A study of four elementary schools in one large Texas school district found that cultural norms and traditions of educational administration set boundaries within which teachers chose from a limited set of "recipes" for teaching and other activities. The two-year study, using data from interviews, documents, and daily observations of…

The Classroom Organization Study, conducted in Austin, Texas, was designed to answer some very specific questions about establishing and maintaining classroom organization in low socioeconomic status elementary schools that results in greater student time on task, exposure to content, and achievement. The ultimate purpose of the study was to…

The effects of multi-age grouping on achievement and self-concept were studied. The achievement variables examined were reading and mathematics achievement as measured by the Stanford Achievement Tests. The Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale was used to measure self-concept. The groups studied consisted of single-age and multi-age…

Discusses classroom organization and management techniques for using Logo in an elementary school classroom, including computer placement, daily scheduling, utilization of resource charts for questions on computer use, and student use of diskettes for keeping track of their computer accomplishments. A rationale for choosing Logo is also provided.…

Observations of third- and fourth-grade classroom reading lessons revealed not only that text-related reading comprehension was seldom taught, but also that a coordinated or topically organized sequence of text reading instruction was rare. (FL)

In this ethnographic study, four context variables emerged as having importance for teacher behavior: lesson type (new material, continuing topic, review); subject matter; size of instructional group (whole class, small group, individual); and time of day or week. Teacher behavior categories analyzed were: diagnostician, designer, facilitator,…

Seven combined or multi-grade classes, ranging from grades 2 to 5, were the focus of a qualitative, naturalistic inquiry. In each of the four elementary schools visited for the study, the decision to have combined classes had been made shortly before school started for administrative reasons. The study sought to determine the manner in which the…

Three conclusions were drawn about within-class grouping after reviewing the work of several researchers on the following topics: teacher and student behavior, academic achievement, perceptions about reading groups, social class membership and reading group assignment, and the role of group cohesiveness. The conclusions were that: (1) although the…

A group composed of 124 classroom teachers, reading teachers, and graduate students in reading specialization programs participated in a study that examined how teachers select and use information in judging students' probable performance in reading groups. Each subject read two case studies (one describing a boy with social problems but no…

On the premise that teacher decision making significantly influences instructional effectiveness, this study gives some insight into the decision-making process that shaped the course of reading instruction in four elementary teachers' classrooms. During one school year, the fieldwork method of research was used to discover the decisions teachers…

The study described here was designed to answer questions about effective instruction in low socioeconomic status (SES) elementary schools by focusing on classroom organization and management, especially what specific steps are important at the beginning of the year. This progress report details the history of the study, describes data collection…

Designed to simplify the task of selecting the right reading materials for students, this guide provides a method for structuring the work of textbook selection committees. It guides committees through a six-step process involving answering the following increasingly specific questions: what is the socioeconomic background of the students? What do…

"Looping" is a practice that allows single-grade teachers to remain with the same class for 2 or more years. Organized in a question-and-answer format, this book answers 72 questions about looping commonly asked by teachers and parents, including questions about its benefits, disadvantages, and implementation. Chapters include: (1) "What Is…

Offers suggestions in the areas of classroom management, instructional strategies, and evaluation to assist in making a smooth transition from the basal to the whole language program. Suggests that gradual implementation allows teachers and students to become confident in using this instructional method. (MG)

Physical education teachers who want to be fair to all students may discover some ways teachers speak or act is discriminatory. Some items that teachers who want to treat students as fairly as possible should consider include class organization, teaching style, teacher-student interaction, teacher language, role models, and equipment. (SM)