Students with learning disabilities (LD) are increasingly expected to master content in the general education curriculum, making the need for effective instructional supports more important than ever before. Science is a part of the curriculum that can be particularly challenging to students with LD because of the diverse demands it places on…

This article presents information on using mnemonic strategies to enhance learning and memory of students with mild disabilities. Different types of mnemonic strategies are described, including the keyword method, the pegword method, and letter strategies. Following this, a number of teachers describe their own applications of mnemonic strategies…

In two experiments, learning disabled junior high school students learned definitions of 14 vocabulary words either according to a pictorial mnemonic strategy (the "keyword method") or via principles of direct instruction. Results showed that the keyword method was substantially more effective even when keyword students were required to generate…

Learning-disabled junior high school students (N-36) were taught three dichotomous classifications for each of eight minerals; hardness level (hard-soft), color (pale-dark), and common use (home-industry). Ss were randomly assigned to three experimental conditions in order to learn this information. In the direct instruction condition, Ss were…

This article describes the concept and varieties of mnemonic instruction and how mnemonics interacts with the specific learning characteristics of learning-disabled students. The effectiveness of the techniques, as reported in research studies, is described. Implications for classroom instruction and further research are provided. (DB)

Comparison of teaching U.S. history content to learning disabled junior-high school students using either mnemonic or nonmnemonic materials found that students learned substantially more information when instructed mnemonically. Teachers felt the mnemonic materials were significantly more appropriate for these students than traditional…

Thirty studies that examined mathematics strategies for use with learning-disabled students are reviewed. The studies evaluated reinforcement and goal setting on seat work performance, specific strategies for computation and problem solving, mnemonic strategies, peer mediation, and computer-assisted instruction. Virtually all instructional…

Applied research suggests that learning-disabled students can benefit from training in test-taking skills to improve their performance on both standardized tests and content area tests. Recommendations for classroom applications enumerate which skills are most important for objective, short answer, and essay question tests and suggest appropriate…

The paper describes the keyword method for vocabulary instruction with learning disabled, mentally retarded, gifted, and typical students. The keyword method, a mnemonic technique using visual imagery, involves recoding, relating, and retrieving. Building fluency, using scientific word parts to understand complex words, and generalizing to…

The keyword and pegword methods, related mnemonic strategies to improve performance in encoding and retrieving factual information, are described as effective procedures for helping special education and remedial students increase their learning and memory skills. (JW)

Students in three inclusive third-grade classes (n=74 students) were taught story vocabulary using the keyword method, vocabulary words with pictures, or vocabulary with definitions. The keyword method was more effective in increasing vocabulary learning. Using the keyword method, the achievement of students with learning disabilities matched…

A study compared the reading fluency, comprehension strategies, and content test scores of 16 students with mild disabilities who participated in a nine-week world history class taught using peer tutoring or teacher-directed guided notes. Students who were participated in peer tutoring significantly outperformed the other students on content-area…

The use of reconstructive elaborations for teaching content to secondary students with learning disabilities is described. The technique provides a framework for adapting all content-area information into more familiar, more concrete interactive elaborations. Its use with United States history in a recent study illustrates the strategy.…

Learning-disabled junior-high students (N=27) were taught four chapters of U.S. history using either mnemonic instruction or more traditional, textbook based instruction. Students learned substantially more content when instructed mnemonically, on individual chapter tests as well as on the cumulative recall test. Students and teachers both…

Fifty-nine students enrolled in 4 inclusive world history classes in a suburban high school participated in a within participants research design to compare the relative effects of mnemonic strategies and direct instruction on academic performance. Regularly assigned high school teachers delivered instruction during history class periods. Keywords…