This 1993 yearbook presents 20 papers and summaries of the dissertation award winner "Content Literacy in High School Social Studies: A Focus on One Teacher's Beliefs and Decisions about Classroom Discussions" (E. G. Sturtevant) and the thesis award winner "Effects of Direct Instruction of Story Grammar on Story Writing and Reading…

This study investigated the effect of three specific hands-on teaching strategies on the attainment and alteration of preservice elementary teachers' conceptions about earth-sun-moon relationships. The subjects (n=76) were enrolled in an elementary school science methods course. The descriptive nature of this study explored: (1) the effect of two…

This report describes the first year of an ongoing intervention study and the learning of a group of teachers who are working together to make changes in the ways they teach mathematics. The document presents a vision of mathematics education based on research in cognitive psychology which indicates that learners construct knowledge rather than…

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…

Cognitive apprenticeships have three essential characteristics: (1) they make use of the learner's prior knowledge; (2) they allow that learned procedures for solving problems may be modified in new situations; and (3) they acknowledge that individuals generate their own solution paths, often through a collaborative process. Preservice elementary…

This paper describes a learning team curriculum structure in which the college professor relinquishes center stage in the classroom and involves students in two important tasks: (1) regular and specific reflection on their own learning and strategies for learning; and (2) asking their own questions. The learning team approach helps students learn…

Piggybacking is a new approach to a university-level methods class in math, science, and social studies in early childhood education developed at the McKay Campus School in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. This approach seeks to improve on methods courses that ask college students to pretend they are teaching young children or pretend they are being…

This article describes a teacher education program, "Studies in Educational Alternatives" (S.E.A.), at Mankato State University (Minnesota). The program is committed to personalization and practicum experiences as major components of teacher preparation. The document discusses: (1) program design; (2) admission processes; (3)…

The study described here was conducted to examine the impact of reforms made to an elementary education program which include broadened supervised practicums experience for all education methods courses thereby creating a link between theory and practice. Specific attention was given to prospective teachers' perceptions of the usefulness of their…

Speech communication teachers at both secondary and postsecondary school levels must cooperate to improve oral communication education. Despite the importance of oral communication skills, speech courses are rarely required in high school. Teachers must tell school boards, higher education boards, and faculties of the importance of speaking and…

To determine if subject matter taught or years of teaching experience after taking methods courses influenced teacher attitudes toward teaching reading in the content areas, questionnaires were completed by 105 middle, junior, and senior high school teachers who had completed methods classes in content area reading. Results of four subscales on…

Forty-eight professors of English or education at state universities throughout the United States were surveyed to discover what concepts state institutions were emphasizing in English writing. The survey asked 10 preliminary questions about what writing courses were offered or required for prospective undergraduate English teachers and 13…

This handbook offers guidelines for the university supervisor, methods instructor, and cooperating teacher in providing a productive clinical experience for elementary school education majors at Lewis University (Illinois). Procedures and responsibilities of each of the triad's members are outlined. General guidelines are presented on elements…

This handbook offers guidelines for the university supervisor, methods instructor, and cooperating teacher in providing a productive clinical experience for secondary school education majors at Lewis University (Illinois). General guidelines are presented on elements that pertain to all clinical experiences, such as classroom observation; planning…

Based on the perception that teacher educators deliver preparation programs which have little influence on the way graduates actually teach and that they are completely out of touch with the actual teaching conditions in contemporary schools, a survey was conducted to see what activities teachers felt were most relevant for reading methods classes…