The effects of a goal-setting and help-recruiting training program on the attainment of transition goals were evaluated with six adjudicated male youths with disabilities who resided in a segregated institution. The youths attained 11 of 17 established transition goals, and reported improved satisfaction with their social competencies. (SW)

Cognitive tools, computer-based applications normally used as productivity software, can also function as knowledge representation formalisms that require learners to think critically. Databases, spreadsheets, semantic networks, expert systems, and multimedia/hypermedia construction can function as computer-based cognitive tools to expand student…

Introduces articles presenting a cross section of current research activity on preparing foster youth for adulthood. Suggests it is vital to develop a knowledge-building agenda; that research efforts be prospective and programmatic rather than ex post facto, occasional, or sporadic; and that attention be directed toward testing and evaluating…

Summarizes findings from the National Evaluation of Title IV-E Independent Living Programs for Youth in Foster Care. With respect to education completion, young parenthood, and use of public assistance, discharged foster care youth more closely resemble 18- to 24-year-olds living below the poverty level than 18- to 24-year-olds in the general…

Discusses guidelines for providing quality direct services to Head Start families. Suggests that nonjudgmental attitudes, empathy, instruction, reinforcement, shaping, removal of barriers, contracting referral, advocacy, and other helping skills permit effective direct services. Proposes FNA (family needs assessment) as a valuable tool with which…

Whether phonological awareness skills develop in a specific pattern and whether they transfer to another language were studied in 2 experiments with 126 English- and Spanish- speaking kindergartners and 1st graders. Results indicated that cross-language transfer can be detected in skills that are still developing. (SLD)

The case method of teaching law was designed for a scholarly, not practical purpose. Because the main purpose of legal education today is to train lawyers, the problem method should be used as the primary strategy in the standard large class and core course in every year of law school. (MSE)

A project to improve the writing skills of children (grades 4-10) who are deaf included instruction for teachers in the process approach to teaching writing and a data collection and analysis phase to assess short-term effects on students' writing. Pretest-posttest results showed dramatic improvement in students' writing, particularly in…

A 12-year-old boy with severe disabilities was taught street-crossing skills through the use of photographs with verbal rehearsal of appropriate street crossing, followed by community-based instruction. The skills were acquired, maintained at follow up, and generalized to new streets. (JDD)

Three older adults with severe/moderate mental retardation learned aerobic-type exercises in a group setting using a system of prompts and contingent praise. Prompt fading facilitated maintenance of the exercise skills in the absence of instruction, and skills were maintained at a nine-month follow-up assessment. However, only slight increases in…

This article discusses social behaviors related to success in school and offers practical suggestions for helping students with social-behavioral deficits to master them. Skills and subskills relating to peer relationships, work habits, and general coping are discussed. A teacher rating scale for assessing these skills is included. (PB)

Four mentally retarded children (ages 4-11), 3 with autism, were successfully taught various adaptive behaviors for self-care skills. Training procedures involved the whole-task method and included modeling, verbal instructions, prompting, and edible and social reinforcement. (Author/JDD)

A teacher workshop held in Italy brought together storytellers, teachers at all educational levels, and teaching specialists to explore the pedagogical possibilities of storytelling as a method of teaching French as a foreign language. Teachers learned techniques for helping their students create and tell stories. (MSE)

This paper asserts that the educational philosophy of early childhood education (ECE) emphasizes child-directed instruction based on children's interests, whereas early childhood special education emphasizes teacher-directed activities that promote the acquisition of specific developmental skills. Research on parent-child interaction that points…

Researchers compared psychomotor skill performance in isolation and in competitive game situations with seventh grade boys taught basketball using Bloom's mastery learning model or nonmastery procedures. Mastery subjects surpassed control and nonmastery groups on all skills performed in isolation. No significant differences existed in skill…