This book reviews the literature on effective science teaching, examining research from the United Kingdom and other countries. The studies included were those that made comparisons between two or more groups differing in science education experiences; those that involved upper elementary or lower secondary students; those that made comparisons in…

This paper describes the use of a writing strategy, Cognitive Strategy Instruction in Writing (CSIW), to improve expository writing and student responsibility of four seventh-graders with learning disabilities. CSIW emphasizes the need for students to take responsibility for their own writing performance and to scaffold one another's writing…

This study looked at New Chance, a voluntary randomized trial of an intensive program for teenage mothers and their children that operated nationally between 1989 and 1992. The study examined the effects of maternal psychosocial well being, intensity of work and educational pursuits, home environment, and use of childcare on combined experimental…

Stressing that children's development in diverse cultures follows different paths, this book describes children's development in its cultural context. The book illustrates that the everyday work, school, and play activities provided for children vary from one culture to another depending on the social and economic structure of the cultures and…

This study used journals and image notebooks to examine English as a Foreign Language (EFL) university students' cognitive skill development as they completed pleasure-reading activities that preceded creative writing tasks. Participants were freshmen at Taiwan's National Yang-Ming University who were enrolled in an English reading and writing…

The concepts of distance, area, and the coordinate reference systems were investigated in relation to the displacement volume task among 300 randomly selected primary and high school children in Nigeria. Although results support Piaget's hypothesis, a developmental lag of about two years was observed in Nigerian students. (JN)

Provides an overview of the research literature concerning the development of graphic art skills, relevant instructional methods, and the specific use of visual models as an instructional method. Pertinent findings, relevant methodological issues, and major conclusions are all discussed. Briefly addresses the viewpoints of gestalt and learning…

Presents a dialog between an educational psychologist and a middle school social studies teacher concerning the integration of the arts into social studies curriculum. Both agree that the use of the arts can simultaneously enhance the presentation of content while providing multiple paths to learning. (MJP)

Presents an interesting example of Russian pedagogical thought. Personality-oriented instruction generally refers to cognitive style. Attempts a broad classification of objectives and procedures for this type of instruction. Includes many references and terminology from Russian pedagogy (for example, psychodidactics, social-pedagogical model,…

Examined developmental differences in evidence evaluation skills among school children, non-college educated adults, and college students, utilizing plant growth variables. Found that children were more strongly influenced by prior beliefs and missing data than were the two adult groups. Age and educational differences were found in the…

Describes a field sketch mapping project conducted with a sixth-grade class. The project involved selecting appropriate sites around the school to map, organizing the students, and instructing them about measuring distances and drawing maps. Illustrations include assignments and examples of students' work. (MJP)

Examines determinants of cognitive achievement in rural Pakistan, controlling for cognitive ability, family background, various school quality measures, and educational attainment. Estimates indicate substantial variation in school effectiveness. Investments that improve teacher quality and increase student exposure to teachers are likely to have…

Suggests that children who have experienced personal autonomy sufficient to develop a sense of responsibility for the consequences of their actions tend to experience less stress and receive more affectionate treatment from their mothers. Briefly summarizes previous research that supports these findings. (MJP)

Argues that teachers of English as a Second Language should be cautious in using critical thinking pedagogies in the classroom. Notes that critical thinking is a social practice attracting criticism for being exclusive and that skills related to critical thinking are culturally based and do not seem to transfer beyond a narrow instructional…

Asserts that using children's literature to present life stories can reinforce young children's understanding of life span and help them better understand how goals formed in childhood may help determine an individual's future. Briefly reviews and recommends 15 children's books focused on life stories and decision making. (MJP)