The author describes ways in which an organic curriculum--in which students actively plan goals based on their needs--helped an impulsive sixth grader and a language handicapped 20-year-old acquire reading skills, vocabulary, and master phobic reactions. (CL)

The study involving 33 children referred to school psychologists compared the Bender Gestalt and the Minnesota Perceptual Diagnostic Test-Revised (MPDT-R) in ability to predict intellectual and academic performance as measured by standardized tests. Factor analysis suggested that the MPDT-R provides unique information concerning…

In two experiments 36 elementary and junior high learning-disabled (LD) students were taught attributes of minerals via mnemonic instruction, free study, or a visual-spatial display condition. In both experiments, students learned significantly more information in the mnemonic condition, and students in the visual-spatial condition did not…

Although research results generally fail to confirm a consistent relationship between reading performance and visual perception, auditory perception, or modality preference, clinical observations and teachers' opinions suggest the presence of such a relationship. The article reviews the research and suggests factors, including asking the wrong…

This study examines whether residual recall differences between reading ability groups after a memory training task reflect the dimensions of organizational processing. Although age-related effects occurred, no ability group effects emerged, suggesting that learning disabled readers adequately access word features except when organized by…

Paraprofessionals may fulfill a number of roles with learning disabled students, ranging from assistance in diagnosis to individual instruction. State and local education agencies should prepare for the advent of paraprofessionals through inservice and supervision, being attentive to problematic areas of responsibilities, interpersonal…

Focuses on admissions policies, program services (including diagnostic testing and prescriptive planning, program advisement, and instructional assistance), and the preparation of high school students for college experiences. (CL)

A review of eight long-term studies on the effects of stimulant drugs on the academic performance of hyperactive and learning disabled children reveals that seven studies confirmed that stimulants do not enhance academic achievement, at least in terms of changing adolescent or adult outcome. (CL)

The cognitive approach to education is briefly summarized, and its implications for learning disabilities considered. The approach, which includes the genetic epistemology espoused by J. Piaget and information processing theory, proposes the importance of active involvement and control processes. (CL)

Examined the generalizability of the Bannatyne Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) profile of learning disabled children to Mexican-American children (N=64). Analysis suggested that learning disabled Mexican-American children were not characterized by Spatial > Conceptual > Sequential patterns as predicted by Bannatyne.…

This study was designed to document, four years later, the progress of 52 LD adolescents who entered a special education program in the ninth grade. Results indicated impressive gains for all students, although approximately half the achievement growth had taken place in the first year of the LD program. (Author)

Results suggested that: many young school failures are inefficient or poor task planners and organizers; that this characteristic may be related to lagging or deficient language skills rather than spatial organizing skills; and that failure may result from specific cognitive deficiencies and/or failure to effectively organize available cognitive…

Significant improvements in scanning and processing times, attention deployment strategies, and response accuracy on haptic and visual discrimination tasks coupled with increases in reflectivity demonstrate the effectiveness, durability, and generalizability of haptic training with 12 communications disordered/neurologically impaired elementary…

Corrects errors in "A Developmental Study of Learning Disabilities and Memory" by Stephen J. Ceci (Volume 38, Number 2 1984), pages 352-371. (AS)

A review of research points out manifestations of learning disabilities in adolescents (including low levels of basic skill levels, test-taking and study skill deficiencies, and problem solving strategies) and concludes with suggestions about counseling and instruction emphasizing learning strategy intervention. (CL)