Basic skills courses are designed to teach students certain basic academic competencies they have not mastered. However, very little research has examined the quality of instruction inside basic skills classes. This paper presents preliminary findings from observations in 13 California community colleges. The clearest finding is that…

Responding to Dodd's critique of his 1986 article on teaching psychology in prisons, Osberg defends his statement that prison students are comparable to traditional university students. Contends student achievement is due to remedial courses in basic skills. Discusses prison classroom "norm violations" and lists some special considerations…

It has long been established that self-assessment and goal-setting are regular features of the writing process of experienced writers. It has also been demonstrated that students develop more power and control over their writing when they are encouraged to become their own evaluators. Therefore, to help beginning writers think and act more like…

Describes a study conducted to: (1) determine whether remedial students approach learning more from a right hemispheric orientation than students in regular academic programs; (2) ascertain relationships among hemispheric preference, reading level, language dominance, age, sex, and ethnicity; and (3) evaluate implications for curricula,…

This study investigates the combined effect of student characteristics and instructional method on at-risk college students' academic performance. It examines the relationship of student characteristics and instructional methods to the performance variables of students' grades in a mandatory reading/study course for reading-deficient students;…

This publication is intended to be used as a sourcebook and reference by practitioners interested in postsecondary developmental programs, with a particular focus on occupational students. The information presented was derived from a statewide survey of staff members involved in the operation of developmental programs in 51 two-year colleges and…

Presents a case study showing how traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects a 7-year-old child, his family, and the school. Through Bob's experiences, specific components of a home-school remediation plan and the need for collaboration and support between home and school are discussed. General instructional implications for TBI are explored. (Author/CR)

Presented are 12 papers from a conference on the issues of secondary learning disability. Following an introduction are the texts of discussions from the conference's four sections covering an overview of the central issues, definition and identification, learner characteristics, educational priorities and objectives, remedial strategies, model…

This document presents a detailed description of a successful federally-funded developmental education program at Cochise College (Arizona). It includes a statement of philosophy, and sections on program structure, individual student needs, classroom instruction, skill development, special activities, evaluation, student characteristics, and…

The Florida Board of Community Colleges conducted a survey of the current state of preparatory programs (i.e., math, reading, English, and English as a Second Language (ESL)) in the state's 28 community colleges. Data was gathered through a literature search, a survey of directors of developmental programs, Bureau of Research and Information…

Pre-college remedial courses in reading and writing at Bronx Community College are described. Teachers with experience in high school remedial reading and composition and college composition taught a combined remedial reading-composition course and a control remedial composition course, so that reading improvement could be tested for both classes.…

A history of the growing interest and knowledge concerning dyslexia is provided to clarify theoretical models, while the operational model is described in terms of admission criteria, instruction, diagnostic and evaluative techniques, role of interdisciplinary staff, and pupil characteristics. Methods, materials, and approach of the instructional…

This selection of papers from the First Conference on Tertiary Literacy, which examined the role of literacy as a foundation for knowledge acquisition and dissemination that influences the academic success of tertiary students, presents a number of case studies of policy and practice in Australian universities. Keynote addresses included:…

These selected papers from the First Conference on Tertiary Literacy focus on communication across differences of culture and discipline in Australian universities. Many of the papers have resulted from cooperation between applied linguists and specialist lecturers and describe cooperative models of literacy education based on interdisciplinary…