Until recently, one of the most expected and accepted experiences among students in biology classrooms of the United States has been the dissection of vertebrate animals, from frogs and mice to cats and fetal pigs. However, resistance to animal dissection has grown during the past decade with concerns ranging from inhumane treatment of animals by…

This annotated bibliography presents information related to content standards for adult learners of English as a Second Language (ESL), suggesting documents that adult ESL professionals can consult as they peruse the issues of standards and accountability in adult ESL education. The bibliography defines content standards as what students should…

Talking with others, especially people with different viewpoints, about matters of public and common concern is a basic pro-democracy skill and act. For that reason, teaching young people how to participate more effectively in discussions of controversial public issues (CPI) has long been a major goal of social studies educators. In most social…

This digest summarizes a larger document of the same title which takes the position that because American democracy is founded on the premise that citizens need to engage in free and open discussion of opposing points of view, it is important that intellectual conflict become part of college instruction. It suggests several ways in which…

The thesis of this book is that intellectual conflict is an important and powerful instructional tool which should become part of day-to-day student life in colleges and universities. Properly structured academic controversy results in increased achievement, better problem-solving and decision-making skills, more positive interpersonal skills, and…

A text-editing approach to composition in the foreign language classroom is set forth. In a 15-week composition course meeting three times each week, students prepare a weekly composition that they will revise after an in-class text-editing session involving several student papers. The third day is devoted to grammar work. Criteria for evaluating…

Provides an annotated bibliography of ERIC resources available for study of both content and process in social studies. Includes Lynne V. Cheney's "American Memory," a study of the status of humanities education in the nation's public schools, as well as Nancy Hutchinson's analysis of Glaser's theory of the role of knowledge. (LS)

This comparison is based on the authors' selective review of literature, observations of Montessori preschools in America and Australia, and experience in early childhood teacher education in Australia. The discussion explores general educational objectives, curricula, children's activities, instructional approaches, and teacher role in preschools…

Lists Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) resources that will help bring science, technology, and society (STS) into the classroom. The annotated bibliography of seven references includes Faith Hickman's framework for curriculum reform, which compares the present trend of teaching STS-related social problems with historical trends. (LS)

Provides a sampling of items from the ERIC database on the subject of social studies as a discipline. Includes documents on proposals to improve social education and on return to traditional emphases in history and geography. Explains how to obtain copies of documents from the ERIC system. (SG)

Provides a partial listing of works found in the ERIC database on the debate between those who support social studies as a discipline and those who would replace it with history and geography courses. Includes articles, reports, and reviews covering various aspects of the debate. (DK)

Each year, thousands of men and women from English-speaking countries go abroad as English teachers through volunteer agencies such as the Peace Corps or Voluntary Service Overseas, or through myriad other church, government, business, and academic organizations. For these novice teachers, the challenge of learning what to do in the classroom is…

This ERIC Digest examines the nature of peace and nuclear war education, rationales for its inclusion in public school programs, and ways to deal with the controversial nature of the topics. A distinction between peace education and nuclear war education is followed by a description of four basic themes offered as a rationale for peace and nuclear…

Recently, there has been a movement to put religion and its influence on history back into the social studies curriculum. This ERIC Digest discusses: (1) reasons for including religion in the curriculum; (2) how religion is currently treated in the school curriculum; (3) guidelines for teaching religion in the classroom; and (4) resources…

Summarizes major court cases that have provided some sense of the extent to which teachers may legitimately select course content and teaching methods. (RBW)