Adds mapping and summarization to the K-W-L (know, want to know, learned) strategy to produce a reading-thinking strategy, equally helpful to remedial and nonremedial high school students for content area textbooks. (NKA)

Describes how expository text structure can be taught to students in fifth through ninth grades by using an adapted version of a process developed by McGee and Richgels. Contains daily lesson plans. (FL)

Examines the structure of 100 pieces of nonnarrative writing composed by students in grades 1, 2, and 3. Analyzes the coherence in each of the pieces and the hierarchical ordering of information. Suggests the inadequacy of the term "expressive writing" to describe the initial writing done by students in the sample. (AEW)

Two experiments comparing the effectiveness of direct versus mnemonic instruction in teaching learning-disabled high school students (N=56) and educable mentally retarded junior high school students (N=8) about the hardness of minerals indicated that students taught with the mnemonic pictorial method substantially outperformed direct instruction…

Forty learning-disabled fourth graders learned to use a spelling study strategy, studied words under varying conditions, and predicted their scores on a subsequent test. Results indicated that, even without inclusion of specific metacognitive training components, strategy training produced important metacognitive improvement and that metacognitive…

This discussion of learning motivation focuses on the four basic concepts of the ARCs Motivation Model: getting learners' attention, showing relevance, building confidence, and generating satisfaction. Strategies for dealing with these concerns are suggested. The second article in this series will deal with the design process. (LRW)

A vocabulary instruction program for intermediate grades is described. The program improves comprehension through use of such features as multiple exposures to words in various contexts and engaging students in active thinking about word meanings. This method of instruction is compared with instruction that offers only definitional information.…

Documents a seven-year-old child's early activities as a writer from the perspective of (1) intentionality, (2) conditions and production, (3) learning strategies, (4) composing patterns in other semiotic activities, (5) availability, and (6) literacy community, and attempts to analyze those activities through narrative, explication and argument.…

Presents a concentration improvement guide for students. Offers a procedure for effective presentation of the guide--reading and discussing the guide in small groups, followed by whole class discussion of reactions. (ARH)

Responding to criticism that teaching thinking places a misguided emphasis on process at the expense of curricular content, this article contends that teachers should focus on how to relate both content and process for meaningful learning, because the value of any knowledge or skill depends on its context. (TE)

Discusses the possibility that a writer's audience may be more malleable than it is normally assumed to be and describes how one researcher worked with several advanced college writers to learn more about the dynamics of their composing processes. Suggests that the use of these writing strategies may benefit both teachers and students. (JD)

A major focus in reading difficulty is lack of automaticity in decoding, which overloads the attentional system, leads to the use of small, meaningless visual processing units such as the individual letter, places heavy demands on short-term memory, and interferes with comprehension. Techniques for diagnosis and remediation are noted. (Author/JW)

Discusses Adler's holistic approach to the individual in the socio-cultural context as a means to better understand the Indian behavioral learning style and the implications of such a style for classroom practice. Lists general characteristics of Indian student learning styles and teaching strategies that may be effective. (JHZ)

Suggests criteria to be used in selecting problem-solving activities and criteria to be considered in choosing media, exercises, and problems for the development of problem-solving skills. Provides perspectives on developing creativity and includes a chart on how thinking and attitude components relate. Also lists related reference materials. (ML)

Principles arising from aspects of Vygotsky's ideas for the development of self regulation and from cognitive social learning theory are discussed. It is suggested that present methods of teaching mathematics are not adequate and that the use of instructional technology is needed to overcome the shortcomings. (JAZ)