Reviews and discusses experimental and observational research on the function of the social environment of the child in the mastery of syntactic regularities during language acquisition. Theories based on modeling, imitation, and reinforcement are addressed. A 73-item reference list accompanies the text. (Author/JL)

Argues that mental images have functional properties similar to those of audiovisual media in that they can be intentionally and systematically used as the informational base for cognitive operations and as an aid to new learning. Experimental evidence is cited to support the claims. Nineteen references are cited. (Author/CHC)

Note taking and verbalization are considered as instrumental student activities which influence the relationship between the learning task and the learning outcomes. Alternative theoretical explanations for the effects of note taking and verbalization are discussed, and a structure for future research on these topics is provided. (Author)

Describes study that examined the instructional effectiveness of abstract diagrams and verbal explanations in learning from social science texts. The control and treatment groups of adult learners at Everyman's University (Israel) are described, verbal and visual aptitude tests are explained, and results are analyzed. (25 references) (Author/LRW)