I was interested in reviewing Susan Cain's (2013) "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" for two reasons. First, as an introvert I wanted to learn more about myself. Second, I wanted to explore Cain and others' criticism that group activities in the workplace and in education are unfair to introverts. This…

There are many challenges that lie ahead for families of children with special needs. It is indeed a time for conquering the unknown and diligently exploring the options in an effort to locate, understand, and ultimately embrace the as yet undiscovered beauties of the new setting. This paper will consider some of the issues relevant for parents,…

A federally funded research report, titled "The Development of a Program in Orientation and Mobility for Multi-Handicapped Blind Infants" by Randall Harley et al., is briefly summarized in this one-page abstract. The report discusses the development of the "Peabody Mobility Kit for Infants," a package of assessment and training…

Three programs to help students learn proper keyboarding techniques are reviewed. (MT)

Three subsidiary issues are discussed that raise further questions about the generality of conclusions regarding the effects of massed and distributed practice on the learning of motor skills: (1) duration of practice; (2) learning-performance distinction; and (3) data synthesis and theory development. (JD)

A review and commentary on the previous article discusses the effects of stabilized retinal images on performance and the perceptual organization of a patterned skill. Future research on distribution-of-practice is considered. (JD)

A critique of the lead article on the effects of practice distribution on motor learning points out that while this is not a new issue, it brings up some important concerns that are not unique to the practice distribution issue but are problems in any investigation of skill learning. (JD)

Criticism of the theory that massed practice depresses performance as well as learning asserts that any generalization based on some limited amount of admissible evidence will provide an incomplete description of the psychological processes underlying skill learning. (JD)

High school physics offers opportunities to use problem solving and lab practices as well as cement skills in research, technical writing, and software applications. Describes and evaluates computer software enhancing the high school physics curriculum including spreadsheets for laboratory data, all-in-one simulators, projectile motion simulators,…

Further commentary on distributed practice and the acquisition of motor skills points out that there are at least two viable theoretical perspectives that can be brought to bear on issues surrounding the acquisition of perceptual-motor skills. (JD)

"Phonics with Feeling" is a teacher-written phonics-based literature series promoting student self esteem and self expression. The 4- to 6-week project has been used with first and second grade students for 2 years. "Phonics with Feeling" is a series of four books, each reinforcing a specific phonetic skill while integrating…

The 51 lessons in the full curriculum show how children can be brought step-by-step to understand the architecture of their language through phonemic awareness and how this understanding prepares them for reading and writing. Activities, some of which are presented, are developed for kindergarten but can be used in first grade or special…

Reviews and compares two CD-ROMs designed to teach sign language skills: "The American Sign Language Dictionary on CD-ROM" and "Sign Language for Everyone." The first is seen to be the better reference tool whereas the second is judged the better choice for computer users wanting to learn sign language in a structured way. (DB)

Computer software programs designed to develop or increase musical skills in middle and secondary school students are reviewed in this document. These programs are not designed to be used instead of regular music instruction, but rather to supplement it. Each product review contains the producer, necessary hardware, optimal hardware, price,…

This publication is an annotated guide to software for teaching adult literacy recommended by the Adult Basic Skills Technology (ABST) Project. The ABST Project was initiated in 1982 as the Region X Adult Education Software Project, an effort by the State Adult Basic Education Departments of Washington, Oregon, and Alaska to provide adult basic…