Intended for teachers who work with culturally mixed student populations in Canada, this book is about methods of classroom and curriculum organization that promote effective cognitive and affective development in a linguistically and racially diverse setting. The book focuses on developing practical approaches to and techniques for small group…

Presents a classroom lesson based on the walls of old Jerusalem. Maintains that cooperative-learning techniques used to build a model of the wall helped students understand the meaning of the original wall and the division of modern-day Jerusalem. (CFR)

A number of second language class activities are presented that stimulate interpersonal interaction and develop communication skills. The exercises are also designed to accommodate learners' different learning styles, pacing needs, skill levels, and course content. They include: a questionnaire activity in which students must discover facts about…

Presents two activities from an "Idea Bank for Teaching Germany and Europe U.S. Classrooms K-12." Includes a role playing exercise involving significant individuals from European history and a student project involving cooperative learning about individual European nations. Provides an address for obtaining a free copy of the "Idea…

This handbook is designed to help teachers of French Canadian immersion students plan effective language learning experiences for their students in the transition year to English instruction. In the transition year, French immersion students are first introduced to formal instruction in English. This introduction presents a unique challenge for…

Emphasizing the importance of developing a social classroom climate, this book addresses the organization of the reading/writing classroom. Nine sections: (1) present a statement of principles based on this concept of classroom organization (J. Steinle); (2) discuss scheduling the school day as an important area of teacher planning (P. Sloan and…

Seven class activities using cooperative learning techniques are proposed as appropriate for second language teacher training. The activities draw on the pro-social aspect of cooperative learning that offers second language learners maximum opportunities for active communication, reinforcement, and development of cognitive skills. Background is…

The jigsaw reading technique maximizes the interactive basis of cooperative learning. The advantages of cooperative learning are that it increases student independence; promotes peer teaching; can be used in multi-level classrooms; can be used in a variety of content areas; can be adapted for use in all age groups; promotes individual and group…

This handbook presents materials designed to assist teachers in meeting the needs of primary school children in multi-graded classrooms. The handbook is divided into two parts. The first part consists of the following sections: (1) the multi-graded school; (2) strategies for multi-graded classrooms; (3) oracy--listening and speaking; (4) language…

This article considers how to get students to form groups in the language classroom. It focuses on two related questions: (1) how big should small groups be? and (2) what other grouping criteria should be considered besides group size? (Contain 14 references.) (LB)

Aspects of communication, particularly in the language classroom, that contribute to or inhibit communicative interaction are discussed in this 11-chapter book. The first chapter offers a general discussion of the elements of interpersonal communication. Chapters 2 and 3 outline strategies that language teachers might adopt to engage and sustain…

The transcript of a conference presentation describes, with audience activities, one college instructor's use of videotaped television broadcasts for English-as-a-Second-Language instruction in Taiwan. The method, intended primarily for developing listening skills, makes use of English-language satellite television now widely available. Students…

Argues that it is essential to encourage young children to have a protective relationship toward nature and aesthetic values. Describes classroom activities such as the caring of house plants or nature walks. Discusses how sensory experiences can be used to develop ecological attitudes and values. (CFR)

Problems in teaching English pronunciation to large groups of university students in Japan are discussed, and some solutions are offered. Pronunciation instruction requires close individual interaction between teacher and student, difficult if not impossible to achieve in a typical Japanese university classroom. However, it is possible to get…

Reports on a study of the classroom environment and student attitudes in 38 secondary Chinese classrooms. Finds that, despite considerable cultural and political differences, the classroom environment in social studies is remarkably similar to that in the United States. Concludes that diverse activities and active student involvement are related…