Comments on the articles presented in this issue devoted to the Japanese perspectives on conceptual change. Suggests that different approaches to knowledge acquisition and conceptual change should be carefully examined in light of their implications for the teaching of science. Discusses critically the issues advanced from the Japanese…

The hypothesis that high critical thinkers, who rely on plausibility estimates, would be more accurate in rejecting inappropriate inferences than low critical thinkers, who rely on direct matching, was investigated. The supposition that high critical thinkers would suffer more often from a failure to differentiate appropriate inferences from…

In a question-and-answer format a number of topics related to learning and cognitive theory in educational applications are discussed. Most of the discussions consider the contrast between U.S. and Japanese educational practices. The topics include: (1) behavioral and cognitive approaches to learning; (2) metacognition and its implications for…

Examines various written works by the Japanese to help explain reading in the Oriental way of thinking. (HOD)

This study aims to establish a theory for planning and practicing mathematics instruction that enables children to actively construct mathematical knowledge. Four types of constructive interactions are recognized on the basis of teaching practice. Processes of the constructive interactions and the requirements for realization of effective…

US children's books are a rich source of information about mental states (Dyer, Shatz, & Wellman, 2000). Examining books from other cultures can determine whether and how such information is conveyed by other languages. Forty US and 40 Japanese picture books for preschoolers were compared. The books were coded for references to mental state…

The author shares his own experiences in the design of culturally appropriate human resources development programs in Asia. He discusses the differences in cognitive models of causation: Japanese cognition and western cognition. (CT)

Discusses a class on subtraction or difference-finding, problems such as "There are eight white flowers and five red flowers, how many more white flowers are there than red flowers?" used in the teaching of Japanese first grade children. Describes three instances of introductory teaching of "difference-finding" problems in the…

Age- and IQ-balanced 27 children with high-functioning (IQ greater than or equal to 70) pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (HPDDNOS) and 27 children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were compared on the Japanese version of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Third Edition (WISC-III) and the Childhood…

The effects of verbal mnemonics on mathematics achievement were investigated using 100 Japanese seventh graders. All students received 10 weeks of mathematics instruction, but the experimental subjects were taught with the aid of verbal rhymes. Significant differences favoring experimental subjects were found on both the immediate and delayed…

This paper discusses how language teachers can teach students how to learn using several approaches to learning strategies. The first section describes current English language teaching in Japan. The second section discusses the theoretical background of learning strategies, looking at cognitive learning models, which emphasize learner's mental…

Describes a method for teaching multiplication of fractions based on Piaget's constructivism. Instead of teaching the algorithm of multiplying the numerators and denominators, students are presented with many problems and ask to invent their own ways of solving them. (DDR)

Focuses on the familiar problem of students' understanding of elementary electrical circuits from a much neglected point of view. Suggests that the patterning commonly found in students' ideas might have its roots in the cognitive processing with which students operate their mental models of d.c. electrical circuits. Studies Japanese 10-11 year…

A discussion of the English language teaching method of Toru Matsumoto, author of "Thinking in English," reconstructs the instructional principle and presents it for further development. First, the history of English language teaching in Japan is reviewed and Matsumoto's biography is sketched. The salient features of the principle are…

Examines and identifies students' mental models of an abstract mathematical concept regarding intuition. Observes how students think reflectively on their mental models in a whole-class discussion in terms of logical thinking. (DDR)