Social studies teachers should concentrate on helping students develop basic skills. One comprehensive program to help teachers develop these skills is the Wisconsin Design for Reading Skill Development. Activities and tests from the Wisconsin Design are included along with feedback from teachers who have used the program. (Author/DB)

Describes the Community College of Philadelphia's three-level developmental curriculum consisting of basic English and math courses and developmental-content, noncredit courses in history, geography, social science, and psychology. Reviews the objectives, content, and instructional methods of each level of the curriculum and discusses outcomes.…

The document presents the final report of the Arts in Education Project, a research project of the National Committee, Arts for the Handicapped to develop and measure the effects of an arts infused curriculum on the academic performance of handicapped elementary school children. A model for infusing the arts into the established curriculum was…

The study looked at the initial learning of decimal concepts at grades three, four, and five. Helping children understand the concepts of decimals prior to computational use is promoted as a major goal for elementary education. The investigation is seen to have provided insights that could be applied to instruction. (Author/MP)

A structured language arts program based on children's interests can enrich the learning environment of the open classroom. This program should include both open-ended activities, which are outgrowths of instructional units based on group interest, and directed activities, which include the use of learning stations that teach the basic skills…

Reviews the sequential steps followed in teaching basic composition at the University of Alabama. Discusses traditional teaching techniques, word choice, and types of writing, and describes alternative teaching techniques. (DR)

The need for colleges to develop critical thinking skills in mainstream courses is emerging as an issue of national significance. Students benefit from clearly articulated and pedagogically sound courses that directly and explicitly teach thinking skills, as well as from efforts to reinforce these abilities across the curriculum. At LaGuardia…

The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools have developed a program called Arts in the Basic Curriculum. Together with five other cities they formed a league committed to developing an arts in general education program. The mission of the schools was to assure students the right to develop their potential through an interdisciplinary approach to…

A learning skills center was set up in Flint Hills Area Vocational-Technical School, Emporia, Kansas, to provide remedial instruction in basic skills leading to student success in the regular vocational program. Group instruction, individualized instruction, and multimedia aids are used to help the participants (high school students and adults)…

Describes an experimental six-week summer intensive course in basic writing in which the instructor assumes the identity of "Ms. Mystery" and exchanges weekly letters with each of the students. Provides excerpts as well as analysis of these letters and argues the efficacy of letter writing as a pedagogic tool. (KEH)

The purpose of this paper is to describe an institute on basic skills that was organized for faculty members at a historically black, public, four-year, urban-oriented, "open admissions" college. Specifically, the described institute was designed to develop positive faculty attitudes toward incorporating the teaching of basic skills into the…

Focusing on programs that successfully expanded primary education in rural areas and among young girls, this report describes a mobilizing project that assisted six local programs in documenting and disseminating their methods. The report discusses the six successful projects: (1) the PROPEL project in Pune, India; (2) the 900 Schools Project in…

The Los Nietos Basic Skills Program was the first program of computer assisted instruction funded by the Emergency School Aid Act (ESAA). The system initially supported 17 typewriter-style terminals, but the number was later increased to 24. Because of software problems, the system changed companies and the courses changed to the following:…

The Los Nietos School District in Los Angeles was the first school in the United States that had its basic skills program supported through intensive use of computers. Through fundings under the Emergency School Aid Act (ESAA), the program is embarking on its third year. The system initially supported 17 typewriter-style terminals, but before the…