Describes a schema-theoretic view of how analogies enhance students' prior knowledge; reviews some of the recent studies using analogies to assist students' comprehension of science text; and illustrates the use of an analogical study guide in biology. (HOD)

Deals with the neglect of instruction in listening and speaking, a fact attributed to a shortage of instructional materials, and teachers' lack of knowledge in these areas. Reviews the available literature and suggests steps to be taken to develop a curriculum in listening and speaking using these materials as a foundation. (RBW)

Defines "listening comprehension" and discusses both its role in the process of first and second language acquisition and the modes of language processing presumed to operate in listening comprehension. Presents specific teaching strategies and material incorporating listening comprehension in the foreign language classroom at all levels. (SED)

Longitudinal analysis of early childhood education, such as that in Project Follow Through, shows the superiority of explicit skill instruction for the acquisition of basic reading skills. But these early gains do not eventuate in significant progress in reading achievement in later grades, especially among disadvantaged youth. This is not for…

This report presents results of a comprehensive review of the research on the improvement of reading comprehension for students with disabilities and is organized into two major sections, the first on learning disabilities and the second on low incidence disabilities. Section 1 is organized into seven chapters which cover: (1) an explanation of…

Although numerous research studies have shown that viewing educational television results in significant gains in preschool and school-age children's academic knowledge or skills, there is less consistent evidence regarding transfer of learning, the application of knowledge or skills learned in one context to a new problem or situation. This paper…

This paper describes different approaches that have been used in research on reading, and reports on a study of reading comprehension in fourth-, sixth-, and eighth-grade students. Findings confirm that there are distinct age-related developmental levels in children's comprehension of literature. (PP)

The responses of students, asked to retell stories they had read, were studied through language miscue analysis. The research yielded insights in how readers: (1) predict the author's message; (2) form concepts essential for comprehension; and (3) relate stories to their cultural background. Implications for classroom instruction are discussed.…

This paper begins with an historical review of research on television and children, summarizing the major questions asked and the knowledge gained about the medium. The authors then describe a new focus of research, dealing with the form of the television medium, not just its content. (Author/SJL)

Reviews literature on second-language instruction to determine the rationale for the design and implementation of computer software in the field. Findings indicate a need for more software that engages learners in communicative task-based activities and is based on current learning theory. (118 references) (CK)

This article discusses the concept of world knowledge and its relevance to intervention processes. Roles of linguistic and physical context in interpretation and levels of speaker experience are discussed. Levels of involvement are related to communication goals, and these principles are extended to applications in the teaching of language skills.…

Research is reviewed on auditory-visual speech perception of hearing-impaired individuals. The review focuses on: the effects of competing noise, filtering, age, stimulus and noise, and hearing loss on perceptual behavior; bisensory communication evaluation procedures; and remediation of bisensory perceptual problems through consonant recognition…

Readability formulas applied to materials for hearing-impaired students do not account for important factors in reader-writer-text interaction. Factors include the reader's purpose, cultural background, and extent of background knowledge; writers' assumptions about readers; the text's structure, content, and cohesion; and the role of…

After a review of the literature on learning a second-language sound system, a study is reported that used only perceptual training to improve both pronunciation and perception of /r/ and /l/ among 39 Japanese university students of English. Results suggest that listening practice can improve pronunciation and perception. (Contains 32 references.)…

Discussion of how visual analogies aid students' understanding of math and science focuses on new types of representations that use computers. Topics addressed include understanding and cognitive performance; the role of representations in understanding, including examples; evidence of instructional effectiveness of new representations; and…