Examines the usefulness of the Salience Imbalance Theory of metaphor processing to aid in understanding how children comprehend metaphors in written text. Supports the prediction that the measure of salience of features is affected by the topic order and vehicle (asymmetry), but also reports children's responses not explained by the theory. (KEH)

Compares two approaches to the teaching of mathematics, rote versus reasoning. Discusses the way to teach mathematics as reasoning in elementary classroom as stated in the NCTM Standards. (YP)

Explores intellectual discussion through interviews with 20 faculty and graduate students at a large U.S. state university. The article describes the following: the study's dilemmatic framework; the interview materials and discourse analytic method; and three sets of contrary beliefs about appropriate communicative behavior in intellectual…

Scientific reasoning of four elementary age students with mild mental retardation was investigated using structured interviews during tasks involving properties of air and electricity. Discourse analysis was employed to describe students' preconceptions about the natural world and how those preconceptions might be influenced by empirical evidence.…

Quantitative literacy for students with deafness is addressed, noting work by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics to establish curriculum standards for grades K-12. The standards stress problem solving, communication, reasoning, making mathematical connections, and the need for educators of the deaf to pursue mathematics literacy with…

Studied high school and university students' use of mental representations in reasoning, and the developmental progression of their reasoning with concrete and abstract content. Reasoning was more difficult with abstract content. Abstract problems followed by concrete ones led to reduced concrete problem performance for high schoolers but not for…

The study examined methods of mathematical problem solving with 34 gifted and 34 average Dutch 10 year olds. Typical questioning protocols are diagrammed and results tabulated. Preliminary findings suggest the potential value of explicit teaching of advanced mathematical problem-solving skills to pupils of average ability. (DB)

Shows that the construction of mental representations that capture a situation based on the comprehension of a diagram are mediated by the possession of appropriate background knowledge. Indicates that background knowledge deficiencies may make it difficult for beginning students of a domain to construct suitable mental representations from…

Three third graders with a history of low achievement in math were first given verbal (abstract) instruction in solving word problems. Students were then introduced to manipulatives instruction using Cuisenaire rods to set up word problems. Students exhibited immediate and sustained improvement on subsequent probes administered without…

Offers a theoretical account of moral rationality within a rational constructivist paradigm examining the nature and relationship of rationality and reasoning. Suggests progressive changes through developmental levels of moral rationality. Proposes a developmental moral epistemology that accommodates moral pluralism to a greater degree than does…

Suggests that constructivist rationality may be more pervasive across cultures than Moshman commits to. Proposes that rationality is not always adequate, and there is a need for essentially moral labor, such as differentiating moral from nonmoral or analyzing differing moral constructs and their potential coexistence, coordination, and structural…

Examines U.S. and Chinese 6th grade students' mathematical thinking and reasoning involved in solving six process-constrained and six process-open problems. Concludes that the Chinese sample had a significantly higher mean score than the U.S. sample on the process-constrained tasks, but the sample of U.S. students had a significantly higher mean…

This article presents research on students' understanding of basic concepts in Graph Theory. Students' understanding is analyzed through the lens of the theoretical framework of reducing abstraction (Hazzan, 1999). As it turns out, in spite of the relative simplicity of the concepts that are introduced in the introductory part of a traditional…

Words are only one way of symbolizing ideas. Numbers, pictures, graphs, maps, diagrams, photographs, and other means are also used to convey information. Researchers refer to notational systems such as graphs, diagrams, and maps as "inscriptions." Inscriptions are tools that help people to perceive and to talk about spatial worlds. Spatial…

Most children who are congenitally deafblind are severely delayed in their communication development and many will not achieve symbolic understanding and expression. This article discusses developmental markers cited in the research literature as predictive of or facilitative of the development of symbolism. These markers include the growth toward…