Experiments revealed that children seemed able to integrate multiple sources of information but were more dependent on clue support and generally less likely to infer reason than adults. Children were more likely than adults to reject premise as an explanation of outcome. Only fourth-graders and adults modified inferences in response to resolution…

Discusses some of the problems associated with literacy in the United States. Reviews literature and trends related to semiliteracy, assessment, skilled readers, decoding difficulties, and comprehension difficulties. Considers several questions related to literacy and education. (CW)

Three arts educators comment on the relationships among skills, knowledge, and creativity in the arts curriculum. Charles H. Ball states that these elements should be balanced in the curriculum. Eunice Boardman suggests that adequate statement of curricular goals does away with the need for balancing. Karen A. Hamblen notes that the three elements…

Twenty children, aged six-eight, with normal nonverbal intelligence but language comprehension deficits, were administered tasks of verbal and perceptual proportional analogical reasoning and a problem-solving task of functional analogical reasoning. Compared to controls, subjects were deficient in analogical reasoning. However, when the…

Presents the results of three studies examining children's conception of the mind itself as an independent, active entity. Findings revealed a developing ability in children to interpret and produce statements personifying the mind and provided considerable evidence of children's movement toward a conception of the mind as an active agent…

Recent research documents students' misconceptions about key math and science ideas, parochial views of history, and tendency to reduce complex literary works to stereotypes. To improve understanding, learners should focus on activities asking them to generalize, find new examples, and apply principles thoughtfully. Teachers should pursue…

This study of 67 intermediate grade students with reading difficulties found that students in a peer-mediated sustained reading condition performed better than peer-mediated repeated reading students and control students receiving typical reading instruction, on fluency but not on comprehension. No effect for the level of text difficulty was…

The introduction of computer technologies into the regular school system has not been very successful, probably because of the lack of sound curricular integration. Proposals are offered for courseware development that will better fit into the modern languages curriculum. (Contains three references.) (Author/LB)

An earlier study of the sources of native speakers' perception of incoherence in English text produced by nonnative speakers was extended. Eighty subjects were tested using microcomputers rather than paper-and-pencil and again showed a strong effect for miscues and less significant effect for order of ideas. (Contains 32 references.) (Author/LB)

Investigates whether or not SRQ2R (Survey, Read, Question, Recite, Review) usage is facilitated by pretraining in text structures or main ideas. Finds that SRQ2R was effective in improving fourth- through ninth-grade students' higher-level thinking skills and their comprehension of expository material. (RS)

Highly skilled and less skilled college readers (n=29) were compared on several information-processing and language-comprehension tasks that tap cognitive components of reading. Results confirm that both areas distinguish skilled and less skilled readers and suggest that reading ability is a continuous function. (SLD)

Focuses on how teachers can help young children become better listeners. Shows how building listening skills is dependent upon a positive classroom communication environment. Gives specific goals and activities for the classroom, and for parent involvement and practice at home. Teacher listening behavior, as well as child listening behavior, is…

Examines group and individual differences arising from strategy instruction. Finds support for strategy instruction for at-risk students. Finds also that students' motivation can influence their use of the instruction they receive. Raises critical questions regarding the role of motivation in strategy instruction and use. (RS)

Studies the effects of visual elaborations on the cognitive processes of adult learners. Compares the effects of two types of visual elaboration strategies on immediate and delayed recall. Suggests that the incorporation of visual elaboration strategies produces a greater depth of processing, leading to better recall. (HB)

Analyzes the use of graphic aids in electronic texts by using four conceptual differences distinguishing printed and electronic texts. Proposes that these four differences can act as a theoretical framework informing the use of such graphic aids. Discusses the need for and the ramifications of such a theoretical model. (HB)