Looks at the shortcomings of the Arabic writing system and reviews some suggestions for changing it. (JT)

Discusses ways of developing individuals' abilities to assess their own learning needs. Includes a case study involving working with the tenants of a housing project, a discussion of needs assessment as a continuing process, and a definition of success. (CT)

Results confirm previous findings that the revised State University of New York at Stony Brook observation code is a valid instrument for quantifying and discriminating the classroom behavior of children referred because of hyperactive behavior. (Author)

Findings indicate minimal differences, on diagnostic tests, between children who exhibited torque and those who did not. Torque is defined as the circling of any X in a clockwise direction. Torque is not associated with learning problems in school. Diagnostic utility of torque should be carefully considered. (Author)

Results of mathematics education research in problem solving activities of third-grade children are covered. The assumption that the horizontal number sentence is a useful tool for solving verbal problems is questioned. (MP)

The relationship of bilingualism to learning disabilities and the incidence of bilingual children referred for medical evaluation of developmental problems is discussed. (JMF)

The role of the learning assistance teacher in this model consists of three major functions: first-line diagnosis of learning difficulties, consultation with the regular classroom teacher, and direct instruction with a restricted caseload of students. (DLS)

The process of coping with the academic difficulties of a 16-year-old boy is discussed from the point of view of his parents. The effect of each parent's life experiences on how they viewed their son's problem is examined. (PHR)

A peer tutoring model is described and suggestions for implementing peer tutoring programs are provided. The seven steps in the development of a peer tutoring program are: establishing a need, considering curriculum, assessing, selecting learners, selecting tutors, monitoring, and coordinating. (PHR)

Based on evaluation of an Open University independent study course used in a conventional setting at the University of Essex, this paper focuses on: the relationship of the student's choice of learning strategy with the requirements of the task; the student's ability to adapt his strategy; task restrictions; and the student's view of learning.…

Compares performances on the Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT) Math, Spelling, and Reading subtests with the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) Arithmetic, Spelling, and Reading subtests for a sample of fourth-graders. Nearly all PIAT-WRAT intercorrelations were positive and significant, and highest for the similarly labelled subtests.…

The results of this study indicate that the WISC-R IQs are good predictors of achievement. They predict general achievement as represented by the PIAT total score and achievement in specific areas including reading recognition, mathematics, and spelling as measured by the PIAT. (Author)

This article on using mnemonics with students having learning and behavior problems first offers a case study of a 7th grade student and then describes the letter strategy, the keyword mnemonic method, and the pegword method. Seven steps for implementing mnemonic strategies are offered. An inset reviews the research literature on using mnemonic…

The majority of students with emotional problems sit undetected in general education classrooms. This article highlights the warning signs of developing emotional problems, as well as strategies to help students overcome their emotional barriers to learning. (GCP)