This document reviews the major trends of thought concerning first and second language acquisition, in an attempt to trace a sequential history to second language teaching methodology today. The contributions of the behaviorist and nativist schools of thought are examined in particular, and two major issues are focused upon: (1) the origins of…

Perceptual units are involved in the reading process in a particular way. Reading starts with patterns of visual perception visual stimuli in combination with either previously learned information or a strategy for selectively attending to part of the stimuli. Whether the visual pattern selected for deeper information processing is a letter, a…

An investigation was conducted to examine the relationship between goal-setting behavior and the Conceptual Level Model (CLM), an interactive theory of development that considers progression or growth to be determined both by the learner's present developmental stage and by the environment he experiences. Conceptual Level (CL) is an index of…

In a recent paper (1977) Levenston and Blum suggested that lexical simplification operates according to universal principles, and that these derive from the individual's semantic competence in his mother tongue. This paper examines the validity of this suggestion by means of a comparative study of lexical simplification in three different…

The project reported here aimed at serving the interests of increased European understanding, cooperation, and mobility by improving and broadening the learning of modern languages, making appropriate provision for all sections of the population. This report provides recommendations for the implementation of a European framework within which…

Descriptive and evaluative information is provided in this report on Project COMPAS (Consortium for Operating and Managing Programs for the Advancement of Skills), a cooperative effort between seven community colleges which developed cognitive skills programs for entry-level freshmen. Chapter I reviews the unique features of Project COMPAS,…

Active literacy is the ability to inject one's own thoughts and intentions into messages received and sent, the ability to transform and to act upon aspects of the world via the written word. Five things are not working for literacy in Australia; formularistic exercise texts and kits, the media, experts with solutions, habits, and national…

Fifty-eight studies relating to the "knowledge gap" hypothesis (a theory that correlates public knowledge to educational level and mass media exposure) are examined in this report. In the opening sections, the theory is defined, and the early information diffusion studies and public opinion polls that led to its formulation in 1970 are…

A detailed description is provided of the variable, constructivism versus behaviorism (CVSB), which is part of the analysis in phase I of the Evaluation of Practices in Individualized Schooling. The variable is defined; the questionnaires on which the variable is based are listed; the procedures used to scale the variable are explained; the…

A project was undertaken at the University of Lund in Sweden to study the following two problems: identification and style of problem-solving in relation to the choice by women of arts subjects and science subjects respectively at the university; and identification and style of problem-solving in relation to research focus and research ability.…

A theory concerning low achievement of student that applies to adult education is developed, based on an interconnection between cognitive and affective domains. A holistic picture of what happens to students may be gained from Piaget's theory of intellectual development, Bloom's hierarchy of cognitive abilities, theories proposing that what…

Although teachers may sequence instructions carefully, they are unable to respond to the complex unique experience of each individual learner. Divergent production should be an instructional choice that enables individuals to learn through their own recall and idea construction. Learning is problem solving; when individuals do not know how to deal…

Problem solving is viewed as an increasing area of interest that focuses on the theory, research, and teaching of general cognitive skills which are applicable to broad problem classes. This document gives an overview of some important aspects of the theory and research in order to identify what general cognitive skills ought to be taught. Modern…

This research-oriented document is designed to give teachers insights into many of the causes of instructional problems in mathematics and to enable teachers to plan instruction which will be more responsive to identified needs. Individual chapter authors synthesize mathematics research findings, which provide three functions: (1) to describe what…

A clinical preceptor is an employed registered nurse in a clinical facility who supervises and evaluates a student's performance independent of a clinical instructor. This manual is intended to assist the clinical preceptor, especially the preceptor dealing with re-entry nursing students. It encompasses a practical approach with actual situations…