Examines vocabulary growth and development, looking at conventional vocabulary instruction and its outcomes. Evidence that word list drills do not promote vocabulary growth effectively is presented, and suggestions are given for fostering increased vocabulary. Promoting wide reading is advocated as the best approach. (SLD)

The focus was on the study methods of nurse students during their first 2 years in higher education. Qualitative data were obtained by interviewing a sample of the first year students, plus a sample of second year students in two nursing specialities. The essay was found to be the most difficult format, particularly for those coming straight from…

This paper examines the parallels between suggestopedia and Soviet sleep-learning for learning foreign languages. Both systems are based on the idea that the acquisition of information can occur in states below the optimal level of consciousness. Hypnopedia makes use of the period of paradoxical or light sleep that usually occurs just as one is…

Primary school learners' first encounters with mathematics in a traditional learning environment often create lifelong "math phobia."(Papert 1980) The situation in a country emerging from an oppressive education system designed to educationally disempower the majority of the population is much worse. The typical scenario in a previously…

Recent years have seen a new and serious commitment to improving methods of assessing academic performance. Schools, school districts, and states are experimenting with a wide range of assessment alternatives. This paper is about this new commitment to assessment and begins with some background on standardized tests because the rationale for…

This paper describes the rationale for development of a self-instructional program using the bilingual-dichotic method, which accelerates the learning of foreign words. First, ways of learning vocabulary and the use of bilingual word lists for direct instruction with beginners are noted, and criteria are given for selection of words. Differences…

Struggling students are often victimized by time constraints--arbitrarily imposed timetables for mastering material and meeting standards. People learn best from experience, not by information acquisition, skill development, rote memorization, or assessment. Reading, writing, arithmetic, scientific understanding, and civics require student…

Technology in secondary schools has become of increasing interest as the power of the microchip has developed. For the students of Mathematics, computers and handheld graphic calculators need to be accessible to all. They are relevant to the needs of the students' courses and to support and develop their Mathematical learning (Smith, 1997).…