Presents case study of two teachers teaching reading in first year of school. Found very little direct, proactive teaching and more reacting, which can be interpreted as purposeful interaction; teachers worked to build bridges between children's experience and literacy learning. Argues that organizational structures that reduce individualization…

Describes the Storypath method of using story structure to help students understand concepts. Specifically offers a structure for organizing the social studies curriculum while integrating the Montessori method. Provides strategies for guiding student learning, promoting social and cooperative learning skills, and meeting curriculum needs and the…

The experience of middle-school reformers during the past 30 years has shown that administrative/organizational changes are more easily achieved than changes in people. Using teaming, block scheduling, and other middle-level approaches to personalize high schools and make them more relevant may help today's adolescents regain feelings of purpose,…

Discusses benefits and concerns related to the use of Keller's Personalized System of Instruction (PSI), a self-paced course designed for developmental students. Presents findings from a study of psychology students who did well and who failed a modified PSI. Concludes that PSI's organizational structure did not contribute to student failure. (14…

This article provides a rationale for educators to use multimedia computer technologies to create individualized computer-based instructional materials for students with autism. Software design guidelines based on empirical research are presented, along with detailed descriptions of two multimedia authoring systems for educators. Suggestions focus…

This article urges speech language pathologists (SLPs) to avoid the tutoring role in the effort to provide individualized services to children in regular classroom settings. Suggested alternatives to the tutoring role include acting in a consultative role to help modify classroom practices early in the year and later on providing direct services…

Describes cooperative, long-term work with speech and language pathologists aimed at achieving linguistically-illuminated understanding of discourse-level considerations in speech and language assessment. Highlights the importance of identifying the different assumptions of the applied linguist and her client about project goals and the nature of…

Three high schools in Minnesota's Twin Cities area exemplify impressive educational equalization gains stemming from a 1971 law shifting school funding from local taxes to state income and sales taxes. Although the schools vary in structure, populations, and leadership style, all are accomplishing major restructuring efforts via flexible…

Examined are the effects of testing on the achievement of students using self-instructional materials to learn science process skills. Results indicated that frequent quizzes did not differentially affect process skill acquisition. (Author/CW)

Ways to combine small classes of higher education students studying Spanish at various levels are described, including judicious use of language laboratories, staggering of the different level groups, and rotation of activities geared toward students' individual proficiency levels. (CB)

Demonstrates how Bayesian reasoning can be used to adjust the length of computer-guided practice exercises and computer-based tests to help make mastery or nonmastery decisions. Individualization of instruction is discussed, and the results of an empirical study that used the sequential probability ratio test (SPRT) are presented. (25 references)…

This article describes the development, implementation, and refinement of a plan for identification, recruitment, and selection of cohort groups of able teacher education students. The nature and structure of an alternative teacher education program designed to attract and retain academically talented students are also discussed. (IAH)

Israeli teachers (N=142) were surveyed in a study designed to identify the effects of computer-managed practice on teaching methods, factors which encouraged teachers' adoption of computers for instruction, and the effects of this type of instruction on student learning. (IAH)

The development of teacher-made "program pyramids" is recommended to organize individualized educational sequences for special needs students. The process involves analysis of the student's strengths and weaknesses, identification of general program domains, specification of program subdomains, statement of long-range goals, development of…

Forty-three preschool children with language, behavioral, and learning difficulties were administered the Children's Analogical Thinking Modifiability Test, which uses a test-teach-test approach. The group receiving difficulty-contingent, individualized instruction (referred to as mediation) performed significantly better on the posttest, while…