Michael M. Warner

Visual Imagery and Self-Questioning Strategies to Improve Comprehension of Written Material

Two learning strategies, visual imagery and self-questioning, designed to increase reading comprehension, were taught to six learning disabled students using a multiple baseline across strategies design. The visual imagery strategy requires the student to read a passage and to create visual images representative of the content of the passage. The self-questioning strategy teaches the student to form questions about the content of a passage as he or she reads to maintain interest and to enhance recall. Specific instructional procedures were followed that included: (a) testing the students current level of functioning, (b) describing the strategy, (c) modeling the strategy, (d) verbal rehearsal of strategy steps, (e) practice in reading ability level material, and (f) practice in grade level material.

Instructional Practices for Promoting Skill Acquisition and Generalization in Severely Learning Disabled Adolescents.

Programming options for learning disabled (LD) adolescents have received increased attention over the past decade. In addition to curriculum-related issues, efforts must also be aimed at solving the basic question of how to instruct LD adolescents to ensure maximum skill acquisition and generalization. Results of research conducted with a wide range of LD adolescents have shown that severely learning disabled (SLD) students need very stringent and systematic instructional procedures in order to acquire and apply learning strategies. Using a learning strategies approach, this article outlines specific procedures designed to promote acquisition and generalization of learning strategies in LD adolescents. First students are taught a specific strategy in isolation before being asked to apply it to controlled materials, and later to transfer the strategy to regular-class content. Unless sound instructional practices are implemented, the performance of SLD students is adversely affected.

Are There Learning Disabilities after High School

appropriate public education. Washington DC: US Office of Special Education, 1980. Sterns, M. f Greene, D., & David, J. Local implementation of PL. 94-142: First year report of a longitudinal study. Menlo Park CA: SRI International, Education Research Center, 1980. Wright, A. Local implementation of P. L. 94-142: Second year report of a longitudinal study. Menlo Park CA: SRI International, Education Research Center, 1980.

Identification of Learning Disabled Adolescents: A Bayesian Approach

The identification of learning disabled adolescents for program placement is a major concern of school personnel. An array of problems are associated with the identification of learning disabled populations ranging from the use of the best differentiating characteristics to the types of measures used. The identification model discussed in this article attempts to address some of these problems. The Bayesian approach is an alternative to traditional methods that rely primarily on psychometric data or classroom/clinical observation for identification decisions.

Objectivity and Emancipation in Learning Disabilities Holism From the Perspective of Critical Realism

The present article provides a critique of holism (as developed in the writings of Heshusius, Iano, and Poplin) from the point of view of critical realism, primarily as the latter standpoint is explicated in the writing of the British philosopher of science Roy Bhaskar. Whereas the holists have been largely correct in their criticisms of the positivism and scientism that have characterized theory and practice in the learning disabilities field, it is argued that they run the risk of promoting a subjectivist standpoint with its own set of limitations.

Grounding LD Definitions and Practices in Systems of Educational Thought

Any definition of learning disabilities (LD), if it is to be relevant to the needs of teachers, must address fundamental educational concerns, including implications for intervention. In addition, a useful definition must be embedded in a system of educational thought. Such a system must be both internally consistent and non-reductionistic. Inconsistency within a system leads to the use of mutually exclusive and contradictory approaches with students, sometimes with the same student. Reductionism leads to the tendency to be anti-theoretical and to view basic issues of educational philosophy as unimportant. Theory is necessary however, in order to evaluate as well as to defend ones practices. The current LD literature is used to provide examples of reductionism. While not advocating that all of us should adhere to the same specific system of thought, we argue that each of us should develop or adopt a system and try to use it consistently. The paper concludes with an example of how one could proceed as we suggest, using the cognitive-field system of thought as a base. The cognitive-field approach is shown to encompass some aspects of other approaches, to be non-reductionistic, and to have considerable potential as a foundation for the education of LD students.