Overviews the traditional grammar-based language lesson and the communicative approach to teaching languages. The article maintains that adopting a less prescriptive approach to the formal system of the language and gradually training students to see the printed text as another form of interaction will contribute to developing a sensitivity for…

A pharmacy school large-group (110 students) course in pharmacokinetics was designed to incorporate small-group team-based problem solving. The method allows students to learn material through traditional lecture, research the topic further, discuss the information gained, and apply the learning to specific cases in a manner that promotes…

A social skills program for learning disabled children consisting of coaching, role-playing, and information sharing was implemented over a 6-month period by a clinical psychologist in collaboration with classroom teachers. When compared to the control group, participants in the experimental program demonstrated greater social acceptance and…

Research is presented that investigates the amount of learner noticing produced by two types of grammar consciousness-raising treatments: teacher-fronted grammar lessons and interactive, grammar problem-solving tasks. Results indicate that task performance is as effective as formal instruction in promoting noticing. (Contains 33 references.)…

After a year of instruction, 70 kindergarten children were individually interviewed as they solved basic, multistep, and nonroutine word problems. Thirty-two used a valid strategy for all 9 problems, and 44 correctly answered 7 or more problems. Modeling provided a unifying framework for thinking about problem solving. (Author/MDH)

According to a survey of Fortune 500 executives, American schools should teach analytical, higher order, conceptual, and problem-solving skills; reading and writing proficiencies; and effective communication skills. Schools should also provide apprenticeships for high schoolers and stress interpersonal skills (especially cooperation in diverse…

This study compared a variety of outcome measures for eighth-grade students with special needs integrated into regular social studies classes. Students with special needs performed similarly to regular education peers on multiple-choice facts tests, multiple-choice problem-solving tests, and short problem-solving essays, but performed…

Examines the lexical and syntactic choices made by men and women in 29 separate hour-long interactions within 29 groups, each consisting of 2 men and 2 women. Data analysis reveals that, although women use intensifiers more than men and men use more hedges, their overall language use does not reflect any difference in social power. (42 references)…

This study compared the learning attitudes of 131 undergraduate medical students enrolled in sections of a course that used a problem-based learning (PBL) approach with 120 students enrolled in sections using conventional teaching methods. Student surveys indicated that the PBL course experience was perceived as a personally more meaningful…

Children who are deficient in social skills or who have developed inappropriate communication skills may be at risk in school and disruptive to family dynamics. To prevent crises developing in adolescence, the Stop-Think-Do social skills program, first developed in Australia, provides a method of reinforcing cooperative behavior and…

This article describes a federally funded model self-determination project for students with severe emotional disabilities/behavioral disorders (SED/BD). The project promotes self-determination through instruction in problem solving, self-assertiveness, and self-management skills, and utilizes cross-age peer tutoring involving college students…

This article discusses four solution-focused assumptions in providing early intervention services to children with speech-language disabilities and their families. These assumptions are: a polyocular perspective promotes successful family participation in treatment, a family's story contains resources for change, successful experiences promote…

Reports on a study of the effects of a peer-mediation training program among 92 elementary school students. Finds that the training program was successful in teaching negotiation and mediation procedures and skills. Reports that the training dramatically reduced the number of conflicts referred to teachers and principal. (CFR)

The multidisciplinary approach to pharmacy education used at the University of Southern California is characterized by problem-solving curricula, instruction by faculty from a diverse group of disciplines, small-group instruction with mixed disciplines, real-world case studies, evaluation by testing with new problems, and progressive conceptual…

Discusses how nonparametric statistical procedures can be applied to the scoring of cross-country running races. Asserts that this type of example in statistics is appropriate for the upper-secondary school and lower-division college levels. (MDH)