A sample of 36 adult students in New Zealand who returned to secondary school compiled diaries of their experiences. Little support was given to the notion of adult students as highly motivated. Major difficulties were financial dependency, part-time work, and external commitments. Adult students appeared highly individualistic on all…

Describes how urban folk legends can prepare students for studying "Beowulf," the Arthurian legends, or other oral narratives that exist in many versions. Notes that exposure to recent oral history intrigues students and helps them appreciate how stories can vary while retaining their basic plot. (RS)

Structured interviews with a random sample of adult basic education students in Iowa (N=323) and an academic ability test administered to a 50 percent subsample identified reasons for participation. Factor analysis revealed 10 motivational dimensions, and cluster analysis categorized 6 subgroups: mainstream women, the urged, young adults, the…

This paper discusses theories and techniques of motivation in the context of special education. Cognitive, need/drive and instinct theories are discussed, as are contributing factors such as self-concept and anxiety. Classroom techniques such as peer tutoring and intrinsic vs. extrinsic reinforcement are considered in terms of these theories. (PB)

Suggestions for motivating students in the language classroom include encouraging students' self-confidence in their abilities; setting realistic goals that do not push students past their maximum capacity; recognizing students' outstanding achievements; and reassessing and incorporating new ideas into classroom techniques and environment. (CB)

The article raises concerns about educational approaches which rely heavily on extrinsic reinforcers and offers instructional guidelines to promote intrinsic motivation in children with learning problems. Stressed is the importance of mediational dynamics between teacher and student in the learning process. (DB)

In 2 experiments, 80 and 88 college students, respectively, used either imposed or spontaneous tactics for studying a descriptive prose passage. Imposed tactics were either outlining or relating passage information to prior knowledge. Spontaneous tactics were at least as effective as were tactics imposed via short-term training. (TJH)

Recommends four books which describe how to teach children to read and write about real-world matters. States that children who are engaged with meaningful materials that they have helped select and tasks they have helped plan require less extrinsic motivation than those who are assigned meaningless materials and tasks. (MG)

Investigates the effectiveness of three procedures designed to reduce student procrastination in a personalized system of instruction (PSI) course. Compares the effects of instructor-imposed deadlines (doomsday), deadlines and bonus credits for early completion of material (doomsday with tokens), and individual contracting. Finds that student…

Describes how online bulletin boards and information services can assist students in obtaining expert information and ideas. Reports that the rapidity of these online responses to queries provides an additional incentive for students. (MM)

A teacher in an inner-city London school describes how she involves low income, minority group students in learning classics such as Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar." Emphasizes cooperative learning and active student involvement using their urban background. (FMW)

A study developed a scale of tolerance of ambiguity related to second language learning. Analysis of second- and third-year college Spanish students' responses to the scale indicated that their tolerance of ambiguity, strength of motivation, attitude, and concern for grade influenced their use of various second language learning strategies. (39…

Examples used to illustrate Simpson's paradox for secondary students include probabilities, university admissions, batting averages, student-faculty ratios, and average and expected class sizes. Each result is explained. (DC)

Describes several activities to maintain first graders' enthusiasm for reading, such as paired reading with third grade and kindergarten students, and other reading aloud activities outside the reading group. (MM)

Describes how a two-semester sequence of college freshman composition can be built around material relevant to hearing-impaired students, using group-directed assignments and strengthening students' motivation as readers and writers. (MM)