Explored the development of hierarchical classification and the age at which this ability appears fully developed. Two measures of hierarchical classification ability were administered to primary, elementary, junior high and high school students. Discusses results which support Piaget's contention that this ability is not developed until late…

The constituents of a sound mathematics education and ways to deal with the current situation of "mathophobic adults" are covered. Specific proposals related to precollege and continuing education are presented. (MP)

Attitude results from the second National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) are presented. (MP) Aspect of National Assessment (NAEP) dealt with in this document: Results (Interpretation).

Some significant components of mathematics instruction are presented and reviewed. Good instruction is viewed as a major influence on the quality and quantity of student learning. (MP)

Results of mathematics education research in problem solving activities of third-grade children are covered. The assumption that the horizontal number sentence is a useful tool for solving verbal problems is questioned. (MP)

White and Gagne's method (EJ 180 555) for formatively evaluating learning hierarchies does not require participants to be taught the content prior to testing them for their knowledge of the skills in the hierarchy. By simply determining the percentage of students achieving each skill, the researcher obtains approximately the same information.…

The author considers the educational systems of several socialist or communist countries and previews the nature of mathematics education in these states. (MP)

Concluding remarks are presented on the preceding six papers (see TM 505 449-505 454). Evidence of American interest in Soviet research is cited, and it is suggested that this Soviet research can contribute a great deal to the field of educational psychology. (GDC)

The incidental learning paradigm supports two findings concerning selective attention: (1) the difference between central and incidental task performance increases with age, and (2) the correlation between central and incidental performance decreases with age. Neither of these findings clearly supports the view that attentional selectivity…

In a study of attention during the learning of an oddity problem, 19 mildly or moderately retarded Ss (mental age 5 to 10 years) were given 32 oddity training trials per day for 10 days. Measurement of attention to specific cues could not be achieved, as data were insufficient. (Author/PHR)

The idea that females may be born with less mathematical ability than males is explored. Data from Benbow and Stanley, as well as from the Education Commission of the States, are considered. (MP) Aspect of National Assessment (NAEP) dealt with in this document: Results (Interpretation).

Common beliefs about children and school mathematics are presented and discarded. New and different ways of approaching mathematics instruction are then reviewed. Five rules for teaching are included.

Explores the relationship between recent basic research on second language acquisition and the masses of data available through foreign language classroom experience. Suggests that more research is needed in order to verify hypotheses by psycholinguists on the nature of the ability to acquire and use second languages. (MES)

A study to investigate one of the mechanisms teachers may use to convince themselves incorrectly that students have learned science concepts requiring formal operational ability is presented. The investigation indicates instructors may actually teach and test for memorization of algorithms rather than understanding. (MP)

Explores the cognitive theories of learning and memory. Advises teachers that students learn better by manipulating information to formulate their own ideas, and that classes should be restructured away from straight lectures to allow this manipulation to the students' best advantage, particularly in literature study. (HTH)