This digest considers teacher- and child-initiated strategies for enhancing young children's self-expression and creativity. When teachers think about art and creative activities for children, it is important for them to consider that young children: (1) are developmentally capable of classroom experiences which call for (and practice) higher…

This ERIC digest reviews the history of the multigrade classroom, and summarizes research findings on multigrading effects on achievement and attitude. It also states requirements of teaching and learning in multigrade classrooms. Multigrade classrooms have ranged from the one-room schools of the early 1900s to the ungraded classroom of the 1960s…

Coping with students who display social adjustment problems can be frustrating. However, teachers can take actions toward minimizing classroom conflicts by socializing students into a classroom environment conducive to learning. Modeling prosocial behavior is the most basic element for enhancing student socialization. In situations in which…

This digest presents ideas for teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in foreign countries where textbooks or other traditional instructional materials are limited or unavailable. The activities discussed emphasize student participation, require creativity, and encourage students to enjoy learning English. Four particular activities used by…

Recent research in classroom discipline tends to show that discipline is a by-product of effective instruction and classroom management. The five publications reviewed in this annotated bibliography explore aspects of the complex classroom environment that relate to student discipline. Walter Doyle's chapter on "Classroom Organization and…

This digest presents recent findings about effective instructional practices for classroom teachers in small schools. In terms of instruction, small schools have two characteristics: a broader scope of teacher responsibilities and more instructional levels per classroom. Teachers in small schools have the opportunity to develop the student as a…

The time spent in the regular English-language classroom is critical for the limited-English-proficient (LEP) student in eventual mainstreaming. The classroom teacher can work productively with LEP students in the classroom to maximize their exposure to authentic language during the school day. Classroom communication should be simple and clear,…

As part of a series of sharply focused booklets based on concrete educational needs, this booklet is designed to provide teachers with the best educational theory and research on mainstreaming non-English speaking children in regular classrooms and to present descriptions of classroom activities that are related to the described theory. Section…

In most elementary classrooms, some students struggle with learning, others perform well beyond grade-level expectations, and the rest fit somewhere in between. Within each of these categories of students, individuals also learn in a variety of ways and have different interests. To meet the needs of a diverse student population, many teachers…

This casebook provides candid descriptions of teachers who enter the profession with no previous teacher preparation. The cases describe how a group of novice teachers faced the problems of transforming content knowledge into accessable units of instruction for teenagers in inner-city schools. The vignettes are grouped according to specific kinds…

This manual, appropriate for grades 3-12, is designed to help teachers and other educators who lack experience in public speaking to integrate speech into their students' curriculum. The manual offers teachers the opportunity to learn a simple program for teaching speech in the classroom. It teaches basic public speaking skills, highlighting the…

This topical bibliography and commentary discusses several classroom techniques designed to encourage beginning writers to grow beyond uninspired composition. The strategies employed in the classroom are of equal value for both expository and creative writing. The various classroom techniques discussed share an emphasis on student-centered…

This monograph, designed to aid school counselors in their work with students and classroom teachers, reviews the multiple causes of school disturbance and the varied needs of students labeled chronically disruptive. The distinction between chronic disrupters and students with emotional problems is discussed; related issues of school violence,…

Research suggests that: (1) teachers' use of praise may lower students' confidence in themselves; (2) systematic use of praise as a reinforcer in the classroom is impractical; (3) praise is a weak reinforcer; (4) various forms of praise have different effects on different kinds of students; and (5) use of praise is not the most powerful method for…

Following a brief introduction, five reports, books, and articles that examine the issues of engendering, maintaining, or regaining student motivation are summarized. While some offer specific strategies that can be used at the classroom level, others address issues beyond the classroom, recognizing that schoolwide policies and practices can also…