A nine-step model is presented for diagnosing and correcting computation errors in arithmetic. The model, which lends itself to curriculum-based assessment and instruction, involves such steps as identifying error patterns, interviewing the student, and selecting the appropriate corrective strategy. (JDD)

Students of English as a second language (ESL) often come to the classroom with little or no experience in writing in any language and with inaccurate assumptions about writing. Rather than correct these assumptions, teachers often seem to unwittingly reinforce them, actually inducing errors into their students' work. Teacher-induced errors occur…

Some possible reasons why remediation is needed in mathematics instruction are presented. The need to diagnose the problem and then provide appropriate, effective remediation is discussed. Four guiding principles for diagnosis are presented, followed by six questions covering hypotheses about the source of the difficulty. Suggestions are then…

Notes that the basic elements of the English article system are best taught to foreign technical writing students over an extended period of time. Outlines a teaching method that emphasizes reducing errors that native English speakers perceive as wrong rather than teaching the nuances by which native writers fine tune their relationship with their…

Four informal assessment techniques to detect student mistakes in math, increase motivation, and improve achievement include the following: building models and generating word problems, thinking aloud, building mathematical sentences, and making mathematical sentences to answer questions in word problems. (DB)

Results from a British study on Strategies and Errors in Secondary Mathematics are considered. Students' views of algebra and their difficulties are summarized, with some suggestions for teachers. (MNS)

Attention is called to the apparent widespread misunderstanding of algebraic notation by secondary school students, and how this may arise from some common approaches to teaching algebra to beginners is discussed. (MNS)

Difficulties experienced by algebra students are listed, with comments on what can be done and some implications for teaching. (MNS)

A checklist is presented to identify common problems students exhibit in arithmetic. Alongside general areas of need, common mistakes are listed to help diagnose error patterns for targeting specific skills and designing effective intervention. General areas include readiness, problem solving, whole-number computations, fraction computations, and…

Failure to progress on the language proficiency scale is often due to lack of linguistic accuracy. Even motivated students are sometimes unable to improve proficiency ratings beyond a particular level. Pedagogical factors contributing to this problem include: focus on form and meaning at the same time; fossilization; overuse of communicative…

A study of the holistic evaluation of writing compared holistic rating and the rating for "conformity to correct prose" technique, a technique based on error counting, of five essays representing five ability levels. The essays were produced in a college English-as-a-Second-Language program. The two scoring methods produced the same ranking of…

Seven graduate students in a seminar on classroom computing received instruction in LOGO programming. Programming protocols were collected periodically and examined for errors and misconceptions; in-depth interviews were conducted in order to understand specific misconceptions better. As novice students transit from instruction to experience in…

The need for teachers to be proficient in diagnosing pupil difficulty in mathematics is advocated. Some facets of student behavior to be observed by the teacher are noted, including reversals, lack of retention, and lack of differentiation. All are characteristics associated with dyslexia. Problems of dyslexic pupils are noted and some general…

Repetitions in children's oral reading are typically thought of as disruptive, signalling the kind of careless reading symptomatic of random eye movement or inattention to context. This perspective, however, runs contrary to clinical experiences, which have revealed that many repetitions are deliberate and benefit the reader by serving at least…

Some research about students with learning disabilities that textbook publishers need to consider as they revise problem-solving materials is briefly cited. (MNS)