Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE) refers to individual's learning endeavor occurring in out-of-class environments in a naturalistic way independent from the requirements of a formal education program including assessment. Learners' IDLE experiences in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts are quite important to understand their…

Keeping students engaged and receptive to learning can, at times, be a challenge. However, by the implementation of new methods and pedagogies, instructors can strengthen the drive to learn among their students. "Fostering Sustained Learning Among Undergraduate Students: Emerging Research and Opportunities" is an essential publication…

Preparation for university study and integration into the workforce is the academic goal in the final years of secondary education. This preparedness can only be achieved through the motivation and involvement of students in secondary education programs which will lead to successful outcomes. "Engaging Adolescent Students in Contemporary…

The author outlines nine principles relevant to planning instruction for students who experience difficulties in academic and social skills. (SBH)

Self-regulated learning is defined as the ability of a child to learn independently of a teacher or parent. Self-regulated learners require knowledge of a topic, basic skills for learning, and motivation. Self-regulated learners distinguish themselves from other learners in that they are aware of themselves as learners and have an awareness of the…

Three relatively simple conceptual frameworks are suggested to help trainers diagnose optimum learning situations. At their present stage of development, the models are theories that have not been empirically tested. The models are titled the Integral Learner, Understanding versus Application, and the Diagnostic Cube. (CT)

The author asserts that teachers must interest children more directly in the actual process of learning. She suggests having students keep "learning logs" in which they reflect back over their classwork and examine their intentions, observations, and feelings during the school day. She presents examples from several such student diaries.…

Children use creative thinking processes when teachers assign ambiguous rather than specific problems. Suggestions for developing questions that encourage experiential and metaphorical thinking are offered. (DF)

A college English teacher discusses how her experience in learning to play a guitar has illuminated the teaching and learning processes, especially for first-year composition students who are motivated but not talented, or not highly motivated and expect failure. It is concluded that patience and kindness are important teaching tools. (MSE)

This Digest focuses on motivating the low performing adolescent in a remedial reading or subject area classroom--the idea is that students who are disengaged from their own learning processes are not likely to perform well in school. The Digest points out that such adolescents are often caught in a cycle of failure and that secondary teachers must…

An elementary school teacher demonstrates that one method for helping his students learn is to ask them for suggestions on how "not" to learn. The process was used as a writing assignment, to teach basketball, to make a film, and to motivate teachers. (RK)

Cooperative learning improves students' learning motivation in a diverse college student population by creating a favorable disposition toward the learning experience through personal relevance and choice; creating an understanding that learners are effective in learning something they value; and creating challenging, thoughtful learning…

This article deals with the role of attitudes in second language acquisition suggested by a social psychological interpretation of the processes involved, and examines several extracurricular programs designed to improve student attitudes and motivation. (CLK)

Attempts to reveal the purpose of humanistic education as a search for personal meaning, to teach the skills of exploration so that students can sort through the wealth of information that surrounds them to discover what, of all those "facts", gives meaning, direction, and significance to their life. Also gives some guidelines for teachers.…

Describes a demonstration to illustrate the importance of knowing what is supposed to be learned before studying begins. Suggests that the exercise may be used to show the basic elements of a scientific experiment. Explains that attention's effect upon memory is shown by students' tendency to remember best what they are told to remember. (DK)