Proposals for a significant improvement in education include the following: an alternative program for low performing students; a school-plus plan that extends the school year; a program that gives students the option of returning to take classes; choice for the neighborhood school; a program for students who show an affinity for science and…

Describes a study examining research on classroom management and translating the findings into a skills-based program on effective classroom management. Reports that research-based concepts and principles are meaningful and of practical value to teachers. Recommends a conceptual- and skills-based approach to classroom management for development of…

Discusses instructional uses for the "Carmen Sandiego" software series to encourage interest in geography. Suggests "Carmen" be incorporated into the curriculum by teacher-directed grouping that adds teacher instruction into cooperative and competitive arenas, curriculum integration linking diverse specialties, and isolated…

This study examined beliefs and practices of Kentucky's Chapter 1 reading teachers (n=1,279) in light of requirements of the Hawkins-Stafford Amendments requiring instruction in advanced skills in Chapter 1 programs. Most teachers' practices did not match their beliefs; those whose beliefs and practices were consistent with an advanced skills…

Asserts that increasing numbers of history teachers design courses to have students use historical research and processing skills. Reports on a study of 120 middle school students about their perceptions of what historians do. Concludes that the study provided teachers a means of assessing student understanding of historians. (CFR)

A discussion of effective training for health professionals proposes that selection of strategy be guided by knowledge needed by the graduating student; skills to be mastered; teaching methods effective for achieving these two objectives; and whether the desired knowledge, skills, and attitudes are reflected in assessment methods and outcomes…

This study of 18 school-age children with Down Syndrome supports the contention that combining technological access to speech and text with teaching methods providing the language structure to link speech output and text with personal meaning results in significantly improved language skills compared with use of computers without speech output or…

Combined with a computer, videodisks of foreign films are helping second-language students at the University of Pennsylvania learn two neglected skills, listening and looking. The combination of attractive visual and linguistic information and fast pace stimulates vocabulary acquisition. The program has prepared 20 interactive videodiscs in 6…

Describes a skills development program based on research and writing subskills. Includes analyzing questions, devising a form to record information, researching and reporting findings, and supporting a point of view in persuasive essay. Explains that the program through three years of middle school, adding and refining skills each year. Suggests…

A communication program was implemented with the families of three adolescents with behavior problems. Skill teaching resulted in parent-adolescent dyads learning to use the skills in the teaching setting, but competent use of the skills in the home was not observed until an in-home family conference phase was implemented. (Author/JDD)

Two studies involving 138 third graders and 18 fifth and sixth graders examined whether children's ability to revise problematic texts could be enhanced through training in a comprehension monitoring strategy. Results show that acquiring a strategy can help children make appropriate revisions to improve the text's comprehension. (SLD)

Describes a study of state employees that was conducted to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the use of teleconferencing to increase creativity among workers. A model of creativity is explained, the pretest/posttest used to assess teleconferencing effectiveness is presented, and implications for teleconferencing are discussed. (eight…

A survey of 48 secondary-level learning disability content teachers and 45 basic skills teachers examined their relationship with the mainstream, curricular structure, instructional methodology, and students' behavioral characteristics. The two groups differed little in how they taught but more in how they perceived their interactions and their…

A study of the decisions of 217 physical therapists to return to graduate school looked at background characteristics, college characteristics, college experiences, work experiences, and attitudes toward graduate study. Reasons for returning included primarily professional skill development, and also specialization needs and income enhancement.…

Over a 10-month period, normal children showed an increased reliance on memory retrieval and a decreased reliance on counting when they solved addition problems. There was an increase in speed of counting and of retrieving addition facts from long-term memory. Children with a mathematical learning disability showed no change in problem-solving…