Methods for Effective Teaching discusses research-based general teaching methods for K-12 classrooms that promote student understanding while emphasizing contemporary issues, including differentiating your instruction and making instruction modifications based on student differences.  This edition offers new content on strategies that promote student understanding, critical competencies of effective teachers, teacher dispositions, integrating technology in instruction, differentiating instruction, managing lesson delivery, motivating students, and working with parents. Thorough coverage of classroom management and discipline includes discussion of dynamic ways to create a positive learning environment.  Pedagogical features on technology, learning communities, and instructional modifications for diverse classrooms engage the reader in thoughtful consideration of chapter concepts.

Table of Contents:
Preface. About the Authors. Standards.   I. FOUNDATIONS OF TEACHING METHODS.   1. The Teacher as a Decision Maker.     Effective Teaching         Decisions about Basic Teaching Functions         Essential Teacher Characteristics         Expectations for Effectiveness     Standards and Professional Development         INTASC Standards         Principles of Learning and Teaching         A Framework for Teaching         National Board for Professional Teaching Standards     The Teacher As A Reflective Decision Maker         Reflective Practice         Aspects of Instructional Decision Making         Reflection and a Constructivist Approach to Teaching     Reflective Practice and Your Continuous Learning II. PLANNING INSTRUCTION. 2. The Fundamentals of Planning.     What is Planning?         Reasons for Planning         Planning Phases         Factors Considered in Planning         Planning and the Standards Movement     Approaches to Planning         The Linear-Rational Model         The Mental-Image Approach     Additional Planning Considerations         Resources for Planning         Teacher—Student Planning         Team Planning         Preparing a Syllabus         Planning to Motivate Students         Planning to Use Academic Time Wisely     How Teachers Really Plan 3. Types of Teacher Planning.     Types of Teacher Plans         Course Planning         Term Planning         Unit Planning         Weekly Planning         Daily Planning     Components of a Daily Lesson Plan         Identifying Course Information         Objectives for the Lesson         Procedures         Materials         Evaluation of Students         Other Possible Items 4. Differentiating Instruction for Diverse Learners.     Implications for Diverse Classrooms     Sources of Student Diversity         Cognitive Area         Affective Area         Physical Area         Learning Styles         Creative Potential         Gender         Language         Cultural Diversity         Disabilities         Students at Risk         Socioeconomic Status     Creating an Inclusive, Multicultural Classroom         Create a Supportive, Caring Environment         Offer a Responsive Curriculum         Vary Your Instruction         Provide Assistance When Needed     Differentiating Your Instruction         Elements of the Curriculum that Can be Differentiated         Students Characteristics for Which Teachers Can Differentiate         Instructional Strategies that Facilitate Instruction     Motivating Diverse Students for Instruction III. SELECTING INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES 5. Direct Instructional Strategies.     Deductive and Inductive Strategies     Direct Instructional Approaches         Direct Instruction         Presentations         Demonstrations         Questions         Recitations         Practice and Drills         Reviews         Guided Practice and Homework 6. Indirect Instructional Strategies.     Inductive Approaches         Concept Attainment Approaches         Inquiry Lessons         Projects, Reports, and Problems     Social Approaches         Discussions         Cooperative Learning         Panels and Debates         Role Playing, Simulations, and Games     Independent Approaches         Learning Centers or Stations         Contracts and Independent Work 7. Strategies that Promote Student Understanding     Identifying Similarities and Differences     Summarizing and Note Taking         Summarizing         Note Taking     Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition         Reinforcing Effort         Providing Recognition     Homework and Practice         Homework         Practice     Nonlinguistic Representations     Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback         Setting Objectives         Providing Feedback     Generating and Testing Hypotheses     Cues, Questions, and Advance Organizers         Cues and Questions         Advance Organizers IV. MANAGING INSTRUCTION AND THE CLASSROOM. 8. Managing Lesson Delivery.     Issues Affecting Lesson Delivery         The Degree of Structure in Lessons         Grouping Students for Instruction         Holding Students Academically Accountable     Managing Parts of the Lesson         The Beginning of a Lesson         The Middle of a Lesson         The Ending of a Lesson     Managing Student Work         Managing Seatwork Effectively         Collecting Assignments and Monitoring Their Completion         Maintaining Records of Student Work         Managing Paperwork         Giving Students Feedback     Managing Whole-Group Instruction         Preventing Misbehavior         Managing Movement Through the Lesson         Maintaining a Group Focus         Maintaining Student Attention and Involvement 9. Classroom Management.     Classroom Management         Order in the Classroom         Areas of Responsibility         Principles for Working with Students and Preventing Misbehavior         What Effective Behavior Management Accomplishes     Preparing for the School Year         Making Management Preparations         Making Instructional Preparations         Managing Assessments, Record Keeping, and Reporting         Establishing a Plan to Deal with Misbehavior         Planning for the First Day         Conducting the First Day     Organizing Your Classroom and Materials         Floor Space         Storage Space         Bulletin Boards and Wall Space     Selecting and Teaching Rules and Procedures         Rules         Procedures     Maintaining Appropriate Student Behavior         Having a Mental Set for Management         Building Positive Teacher-Student Relationships         Helping Students Assume Responsibility for Their Behavior         Reinforcing Desired Behaviors 10. Classroom Discipline.     Misbehavior         Misbehavior in Context         Causes of Misbehavior         Types of Misbehavior         Degrees of Severity     Interventions         The Principle of Least Intervention         Some Practices to Avoid         Cautions and Guidelines for Punishment     A Three-Step Response Plan         Situational Assistance         Mild Responses         Moderate Responses     Dealing with Chronic Misbehaviors V. ASSESSING AND REPORTING STUDENT PERFORMANCE. 11. Assessing Student Performance.     Evaluation         Types of Evaluation         Measurement, Assessment, and Evaluation         Norm-referenced and Criterion-referenced Evaluation         Characteristics of Good Assessment Instruments     Establishing a Framework for Evaluation     Performance-Based Assessments         Product Assessments         Performance Assessments         Ways to Rate Student Products or Performances     Teacher-Made Tests         Planning the Classroom Test         Selecting and Preparing Test Questions         Assembling the Test         Administering the Test         Scoring the Test     Motivational Strategies Concerning Evaluation and Feedback 12. Grading Systems, Marking, and Reporting.     Purposes of Grading         Functions of Grades         Confounding the Achievement Grade     Grading Systems         Percentage Grades         Letter Grades         Descriptive Evaluations         Parent—Teacher Conferences         Pass—Fail Grading         Checklists of Objectives     Assigning Letter Grades         Determining What to Include in a Grade         Creating a Composite Score         Selecting a Frame of Reference for Grading         Determining the Distribution of Grades         Calculating Semester and Annual Grades     Nonachievement Outcomes         Rating Scales         Checklists         Special Reports     Designing a Gradebook         Daily Record         Achievement Scores         Summary Charts     Reporting Grades and Communicating to Parents         Report Cards         Cumulative Record Files         Newsletters to All Parents         Open House         Parent—Teacher Conferences         Contacts with Individual Parents     General Principles in Grading and Reporting VI. WORKING WITH OTHERS. 13. Working with Colleagues and Parents.     Working with Colleagues     Working with Parents         Reasons for Working with Parents         Why Some Parents Resist Involvement         Building a Parental Support System     Contacting and Communicating with Parents         Ways to Communicate with Parents         Parent—Teacher Conferences   References. Name Index. Subject Index.