Existing research has revealed key factors influencing mathematical flexibility, defined as the capacity to understand, generate, and apply a variety of strategies in solving mathematical problems. However, there is currently a lack of an integrated theoretical framework to systematically consolidate various sources of individual differences in…

The more you know about the brains of your students, the better you can be at your profession. Brain-based teaching gives you the tools to boost cognitive functioning, decrease discipline issues, increase graduation rates, and foster the joy of learning. This innovative, new edition of the bestselling "Brain-Based Learning" by Eric…

Cognitively demanding tasks provide important opportunities for students to develop an understanding of mathematics; however, they are challenging to launch and implement. The authors designed a secondary methods unit on launching tasks. Participants in the study were enrolled in five different methods courses. Using a noticing framework, findings…

A national survey reports that 42% of mainstream teachers have English language learners (ELLs) in their classrooms, but only 12.5% say they have been prepared to work with them (National Center for Education Statistics 2002). This article supplies a framework to address the cognitive demands of ELLs with varying proficiency levels, guided by the…

This study aims to examine pre-service teachers' knowledge and regulation of cognition. The authors administered Schraw and Dennison's Metacognitive Awareness Inventory to 254 pre-service teachers in Singapore. The results showed no significant difference by educational level on all subscales except for evaluation, which is a subscale of…

Cognition is a general term describing the mental capacities of an animal, and often includes the ability to categorize, remember, and communicate about objects in the environment. Numerous regions of the telencephalon (cerebral cortex and limbic system) are responsible for these cognitive functions. Although many researchers have used traditional…

There is little agreement about how the ability to read route maps initially emerges and about how it should be stimulated by early childhood educators. This study assessed the route map reading behavior of young children and the basic skills that might contribute to that behavior. In individual videotaped sessions, 120 four, five, and six year…

Deaf elementary and secondary students were found to be less skilled when reading stories in "elaboration" (i.e., drawing conclusions through interpretation of details), a process requiring higher-order thinking skills. An approach to teaching these skills is described that compares and contrasts a series of stories sharing a common theme. (VW)

Provides background information and research findings on right and left brain hemisphere research. The cerebral hemisphere, research on split-brain subjects, research with normal subjects, and sex differences are addressed. Indicates that each hemisphere functions differently (left--verbal and analytical; right--spatial and perceptual) but both…

A review of the critical thinking literature reveals that there is growing interest in developing instructional strategies to develop students' critical thinking skills and dispositions. This paper reviews the research literature regarding the nature of critical thinking in the following areas: (1) differences in the conceptualization of critical…

A constructivist analysis of the concepts of communication and environment may go against the traditional ideas of realists. Both concepts are treated as subjective constructs of a cognizing agent. It is held that the basis of the constructivist theory of knowing as the idea that knowledge is a mapping of ways of acting and thinking and the result…

This book, designed for grades 2-8, teaches students the creative problem-solving (CPS) method. Each step in the process is outlined in detail and is illustrated with 30 reproducible classroom activities. The levels of the problem-solving approach addressed in the book include: (1) "Sensing Problems and Challenges"; (2) "Fact Finding"; (3)…

Research on propositional reasoning is summarized. Retrieval of facts and concepts, linkages, short-term memory limitations, and the processing advantages are discussed. Suggestions for maximizing teaching are presented. (CW)

Summarized is the research focused on the relationship between children's increasing capacity to process information and the levels at which they should be capable of recognizing mathematical concepts. Implications for mathematics curricula and teachers are discussed. Lists three references. (YP)

The concept of transfer, which refers to the brain's ability to generalize or situations in which perceptions and behaviors are generalizable, can be of use to teachers of English as a second language (ESL) students and basic writers. What is called "writing across the curriculum" and most classroom writing instruction are based on unexamined…