This study explores general-chemistry instructors' awareness of and ability to identify and address common student learning obstacles in chemical equilibrium. Reported instructor strategies directed at remediating student alternate conceptions were investigated and compared with successful, literature-based conceptual change methods. Fifty-two…

Language learners' own intelligence, ability to concentrate, perseverance, cultural identity, high expectations, and organizational skills all play an important role in determining the ease with which students learn English while continuing to develop their first language. To accomplish the amazing task of acquiring a new language and culture,…

Background: In this study, psychosocial functioning of different groups of young children with learning problems was investigated using a diverse set of psychosocial variables (including behaviour problems, academic motivation, social preference, and self-concept). Methods: For this purpose, children with low academic achievement, with a specific…

This article reports on research commissioned by the Scottish Executive Education Department (SEED). It aimed to establish the range and extent of policy and provision in the area of specific learning difficulties (SpLD) and dyslexia throughout Scotland. The research was conducted between January and June 2004 by a team from the University of…

As yet, psychoeducational practice lacks a reliable and valid set of established classifications of learning behaviors, which is an indispensable starting point for the diagnosis of a child's problems. This paper reports an epidemiologycal study in which we collected descriptive behavioral data from a fairly representative sample (N = 150) of…

This paper reports on a project aimed at providing skills and resources to support nursery staff in identifying areas of strength and need in 3- to 5-year-old children. The six participating nurseries were all in areas of high socio-economic disadvantage. Staff were trained to administer, score and interpret a wide-ranging screening inventory.…

This 3-year longitudinal study examined how motivational tendencies, that is, task orientation and social dependence orientation, as well as cognitive-linguistic prerequisites of reading and math skills (i.e., phonological awareness, rapid naming, oral language comprehension skills, number sequence and basic arithmetic skills) measured in…

Whenever students can't remember, don't comprehend, or won't follow through on your instructions, here's a guide that explores the root cause for these and other learning problems and shows you how to set students on the path to understanding and success. Learning expert Betty K. Garner explains the mental processes students need to gather,…

Student academic failure and serious behavior problems are closely intertwined. Two related bodies of research pertain to the crossover of academic problems and behavioral issues: behavioral scripts and best instructional practices. The authors drew on that research to (a) help explicate relationships between aggressive or disruptive student…

A major factor attributed to the problem and consequences of underage alcohol use is binge drinking. The objective of this study was to examine binge drinking and other alcohol-related problem behaviour among high-risk male and female adolescents who were from alternative schools and programs because of learning and/or behaviour problems.…

The current study examined the behaviors related to academic engagement exhibited by students with ADHD during instruction in math and reading. A total of 155 students (92 ADHD, 63 recruited controls) in grades 1 through 4 participated in the study. Results revealed that students with ADHD exhibited statistically significant lower rates of…

Two teachers working in Year 0-1 classes at Manurewa South School, a decile 2 school in the Manurewa area of Manukau City, Auckland, share their voyage of exploration around their own circle of influence. In this article the research team including Bronwyn Blair, a facilitator from the University of Auckland, worked through a cycle of needs…

Teachers are normally trained to work effectively with one dominant culture. As such, they are poorly prepared to handle cultural differences; sometimes they simply define students from diverse culture and with learning difficulties as students at risk. This study reports a group of 100 Chinese in-service teachers' attitudes of cultural difference…

Research on conceptual change is still a powerful framework for empirical investigations on students' learning of science. During recent years, an increasing body of research has explored students' concepts prior and subsequent to instruction, leading to an extensive documentation of students' concepts including the difficulties and opportunities…

In Canadian Rockies Public Schools (CRPS), educators are committed to meeting the needs of all students. While much of the attention and resources go to the students with special needs who have difficulty learning, the group of students identified as talented and gifted is largely left to the classroom teacher to accommodate. Lawrence Grassi…