The characteristic features of psychogenic stuttering of adult onset are reviewed, and four cases of this disorder are presented. Psychogenic stuttering of adult onset is classified as a conversion reaction, and tentative criteria for this diagnosis are proposed. (Author/JDD)

Teachers in England and Wales have recently discovered the meaning of innovation overload, including mandated teacher appraisal. Teaching is a very exposed, personal activity; governors' attitudes and behaviors concerning staff appraisal are mostly a matter of relationship. Appraising governors must consider context, responsibility, definitions of…

Examines the perspectives of needs assessment described in performance technology and human resource development literature. Perspectives embodied in definitions and conceptualizations of the terms need, needs assessment, needs analysis, front end analysis, and performance analysis are examined, and different views about where the needs assessment…

Argues that current definitions of giftedness are inappropriate for the identification of gifted and talented Indian students, and that tribal peoples must generate new, culturally relevant definitions, including abilities related to oral tradition. Describes a successful summer program that identified necessary value-based cultural competencies…

Describes a method by which teachers can introduce students to meaning and text through application of Mikhail Bakhtin's discourse theories. Explains that students are encouraged to reject common understandings of good writing. Identifies "daffy" definition exercises, newspaper editorial comparisons, and other activities that help…

Variability of prevalence data for the category of gifted and talented is examined, with respect to two alternative explanations: (1) definitional differences; and (2) differences in the application of definitions. Analysis of state definitions of giftedness and guidelines for student identification found this category to be no less, if not more,…

Traces the development of outcome-based education and mastery learning, highlighting the work of Ralph W. Tyler and Benjamin S. Bloom. OBE is principally a goal-driven curriculum reform model with definite implications for assessing student learning. Mastery learning is primarily an instructional process to help teachers enhance their teaching…

This survey of 48 state directors of special education found that states are at various stages in developing policies and guidelines for serving individuals with traumatic brain injury, resulting in differing forms of technical assistance and training, definitions, and eligibility criteria. (JDD)

Social skills training practices for persons with mental retardation are summarized, along with reasons for their lack of maintenance and generalization. A cognitive-behavioral definition and model of social competence and social skills are described, which unify social learning concepts with recent research and practice and focus on their utility…

Elementary teachers (n=9) saw giftedness as having the common characteristic of creativity. However, in nominating students to gifted programs, teachers focused on classroom performance more than creativity. Thus, their observations more closely matched official definitions rather than their personal concepts, and they had not worked to align the…

Reviews William Clune's "The Shift from Equity to Adequacy" (in this same issue) as a provocative contribution to the policy questions on educational adequacy. Supports the overall concept, but identifies certain problems, including an inadequate knowledge base to produce high minimum outcomes, insufficient knowledge about the…

Item overlap coefficient (IOC) formulas are discussed, providing six warnings about their calculation and interpretation and some explanations of why item overlap influences the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory factor structures. (SLD)

Examines consequences of using alternative definitions for prevalence, sex ratio and heritability. Demonstrates that the characteristics of reading-disabled children vary with the way disability is defined. Concludes that the use of regression-based procedures for identifying reading disability is desirable. Suggests insufficient evidence exists…

Presented is an activity designed to help middle school students in their understanding of definitions in geometry. Five definitions involving complex quadrilaterals are discussed. Procedures and expectations for the activity are described. (CW)

A group of 19 inmates took 3 spelling tests: the first following study of a blackboard word list, the second following students' copying of words from the blackboard, and the third following definitions of the words. A recall test showed that inclusion of meanings enhanced retention of vocabulary and spelling. (SK)