Microanalysis of problem-solving activities of 10 learning-disabled and 10 normally achieving children (ages 10-12) found that, although normally achieving subjects reached more sophisticated levels of strategy use, there was no evidence that the learning-disabled subjects were inactive, passive, or maladaptive in their problem-solving attempts.…

The investigation of cognitive factors responsible for the arithmetic learning problems of fifth graders found that children with arithmetic learning problems were characterized by very slow operation execution. No support was found for theories that inefficient number encoding or inappropriate strategies are characteristic of this population.…

This study describes strategies fifth- and sixth-grade children used to solve the problem of determining how to control a "vehicle" they "drove" by pressing particular keys on a computer. The problem involves identifying or discovering a set of cause-effect relationships. (Author/JN)

This study examined the potential of a hypermedia-based expert tool to scaffold 66 regular education sixth graders engaged in a problem-based learning (PBL) program. Participants completed "Alien Rescue," a hypermedia PBL environment on the solar system. The tool under investigation offered students interactive video of an expert…

This quasi-experimental study was designed to investigate the effects of cognitive strategy instruction on fifth-grade students reading comprehension and comprehension of words encountered during reading. Eight intact fifth-grade classes of approximately 34 students each were randomly assigned to treatment groups (clarifying, questioning, combined…

The use of learning strategies is universally encouraged, but there is a lack of specific and concrete examples. The CPC (Capacity, Pyramid, Chunking) Way of improving achievement is based on a specific learning/teaching strategy that can be used in all academic skills. It adjusts information acquisition to individual differences in learning…

The effects of overt, covert, and summary practice conditions on four levels of learning were examined. One hundred twenty-two middle class sixth-grade students were randomly assigned to practice condition. Passages about energy sources were read by the students and oral reviews were directed according to treatment. The summary group was given a…

Notes that students' comprehension and interest increase when they talk about how to read, draw inferences, and answer inferential questions. (FL)

A study of fourth- and fifth-graders' critical thinking skills revealed that those subjects who participated in small-group discussions encouraging self-directed critical thinking skills were better able to apply the skills than were students who were asked to solve a problem individually. (Author/CB)

Investigates the reasoning strategies of urban year-six students involved in creating their own questions and plans for scientific investigations. Focuses on how students generate ideas for their own investigations. Contains 24 references. (DDR)

The study examined the communicative competence of 30 learning disabled and 30 non-learning disabled children (ages 9 to 13) in both referential and semistructured dyadic communication tasks. The use of both instructional strategies influenced the quality of subjects' verbal communicative interactions. (Author/DB)

Concludes that intermediate grade students were better able to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words when (1) contextual clues were provided, (2) students were older, (3) the clues were in synonym rather than inference form, and (4) the contextual clues were closer to the unfamiliar words. (FL)

Fourth-grade students (n=45) either with or without learning disabilities and achieving or not achieving at grade level in math were asked to explain strategies used to solve computational problems. Strategies were classified as reproductive or reconstructive (which varied in applicability and efficiency). Significant group differences were found.…

The differences between good and poor readers using story schema in recall and reconstruction tasks was examined. Results showed that good and poor readers could use a story schema when the story followed canonical format. Conclusions supported the view that poor readers perform quite differently from younger normal children. (Author/JAZ)

A vocabulary instruction program for intermediate grades is described. The program improves comprehension through use of such features as multiple exposures to words in various contexts and engaging students in active thinking about word meanings. This method of instruction is compared with instruction that offers only definitional information.…