Discusses the effect of bilingualism on cognitive growth and divergent thinking. That bilinguals have the potential for increased communication and greater problem solving should encourage United States' educators to consider bilingual education as a curriculum model for almost everyone. (Author)

Two stages of skill development are: declarative (facts are interpreted) and procedural (knowledge is embodied in skill procedures). Knowledge compilation moves skills from the declarative to procedural stage in subprocesses of composition, which collapses sequences of productions into single productions, and proceduralization, which embeds…

Chapter 4 in Life Skills in School and Society.

The primary objective of this study was to compare problem solving performance among formal operational, transitional, and concrete operational individuals with the effect of relative field independence taken into account within each of these three cognitive developmental levels. Secondarily, the study explored whether a developmental relationship…

This research was based on the assumption that the teaching of broadly generalizable cognitive skills should be a primary goal of education--that students can be taught to be better insight problem solvers outside of school by training in school and that they can be given the skills necessary for efficient discovery learning. The subjects were 116…

This study investigated the influence of reflective and impulsive problem solving styles on the information processing proficiency focusing of fifth and ninth grade boys and girls using a concept identification procedure developed by Levine (1966). The major findings include: (1) both ninth grade Ss as compared with fifth grade Ss, and reflective…

A technique to teach cognitive skills to directly facilitate abstract and rational thinking is described. Based on George Kelly's theory of personal constructs, his Role Construct Repertory Test has students construe similarities and differences among important course concepts rather than provide individual definitions or examples of those…

The classroom use of attribute blocks to develop thinking skills is defended in this article. Divergent-productive thinking is identified as an important skill that can be developed by using these blocks. However, teacher commitment and involvement in the program is considered necessary. Suggestions for using these blocks are included. (MA)

Explains the differences between successful and unsuccessful problem solvers' exploration of a problem, translation of information into different forms, approach to devising and executing a plan, and rechecking work. (RT)

This issue, part of an annual series prepared for Maryland educators, presents the problem solving aspect of learning behavior by reviewing some of the variables which affect how individuals confront intellectual problems. Selected studies and a bibliography which are helpful in developing instructional methods which take into account individual…

A distinction can be made between the term "creativity" and creative thinking skills. Creativity typically refers to a talent for original and masterful production in the arts and sciences, and there is scant evidence that teachers have any influence on creativity of this kind. Creative thinking refers to a group of six thinking skills that if…

It is assumed that inference is at the heart of thinking and little is known about possible relationships between learners' decision-making styles and teaching strategies. Therefore, it was hypothesized that instructed children score higher on an inference test than those not instructed, and interactions occur between different decision-making…

This study investigated (1) the extent to which thinking and problem-solving of fifth-grade students could be improved by the use of self-instructional programed lessons (the productive thinking program), (2) the relationship between productive thinking abilities and IQ-sex characteristics of the learner, and (3) the relationship between level of…

This teaching guide provides an integrated framework for teaching thinking skills which involves both teaching thinking in a separate program or course and infusing the teaching of thinking into standard subject area instruction across the curriculum. Individual chapters deal with the following topics: (1) the nature of thinking skills and…