The classroom should be organized for optimal pupil achievement. Learners should be free to view and read diverse forms and kinds of printed work in a relaxed atmosphere. An area in the classroom should be designated for large group instruction where pupils may work together as a unit. Another area in the classroom should be used to stress…

This manual draws together evolving information about how group size influences what the group does and how learning tasks may be designed and employed to accomplish desired outcomes. The manual includes ideas from research on class size and its outcomes; theories of learning and development; and validated experiences of expert educators. It…

This report describes a study designed to discover the nature of teacher-student interactions in regular-size classes with 25 or more students and small-size classes with fewer than 18 students. Eleven public-school primary classrooms were observed, and the interactions between the teachers and students were studied. Verbal and nonverbal…

Provides specific guidance to teachers planning activity areas and storage spaces to create an environment that supports children and how they learn. Areas of consideration include order, independence, comfort, materials, and boundaries. Hints for discovering unused space, including small and large storage projects, are provided. (SD)

Examined final-year undergraduate responses to innovations to determine whether positive learning outcomes in large classes are possible by increasing the range of work in which students are involved. Straightforward adjustments to approach and style produced both positive learning outcomes and an increase in transferable skills. (RJM)

Finds that, in 50 primary classrooms with a majority of Native American students, the language development of Native American students was enhanced by open and informal classroom organization, small group activity, flexible time parameters, student autonomy, a positive teacher-student relationship, cooperative learning, and use of culturally…

Investigates the relationship between school environment and science classroom environment in secondary schools. Reports that the characteristics of the school environment are not transmitted automatically into the science classroom. Concludes that the effect the school-level environment has on student learning is mediated by classroom process…

This paper discusses the challenges and difficulties of adopting new "authentic" methods of instruction that help students not only learn but also develop habits that enable them to use their knowledge more effectively. "Authentic" methods of instruction are defined as those that require students to produce (not just reproduce) knowledge relevant…

Techniques and suggestions for establishing a junior high level individualized reading program stress efficiency, economy, and development of teacher and student morale. Over 20 tips, presented in alphabetical order, are illustrated. Examples of ideas discussed are: an answer key book, a book exchange, instruction notebooks and signs, evaluation…

A study compared performances on a test of selective auditory attention between students educated in open-space versus closed classroom environments. An open-space classroom environment was defined as having no walls separating it from hallways or other classrooms. It was hypothesized that the incidence of auditory figure-ground (ability to focus…

A preliminary case study used repertory grid and stimulated recall techniques to examine how teachers make sense of the impact of microcomputers on their work. Emphasis was on how teachers construe their classroom influence in relation to the actual use of microcomputers and to idealizations of their use. A version of the Kelly (1955) repgrid was…

This document reports on an inquiry into elementary school students' perceptions of important classroom rules and of the teacher's authority. Chapter 1 provides an overview to this verification inquiry, part of a larger study, Ecological Perspectives for Successful Schooling Practice. The next chapter reports on the findings on children's…

An overview of research on elementary secondary classroom teaching presents a synthesis of findings from large-scale, classroom-based studies on teacher effectiveness. Three sets of major research efforts, dealing with classroom management and organization, systematic instruction, and effective instruction, were selected for review. Certain…

The major emphasis in the studies considered in this paper is on the role of the teacher as a professional with particular expertise and specific but limited responsibilities to students and parents, and with certain rights as the instructional leader and authority figure in the classroom. According to research studies, a comprehensive approach to…

The extent of variety in structure and format of teaching mathematics in fifth grade classrooms and its relation to student attention was studied. The data for this study consisted of observations made in eighteen math classes for a period of six to ten days with a mean of over eight days. Seatwork and recitation accounted for over 95 percent of…