This article addresses the close relationship between reasoning skills and literacy, especially in the context of the education of students with deafness. The importance of providing deaf learners with cognitive strategy instruction applied to various aspects of literacy is stressed. (DB)

This critique of Edwin Ellis's Integrative Strategy Instruction model for integrating cognitive strategies into content area learning for students with learning disabilities comments on the model's similarities to other cognitive strategy training models, the role of mnemonic techniques in content area learning, and the need to incorporate…

Ways in which studies in second-language acquisition research can illuminate first-language acquisition research are explored. Emphasis is on issues of learner strategies, individual variation, acquisition of late learned structures, bilingualism, Universal Grammar, and the fate of obsolete knowledge in acquisition. (64 references) (Author/LB)

Offers an alternative approach to spelling instruction as exemplified in a fourth-grade teacher's spelling program. The program emphasizes learning how to spell as opposed to learning spellings and considers students' individual needs. Discusses the program's classroom orientation, weekly spelling timetable, and general underlying principles. (SM)

Describes a teacher-developed simulation designed to teach cultural geography to students in the middle grades. Contends that this interdisciplinary activity can be adapted to fit teacher or curriculum needs. Includes student instructions and descriptions of six pilgrimages. (CFR)

Fifth-grade students (n=101) were studied to determine the effect of instruction on (1) the development of computational estimation strategies; (2) types of estimation errors made; and (3) estimation skills. Results indicate students adopt the estimation strategies taught and that introducing mathematical concepts through estimation increases…

Outlines the theory and practice of debriefing and considers its importance in experiential learning and outdoor adventure education. Discusses theories of transfer of learning; levels of cognitive processing in relation to sequence of debriefing questions and activities; establishing supportive group behaviors; 10 soft skills needed by debriefing…

This paper considers reasons why distributed practice is relatively little used as a method for increasing long-term retention with special needs students and proposes an instructional strategy in which intervals between practice are scheduled according to a student's mastery of the material. (DB)

Evaluation of the relationship between metacognition and analogical reasoning in 80 children (mildly retarded, learning disabled, normal achieving, and gifted) suggests that retarded children's performance reflected a central processing deficiency across processes, learning-disabled children's performance reflected specific processing…

Discussion of interactive learning focuses on electronic-based interactive media environments. Highlights include changing definitions of knowledge and technology; definitions of interactivity; models of interactivity in computer use; implications for instructional design, including multimedia; and implications for teacher education and inservice…

Describes the use of computer-generated concept maps using a new genre of graphics programs that allows students to create, alter and expand maps as they acquire more subject matter knowledge. Four examples of increasingly complex concept maps developed by a high school student studying cellular biology are discussed and illustrated. (Contains 19…

Discusses situated learning and instruction. Topics discussed include situated cognition theories; prescriptions for instructional design; adapting instructional design to situated learning; evaluating situated learning; situated cognition and the role of the teacher; different types of problem-solving activities; and the work of the Cognition and…

Offers an analysis of 11 dissertations focusing on self-directed learning (SDL) in community colleges, highlighting the importance of promoting SDL, the relationship between the level of SDL and other variables, verification and measurement of time spent on SDL projects, and effects of SDL. (DMM)

In response to Derry (EC 233 120), this article illustrates features of effective learning strategy instruction with disabled learners by examining the decisions the teacher confronts, such as determining the purposes of instruction, the context in which instruction occurs, and the roles of the teacher and student. (Author/DB)

Argues that translation can be an effective learning tool for English speakers learning Chinese if semantic and discourse analysis are incorporated. Examples are given to illustrate various problems in such translation, including the division between state and action verbs, and the nonuse of -LE with verbs in past meaning. (15 references) (JL)