This working paper, which reviews the experimental literature on learning skills to provide background information to the staff of the Skills Essential to Learning Television Project (a multi-level series of video and print resources for classroom use), covers four areas: study skills, instructional development and design, cognitive psychology,…

A number of examples are presented to illustrate a common flaw in the published research on learning, memory, and instruction. Experimental subjects--often college students--have certain expectations about the problems they will be asked to solve and about the questions that will appear on reading comprehension or recall tests; these expectations…

Using a framework to review the research, this article evaluates the effectiveness of adjunct questions and objectives in a prose learning setting. The framework proved useful in identifying processes responsible for the effects of the two adjunct aids, in explaining unusual and/or discrepant results, and generating recommendations for future…

The fact that the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is susceptible to coaching does not mean it is a poor test. The abilities measured by it are acquired, apart from test-wiseness. Even though some uses of the scores in admissions may be discriminatory, the test itself is fair, uniform, and judiciously administered. (MSE)

Reports findings of a study investigating the effects of three prereading activities--advance organizers, structured overviews/graphic organizers, and multivocabulary experiences--done both orally and in writing before a text reading assignment was given. (FL)

Discusses ways of introducing literature into elementary and intermediate courses and gives some examples of classroom exercises. Collaboration between literature specialists and language textbook authors in preparing instructional materials will make it possible to introduce authentic samples of literature and to combine reading, writing, and…

The school library media specialist holds a strategic position to collaborate with English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teachers in designing activities that not only promote multicultural understanding, but also engage linguistically and culturally diverse students in the whole range of language learning and literacy. The unlimited resources of the…

The central feature of language is symbolic meaning, and the act of reading is a part of the symbolic process that characterizes human life. Meaning occurs as a result of interpretation in a context, not as a result of response or reaction. Signs have a literal meaning in a specific context, while symbols have a figurative meaning in an implicit…

Cognitive theories normally applied to listening comprehension are applied to the use of visuals with mass media broadcasts for second language instruction: the visual image as advance organizer, as reinforcement of concrete information, and as an association with abstract information. A related study in Germany is cited and illustrated. (MSE)

The human brain is composed of two interdependent systems, the left hemisphere and the right hemisphere. While the left brain analyzes sequentially the phonemes of our language and names or reads words, the right brain produces the images, feelings, and associations connected with the words. Current educational systems, however, are doing little…

Focuses on presumed functions of orienting activities, such as advance organizers, pre-questions, and statements of performance expectations, as well as the implications of such functions for the design of computer-based interactive video (CBIV). Application of empirically founded principles in design and production of CBIV is described.…

Research findings on college instruction and technology and the future are discussed in 15 papers from the first Regional Conference on University Teaching at New Mexico State University. Titles and authors are as follows: "Technology, Teaching, and the Future" (William F. May); "Bauhaus Experience: A Team Method of Teaching Technology" (Euguene…

This paper provides ideas implemented by one school librarian to improve and encourage the use of the school library by Limited-English-Proficiency (LEP) and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students at the school. First, a description is given of how the librarian fostered a positive and welcoming environment for introducing the students to the…

The use of mass media as a means of learning a foreign language from the beginning of language study is discussed. Using the media enables many of the features of the natural language acquisition process to be brought into play in a way that much current language teaching material does not. This position is supported by recent research into the…

Intended to help teachers both improve students' text comprehension and better understand the teaching-learning process involved, this book focuses on comprehension and concept development as the central core of an effective educational program. The book's five sections deal with teaching explicit comprehension skills, precomprehension and…