This monograph provides an overview of the field of second and foreign language reading research and theories. The intent of the monograph is to provoke thought about future directions for investigating the second or foreign language reading process, and to suggest productive reading pedagogy. In Part I, pertinent first language theory and…

The relative newness of the field of adult education and the newness of its research has been one of the problems in the research-to-practice dilemma. Edcuators have a sense of uncertainty and hence uneasiness in their role as social scientists. Others feel that adult education research is too flawed or impoverished for adoption. Dissemination…

Content and critical analyses of 40 speed reading books were undertaken to determine to what extent discussion and teaching reflected current research. Particular attention was given to the information provided on eye movements, span of recognition, and the upper rates of speed attainable through practice. Content analysis revealed the following:…

All 24 of Maryland's county school systems participated in a voluntary school improvement program that involved the adoption and implementation of one or more of four research-based, instructional processes: Active Teaching, Mastery Learning, Student Team Learning, and Teaching Variables. A 5-year study of this program produced findings on a…

At the Institute of Education in Singapore, two disjunctions in teacher preparation were identified. The first was the gap between theoretical knowledge propounded in teacher education programs and the experience of students in the practicum. The second was the gap between both the theoretical and experiential learning of the students and the real…

Focusing on research and its implications for classroom practice, this paper describes how students' comprehension of text can be enhanced by using a variety of easily available materials. The first section considers what successful reading involves in terms of the active nature of learning in general, the characteristics of skilled readers, and…

This study reviews literature on the education of teachers, lawyers, engineers, and other professions, providing comparison of the nature of expertise in the various professions and on how it is acquired. Four definitions of expertise are presented--expertise as technical skill; expertise as application of theory; expertise as critical analysis;…

The report of the National Commission on Excellence in Educational Administration recommended that educational administration preparation programs be planned around five strands--including supervised practice consisting of short- and long-term internships directed by research faculty and practitioners who are clinical faculty members. This idea is…

Raymond William's historical analysis of the "community" and the "individual" is useful for looking critically at the notion of "discourse communities." Recent "social" theories of writing have invoked the idea of community in ways that seem at once sweeping and vague, for they fail to state the operating…

Noting that librarians have long debated whether specific library functions may, or should, be scientifically examined, or whether they constitute an art not susceptible to scientific study, this paper reviews and critiques attempts to develop models of library material selection using the theories and methods of scientific investigation. First,…

A classroom research study investigated the effectiveness of an approach to financial accounting instruction that uses worksheets to bring together the conceptual and practical aspects of the field. Students were divided into two groups, one taught by traditional lecture method and the other taught with worksheet exercises and lectures stressing…

The expanding needs and growing expectations of employers make it very clear that vocational-technical education must give concentrated attention to critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making. The impetus for today's higher-order thinking skills movement can be traced to a number of sources, most of which gained prominence during the…

The one-page abstract summarizes "Brain Research: Implications for the Education of Exceptional Children," an ERIC Computer Search Reprint containing bibliographic information and abstracts of 115 documents. Citations are described in five sections: learning disabilities, autism, other learning handicaps, assessment techniques, and instructional…

Strategies are presented for fostering statewide program development and refinement in the field of special education. Sixteen observations about change are presented, with examples from various Washington statewide initiatives. Among the observations are the following: Reform should be promoted from within by empowering schools to explore…

The Educators' Forum is a seminar for teachers which supports them as they carry out investigations in their classrooms and schools. The investigations include studies of classroom issues, action research projects, and studies of individual students. Each member of the forum is encouraged to choose a topic of interest or concern which is directly…