This book highlights the roles of several individual difference (ID) variables on the language learning process, exploring them from both the students' and the teachers' perspectives. It presents the results of a large-scale, mixed-methods investigation which was conducted with secondary school pupils and their teachers in Hungary. The…

The transition from primary to secondary school can be a period of anxiety for many children. Although most schools have developed systems to ease this process, it has been argued that the emphasis is often on administrative and organisational procedures. In contrast, children and parents are typically more concerned with personal and social…

The article describes the dramatic improvement in reading achievement, decrease in discipline problems, and improvement in student attitudes in a North Carolina elementary school over a two-year period when students were taught through their preferred learning styles. (DB)

Ways to motivate shorthand students are presented as a review of nine principles governing student motivation, in order to instill long-term interest in shorthand while providing short-term remedies to improve learning. The author states that student individual differences are so varied that teachers should formulate their own motivation methods.…

Monash University (Australia) students (n=320) enrolled concurrently in two courses were surveyed concerning their approaches to learning and the classroom presentation of material. Results supported the conception that an individual student's approach to studying in a course is determined in part by his perceptions of the teaching approach. (MSE)

A scale of course appeal was tested on medical students in preclinical courses. Results showed that positive (pleasure, satisfaction) or negative (anxiety, grief) student reactions were substantially correlated with an independent measure, the Course Valuing Inventory. In addition, different student adaptation modes appeared to correspond to…

While teachers are becoming increasingly aware of different learning styles, they have generally rejected the practical use of learning styles in the classroom. This bulletin summarizes theories and findings on learning styles, demonstrates their use in exceptional and regular classrooms, and offers recommendations for those who want to use the…

Yearly interviews investigated 101 college students' perceptions of their experiences throughout the 4 years of college as they related to 3 different epistemologies ranging from unquestioned acceptance of knowledge to self-authored knowledge and to gender differences within these epistemologies. Results suggest teaching strategies and evaluation…

Three variables: subject area, day of the week, and academic activity, were examined to determine whether pupil involvement in academic learning activities is an indicator of pupil learning. Differences were found in each variable, implying that more effective use of allocated instruction time will increase academic achievement. (JD)

A principal of a New York elementary school describes how implementation of a testing program to determine individual learning styles and modification of the instructional environment to meet individual learning-style needs has been received enthusiastically by teachers, parents, and students. (DB)

A study was conducted to examine the effects of students' interests on their writing. A group of 571 high school seniors, fluent and nonfluent in writing, completed a questionnaire dealing with aspects of writing interest, such as subject, form, or voice. Tape recorded interviews addressing the same aspects were conducted with 11 fluent seniors…

Couples a variety of criteria and actual and hypothetical examples to assist practitioners in identifying the values already being applied in their schools and classrooms through policy and curriculum, and to help them consider alternative approaches for transmitting values to students. (MBR)

Discusses a study exploring whether field-independent (FI) students would rank FI teachers' characteristics as more important than would field-dependent (FD) students and whether FD students would rank as more important. Describes tests and criterion used. Concludes that individual differences in field dependence-independence characteristics…

The authors discuss the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains of learning typewriting, student attitudes toward learning, their self-concept, and teacher attitudes toward student learning ability, with learning conditions and motivation techniques for effective typewriting instruction. (MF)

Maintains that there is a lack of research on teaching styles and that teaching and learning styles are distinct topics and should be studied separately. Discusses research findings related to descriptive aspects of teaching styles. Presents a six-part model of teacher behaviors that comprise teaching style. (CFR)