Describes nine group problem-solving and communication initiatives used in adventure- and experiential-education settings. Includes target group, group size, time and space requirements, activity level, props, instructions, and tips for post-activity group reflection and processing. Activities emphasize teamwork, communication skills, and a…

Describes the Coordinated Resource Management (CRM) in the Classroom project, in which Wyoming high school students work on an authentic natural resource problem, using a decision-making process based on consensus to reach agreement on solutions to the problem. Notes implementation issues of professional development and support, and considers…

Exposure to ideas helps young children articulate their own beliefs and sharpens their connections. Teachers can provide opportunities for children to advance their knowledge about democratic conditions through sustained discourse, or, as described in this article, purposeful class discussions followed by hands-on activities. The author describes…

Students in an honors section of a basic public speaking course asked for a final examination which was not multiple choice. Taught from a multicultural perspective, the course emphasized dialogue, excitement, and democratic principles, as well as issues regarding group differences and how power relations function to structure racial and ethnic…

The nature and process of participatory discussion are discussed, and reference is made to the British system of tutor-led groups. It is suggested that discussion is the essence of university life, since it can be used to discover the ways in which students view the knowledge and principles that the scholar presents. Discussion also provides the…

Group discussion can be very effective in building a sense of community in any adult basic education (ABE) classroom. Such discussion can generate conversation, encourage participation, and create an accepting environment where sharing experiences and ideas feels safe to all participants. When trying the technique of group discussion with a new…

While this book is focused primarily on the tutorials held in the British universities, it offers many insights that can improve the teaching in the discussion sections so common in our large universities. Introductions to analyses of group processes of technical language, and of questions are given. Lesson plans for skill building sessions are…

When composition teachers use their own essays as models for students' writing, they provide a process for students to learn and a product for their imitation. The models can be both readable and related to the mode currently being studied while also being vehicles for making the teacher more "vulnerable" to the students. The process described by…

Presents a classroom exercise which asks undergraduates to assign a social class ranking to nine family names which stereotypically represent ethnic groups. Students are also asked to rate the degree to which they believe social class can be inferred from ethnic family names. Presents results from several years of data collection in different…

A classroom discussion activity is described that uses the teacher as an impartial moderator. Students' written responses to a selected subject are organized and commented on by the group, under the teacher's supervision. Suggestions are given for course organization and sequence, extent of teacher involvement in the discussion, and logistics.…

Presents techniques for stimulating and managing worthwhile class discussion sessions. (Editor/SJL)

Analyzes ways to lead group discussions of literature. Offers suggestions on what questions to ask and how to keep the discussion a stimulating experience for the participants. (RL)

It is helpful to elicit sentences using "binders" and to examine their properties together, especially when the indigenous language has textual and logical processes different from those of English. Such a procedure increases students' awareness of the delicacy of the clause/sentence grammar which pivots around these difficult words. (Author)

Discusses using two class periods to discuss a short story--the first to discuss individually chosen material related to the story, author, or setting; the second to discuss the story itself with references to the related readings. Also discusses related writing assignments. (TJ)

Describes preparation and implementation of a lesson using student activity, material in the textbook, and the concept of the time line to teach the chronological order of events in history. The lesson is designed for use by junior high school students during one class period. (CK)