Literature on metacognition, particularly studies by A. L. Brown and J. H. Flavell, are reviewed, and it is argued that a learning disabled adolescent may become a more active learner by being taught a system of strategies for learning. Comprehension skills, motivation, and metacognitive skills are interdependent. (Author/CL)

Discusses the organization and retrieval of information. Describes the tip-of-the-tongue state during mathematics problem solving. Provides five rules for a deep level of processing of new concepts. (YP)

Reports on a study of four Australian 11th-grade biology students that used stimulated recall to evaluate student thinking processes.The study confirmed the complexity of the teaching-learning process. (MD)

Describes five writing activities and assignments designed to help students understand the content of social studies and the process of writing. These include student journals, biographical poems, elaborate word games, and creative writing exercises. Illustrative examples relate these to social studies issues. (MJP)

Describes a multiple-choice instrument that reliably and validly diagnoses secondary students' understanding of photosynthesis and respiration in plants. Highlights the consistency of students' misconceptions across secondary levels and indicates a high percentage of students have misconceptions regarding plant physiology. (CW)

This book brings a philosophical perspective to the topic of children's thinking. It attempts to answer the questions of what it is to think and understand, and how children do so. The book provides an introduction to the philosophy of education as it relates to children's understanding, and is careful not to assume any previous philosophical…

This article discusses the importance of questions as a means for hearing-impaired students to acquire and clarify information and develop independent learning processes. The article also discusses the difficulties faced by hearing-impaired students in comprehending question forms (especially WH-question forms) and offers strategies for diagnosing…

Disjunction between what law teachers mean and how students interpret what is being taught explains why a significant number of law students are not learning or performing at their capability levels. The comments of diverse students at nine law schools can help teachers understand what creates barriers to learning and what helps students learn.…

Asserts that a primary goal of social studies is to prepare students to make informed decisions on public and political issues. Maintains that the most effective approach to teaching critical thinking is through infusion--teaching thinking skills in the context of subject matter. (CFR)

Discusses the uses and benefits of Narrative Assisted Instruction (NAI). This technique uses a story or narrative to illustrate specific content instruction thereby increasing student motivation, comprehension, and memory of the material. Uses NAI to illustrate these concepts by recounting the story of the Wild Boy of Aveyron. (MJP)

Discusses the importance of instruction in metacognition, the mental process of observing, evaluating, and making adjustments in one's own thinking behavior to enhance comprehension during a learning activity. Reviews educational programs which have taught metacognitive behaviors and charts a model instructional approach for use in the college…

The Learning in Science Project (Primary)--LISP(P)--was designed to examine problems and difficulties in primary science and to explore ways of overcoming these problems. Early research led to a proposal that children's questions and explanations could form the basis of an alternative teaching approach. However, several issues were raised which…

Stresses the importance of metacognitive skills (knowledge of one's own cognitive processes) in mathematical performance. Discusses the differences between metacognitive thinking and metacognitive experiences and the ways they each influence performance. Describes how accurate metacognition improves students' mathematical performance, and outlines…

Many researchers believe that prior knowledge is the single most important variable influencing learning. Learning in the classroom is determined or affected positively or negatively, to some degree, by the knowledge people bring to the classroom. This study was designed to: (1) assess fifth- and eighth-grade Korean students' misconceptions of…

A discussion of the role of the Japanese language in the English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) classroom in Japan presents several arguments in favor of using Japanese, followed by some notes of caution and a call to teachers to reflect on their classroom language use. Arguments for using students' native language (L1) include these: in mixed level…