Presents four strategies for exploring beginning adult readers' perceptions about reading and their abilities: (1) giving intake interviews; (2) using the Directed Listening-Thinking Activity; (3) analyzing adult's retelling; and (4) dictation by the student. Advocates use of Jane Davidson's "Holistic Reading and Writing Assessment for…

Notes that when students write and exchange poetry and letters, they feel drawn by the responsiveness to their words of "real" audiences. Argues that students sharing letters and poetry give voice to ranges of experience, to name features of their worlds that might otherwise have remained unnamed. (RS)

Describes how to teach interviewing to journalism students. Advocates a course informed by attribution theory, based on a creative, dialogical definition of the interview. Suggests using tape recorders or videotapes to help students objectively evaluate their own and others' performances. (SR)

Grace Pilon's Workshop Way system succeeds because it communicates inner security to students and promotes intelligent self-control. Program components include specific teacher guidance, high and intelligent student involvement, daily student-teacher contact, satisfaction of diverse needs, promotion of living-learning truths, and respect for…

Planners of staff development for desegregation often stress content, but use ineffectual processes. Staff development programs concerned with third-generation desegregation issues focus on school processes aimed at producing equal learning outcomes, rather than changed attitudes. Topics include instructional methods, curriculum adaptations, and…

Ten adults with mild mental retardation used color-coded food photographs and meal code cards to plan nutritionally balanced meals. Subjects spent an average of nine minutes to plan three meals. Errors, which were primarily omissions, occurred mostly in food groups requiring four servings daily. (JDD)

An instructional strategy for teaching comprehension of literature was tested with seven high school students with learning disabilities. The strategy taught story grammar through use of short stories and the paradigm of modeling/guided practice/independent practice. Students showed improved story comprehension. (Author/JDD)

This study examined the relationship between 20 hearing-impaired sixth and seventh grade students' ability to write syntactically correct sentences in two formats, one structured and one unstructured. Students generated more syntactically correct sentences in the structured format with little correlation between performance on the two formats.…

This article presents an overview of several written language assessment techniques, as well as a rationale and method for assessing the written expression of hearing-impaired individuals. Fluency, syntactic maturity, vocabulary, content, and conventions of notation are discussed; direct and indirect measures are compared; and a sample composition…

Two adults with severe mental retardation were assessed for correct pointing responses to line drawings of required eating utensils. Following tact intervention, mands for two of three utensils emerged. Results suggest transfer from tact variables to the conditioned establishing operation may be facilitated by cultivating a minimal mand…

Explores the nature of examination questions in literature in teaching English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL). Three examples of questioning that are said to be more language based and that are suggested as supplements to conventional tests are discussed. These include general comprehension, textual focus, and personal response. (GLR)

Proposes a model of critical thinking in science with affective (dispositions), cognitive (knowledge, basic skills, and higher order skills), and behavioral (contextualized or generalized behaviors) components. Describes the links and mutual influences between the environment and these components. Emphasizes the role of affectivity in the…

The current status of research and development on cooperative learning in mathematics is discussed in an interview with Neil Davidson. The focus is on significant achievement differences favoring small group procedures. Key issues discussed are cooperative learning and problem-solving skills, and students' need for some kind of reward. (JD)

Compares two approaches to teaching reading to adults: the eclectic, research-based method of Literacy Volunteers of America (LVA) and the phonics-based Laubach Literacy International. Concludes that LVA has the advantages of adaptability to student differences, a thorough evaluation system, and a superior published reading series. (SK)

Outlines treatment focus areas of adolescent sex offenders and methods of evaluating treatment impact. Describes pilot questionnaires developed to record and quantify sex-offender-specific behaviors. Addresses important issues in decreasing likelihood of recidivism. Provides discharge planning recommendations. (Author/CM)