Abstract

Methods for Effective Teaching provides research-based coverage of general teaching methods for K-12 classrooms that promote student understanding while emphasizing contemporary issues, including differentiating your instruction, creating a learning community, and making modifications in instruction based on student differences. This edition offers new content in every chapter on teaching English language learners in all classrooms. Other unique coverage includes ways to manage lesson delivery, how to apply motivational techniques for instruction and assessment, and how to work with colleagues and parents. All the content is aligned to professional standards. The book's thorough coverage of classroom management and discipline includes a discussion of dynamic ways to create a positive learning environment. A variety of pedagogical features throughout the book help maintain the reader's interest and accommodate different learning styles. Each pedagogical feature provokes rich classroom discussions about teacher decision-making and application of concepts. Numerous features, tables, and lists of recommendations ensure that the text is reader-friendly and practical.

Diversity in the Classroom

Introduction

Today's student population is becoming more and more diverse, and classrooms are reflecting this diversity. At one time it was thought that only urban schools and urban educators needed to be aware of, and address, issues of diversity. In contemporary U.S. society, however, it is recognized that, ideally, the ethnicity, background, and culture of all students will be addressed. Notwithstanding, in some education settings diversity is accepted and its value is promoted, whereas in other settings diversity is not valued, even to the point of being ignored. Over the next 40 years it is predicted that the number of diverse students (African American, Asian, Hispanic, or Native American, and many children of new immigrants) will increase dramatically.

By 2050, there will be no majority race or ethnicity in the United States—every American will be a member of a minority group. Accordingly, educators need the knowledge to address ethnic and racial issues. It is generally accepted that the term diversity is used to recognize student differences, including physical and mental abilities, gender, ethnicity, race, language, religion, class, sexual orientation, and age. The term diversity simply means that people are different. While diversity has become the term used to recognize student differences, other terms have been used to describe minority groups or those considered less advantaged. Those terms include culturally deprived and culturally disadvantaged and previously were used to describe low-income students or those labeled socially disadvantaged. Later the term at risk was used to describe students considered less fortunate (Lindsey, 52).

Discussion

The American Educational Research Association (AERA) started in 1916 as a national organization for education researchers with the aim of strengthening education through research. Since then, it has grown into a worldwide professional membership organization with more than 25,000 members. AERA has an expressed goal of advancing high-quality educational research and fostering excellence in its reporting for scholarly productivity and practical application. This goal is further interpreted in the mission to advance knowledge about education, to encourage scholarly inquiry related to education, and to promote the use of research to improve education and to ...