Four papers on perceptual processes, by (1) W. Ahlbrand; (2) E. Elenbogen, S. Sperry and G. A. Thompson; (3) B. Randhawa; and (4) T. Sticht and D. Glasnapp, which were presented at the 55th annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, are critiqued here. Emphasis is upon the relevance of the papers to issues in perceptual…

Author stresses the importance of art, music, and literature experiences in the perceptual development of a child. (GB)

The development of elementary school children's graphic representations of the large-scale environment in the context of the development of spatial cognition, especially Piagetian theory, is examined. The nature of children's graphic representations of space is reviewed and examined relative to development of their spatial cognition. (BT)

In a task designed to separate perceptual processes from memory, reading-disabled 12-year-olds showed no perceptual deficits as compared to their peers. However, they exhibited major deficiencies in memory skills, appearing to suffer from a basic information-processing deficiency. (Author/CS)

Compares fourth-graders' subtest scores on the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT), the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), and the Metropolitan Achievement Test (MAT). Finds right-brain dominant students scored better on four SAT subtests, and left-brain dominant students scored better on four ITBS subtests and two MAT subtests. (NH)

A study comparing Chicano and Anglo children in spatial and language abilities showed that Chicanos were better in spatial ability and poorer in language comprehension. The findings were interpretated as demonstrating ethnic group differences in information processing strategies and the polarity of verbal and spatial skills in some children. (JB)

Experiments on the cognitive and perceptual development of three- to seven-year-old Soviet children are described, especially the work of L. A. Venger, N. N. Poddyakov, and D. B. El'Konin. Visual-action and visual-image thinking are illustrated. (GDC)

The effect of cognitive style and learning conditions on the rote verbal learning performance of Mexican American subjects classified as field independent or field dependent was investigated. Field dependent referred to a strong perceptual influence caused by the context or background while field independent referred to an ability to overcome the…

Examines the relationship of grade level to children's ability to make musical discriminations when elements are presented simultaneously. Utilized a brief instructional period, listening tests, and singing tasks. Results indicated significant differences between grade level, types of discrimination, and musical interactions. Includes statistical…

Interest in "open" education has been stimulated by reforms going on in the British primary school. It is also stimulated by a belief that British schools must become more responsive to the people they are intended to serve and less controlled by institutional routines and technological requirements. A two-dimensional scheme is proposed…