This second edition presents 12 strategies (focusing on one strategy a week) for students to increase vocabulary and boost communication skills, suggesting that these techniques can easily double the average person's vocabulary. After an introduction, the book presents the following 12 techniques: (1) Expand on What You Know: Synonyms, Antonyms,…

Professional development schools (PDSs) were developed to provide a new model for teacher education that enables graduate students to have meaningful classroom experiences while they earn their degrees. This digest describes some of the ways that PDSs can improve the school experiences of urban students. It also describes some of the pitfalls of…

In this digest identification and development of leadership skills in gifted and talented students are examined. Leadership is analyzed and its scope expanded from qualities of one who leads to a more complex view of how a person exerts influence. Conceptions of task-oriented versus relationship-oriented leaders are considered. Ways in which…

Those who advocate for developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) do so based on the conviction that these classroom practices enhance children's development and facilitate learning. This ERIC Digest examines recent research on DAP and social-emotional and cognitive development, and describes what we have learned about DAP in early childhood…

Several myths relate to the question of whether Generation X, the population cohort following the Baby Boomers, has different values, work ethics, and attitudes toward work and career development. The first myth is that individuals in Generation X are slackers, lacking career drive and ambition. The reality is that Generation X may just view the…

In hoping for a brighter future of self-government and self-determination, Canadian Aboriginal communities have placed great hopes and expectations on their youth. The complexity and uniqueness of career-related issues pose a formidable challenge in the development of career counseling programs for Aboriginal youth. This digest describes the…

In the spirit of educational reform efforts, this digest examines the concept of teacher-as-researcher, a concept rooted in action research. Action research is designed, conducted, and implemented by teachers themselves to improve teaching in the classroom. The research is often a collaborative activity promoting reflective teaching, critical…

Faculty development programs encompass a wide range of activities and allow community college faculty to improve instructional material and delivery and keep the spark of creativity and enthusiasm alive under pressures from decreasing budgets and heavier workloads. A recent program at Borough of Manhattan Community College focused on student needs…

The diverse, multicultural population that constitutes today's work force faces ethical dilemmas on the job that bring pressures to protect their own or their company's interests, at the risk of losing their personal integrity. Employers and vocational and career development personnel are recognizing the need for decision-making and…

This digest offers guidelines in providing challenging reading opportunities for gifted students. Research findings concerning the characteristics of the gifted child as reader (e.g., they read earlier, better and more) are noted. Specific needs of gifted learners can be met by: using literature as a supplement to the readings in basal texts;…

Selected research studies that explore the assumption that college science students operate at a formal cognitive level are presented in this information digest. Studies are reviewed that relate to the areas of: (1) formal thought (examining the relationship between measured formal thought and that required to understand formal college physical…

Computer assisted career guidance (CACG) systems and other computer applications are becoming established components of counseling and guidance services. While technical details involved in software and hardware operations are usually attended to, problems resulting from interpersonal dynamics in the implementation process often contribute more to…

This collection of articles addresses the role of community colleges in serving the specialized interests of organized community groups. After introductory comments on the topic, Seymour Eskow discusses how societal changes necessitate a reexamination of the role of the community college and an increased orientation to community organizations.…

The topic of mixed-age groups in early childhood education is discussed in terms of: (1) advantages of mixed-age classes; (2) social development in mixed-age groups; (3) cognitive development in mixed-age groups; and (4) implications for early childhood education. It is asserted that mixed-age interaction among young children can offer a variety…

Evidence concerning the developmental correlates of nonmaternal care in the first year of life are examined with respect to infant-mother attachment and subsequent social development. Even though the evidence is not without its inconsistencies, a circumstantial case, consistent with attachment theory, can be made that extensive infant day care…