The use of the inquiry approach in the teaching of elementary science is examined and advocated in this publication. The position that an inquiry approach is the best way to teach and learn science is upheld and its influence on the development of positive attitudes towards science is stressed. Section titles include: (1) "A Tale of Two Teachers"…

Humanistic psychology has emerged as a third force alternative to behaviorism and psychoanalysis. It offers a new orientation to psychology, one that incorporates basic existential ideas related to personal choice, freedom, and responsibility, and which also includes central phenomenological themes related to perceptions, personal meanings, and…

A review of literature reveals a need to explicitly incorporate critical thinking skills in the college curriculum. Recent research and theories of reading provide some insight into cognitive processes that would provide a basis for study about how to foster critical thinking. Schema theory, in particular, provides a view of cognition that relies…

The comprehension of written stories starts with learning to comprehend everyday situations, but it is the child's direct experiences with written stories that bring the process to fruition. These direct experiences with stories are generally of two types. Initially there is a storybook time, the occasions upon which a literate person, usually the…

Intended for use in undergraduate and graduate courses in reading methods, as well as by classroom teachers, this book brings together teaching strategies and materials suggested by recent developments in the study of reading comprehension. Each of the eight chapters includes the background and rationale for the practices described. The first…

Challenges and approaches for academic skills improvement programs for college students are discussed. Important prerequisites are a needs assessment and long-range plan and an academic skills improvement program based on theory and existing models. Identifying a set of supportive people with power and resources at an institution is also needed.…

An analysis of schema theory at the compositional and sentence levels and its implications for Japanese readers of English prose is presented. The study looks at differences between Japanese and English syntax and concludes with five recommendations for English reading instruction for this group. The recommendations include: (1) pursuing the…

Numerous models have been developed to analyze the relationship between adult education, adult learning, and adult development. Squires' contingency model postulates that the how of teaching is determined by the nature and characteristics of the participants (the who), the content (the what), and the setting (the where) in which teaching takes…

This publication discusses the use of intensive teaching methods for language instruction, also known as suggestopedia ("suggestopaedy"). The theory of suggestopedia, various methods developed from the theory, and their applications are described. A description of Lozanov's suggestopedic method precedes a discussion about the various…

In reviewing current literature on the importance of examples in the process of teaching learning, this report takes into particular consideration textbook approaches that emphasize the role of examples for comprehension and motivation. Utilizing a constructive theory of prose comprehension, it then attempts to specify the function of examples in…

The characteristics of cooperative instructional designs are defined, and their effect in enhancing adult motivation and learning is discussed. Following a discussion of some aspects of adult needs in the instruction environment, the critical features of control theory, synergogy, and cooperative learning in general are examined. The advantages…

Secondary school geometry students have been found to have misconceptions concerning parallel lines. Correctional teaching programs did not seem effective in changing these misconceptions. This research describes an attempt to use teaching strategies which take into account current learning theory and which encourages students to be actively…

A brief overview of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) is provided. The history and theoretical framework of CAI and typical developmental stages involved in the implementation of a CAI system are outlined. The way CAI determines background knowledge of a student, presents information necessary to learn new concepts, sets its pace according to…

Attempting to present empathy as a vital ingredient of effective interpersonal listening, this paper first provides a brief historical tracing of the major trends in listening theory and research. This review then serves as a backdrop for a partial justification of an empathic listening emphasis that includes a clarification of some misconceptions…

This number of the journal contains the following articles: "A Language-and-Learning Framework for a Theory of Language Teaching" (Moira Chimombo); "Using Authentic Video Materials in the Language Classroom" (Kathleen Kitao); "An American Teacher in Kiev: Impressions of English Education in the U.S.S.R." (Ellen…