Concludes that cognitive development tasks may primarily evaluate reading readiness and suggests that proficient readers are particularly sensitive to semantic text cues. (FL)

Sampled colleges nationwide to determine whether admissions criteria differed significantly for minority groups. Results indicated minorities are expected to show evidence of quantifiable accomplishment. Noncognitive factors were less important. Private and Protestant colleges were more likely to consider motivation and admissions interviews. (JAC)

Compared performance on Piagetian tasks to determine differences between students (N=52): (1) external subjects having access to manipulatives and those not having access, and between internal subjects having access to manipulatives and those not having access. Indicates access to manipulatives benefits those exhibiting externality with respect to…

Discusses psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic questions relevant to the development of language programs for foreigners, such as student motivation, language aptitude, learning styles, cultural differences, language styles, and communicative competence. Focuses particularly on the cultural problems faced by a foreigner, as a student, client, and…

Undergraduates' responses to a teacher evaluation instrument were analyzed for the factors indicated, students' preferred learning style, and teaching style. Teacher evaluations tended to be higher when the teacher's style matched the student's learning style. Research on congruency of styles and student achievement is recommended. (GDC)

Describes efforts of the California State University and Colleges system to develop an affirmative action plan for each campus. Reviews past research on issues related to typical and nontypical students and addresses the functions that student affirmative action plans should include. (Author/JAC)

The effect of anxiety on learning in a variety of educational contexts is examined, and two areas of anxiety research that are especially relevant to educational psychology are discussed in detail: the interaction between anxiety and instructional methods, and test anxiety reduction programs and their outcomes. (Author/RD)

The importance of neuropsychological paradigms of higher order human information processing in providing remedial services to learning-problem children and in providing a guide to the habilitation of learning for all children is explained. The conceptual requirements of such models as well as their implementation are described. (Author/AL)

The Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) in Canada and the Dental Admission Test (DAT) in the United States are discussed. A history of the DAT, its composition, underlying concepts, and the problems of validation and guidelines for its uses are presented. A review of the literature is provided. (Author/MLW)

Cites results of a study that assessed the effects of diagnostic prescriptive teaching strategies and locus of control on various cognitive levels of science achievement of college biology students, also examined the interaction between the instructional strategy and students' locus of control. Students' attitudes were also examined. (CS)

Investigated the interaction between science teaching strategy (semideductive, structured inductive, hypotheticodeductive) and selected learner characteristics (Piagetian cognitive level and field independence) in terms of student achievement in science. Achievement of undergraduate elementary education majors (N=77) in a general science program…

This study examined (1) the predictive validity of the Differential Aptitude Tests (DAT) relative to the engineering, mathematics, and science grades and cumulative grade point averages of high school seniors in engineering; and (2) the differential validity of the eight DAT scales in comparing high and low achievers. (Autor/BW)

Teacher ratings of students' potential achievement, classroom behavior, personal characteristics, and teacher-student dyadic interaction measures were obtained to examine the nature of teacher perceptions and interaction with Black and White, male and female students in integrated classrooms. Results show teachers perceived Black and White…

This essay provides an overview of the controversies surrounding intelligence: its definition, its genetic or environmental basis, its relationship to achievement and learning ability, cultural factors, and the use of intelligence tests in the schools. This article is part of a theme issue on intelligence. (SJL)

The functions that IQ and aptitude tests now serve in schools and the trends that may modify the present pattern of test use are presented. Current research on intelligence and aptitude and the kind of intelligence tests that might prove more useful in instructional planning are also discussed. (Author/RD)