In 1979, Act 187, known now as the Educator Improvement Act, was mandated by the legislature of the State of South Carolina. One tenet of Act 187 was the establishment of an Educator Improvement Task Force to develop an instrument which could effectively measure minimal teaching competencies. To help in the content and design of the instrument,…

Distinctions between levels of professional teaching skills are made in this paper, which illustrates the interdependent relationships among teaching, learning, and the effects upon teacher compensation. Performance pay for teachers is discussed, specifically career ladders that call for the evaluation of teaching performance as a factor in…

A study described how two eighth grade English teachers in a rural junior-senior high school established classroom rules, both formally and informally. The focus of the study and analysis of data were guided by three research questions: (1) What are the formal and informal classroom rules and how are they made visible? (2) Who are the sources of…

The purpose of this study was to determine the adequacy of the preparation provided by the teacher preparation program at Washburn University (Kansas) relative to the competency of assessing and interpreting student progress. Answers were sought to the following questions: (1) How does the student teacher evaluate his/her competence in regards to…

This paper records the experiences of two teacher educators at a small liberal arts college who attempted to deliver instruction in ways that were designed to meet the needs of individual preservice students. The program was individualized for the students in three ways: (1) the pace of instruction was matched with the abilities of individual…

The 68 journal articles, books, and ERIC documents described in this annotated bibliography cover all aspects of the topic of lecturing, from general considerations on the methodology and effectiveness of lecturing to specific advice on how to lecture and the results of research studies on lecturing's effect and usefulness. Besides summarizing the…

This study compares student assessment of teaching performance and course effectiveness among three groups of instructors in a university basic instruction physical education program: the main campus faculty, the regional campus faculty, and main campus graduate assistants. The students rated faculty on (1) knowledge, clarity, and enthusiasm; (2)…

The goals of this study were: (1) to develop a methodology for describing competent classroom teaching performance; and (2) to analyze components of competent classroom decision making to be used in improving preservice and inservice teacher training programs. The study investigated differences in: (1) experienced and novice teachers' reports of…

The effectiveness of social studies instruction in the Nigerian state of Borno was investigated with emphasis on teachers' skills. The study had three objectives: (1) to evaluate preservice teacher education social studies programs in terms of their objectives, curricula, methods, media, and evaluation procedures; (2) to evaluate teachers' skills…

Microteaching and the technical skills approach to teacher training began at Stanford University in 1963 as part of a preservice training program. The main skills that emerged from the program and were focused on from 1963-68 were response repertoire, creating student involvement, questioning skills, increasing student participation, and…

This handbook on teaching is divided into seven parts. Following the introduction (Part I), Part II presents essays on student and faculty rights and responsibilities, evaluation and assessment, grades, and teaching and efficiency. Part III is a summary of interviews on teaching and research with 20 professors from the University of Kansas…

Paper-pencil tests and classroom work-samples were used to evaluate the effectiveness of three learning units for teachers in early childhood education. Half of the sample had BA degrees or above, and half high school diplomas or less. Both methods assessed the same four competencies: quality of classroom arrangement, personalization of a…

Three articles review methods of improving teacher effectiveness in the United Kingdom. An evaluation of the effectiveness of video feedback to improve lecturer performance is described; institutional initiatives to encourage new approaches to teaching and learning are discussed; and case studies of three centers for staff training are given. (LRW)

A synopsis of characteristics of effective English as a second language teachers (in the areas of knowledge, skills, and attitudes) is presented as well as a discussion of appropriate approaches (interaction analysis versus assumed teacher competencies) for evaluating teachers. (Author/CB)

Even in schools termed "outstanding" by local and state reviews, few teachers demonstrate artful, inspired classroom instruction. Probable causes include (1) the emphasis in schools on order, competency, and basics, (2) random minilectures, (3) teachers' growing old in place, and (4) the dearth of younger career teachers. (IW)