In working with severely emotionally disturbed children from infancy to age 14, Rutland Center utilizes a developmental approach through which program work is matched to a child's particular state of physical, emotional, cognitive, and social development. Based on 146 objectives, the curriculum deals with behavior, communication, socialization,…

Presents a research study of 66 students in grades 9-12 to determine the validity of assessing cognitive level of development from a single task. Results indicate that one task is not an adequate and reliable measure of a scheme or of formal operations in general. (SL)

Investigates the attainment of abstract and concrete concepts and the use of pseudoexamples to move concrete thinkers to abstract levels in secondary school chemistry classes. Findings reveal abstract students achieve significantly higher means on both concrete and abstract concept attainment and that pseudo examples have no effect on the ability…

The foundations of the cognitive developmental curriculum movement, and its recommendations for curriculum sequencing, curriculum content and teaching strategies are critically reviewed. The grounds for all proposals are purely theoretical; actual data either contradict specific proposals or provide no direct evidence. (Author/CP)

Cognitive style, the impulsivity-reflectivity dimension, is reviewed as an individual difference that does significantly affect a learning/teaching situation. Relevance of impulsivity-reflectivity for learners in a problem-solving situation is established. Conclusions emphasize the importance of this individual difference. (Author)

Defines five levels between concrete and formal operation in the development of the concept of controlling variables. The sample, methodology and research on which the work is based is described in SE 519 500. (CP)

The relationships between 54 sixth grade students' performance on the Piagetian balance beam and bending rods tasks were correlated with their answers to value-laden questions. Significant positive relationships were observed. Implications from these findings for science instruction are discussed. (CP)

Research on the psychological processes involved in historical thinking indicates that formal operational thinking skills required to understand history develop relatively late. Although studies have indicated teachers can do little to accelerate historical cognitive development, most scholars believe students at all levels can learn historical…

Instructional television is a valuable tool for the teacher, particularly when used to expose students to problems and life situations and to encourage them in value discussions and decision-making in areas that are most nearly parallel to their own social experiences. (JD)

The relation between conceptual development and visual exploratory behavior was investigated by engaging eighty-four 3-, 4-, and 8-year-old children in a picture-sorting task to determine whether they would spontaneously and readily discriminate between animate and inanimate objects. (Author/JMB)

Available from: Ablex Publishing Corporation, 355 Chestnut Street, Norwood, New Jersey 07648. Two groups (high and low functioning) of educable mentally handicapped children consisting of 70 Ss' average age 127 months' were tested for strategies in their approach to memory and problem solving tasks and for their responsiveness to strategy…

Children in grades 1-3 were asked to retell and explain a series of riddles. Ability to recall riddles was not predictive of ability to explain them. Three cognitive factors seemed to determine level of riddle competence. Implications concern the relationship of riddle competence to reading ability and metalinguistic facility. (CHK)

An experiment on children aged 2 to 7 led to a critical evaluation of Piaget's implicit contention that young children use determiners anaphorically. It is suggested that the importance of young children's processing procedures on the linguistic environment has been underestimated in Piaget's interactive epistemology. (CHK)

Summarizes research on how children think about economic ideas and values and the development of such thinking. Explores the influence of instruction on children's thinking about economics and points out implications for curriculum and instruction. (RH)

A method for empirical classification of autistic and autisticlike children, based on behavior observations of 35 males and 11 females (ages 4-28 years) was examined. Factor and cluster analysis indicated four subtypes, characterized by perseverative thinking and play, motor disturbances, schizotypal/schizoid features, and anxiety and negativism.…