Presents research showing that spelling is a complex developmental process and that once the stages of development are identified, teachers can help students to develop strategies for learning standard English spelling, and they can assess students' progress more accurately. (SRT)

This article reports on how elementary school teachers teach strategies to help pupils learn and remember. Tips for using the research findings in the classroom are offered. (MT)

Criticizes the distinction between lower and higher psychological processes in Vygotsky's cultural-historical theory. Shows that Vygotsky separated these processes too sharply and that his conception of lower processes as "natural" and "passive" is false. Suggests that these shortcomings can be overcome within the…

Briefly highlights the artificial dualism between the affective and cognitive areas of human functioning in terms of history, physiology, and psychology. Previews topics of current research and theory in the area of social/emotional development. (DST)

The essence of teacher maturity can be synthesized into personal, professional, and process domains. Although overlapping, these categories add a multidimensional approach to the search for what is good in teaching and provide a model for professional development. (MT)

Designed and pilot-tested the Counselor Perception Questionnaire (CPQ) to measure cognitive growth during counseling supervision. The CPQ yields two scores (Differentiation-D, Integration-I), based on responses to videotaped counseling interviews. The D score differentiated master's level and PhD counseling psychologists at a statistically…

Explores implications of two cognitive development perspectives for characterizing ontogeny of causal reasoning. Reviews literature on causal reasoning in the preschool years and concludes that the hypothesis of an invariant causal scheme is only partially correct. (Author/SO)

Forty-four language delayed preschoolers received either direct instruction or interactive instruction. After 8 months, children in both settings improved significantly and substantially on syntactic and semantic measures. There were no differences between the two groups at posttest nor any significant aptitude by treatment interactions for…

Twelve myths regarding aquatic programs for young children are addressed and clarified. Comprehensive research by aquatic experts, developmental specialists, and medical researchers is called for. (MT)

Response latencies of 27 learning disabled (LD) and 27 normal control boys (8-11 years old) were compared on a picture-word interference task. Both LD and control Ss exhibited greater interference effects (longer response latencies) when naming pictures (versus naming words) and when categorizing words (versus categorizing pictures). (Author/CL)

Delay/response inhibition in the presence of an attractive stimulus and compliance with maternal directives in a clean-up task were observed among subjects 18, 24, and 30 months of age. Results suggested (1) achievement of self-control is a major developmental accomplishment, and (2) individual differences in self-control emerge and are…

Mentally retarded (N=36) and nonretarded (N=37) children matched for MA (48 months) were assessed on gender understanding with the expectation that the two groups would show similar sequencing and attainment. The nonretarded subjects' data mirrored previous cross-sectional findings, but the retarded respondents displayed signficantly better gender…

A program for 148 bright 6-14 year olds who were poor readers featured use of mentors to supplement four facets of a metacognitive/cognitive training program: (1) factors affecting thinking, (2) reasons for using strategies, (3) methods of self-direction, and (4) cognitive strategies. (CL)

Seventeen mildly retarded adolescents who participated in an Instrumental Enrichment program which stresses cognitive and metacognitive processes demonstrated significant gains in measured IQ following intervention and at a 6-month followup. Control Ss maintained or declined in intelligence level. (CL)

Gifted (N=19) and average-functioning (N=19) hearing impaired adolescents were examined for ability to perceive that still water remains horizontal regardless of degree to which the container is tilted. Gifted Ss performed better on this task than average functioning Ss and the straight-sided containers induced more errors than containers with…