Examples of answers college students studying to be elementary teachers gave to sample student errors and questions in mathematics are presented. The bulk of the prospective answers are judged to have serious flaws. The analysis of such "poor" answers is suggested as a useful vehicle in teacher training programs. (MP)

This paper reviews research about how speaking a dialect can influence students' writing and how writing should be taught to students who speak a dialect of English. Literature on the writing errors commonly made by speakers of Black English and other American dialects is summarized. (PP)

A study compared the abilities of gymnastics teachers, physical education teachers, and education majors to analyze filmed gymnastic performances and detect errors. While gymnastics teachers identified the most errors, physical education teachers did little better than the education majors did. (Authors/PP)

The frequency and type of inappropriate word extensions (i.e., use of ball for moon) in the spontaneous speech of nine young language disordered children (2.8 to 3.4 years old) were studied. The percentage of inappropriate word extensions of these children was comparable to that of normal children at the same level of linguistic development.…

Findings on ratio and on fractions from a research project on strategies and errors in secondary mathematics are discussed, with typical errors described. Pupils seemed to learn rules without understanding. (MNS)

Five categories of answer-processing for computerized drill programs in foreign languages are described: nonevaluation, right-wrong evaluation, pattern markup, error anticipation, and parsing. Each strategy is explained in terms of its operation, advantages and disadvantages, ease of use for authoring courseware, and capability to support…

First-graders taught reading by phonics or language experience approach were compared on their ability to orally decode lists of words identified as either real or nonsense words. The two groups did not differ in overall correct responses, nor were their strategies influenced by the "real/nonsense" directions. (SJL)

The Minnesota Percepto-Diagnostic Test (MPDT) classifies remedial readers into three groups: primary, secondary, organic. This study of subjects aged 7-22 sought to determine if a significant negative relationship existed between (MPDT) scores and reading achievement and if error patterns differ significantly within and between the…

Illustrates common mistakes teachers usually make when discussing physical phenomena. Presents correct and incorrect explanations for five common science demonstrations. (SK)

The author, a college professor, cites specific instances in which his students misread examination questions. He considers his role in dealing with college students who have such poor reading ability. (SJL)

The biasing effects of a pretest on subsequent post-test results were investigated in two experimental studies. In general, the results argue for using designs without pretests. (Author/JKS)

The relative importance of different cognitive subprocesses in Bender performance was studied with Black middle-class first graders. Results suggest that the Bender owes much of its clinical validity to loadings across all stages of human information processing. Kagan's hypothesis on conceptual tempo in Bender performance is also analyzed. (SJL)

Matched samples of Mexican American and Anglo children with learning difficulty referrals were compared on WISC-R subtest performance. The Mexican Americans scored significantly lower on Similarities, Arithmetic, and Picture Completion. Their Verbal and Performance IQ score discrepancies suggest that the major educational problem of this group is…

A study examined if 10 children (ages 4-12) with repaired cleft palate who demonstrate posterior placement of alveolar targets differed from 10 children with cleft palate without such error patterns, and from 10 controls in the perception of alveolar targets. Children with posterior placement appeared unable to distinguish alveolar targets.…