Appropriate for elementary methods courses in Arts and Language Arts, this book extends traditional language arts content by offering multiple communicative channels for expressing, representing, and responding to ideas. It equips teachers with ways to maximize children's creative potential and critical literacy through activities involving "the…

Surveys the content of 13 elementary social studies methods texts published between 1981 and 1988. Disregarding quality or length of coverage, Breiter identifies common topics in social studies methods texts as well as social/controversial issues and skills coverage. Suggests how this information might be used in text selection or course renewal…

Argues that with a little creativity and some scrounged materials, social studies teachers can construct interesting games and activities. Provides examples of games and a lesson plan teaching responsibility through a group construction. Profiles an instructional materials center that collects and distributes donated materials. (MJP)

Presents recommendations for using cooperative learning with preservice elementary and secondary education teachers based on experiences in more than 35 courses. The article describes nine cooperative learning strategies and presents the results of a survey of preservice students' attitudes toward cooperative learning. (SM)

In the master's program in the Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) course at the American University of Cairo (Egypt), student projects linking theory with classroom practice are used as a teacher training technique. The projects allow trainees to synthesize theoretical concepts, learn processes and develop materials they can use in…

This "hybrid" textbook (part anthology, part activities, part discursive text) introduces methods students to important topics in English education. The book introduces students to a process approach to writing, a reader-response approach to literature, and a sociolinguistic approach to language. Each chapter in the book features: an…

Describes a lesson on pseudoscience for a teaching methods course that promotes active student participation, is not a laboratory activity, and follows the sequence of the three phases associated with the learning cycle model. Contains a true-false science questionnaire to be administered to students as a bridge to discussion. (PR)

Offers three strategies from "Strategies for Teaching: Guide for Music Methods Classes," that was developed under the leadership of MENC's Society for Music Teacher Education. Gives guidelines for methods teachers to prepare their students for incorporating the National Standards for Music Education into music instruction at all grade…

Noting that many teachers and some states have abandoned traditional testing methods of public school students in favor of authentic and performance-based assessment, this paper shares alternative assessment methods used by two teacher educators. After a brief introduction to the issues of authentic assessment in reading education courses, the…

This role-play activity is designed for use by teacher educators in a general or content area methods class to help education majors become knowledgeable of role expectations in the student teaching experience and build good interpersonal role relationships. Students conduct library research and interviews concerning role expectations, use the…

The use of nontraditional adolescent literature in the secondary classroom and teacher training for this usage are discussed in this paper. After outlining a humanistic approach to adolescent literature, in which students are taught to use literature to illuminate their lives, the paper contrasts such an approach to the teaching of traditional…

Presents four strategies (journal writing, directed listening-thinking activity, use of big books, and language experience approach) which are components of many whole language classrooms and can be used by teacher educators to model teaching methods beginning teachers can use in their classrooms. (MG)

Describes the needs of elementary science teachers and presents a program model for preservice science teacher education. Discusses developing attitudes, skills, and knowledge. (PR)

Broadens the perspective taken by preservice and inservice teachers on the importance of science to the elementary school student. Helps education students consider the importance of science education for jobs. (PR)

Describes the use of "Water Crossings," a Project WET activity, with preservice elementary teachers in a science methods course. Discusses how the activity integrates applications from physical science with history and geography concepts. Explains that the teaching strategy used is a version of the scientific method. (WRM)