Making errors can be a salutary learning experience. The problem in outdoor adventure education is to protect the error makers from real harm, which requires careful structuring of the learning situation. Discusses error limits, how much error correction is appropriate, involving participants in decision making, video playback and debriefing…

Explains that trial and error learning is an important way for children and adults to learn. Open-ended activities have great opportunities for error and eventual feedback for error reduction. (PR)

Drawing from a review of the literature on feedback in two fields, English education and social psychology, this paper sets forth a set of theoretical conclusions and practical suggestions for developmental English instructors and others to use in providing feedback to composition students. First, the research on written feedback in English…

Two fourth grade boys with learning disabilities learned to use the Bank Street Writer III word processing and spelling checker program to edit spelling errors. Both boys learned to manage the spell-checking process and increased the spelling accuracy of their edited texts. Differences in their learning processes and the tool's limitations are…

This introduction to second language learning is intended to provide language teachers with basic information on relevant principles and processes. After an introductory chapter, the second chapter looks at traditional beliefs about language learning, including those concerning transfer of first-language knowledge to the second language, the role…

Discusses the nature of the mind and education. Suggests that society learns more from mistakes than from simply replicating the mind of the teacher in the students. Expresses hope that the next century will be one of maturity in which society is able to see that old knowledge no longer applies to a changing world. (DK)

Reports research on teachers' beliefs about children's development. Discusses (1) teachers' estimates of ages at which children succeed on tasks, (2) teachers' ability to engage in task analysis, (3) their view of children's error, and (4) their view of developmental accounts. Concludes that good teachers' beliefs provide an inadequate basis for…

Replicates an earlier study that used videotapes to examine the types of errors made by novice economics students in graphic analysis of a simple supply-demand problem. Further explores the issue by improving the framework for analyzing errors and documenting some methods used by novice groups to correct errors. (MJP)

A discussion of the relationship between second language acquisition (SLA) and foreign language learning (FLL) focuses on how theory influences language teaching. It is noted that SLA research has brought new interest in teaching materials and methodologies to many in the foreign language profession, but that there are also many who, impatient…

This curriculum sourcebook is designed as a guide for educators of limited-English-speaking adults in literacy education programs. It consists of accounts of actual learning and teaching experiences using a participatory approach to instruction and curriculum development, written by teachers in community-based adult education. An introductory…