Analyzes the literature concerning learning centers. Concludes that there are two definitions of the term, one meaning the improvement of a student's ability to learn independently, primarily through learning skills instruction and counseling, and the other meaning the individualizing of instruction and learning activities through the use of…

Describes a study skills course designed for freshman students in the lowest third of their class. Concludes that the strengths of the course were the use of direct instruction, the provision for in-class applications of study techniques, the stress on self-responsibility, and the demonstration of several study strategies. (FL)

Reading comprehension means extracting the required information from a written text as efficiently as possible. This paper describes how English as a Second Language (ESL) students can become efficient readers of English, focusing on language proficiency, ESL instructions in a foreign language, and the cognitive academic language learning approach…

States that volunteers are often used in the classroom to help children learn to read, but their impact on reading skills is unknown. Examines randomized controlled trials (RCT) in an effort to determine whether using volunteers improves children's reading. Finds that volunteering had a small effect on children's reading. (CMK)

Argues that the Trivium, a model for a basic education from classical times, is useful in providing students with a humanities education because students within this model learn skills in rhetoric, grammar, and logic. Defines a humanities education, describes the Trivium model in detail, and applies the Trivium to contemporary education. (CMK)

Cloze-like exercises are effective and integrative tasks that allow students to operate meaningfully on authentic foreign language materials. Examples are presented of several exercises, including: predicting content from fragments, focusing on syntactic (rather than lexical or semantic) issues, and restoring deleted markers of function and…

A review of literature on learning strategy instruction in first and second languages focuses on the strategies of summarization, notetaking, and cognitive mapping techniques aimed at improving students' reading comprehension skills. The literature suggests that summarization is a technique that can be taught, and because it appears to be…

This article explains the basic tenets of the skills-based and the holistic philosophies of reading instruction. Although the skills-based approach is dominant in both schools and teacher education, debate exists about the most effective approach. (IAH)

Describes an applied training study investigating the differential effect of two instructional methods on the reading performance of British primary school children with reading difficulties. Explains that children ages 7 to 10 (n=65) were separated into two groups: (1) based on different types of phonological awareness instruction, and (2) a…

College level remediation programs are generally unsatisfactory because students tend to give these noncredit courses low priority and do not seem to transfer the skills learned to their content courses. In addition, because students are simultaneously enrolled in regular content courses requiring skills they have not yet developed, they often…

Describes self-regulatory processes that promote achievement in the basic skills of reading (clarifying purpose, understanding meanings, drawing inferences, looking for relationships, reformulating text) and mathematical problem solving (clarifying problem goals, understanding concepts, applying knowledge, monitoring progress). Experiences in…

This paper focuses on the development and analysis of a survey designed to assess two aspects of motivation to read, specifically for adults enrolled in community college reading courses: self-perceived competence (self-concept) and valuing of the task (value). It also assesses developmental reading students' use of strategic reading behaviors.…

Reading educators stress the importance of teaching reading study skills in college content area classes. Thus, a freshman level reading education course offered the opportunity simultaneously to model effective practices for preservice teachers and to conduct a study of the gains in both content knowledge and reading study skills for students who…

Originally developed for the Department of Defense Schools (DoDDS) system, this learning package on using skills and strategies for effective learning is designed for teachers who wish to upgrade or expand their teaching skills on their own. The package includes a comprehensive search of the ERIC database; a lecture giving an overview on the…

The argument is made that English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) educators cannot prepare students for mainstreaming in American colleges and universities if the students are limited to ESL textbooks. When teachers assign library projects, they generally neglect the vital area of bibliographic instruction because they assume that the foreign student…