The fact that some people learn a second language more easily than others has prompted numerous studies designed to link one factor or another with successful language learning. This work examines a large number of these studies to assess the importance of various factors involved in language learning. The influencing factors suggested are grouped…

Preschool children's responses to "wh-questions" (those including the concepts who, what, where, when, how, and why) were studied in order to determine the influence of socioeconomic status (SES) on frequency of correct and incorrect answers. Investigation focused on three questions: (1) When a response to a wh-question is incorrect,…

Of those who wrote the 11 signed papers in this report, the variety of their learning and experiences brings an interplay of different points of view on the topic of ability testing. This document describes the theory and practice of testing; illuminates competing interests in a balanced fashion; and helps those who make decisions with tests or…

A pilot study involving 55 Canadian university students demonstrated the value of administering an attitude inventory and a needs assessment instrument to adult students before attempting to teach them basic literacy skills. In addition to designing and piloting the two instruments, the purposes of the study included comparing expressed attitudes…

Problems were presented to 13 university students in which letters were to be added or subtracted (e.g., B + D = ? or F - ? = D). After each problem, each subject gave a retrospective protocol indicating the way in which the problem was solved. Models of performance by each subject in each experimental session shared major properties; choices by…

Of all the uncertain problems which curriculum theorists encounter, teaching curriculum to graduate students is among the most problematic. On the one hand is the mass of knowledge and concepts about curriculum. On the other hand is the student who, more often than not, has limited experience in putting abstract ideas to practical use. If the…

An information processing approach was applied to the development and validation of a test battery intended for personnel selection, classification, and guidance; and design of training programs. The approach specifies that test should measure specific cognitive processes and basic abilities, rather than prior experience. Tests should be short,…

The paper describes a methodology to aid educators as they evaluate educational programs aimed at changing students' attitudes, values, and/or behavior. The major objective of the evaluation method is to analyze the content and/or process that underlies behavior in a given situation. In addition, the paper relates how this method was used to…

BASED UPON WORK WITH MIDDLE-CLASS ADULTS AND CHILDREN, THREE APPROACHES TO GROUPING HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED--(1) DESCRIPTIVE PART-WHOLE, (2) RELATIONAL-CONTEXTUAL, AND (3) CATEGORICAL-INFERENTIAL. A COMPARISON WAS MADE OF THE FREQUENCY OF THE USE OF THESE APPROACHES AMONG MIDDLE- AND LOWER-CLASS, NEGRO PRESCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN CHILDREN. INITIALLY,…

THIS REPORT DESCRIBES THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PROGRAM IN PLANE GEOMETRY AND THE USE OF THIS PROGRAM IN EXPLORATORY RESEARCH TO GENERATE HYPOTHESES ABOUT METHODS OF PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT. AN INDUCTIVE APPROACH, BASED ON AN INTENSIVE ANALYSIS OF THE BEHAVIOR OF INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS IN A SELF-STUDY SITUATION, WAS USED TO DEVELOP PRINCIPLES OF PROGRAM…

FOUR SELF-INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS WERE STUDIED AND REVISED BY USE OF TUTORING TECHNIQUES WITH INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS TO CREATE MODIFIED PROGRAMS SUPERIOR TO THE ORIGINAL ONES. THE PROGRAMS USED IN THE STUDY WERE FIRST-GRADE READING, FIRST-GRADE ARITHMETIC, JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL SPANISH, AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL GEOMETRY. PROGRAMS THAT LED TO IMPROVED…

A review of research on "incomplete text," which refers to a variety of adaptations of cloze procedures, illustrates how construct validity has been considered and will need to be considered in future research on the subject. Much of the early research on incomplete text focused on product--providing quantitative assessments of…

The goal of Individually Guided Education (IGE) is to produce high student achievement in terms of understanding, skills, and action patterns in various curricular areas, and to contribute to the healthy personal, social, ethical, and civic development of each student. A secondary goal is to promote higher job satisfaction in the school teaching…

Six topics relative to staff development are discussed. The first chapter discusses staff and organization development in a 1981 perspective. Both staff and organization development are necessary for planned change and school improvement. Both are important processes in personal and professional growth. The second chapter views staff development…

CREATIVE READING IS DEFINED AS READING FOR IMPLIED AND INFERRED MEANINGS, APPRECIATIVE REACTIONS, AND CRITICAL EVALUATION. THE ACT OF CRITICAL READING GOES BEYOND LITERAL COMPREHENSION TO DEMAND THAT THE READER PRODUCE FRESH, ORIGINAL IDEAS NOT EXPLICITLY STATED IN THE READING MATERIAL. THE READER BECOMES AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT AND ADDS TO WHAT THE…