Examines motivational processes within different goal/reward structures, i.e., competitive, cooperative, and individualistic. Reviews the results of several studies of teacher and student perceptions of personal ability and success and failure. Discusses educational implications of the authors' conclusion that alternative goal structures lead to…

Discusses the problem of and solution to anxiety in school testing situations. Focuses on Hill and his colleagues' long term program of research. Describes school intervention studies where new evaluation procedures and teaching programs have been developed to help students perform better in evaluative situations. (CB)

Examines research evidence concerning the feasibility of a diagnostic approach to the teaching of spelling, presenting some suggestions based on that evidence for improving spelling instruction. (MP)

By providing children with both the tools to learn basic facts and access to facts not yet learned, teachers give children the freedom to attend to the meaning of algorithms and word problems, which play an important role in the application of mathematics in daily life. (MP)

Provides a variety of general guidelines for developing an effective spelling program. Argues that at a minimum, teachers should ensure that spelling instruction for a particular student is comprehensive, individualized, and based on a foundation of research evidence. (RH)

Reviews research studies which deal with the relationship between the time students spend engaged in learning and their subsequent achievement performance, and examines the emerging implications of these studies for the classroom teacher. (MP)

Discusses theoretical models of the composing process and summarizes major related research. Indicates ways to help students with the planning and revising components of the process and suggests writing experiences that do not increase the number of compositions teachers must read and evaluate. (RH)

Presents guidelines that help teachers plan how to assist students during a writing lesson. Special emphasis is given to facilitative teaching activities such as reviewing previous instruction, orienting students to the writing task, and evaluating students' skills and ideas. (RH)

Classifies various syntactic structures normally included in sentence-combining instruction into five categories: coordinates, adverbials, restrictive noun modifiers, noun substitutes, and free modifiers. Within each category, structures are further divided into three levels to provide teachers with guidelines for planning instruction. (RH)

Suggests that children typically unsuccessful in planning at global levels might improve their writing by paying attention to the local coherence constraints of sentences. Local coherence is a quality of written language achieved through the use of local connections (such as "also") that relate ideas across several sentences into a coherent…

Describes a unit for third and fourth graders that begins with stimulating activities, progresses through activities designed to focus students' thinking, and culminates in prewriting/writing activities. A flow chart of the sequence is provided to aid adaptation for fifth and sixth graders. (RH)

Presents a plan for compacting and streamlining the regular curriculum in order to relieve gifted students of the boredom that often results from unchallenging work and to provide the time gifted students need to pursue acceleration and enrichment activities after prerequisite competencies have been mastered. (Author/RH)

Reviews literature arguing for the moral education of gifted students. Bibliotherapy and group dynamics activities are advocated as strategies for promoting moral development. An approach to using stories in bibliotherapy is suggested in appended material. (Author/RH)

Presents observations and suggestions for persons attempting to help talented and gifted youth develop their full potential. Journal articles and books containing useful information for parents and teachers concerning gifted education are presented in Appendix A. Appendix B lists information sources, national organizations, and names and addresses…

Summarizes 60 characteristics of effective instruction for gifted students that can be provided in the regular classroom. These characteristics include six general categories or areas of "need": individualizing basic instruction, appropriate enrichment, effective acceleration, independence and self-direction, personal and social growth, and career…