Presents reliability and standard error of measurement figures for several combinations of ability and achievement measures. Discusses the rates and types of errors that occur when such scores are used to classify children as learning-disabled. Three recommendations for using difference scores are given. (BH)

Analysis of teacher ratings, referral, and special education placement data on 74 hyperactive and 101 control Ss revealed that hyperactive Ss were more likely to be served by special education than control Ss. Aggression among hyperactive but not control Ss was associated with receiving services. (CL)

Learning disabled children ages 8-11 may need help to request clarification of speakers (an intergral part of everyday conversation) through activities designed to increase their facility with question forms and improve referential communication skills. (CL)

A significant difference was found between 45 learning disabled Ss and 45 normal Ss (grades two-four) in discriminating between orthographically legitimate and orthographically illegitimate pairs of letter patterns. The ability to discriminate correlated with performance of the reading section of the Wide Range Achievement Test. (Author/CL)

The author cites lack of standards for retaining students despite increased advocacy of the procedure, and suggests that learning disabled students would gain very little by retention. (CL)

Suggestions are given to teachers of learning disabled students regarding writing instruction. Six pointers concern techniques to avoid (such as overemphasis on grammatical errors) as well as approaches to provide appropriate feedback (such as offering individualized feedback, preferably at the prewriting stage). (CL)

A "whole person" approach to spelling instruction included use of visualization, relaxation, music, suggestion, and memorization techniques for nine secondary students with poor spelling. All students demonstrated improved spelling skills as well as increased self-esteem and self-awareness. (CL)

The process/conference model of writing instruction is described for intermediate-level learning disabled students. Students proceed through several stages of writing (rehearsal, drafting, revising, editing, and rewriting) during which they have conferences with the teacher and eventually publish their writing. (CL)

In Study 1, 85 percent of 248 third-, fifth-, and twelfth- grade students identified as normal could have been classified learning disabled (LD). In Study 2, 88 percent of a low achieving fourth grade sample could have been identified as LD, with 4 percent not meeting any criteria for classification. (Author/CL)

Reports that both learning-disabled (LD) and non-learning-disabled (NORM) children recalled disproportionately more adjacent words than semantically related or spaced words in a free recall task. Spaced words were less likely to be recalled by the younger children and by the LDs. NORMs' recalls were governed by purposive semantic processing to a…

The Carrow Elicited Language Inventory was used to compare imitation skills of kindergarten children identified as high risk for learning disability with those of a normal control group. Significant differences were found between groups in the total number of errors and ability to imitate adjectives, conjuctions, pronouns, and verbs. (Author/CL)

The effect of two discourse modes--description and argumentation--on the syntactic complexity of written expression of 54 learning disabled boys in grades 6, 8, and 10 was examined. Among many results was that the simple sentence was used most in the descriptive mode. (Author/MC)

Computer logic is advised for teaching learning disabled children because the computer reduces complicated problems to series of subproblems, then combines solutions of subproblems to solve the initial problem. Seven examples for using the technique are given, including solving verbal math problems. Encourages teachers to learn computer…

Examination of the effects of four content variables (phonemic elements, format, familiarity, and sequencing) on oral reading performance and comprehension of 15 learning disabled 9-12-year-olds revealed that three of the variables resulted in slower reading or reduced comprehension, while familiarity positively influenced performance. (Author/CL)

A microcomputer program features the "Diagnostic Evaluation of Writing Skills" (DEWS), in which 41 criteria are provided representing most common types of errors. An evaluation of DEW'S diagnostic ability revealed its value as a means of selecting students in need of special remediation. (CL)