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The Feuerstein approach to the teaching of thinking is highly regarded internationally as an effective programme for vulnerable learners and learners with special educational needs. This paper describes this approach. The need for this approach in New Zealand is discussed, including children's rights to it, and the New Zealand National Curriculum requirements. This is followed by an analysis of how the approach meets international criteria for an effective programme for the teaching of thinking. The author's early New Zealand research on the Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment programme, to build a strong evidence-base for future use of the approach, is described in some detail, and her current New Zealand research project on best-practice with the inclusive and more whole-school integrated use of the Instrumental Enrichment programme is touched upon. Finally, some guidelines are outlined for the effective use of the Feuerstein approach in New Zealand now and in the future.

This paper uses Positioning Theory, a theoretical framework within Discursive Psychology, to explore the positioning of children with special educational needs in the legislation of Britain, New Zealand and the Republic of Ireland. In terms of positioning the child with special educational needs as a person, the human rights legislation in all three countries ascribes person status, as does, in general, their Child Welfare legislation. Influenced by the Warnock Report of 1978, the education legislation positions the child first as a person having a special need, thus conferring person status. In terms of positioning the child as having a voice, all three countries affirm such positioning within their general legislation, but Ireland positions the child most strongly as an active partner with a voice within its recent education legislation. Finally, in terms of positioning with the right to appropriate education, all three countries confer strong rights to education and have now moved beyond the early numerous Warnock caveats to inclusion, with the wishes of parents and the best interests of the child, as remaining positive caveats.

This study explored the effects of a cognitive intervention program, Cognitive Acceleration in Science at Key Stage 1 (CASE@KS1), on both the thinking skills and motivation of a rural population in the United Kingdom. It used a quasi-experimental design and measures of both near and far transfer in order to replicate the evaluation of this program by Adey and colleagues with an urban population. In general, support was found for the positive findings of Adey and colleagues, with some significant findings on a near-transfer task but more inconclusive findings on a far-transfer task. The motivational measure used in this study identified some issues of interest, including gender difference in response, suggesting the value of motivational assessment in evaluation of the CASE@KS1 intervention program. (Contains 2 tables and 2 appendices.)

Discusses and evaluates four different approaches used to study special educational needs: the Difference Model, the Developmental Model, the Ecological Model, and the Discursive Model. The need for adopting a multiple approach to the study of special educational needs is urged. (CR)

Seventeen mildly retarded adolescents who participated in an Instrumental Enrichment program which stresses cognitive and metacognitive processes demonstrated significant gains in measured IQ following intervention and at a 6-month followup. Control Ss maintained or declined in intelligence level. (CL)

This paper uses Bronfenbrenner's updated ecological theory to map some key principles linking inclusive and cognitive education. It then presents a three-tiered model for the inclusive teaching of thinking within that ecological theoretical framework, with an example of how one school community has considered that three-tiered model in terms of the needs of all of its learners for cognitive education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses Positioning Theory, a theoretical framework within Discursive Psychology, to explore the positioning of children with special educational needs in the legislation of Britain, New Zealand and the Republic of Ireland. In terms of positioning the child with special educational needs as a person, the human rights legislation in all three countries ascribes person status, as does, in general, their Child Welfare legislation. Influenced by the Warnock Report of 1978, the education legislation positions the child first as a person having a special need, thus conferring person status. In terms of positioning the child as having a voice, all three countries affirm such positioning within their general legislation, but Ireland positions the child most strongly as an active partner with a voice within its recent education legislation. Finally, in terms of positioning with the right to appropriate education, all three countries confer strong rights to education and have now moved beyond the early numerous Warnock caveats to inclusion, with the wishes of parents and the best interests of the child, as remaining positive caveats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the effects of a cognitive intervention programme, Cognitive Acceleration in Science at Key Stage 1 (CASE@KS1), on both the thinking skills and motivation of a rural population in the United Kingdom. It used a quasi-experimental design and measures of both near and far transfer in order to replicate the evaluation of this programme by Adey and colleagues with an urban population. In general, support was found for the positive findings of Adey and colleagues, with some significant findings on a near-transfer task but more inconclusive findings on a far-transfer task. The motivational measure used in this study identified some issues of interest, including gender difference in response, suggesting the value of motivational assessment in evaluation of the CASE@KS1 intervention programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines four approaches used to study special educational needs. Irrelevance of the Difference Model in addressing both a continuum of special educational needs and motivational issues; Offer of information on the human mediation to enhance learning by the Developmental Model; Emphasis of the Discursive Model.