When taught to link sorting to self-instruction ("I'm looking for blue triangles") children show perfect accuracy in sorting. This study investigated if this performance would generalize to new stimuli. One participant showed near-perfect generalization to all new stimulus sets (shapes, letters, pictures); two had difficulty with…

The purpose of this paper is to reopen the discourse on cognitive skill acquisition to focus on the interactive effect of differences in cognitive construct and instructional format. Reports an examination of the contextual issues involved in understanding the interactivity of instructional conditions and cognitive style as a meta-knowledge…

This article explores drama's potential for fostering metacognition, arguing that for effective learning, children need to be given access to activities in which they gain deeper understanding about their own thinking processes. To this end, and with reference to practice in primary education, a case is offered for the increased status of drama,…

The paper describes and advocates process-oriented rather than product-oriented approaches to language intervention for students with language-learning disabilities. The paper discusses the need for different reasoning strategies in language intervention, a "levels of competence" macromodel for language intervention, a process-oriented micromodel,…

Defines learning disabilities and delineates characteristics of learning disabled students. Outlines steps to be taken by college geography departments for students who enroll in introductory-level geography classes. (SLM)

The article presents a model of learning based on the four learning stages of (1) acquisition, (2) proficiency, (3) maintenance, and (4) generalization. The importance of directing instruction at the appropriate learning stage is stressed and examples are given. (DB)

Presents evidence to show that the body plays a continuing and fundamental part in the process of thinking and the development of the knowledge used to think. Topics discussed include knowledge structures and representations; artificial intelligence; feeling; learning processes; models of knowledge; information retrieval; and implications for…

According to recent research, when teachers focus on higher mental processes (problem solving, application of principles, analytical skills, and creativity) within a mastery learning format, students' thinking skills and knowledge levels improve. Baltimore County (Maryland) and East Islip (New York) School Districts have programs integrating…

Describes Baltimore County (Maryland) Public Schools' integration of a mastery learning project for third and fourth graders begun in 1980 with a subsequent thinking skills project. The basic premises of each program (that students will learn well, given time and appropriate instruction) were similar. A sidebar illustrates the divergent…

A study of fourth- and fifth-graders' critical thinking skills revealed that those subjects who participated in small-group discussions encouraging self-directed critical thinking skills were better able to apply the skills than were students who were asked to solve a problem individually. (Author/CB)

Explains three learning theories (i.e., behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism) and examines how each can be used for planning and conducting instructional design activities. Historical foundations are discussed, and comparisons are made concerning how learning occurs, the role of memory, how transfer occurs, and types of learning. (Contains…

Nominal-level analysis of 4 primary learning styles (doing, thinking, watching, and feeling) of 292 subjects (mostly college students) from the Learning Styles Inventory demonstrated their discriminant/convergent validity but not the validity of the learning-style types suggested by D. A. Kolb (1976) (accommodator, diverger, converger, and…

Three gifted and three learning-disabled gifted students (ages 13-15) viewed themselves on videotape solving mathematical problems and responded to questions pertaining to their problem-solving strategies. The non-learning-disabled students applied substantially more cognitive and metacognitive knowledge to the problem-solving task. (Author/DB)

This paper proposes an instructional model for integrating cognitive strategy instruction and content area instruction when teaching students with learning disabilities in content area classes. In the model, teacher-mediated instructional devices and routines used to teach content area subjects serve as a basis for teaching students to…

Examined the effects of instruction in bridging and problem-solving strategy, 2 specific components of mediational instruction, on behaviors of 10- and 11-year-old children during LOGO programing tasks. Describes two case studies demonstrating typical differences between children's performances under the different learning conditions. Supports the…