Reports on studies which investigate the effectiveness of an interactive study strategy, RESPONSE, with regular and high-risk learning-disabled students at the junior high level. Finds that students take a noticeably vested interest in lectures and discussion as they listen for answers to their specific questions when using the RESPONSE strategy.…

This article describes a cognitive strategy, PEP (Person, Event, Place), designed to enhance middle school students' comprehension of social studies texts. The PEP strategy is intended to help teachers scaffold the reading and writing experiences of at-risk students. Evaluation indicated a significant increase in reading comprehension for all…

A growing research base on adolescent literacy supports an emphasis on direct instruction in the reading and writing skills needed to perform these more complex literacy tasks. However, many middle and high school teachers have little or no preparation for teaching these skills within their content-area disciplines and have few resources upon…

A basic concept in reading content in the social studies is for pupils to experience adequate background information. A pupil cannot read and understand new subject matter unless prerequisites have been met. For early primary grade pupils, the Big Book concept may be used, wherein the teacher discusses the illustration in the book pertaining to…

To determine whether students have study strategies that they can transfer to future learning tasks, a research study used a content-based model--the Supportive Seminar--a voluntary content review session held by a leader enrolled in a targeted college course for freshmen. The leader acts as a role model for the students by attending all lectures,…

The purpose of this study was to determine if a multidimensional treatment in the study of the content area of social studies would help the average and below average student. The 37 fifth-grade students in this study came from a middle-socioeconomic level of north central New Jersey. The 18 students in the experimental sample received special…

Intended to be a practical guide to prereading activities applicable in the classroom, this book emphasizes students' independence by shifting the focus of instruction to student-centered applications. Chapters of the book cover such topics as: (1) preparing students to read in the content areas; (2) asking and answering questions before reading;…

Offers suggestions for successful instruction in precis writing--a paraphrase or abstract that condenses an original composition but retains its information, essence, and point of view. Observes that this is a strategy that develops vocabulary, promotes critical reading and comprehension, and improves learning in general. (HOD)

Describes a classroom technique designed to inject an interactive discussion framework into the classroom and to focus students' attention on reading and absorbing information from a textbook. (DDR)

This article reviews the literature on the use of content enhancement techniques to help secondary students with learning disabilities to identify, organize, comprehend, and memorize critical content information. Content enhancements described include visual displays, mnemonics, advance organizers, study guides, peer mediation, audiotapes, and…

Describes use of Nigerian author, Chinua Achebe's novel, "Things Fall Apart," in an introductory geography course at the secondary school or college level. Provides a summary of the book's story, which deals with the impact of colonialism and Christianity on the culture of eastern Nigeria. Includes recommended instructional strategies…

Gathers information from students and faculty in order to find ways to help community college students overcome their difficulties learning new concepts from content area readings. Research findings indicate that students' and instructors' responses indicated some agreement and some discrepancy between the students' perceptions of themselves as…

It has been alleged that few American students can use their knowledge effectively in thinking and reasoning. This study urges teachers to give more attention to student abilities in analyzing, classifying, comparing, formulating hypotheses, and drawing conclusions--that is, thinking skills essential to reasoning processes. Designed to familiarize…

This individualized inservice packet on interpretive comprehension in the content areas provides teachers with instructional guidelines and information relating to the development of interpretive comprehension skills. It is one of a nine-part series of booklets--Teaching Teen Reading--in self-instructional format intended as a practical resource…

To determine how differences in isolating and elaborating on important text information influence learning and attitudes toward learning, two groups of fifth grade students were trained to apply the mechanics of precis writing and outlining to their social studies readings. After a pretest for content knowledge and an evaluation of their attitudes…