This pamphlet reviews five reports that highlight an emerging consensus among researchers about the value of systematically incorporating cognitive instruction into the elementary school curriculum. First is a comprehensive framework by Robert J. Marzano and C. L. Hutchins for an integrated approach to thinking skills that has been developed and…

One of a series dealing with current issues affecting language arts instruction, this paper focuses on thinking skills. The paper begins by raising two issues: whether thinking skills should be taught as part of each subject area, as a separate skill, or both, and whether English and language arts teachers have a special role in the teaching of…

The purpose of this paper is to identify how the theory and techniques of research in cognitive development can be applied to the study of learning and instruction in mathematics. Five basic research paradigms are characterized; major directions of research on number, measurement, geometry, and adolescent reasoning are identified. Most of the…

The purpose of this study was to test the effect of several cognitive development capacities on first-grade children's ability to learn basic concepts and skills of linear measurement. The cognitive capacities of interest were logical reasoning ability and information processing capacity. The hypotheses predicted that children who had not yet…