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Milner Library

COM 110a01 - Communication As Critical Inquiry: Classroom Communication-Teacher Education

A guide with resources for students in COM110a01.

Finding Teaching Material Center Resources

Learn how to search for books at Milner that are specifically for K-12 students by watching the video below.

  • Access the library's homepage  at https://library.illinoisstate.edu/
  • Type in a keyword search for a topic (or a title).
  • When the results display, click on  Floor 6 ShelvesTeaching Materials Center under the Location limiter on the right side of the page.
  • This will display only PreK-12 results for your topic.

Not included in the video:

  • Filter the "Resource Type" in the Tweak Your Results column to "Realia" or "Kit" to discover non-book items such as puppets, models, and manipulatives. 

TMC TEXT / TMC PRO

There are two areas in the Teaching Materials Center that are designed specifically to assist teachers with lesson planning: 

Finding PK-12 Teacher Resource Books

Finding PK-12 Teacher Resource Books

  1. To find PK-12 professional books at Milner, begin at the advanced search page. 
  2. In the first line, change the drop-down from 'Any field' to 'subject.'
  3. For the subject, you might consider both the discipline and the grade range. A good strategy is to include both of these in the subject you search. The general structure of the subject should be: subject/discipline study and teaching (grade range).

For example, this might look like: 

  • language arts study and teaching (primary)
  • science study and teaching (elementary)
  • math study and teaching (middle)
  • social studies study and teaching (elementary)
  • physics study and teaching (secondary)

       4. Enter your subject in the same line where it prompts, 'Enter a search term.' 

       5. You then have a couple of options, depending on what you are looking for: 

  • For a search that returns ALL materials in the library assigned the subject, click search and browse through results. 
  • To create a search that returns all relevant TMC resources, click search. Then use the 'Tweak Your Results' to the right of your search results and make your Location: Floor 6 Shelves Teaching Materials Center. 
  • For a search that returns only TMC Textbooks assigned the subject you enter, add a line to the advanced search that restricts the Holding Call Number to TMCText (no space). Then, click search. 
  • For a search that returns only TMC PRO books assigned the subject you enter, add a line to the advanced search that restricts the Holding Call Number to TMC PRO. Then, click search. 

There is no exact science for searching, instead it often is a game of trial and error of trying to match your language with the language of the search system. Below are some subject terms and keywords you might try in addition to or instead of those outlined above.This takes practice. If you get stuck, ask a librarian for help!

Listed below is a small sampling of keywords that can be used generally or in combination with a discipline (Science, Math, Language Arts, Etc) to start a search:

  • Activities                                     
  • Active Learning 
  • Creative Activities                   
  • Curriculum Planning
  • Differentiated                             
  • Effective Teaching
  • Enhancing                                  
  • Experiential Learning
  • Ideas                                          
  • Inclusive
  • Instruction                                   
  • Lessons
  • Projects                                      
  • Problem solving
  • Strategies                                  
  • Teaching activities

Early Childhood (Pre-K)

Example Keywords:

  • Early Childhood Education
  • Early Childhood Classroom
  • Early literacy
  • Education, Preschool Activity programs
  • Infant and toddler curriculum
  • Number concept - Study and teaching (Early childhood) - Activity programs - United States.
  • Preschool education

Elementary (Primary)

Example Subject Headings:

  • Reading and Comprehension (Elementary)            
  • Reading (Elementary) Activity programs.
  • Mathematics Study and teaching (Primary) Activity programs.

Middle Level 

Example Subject Headings:

  • History - Study and teaching (Middle school)
  • Biology - Study and teaching (Middle school)
  • English Language -  Composition and exercises - Study and teaching (Middle school)

High School Level (Secondary)

Example Subject Headings:

  • Mathematics - Study and teaching (Secondary)
  • Literature - Study and teaching (Secondary)
  • Chemistry - Study and teaching (Secondary)

English Language Learners (ELL) and English as a Second Language (ESL)

Example Subject Headings:

  • English language textbooks for foreign speakers
  • English as a second language

EDI-Focused 

Example Subject Headings:

  • Bilingualism in children - United States.
  • Children of minorities - Education - United States.
  • Cultural diversity in education (keyword)
  • Culturally relevant pedagogy
  • Culturally responsive teaching (keyword search)
  • Inclusive education - United States.
  • Linguistically diverse classroom
  • Linguistic minorities - Education - United States.
  • Mainstreaming in education United States.
  • Multiculturalism
  • Multicultural education - United States.
  • Multilingual classroom

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