Notes impact of high-stakes language arts assessments on teachers in Georgia rural districts. Provides additional support for what many English teachers already believe--that rich classroom discussion, reading from a variety of texts, student-centered writing assignments, and metacognitive awareness of one's reading and writing strategies…

The purpose of this booklet is to illustrate and compare three important levels of expectation, or standards, that have been set for diploma examination writing in English 33 in Alberta, Canada: "3 Satisfactory,""4 Proficient," and "5 Excellent." The booklet presents exemplar papers that were used to illustrate the…

A system of different types of tasks can be used to help language learners achieve their learning goals, which may include learning of: discrete language items (sounds, vocabulary, grammatical constructions); content or ideas of the subject studied (geography, literature, mathematics, cultural understanding); language skills (listening, writing,…

Even the most intelligent children can have low rates of achievement if their natural abilities are not supported by effective study practices at home. The development of good study habits requires the guidance and firm supervision of a caring adult. The following suggestions should help parents guide their children in the development of good…

The idea behind this project created by two teachers of different age groups was that providing students with penpals would give students a real audience to write to and change their attitudes about writing. Seventh graders and college students exchanged letters and were required to send working drafts of some class assignments to each other to…

Two assignments used in a commercial French course are modeled after case studies often required in business courses. They serve three functions for commercial French students: (1) to increase awareness of foreign investments and business in the United States as well as American business activities abroad, (2) to give students valuable experience…

Community college students are often described as less motivated, or "turned-off," compared to other college students. This stereotype has prevented many writing instructors from trying new ways of reaching these students at a Midwest community college, the majority of whom have access to the Internet either at home or in the local…

The author suggests that the cooperating music teacher prepare the student teaching experience as a formal class, presenting the student teacher with a written syllabus and assignments. He discusses timing and procedures for the consecutive phases of the student teaching term: orientation, observation, practice lessons, and, finally, teaching…

This article examines a process for teachers to use when deciding whether to adapt a text for a student. The following five options for text adaptations are described: bypass reading, decrease reading, support reading, organize reading, and guide reading. Adaptations for student work products and for tests are also addressed. (Contains…

Faculty ask undergraduate students to write self-evaluations in varied settings and contexts, from reflections on a brief learning experience to descriptions of learning over a course, courses, or an entire college experience. Feedback and degree of structure of the writing assignment are important considerations. (MSE)

Recommendations for ameliorating homework-communication problems were obtained from 8 parents, 13 special education teachers, and 11 classroom teachers. Participants were parents or teachers of students with mild disabilities in grades 5 through 12. The students were being mainstreamed into academic classes in which homework was assigned. (SW)

Argues that a whole-language approach can help bring social studies to life for students. Explains that the arrangement of terms into a web or map that shows the terms' interrelationships and is one way of using the whole-language approach. Provides guidelines for thematic instruction and a list of potential themes. (SG)

Describes an eighth grade reading program that includes a requirement to read a diary. A questionnaire to determine students' favorite diaries and feelings about the genre is described, activities for students to try after reading a diary are suggested, and an annotated bibliography with 10 fiction and 10 nonfiction books is included. (LRW)

A study examined the belief that to improve education, more must be learned not only about the abilities students bring into the classroom, but also about what the students do outside the classroom. Six freshmen were instructed to keep diaries detailing their views of college life. Each subject was given a blank diary entry on a diskette and…

Examples of writers' workshops and ways to implement them for children's second-language learning are described in this handbook for teachers. Writers' workshops are important structured classroom events that provide children with opportunities to demonstrate their facility as writers. The theory behind writers' workshops is that children…