established routines to make the unit work, and how the teacher…

Studies have shown that preservice teachers do modify their knowledge and value dispositions for teaching culturally diverse student populations. Continuing this line of research, this study focuses on pedagogical and methodological conditions in the education of preservice teachers. A class of preservice teachers was assigned to various public…

A 3-year action research study was conducted by the Spirit River School Division in northwestern Alberta to develop and validate a set of indicators to assess teacher effectiveness in a formative process. Focusing on professional development and staff inservice, the Educational Quality Indicators Project (EQI) sought to determine if the 26…

This study investigated whether the criterion-related validity coefficient of the Instructional Strategy Usage (ISU) instrument was statistically significant, and investigated factors related to general education teachers' use of instructional strategies that facilitate inclusion of students with moderate and severe impairments in general…

This volume lays out the human factors involved in effective teaching and encourages both future teachers and current practitioners to cultivate the personal and professional qualities found in the kind of teachers they want to be. The single most important factor in a teacher's effectiveness is described as his or her unique style of interaction…

More than 150 research studies were reviewed to develop this set of suggestions for teachers interested in effective history instruction. The suggestions are organized into four categories: (1) Teacher perceptions and behavior; (2) Student activities and cooperative learning; (3) Homework; and (4) Effective use of textbooks. A brief bibliography…

Foreign language listening comprehension instruction too often relies on brief selections read aloud or sporadic teacher talk interspersed with native language (NL) utterances, which fail to provide sustained listening practice. NL is overused for grammar-related talk, reducing target language exposure, encouraging translation, and hindering…

Specific generic affective competencies are those skills, knowledge, and attitudes which are important for a teacher's successful dealing with affective domain behaviors of exceptional students. These skills are used for teaching new behavior, establishing relationships, and setting behavioral limits. Affective competencies are related to student…

Teaching is an applied science derived from research in human learning and behavior. The science of teaching is based on cause-effect relationships existing in three categories of teacher decisionmaking (content, learner behavior, and teaching behaviors). Several "templates" can be used to describe, interpret, and evaluate either…

Sixteen expert educators participated in a working conference on the first years of teaching. The proceedings included two commissioned papers, a panel discussion among three persons engaged in on-going induction programs, and large and small group discussions following each presentation. Kenneth Zeichner's paper, "Individual and Institutional…