The radical exemplar model resonates with work on perceptual classification and categorization highlighting the role of exemplars in memory representations. Further development of the model requires acknowledgment of both the fleeting and fragile nature of perceptual representations and the gist-based, good-enough quality of long-term memory…

In this month's interview, Kappan's editor talks with developmental psychologist and Northwestern University professor Emma K. Adam about her recent research into stress, stress hormones (particularly cortisol), sleep, and learning. High school students' self-reported stress levels during the day are closely aligned with their measured levels of…

The present article provides commentary on this pioneering special issue covering the usefulness of so-called mind-body practices with youth and in schools. I begin by addressing the way we talk about this approach to practice, describing a few undesirable consequences that can follow from using the mind-body moniker adopted from the world of…

Tests of working memory capacity (WMC) and fluid intelligence (gF) are thought to capture variability in a crucial cognitive capacity that is broadly predictive of success, yet pinpointing the exact nature of this capacity is an area of ongoing controversy. We propose that mind-wandering is associated with performance on tests of WMC and gF,…

In their Postscript, Jans et al. emphasize the similarities between their criteria and ours for demonstrating split attention. However, they insist on starting with the unified window of attention as the null hypothesis. In evaluating the validity of this assumption, it is worth considering both the capacity and flexibility that would be needed…

E. Dhooge and R. J. Hartsuiker (2010) reported experiments showing that picture naming takes longer with low- than high-frequency distractor words, replicating M. Miozzo and A. Caramazza (2003). In addition, they showed that this distractor-frequency effect disappears when distractors are masked or preexposed. These findings were taken to refute…

In this article, a reader is asking for advice regarding her 10-year-old daughter who is having difficulty with her reading and focusing skills and social skills. The author recommends that her daughter should have a full evaluation of her academic skills and potentials inclusive of psychology, speech, and occupational therapy. The author also…

The author drew the 2008 Easter conference to a close. During the final address, the author chose to focus on the domain of perimeter and area both because it is a topic accessible to teachers of all ages and because learners display considerable confusion between them. The core difficulty seems to lie in the necessity to attend either to the…

In this article, the author responds to a teacher's request for advice on how to handle one 4-year-old child in her class who cannot seem to focus on tasks and activities. The author provides some suggestions on how to work with one or more children who are easily distracted. The author points out that one of the most important life skills is the…

Research findings on the attention of learning disabled (LD) and hyperactive students are reviewed, with the focus upon three aspects: alertness, selection, and capacity. The author suggests that the connection between attentional deficits and hyperactivity is stronger than that between attention deficits and LD. (CL)

There are many different reasons why children have problems paying attention. One child might be visually oversensitive and thereby distracted by bright sunlight coming in through a window or by too much color on a bulletin board. Another child, who is oversensitive to smells, might be distracted by the teacher's perfume or by the odor coming from…

The article discusses the advantages of the term "Attention Deficit Disorder" (ADD) as a diagnostic category for some children not labeled learning disabled. (DB)

The author defines stimulus control (using responses and skills which have been previously acquired) and suggests that it is of critical importance in the instructional process with learning disabled students. Research on variables of attention and time on-task is reviewed. (CL)

The field of experiential education can be enhanced through the use of meditation. The vision statement of the Association for Experiential Education includes the aim of creating a just and compassionate world. This goal can be approached one person at a time by encouraging each individual in the field to become a just and compassionate person.…

The introduction to this special issue on preschool issues in autism summarizes the other papers, which focus on general issues, development of attention and imitation during the preschool years, nonverbal communication of young children with autism, and instructional techniques. (DB)