The article reviews the theories of R. Feuerstein and his instrumental enrichment curriculum designed to furnish tools for thinking and considers implications for students with learning difficulties. (CL)

Analysis of questionnaires completed by 345 learning disability and reading resource teachers revealed that reading specialists diagnosed a broad population of students exhibiting many diverse characteristics. LD professionals used a broader diagnostic focus, touching upon intelligence, general achievement, perceptual and motor processes, as well…

Self-identified learning disabled college students (N=80), in comparison with their non-LD peers, tended to view themselves and their parents more negatively; recall more family stress during childhood and adolescence; and report more drug abuse problems, delinquency, and suicidal thoughts. (Author/CL)

Twenty-seven teachers carried out remediation with 76 elementary children labeled learning disabled. Scores on the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test (SDRT) of children receiving component deficit remediation plus academic deficit remediation were higher than those receiving only academic deficit remediation, when effect size analyses were made.…

Students (N=147) referred for special education evaluation by curriculum-based and traditional methods were compared. Numbers referred through each method were similar. Academic achievement was almost the sole criterion in teacher referral and Ss referred through weekly achievement measurements were as likely as teacher referred Ss to demonstrate…

Compared to 45 normally achieving students, 45 learning disabled six- to 12-year-olds had lower self-concepts, more external locus of control orientations, and lower performance expectations. Children new to the resource room had higher expectations for future success than Ss with experience in the resource room. (CL)

A study focusing on verbal and nonverbal communication and interaction factors involved in teaching children with severe learning difficulties suggested that differences in teaching style or strategy are closely related to the way in which language's functional qualities are expressed. (CL)

Daily practice for 15-20 minutes of repeating series of numbers resulted in improvement in auditory, sequential memory for five 13-year-olds with moderate learning difficulties. Subjects in the control and placebo group also demonstrated progress. Experimental Subjects demonstrated greater increases over a two-year period. (CL)

A language-based test battery was used to identify characteristics of 101 learning disabled adolescents. Factor analysis revealed four major components (oral language; silent language; short-term memory processing; perceptual-motor) and suggests a distinct set of factors representative of juvenile offenders alone; or factors representative of…

Prevalence of minor somatic complaints for learning-disabled children (N=30) was compared to that of two control groups: normal (N=559) and educable mentally retarded children (N=69). LD Ss demonstrated a significantly higher prevalence of complaints, but the extent of resulting absenteeism was less than that of nonhandicapped children. (Author/CL)

A learning disability index (LDI) based on a principal components analysis of the Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised normative data has been developed to depict verbal or nonverbal deficits on that test. Ss (N=1550) referred for educational difficulties returned mean scores on the LDI that were reliably different from expected scores…

Profiles of three persons (9-11 years old) with extremely reduced masking level difference results (scores which measure binaural release from masking) are reported. It is suggested that tests of the MLD appear to be a useful adjunct of an evaluation battery for patients with presumed auditory perceptual problems. (CL)

A language arts teacher describes a successful project for mainstreamed learning disabled students in which spelling words are used to make a design. Three examples are provided. (CL)

A camping experience provides learning disabled students with opportunities to increase their self-esteem, sense of social cooperation, use of language, and rapport with teachers. (CL)

A concealed video camera can record learning disabled students' behavior and provide a nonjudgmental way for them to see how they appear to others. Such an approach can include a positive emphasis on redirecting energy as well. (CL)