Twenty-four learning disabled students (10 to 14 years old) assigned to three reward schedules (response contingent reward, 100 percent noncontingent reward, and 50 percent random noncontingent reward) were asked to replicate block designs and solve coding problems. No differences were found in errors, but Ss in noncontingent conditions…

Advance organizers, activities used before the learning task, can help mainstreamed learning disabled adolescents organize information more efficiently. Ten steps for developing advance organizers proceed from informing students to introducing vocabulary and stating the general outcome desired. This approach is easy to implement and may result in…

The article proposes a simplified handwriting method for learning disabled children having difficulty with conventional cursive writing. The approach is based on the vertical downstroke rather than the diagonal slant and emphasizes the natural connection between manuscript letters. (Author/CL)

Two samples of learning disabled (LD) children (a total of 208) were evaluated in order to reveal several subgroups of LD children within A. Bannatyne's recategorization paradigm. Five subgroups were shown with varied profiles. Recognition of this intragroup variation could greatly enhance the use of diagnostic instruments in developmental…

Among findings of a study involving 94 elementary learning disabled (LD) students were that Ss with math goals on their individualized education programs did significantly more poorly on a subtraction test than did Ss without math goals, and that Ss' subtraction skills generally improved with age except for age 11. (CL)

Literature on metacognition, particularly studies by A. L. Brown and J. H. Flavell, are reviewed, and it is argued that a learning disabled adolescent may become a more active learner by being taught a system of strategies for learning. Comprehension skills, motivation, and metacognitive skills are interdependent. (Author/CL)

The author asserts that each institute has made unique contributions to the understanding of learning disabilities, but that the work of the Minnesota Institute may be misinterpreted and misapplied. Unresolved issues include classification of children, relationship of LD to mental retardation, and collaborative research among institutes.…

The article describes components of the Computer-Assisted Diagnostic/Prescriptive Program (CADPP) and offers specific guidelines for its use. Among the areas covered are personnel involvement, computer familiarity, instructional manual use, and finding program errors. (SW)

Physical patterns of fifty children (6-17 years old) with learning disabilities were examined. An increase in variations that arose later than the first three months of prenatal developmental was statistically significant. Findings suggested that the developmental disturbances resulting in morphological variants may act later in prenatal…

The definition of learning disabilities (LD) by the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities emphasizes severity and heterogeneity; focuses attention on the internal nature; eliminates exclusive focus on psychological processing disorders; stresses the cognitive, linguistic, and academic nature of LD; and denies direct causation to other…

The definition of learning disabilities is viewed as ambiguous, confusing, imprecise, and a waste of time. The author cites the possibility of backlash from regular education. (CL)

A five session program that involved empathy, sensitivity exercises, and a visit to a resource room reduced the ostracizing by fifth graders of their learning disabled peers. The program was designed to deal with the students' values to excel and their typical preadolescent fear of being different from peers. (CL)

Activities to help children develop the concept of right-left awareness are presented. Activities touch on lateral awareness (distinguishing between their right and left sides and labeling them) and directionality (using the language of left and right according to someone else's orientation). (CL)

Spinoffs of the traditional peer tutoring approach have been successful in individualizing classroom instruction of learning disabled (LD) elementary students. In the peer trio technique, groups of three LD or slow learning students work together on tasks and on making their own games. The approach teaches cooperation and increases motivation. (CL)

Preliminary results involving two classes of 24 learning disabled (LD) students (9- to 11-years-old) revealed that both teacher modeling and participant modeling were effective in increasing student performance on syllabication problems. Participant modeling, especially, appeared to be a promising method for helping LD students in the classroom.…