Analyzed students' reasoning with fractions. Found that skilled students applied strategies specifically tailored to restricted classes of fractions and produced reliable solutions with a minimum of computation effort. Results suggest that competent reasoning depends on a knowledge base that includes numerically specific and invented strategies,…

Describes a wide range of activities based on a grade-number theme of "two" in second grade, "three" in third grade, and "four" in fourth grade. (MKR/SW)

Asserts that the value of using pictures and photographs as teaching aids is firmly established. Suggests rephotographing old photographs to produce customized study prints and develop miniunits based on them. Includes a sample unit outline with teaching procedures and three illustrative photographs. (CFR)

Describes an instructional framework for teaching advanced cognitive skills in postsecondary education, highlighting specific teaching strategies that community and technical college educators may use to encourage critical thinking among students. Includes a description of content, teaching methodologies, and sequence of student development.…

Considers addressing problems of urban schools by basing educational practices on effective schools literature and accepted middle school concepts. Recommends ways to improve inner-city schools which include teaching educators to understand urban learners, teaching higher-order and critical thinking skills, pairing adult mentors with learners, and…

This article proposes a developmental approach to the assessment of early mathematics disabilities. It examines major findings concerning children's early mathematical thinking, emphasizing counting and calculation skills. Both normal and atypical development are considered, and guidelines for an assessment procedure are offered. A case vignette…

Observed behaviors of 37 female and 23 male Australian preschoolers. Found that only 20% engaged in thematic pretend play (linked to perspective taking, language development, impulse control, divergent problem solving) whereas 24% used cooperative social play (linked to divergent problem solving). Results suggest need for assistance in the…

Four articles explain how English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teachers can help students create stories around pieces of music, use geography exercises to develop English and cognitive skills, learn about foreign cultures from their peers, and use magazine articles as the basis for role playing. A fifth article discusses the use of introspective…

Proposes analogy as the central mechanism of knowledge acquisition in formal domains. Discusses experimental data on preschoolers' knowledge of one-to-one correspondence and college students' understanding of force decomposition. Suggests that a knowledge base domain is a thematically organized knowledge structure and that thematic relations in a…

Reports results of a study that examined whether computer conferencing would enhance preservice teachers' awareness of taken-for-granted assumptions. Analysis of students' discussions suggests that, though conferencing generates a rich source of assumptions, students may not recognize them as such. Students' developmental level related to ability…

The Multiple Abilities Program (MAP) at the University of Alabama emphasizes reflective teaching as a pedagogical tool. Reflectivity is fostered around the themes of understanding diversity and development of all learners, facilitating empowerment, and utilizing authenticity in instruction and assessment. Case studies of MAP students illustrate…

Maintains that undergraduate psychology curricula almost always include one or more required experimental courses. Describes the use of the human subjects review process as a method of stimulating critical thinking. Discusses questions posed by the review process and classroom applications of the approach. (CFR)

By understanding the development of the human mind, parents and teachers can learn how to help guide children and adolescents into adulthood. The article examines mental growth at various ages, stumbling blocks to learning, ways of understanding the adolescent mind, and what to look for in a middle school. (SM)

The ability of 248 older adults to improve their performance on fluid intelligence tests, with or without tutor-guided instruction in cognitive skills, was studied using multidimensional longitudinal structural equation models. Results suggest considerable plasticity in adult intellectual function and the capacity to improve performance. (SLD)

This article outlines the last step in a five-step process for preparing students to engage in a systematic mathematics problem-solving and decision-making process. The lesson plan teaches students to reread the problem, reexamine the question, check selection of operation, and recheck calculations and compare answers. (JDD)