Critiques K. Kavale's meta-analysis, which reported reliable significant correlations between auditory-perceptual skills and reading achievement. Concludes that Kavale fails to provide evidence that teaching auditory-perceptual skills is useful to learning disabled children unless skills are functional reading skills. (Author/CL)

To promote diverse learning strategies, teacher education programs should use their local environments. For example, students in elementary education methods courses at the University of Maryland spend one week in the Mall area of Washington, DC. They must use all the sources in the Mall to research specific problems. (RM)

Three aspects of Piagetian theory are explored in this article and are then related to the use of computers in the education of young children. The computer tends to disrupt the development process by ignoring action and assimilation processes necessary for child development. (DF)

The main findings of a meta-analysis of 23 research reports were the following: giving behavioral objectives, learning directions, or questions before an instructional text is read leads to some improvement in the learning of goal relevant material; however, these preinstructional acts impede the learning of goal irrelevant materials. (Author/BW)

Fourth, sixth, and eighth grade students studied a word learning task and were tested on three consecutive days. Expectancy statements were made by half the subjects. These results seemingly contradict previous research, but the contradiction was explained in terms of task complexity. Expectations were found to be motivational. (Author/BW)

Disusses three assertions regarding mastery learning in reading programs: (1) mastery learning is adopted to "legitimize" reading programs to the public; (2) schools cannot provide unlimited time for learning to read; and (3) thus, teachers are reduced to managers of materials and, with students, surrender control of their literacy. (HTH)

Seven mentally retarded adolescents received either verbal or nonverbal training on a shape-sorting task within a multiple baseline design. Both training sequences resulted in the successful acquisition of the target performance, but only the verbal training sequence facilitated generalization of performance to a novel shape and to a new…

Tests of knowledge and skills will reflect new content and new technologies in response to dramatic changes in learning environments. Tests must begin to focus on the learning objectives rather than on the process that has led to the achievement of those objectives. (Author/MLW)

A British educator discusses the role of self-expressive talk in the learning process and the influence of teacher attitudes on learning through language. (HTH)

Examines requests for information and action in peer-directed groups of children engaged in learning specific skills. Concludes that (1) children who use information requests effectively obtain higher test scores, (2) children can help each other learn, and (3) encouraging small group talk about a task promotes academic and social learning. (HTH)

The primary purpose of this research was to investigate the short- and long-term retention effects resulting from training students to organize and to classify information to be acquired. (Author)

Article presents an outline of the methods and findings of the author's research team. (Editor/RK)

The NCEA's National Conference of Directors of Religious Education met at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale, Arizona and pondered the theory and practice of prayer and its implications for education today. (Author/RK)

States that if educational equality is defined, not in terms of equal learning facilities and equally well qualified teachers, but in terms of equal outcomes, equality has not been achieved. True equality implies recognition of learning as life-long process, for the purpose of self-fulfillment. (Author/RW)

Examines the position that the presence of contexts facilitates paired-associate learning through mediation. (Editor/RK)