Argues that Donald Graves' approach to critical literacy provides a crucial insight into the learning process by linking the nature of learning with the dreams, experiences, histories, and languages that students bring to school. Also argues that teachers should confirm student experiences so that students are supported. (SRT)

Describes five studies in which the learning and transfer abilities of two- and four-year-old children were examined on a task that required them to combine two separately learned solutions to reach a goal. (HOD)

Studies the effects of varying levels of interactivity on the learning rate of 98 high school students using four increasingly interactive versions of computer-based interactive video instruction. Students are grouped by ability levels and results are compared for recall rate, instructional time, and acquisition rate. Twenty-two references are…

Describes a study of 36 college juniors at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis to contrast how well students learn new concepts from working with a partner versus working individually on a computer-based lesson. Highlights include types of feedback chosen and an analysis of verbal interactions. (Author/LRW)

Records the attempts of a very young child to construct his own understanding of what it means to die and of the social impact of death within his own culture. Includes transcripts in which the child uses narrative to frame his first, tentative ideas about death and responds to literature to further extend his understanding. (JD)

Two studies examined the relation between current developmental levels, as estimated by IQ, and proximal levels of development, as estimated by the efficiency of learning and transfer in assisted contexts. Subjects were 8- to ll-year-old children. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed. (HOD)

Suggests having students act out descriptions of technical processes rather than write them. Argues that students will describe the process with more clarity and detail than in an ordinary report. (SRT)

Young children become vulnerable to stress and depression when they are forced to be over-achievers. Suggestions are offered for helping children enjoy life and develop at their own pace. (DF)

This experiment examined the recall and recognition performance of 53 field-independent and 55 field-dependent learners who were with or without structure at the time of acquisition and/or at the time of recall. Patterns of performance were consistent with processing styles characteristic of field dependence-independence. (Author/LMO)

Discusses the problems encountered in training foreign language teachers, in particular the lack of behavioral objectives. Factors in setting up a teacher training course are considered. These include students' characteristics, the instructional team, reference room materials, classroom environment, course procedures and evaluation, and classroom…

Considers the implications of research on intentional learning processes for the role of the second language teacher. It is recommended that teachers take on the task of helping their students refine their competence as learners. Techniques for classroom practice are suggested. (MSE)

Secondary physics students were interviewed to determine their expectations/actions in laboratory work. Results indicate preference for laboratory activities because such exercises help students remember, are less confusing, and more concrete. Use of the laboratory as an introduction to a concept, followed by discussion, was a key component to…

Investigates the transfer effects of graphic organizer instruction on fourth graders' ability to use top-level structure as an aid in comprehending and retaining content reading materials and concludes that there were no discernable effects. (DF)

Describes a metacognitive study method, LETME, designed to help students manage the entire study process by facilitating the understanding, selection, organization, retention, and analysis of information from expository text. (DF)

The article stresses the importance of teaching deaf children to think and learn through the development of meaning-making and meaning-sharing capacities. Classroom practices should thus be content focused and actively engage students in American Sign Language to develop general literacy. (CL)