Employing a cognitive/motivational analysis, a study was undertaken to determine some specific self-perceptions that might contribute to motivational and performance deficits observed in children with reading difficulties. A total of 72 children of relatively good, average, and poor reading ability were assessed on tasks in which success and…

Empathy has been defined in a number of different ways. Some, such as Sarbin and Flavell, have emphasized the cognitive aspects of empathy by defining it as the ability to take-the-role-of-the-other. Others, such as Stewart, Borke, Iannotti, and Feshbach, have emphasized the affective processes involved in empathy. Although it is difficult,…

The first section of this two-part collection of articles contains six papers and their discussions read at a symposium on Theoretical Models and Processes of Reading. The papers cover the linguistic, perceptual, and cognitive components involved in reading. The models attempt to integrate the variables that influence the perception, recognition,…

This bulletin is one of four containing reprints of working papers used in developing the teacher performance specifications for the Georgia educational model for the preparation of elementary school teachers (ED 025 491). "Teacher performance specifications" are defined as descriptions of behaviors regarded by the Georgia study as…

By relating research on cognition, child development, and teaching, the author describes the theoretical background of the language experience approach to teaching reading. The close relationship between spoken language and reading and writing skills is discussed. The author lists and describes specific practices for teaching and learning in a…

The study of relationships between action control, motivation control, perceptions of course directions, and students' goals for 92 Australian undergraduates revealed different patterns for direction and effort and changing patterns from task on-set to off-set. Overall higher levels of effort and performance appear to require positive appraisals…

A fluency therapy process for adolescents who stutter is described and illustrated by a case history that applies a four-stage process for structuring, targeting, adjusting, and regulating behaviors. The affective, behavioral, and cognitive components of fluency are considered, along with behavior techniques for eliciting a feeling of fluency…

Examines the types of student learning outcomes that are useful in assessment for the purposes of accreditation. After identifying learning goals in the cognitive, behavioral, and affective domains, departments and programs should consider formative and summative assessment, the advantages of qualitative and quantitative data, and whether to…

Highlights the strengths of the Halberstadt et al. contribution to the literature on social-emotional development. Discusses three issues relating to their model: (1) the inseparability of cognitive representation in both emotional and social functioning; (2) the role played by context; and (3) the significance of goals in any construct involving…

Nursery education, particularly in terms of mathematics, has come a long way in a short time. But what principles or knowledge can now be used to decide what is or is not good practice? It therefore seems timely to look at theory and research concerning teaching mathematics to young children, to try and establish some principles and guidance as to…

In this study, the authors examined the construct validity of the Pervasive Developmental Disorder Rating Scale (PDDRS; R. C. Eaves, 1993), which is a screening instrument used to identify individuals with autistic disorder and other pervasive developmental disorders. The PDDRS is purported to measure 3 factors--arousal, affect, and…

Both cognitive and learned helplessness models of depression stress the importance of low self-esteem in the etiology of depression and depressive symptomatology. To investigate the correlations and causal relationship of low self-esteem to depressive cognition, equal groups of low, medium, and high self-esteem college students (N=135; 89 female,…

Thirty four-year-olds and 30 five-year-olds participated in a study of social influences on computer activity. During a first session children were individually pretested for general cognitive level and alphabet and number skills; during a second session they were given individual training on the computer; during third and fourth sessions half of…

A cognitively-oriented course of economics instruction will affect student attitudes toward economic issues. This was the finding of a study designed to ascertain economic attitudes in adolescents. Economic attitudes were measured by an instrument which used eight moderately reliable multi-item scales. The measure was applied in a…

Although many researchers have identified meaningful learning as the proper aim of education, the realization of that aim and the theoretical understanding of the prerequisites for meaningful learning in the school setting are far from complete. By integrating ideas from theories of meaningful learning with ideas from theories of purposeful,…