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To better understand the nature of problems in math learning, a case study was conducted of the specific strengths and weaknesses of a child with a severe math-learning disability. The subject, Adam, was nearly 11 years old when interviews began and had been officially classified as learning disabled due to organic brain dysfunction. A semistructured clinical interview method was employed in the study: tasks or problems, often followed by flexible questioning, were posed to the subject. Interviews lasted from 45 to 90 minutes and were conducted over a 14-month period. Initial clinical interviews revealed that the subject had informal skills and concepts upon which to build, but that his formal math skills were quite deficient. Many weaknesses in formal skills could be traced to a poor grasp of part/whole relationships and base ten notions. Remedial efforts making extensive use of games and activities were implemented. Linking understanding with procedural knowledge, these efforts focused on basic place value and base ten concept skills and resulted in some improvement. Gains made in math ability were perhaps facilitated by affective factors. Over the course of the study, Adam appeared more willing to assert himself, was less defensive, and seemed to have more confidence in his abilities. (RH)

1Boy Crusoe

By Allan Eric

Also published as" A Yankee Crusoe" . A 15 year old hard working and studious farm boy finds the lure of adventure on the seas as a merchant seaman more than he can resist. This is his story. " I was born in a little town in the State of Maine, near the close of the Civil War. My boyhood life did not differ materially from that of the average farmer's son in the remote country districts of New England--except, perhaps, that I read more and thought more. Hard work on the rugged soil, two terms each year in the little yellow country schoolhouse, a day's fishing now and then filled the early years of my life full to over-flowing. " What he gets is enough excitement and adventure to overflow his wildest dreams. How he experiences disaster and uses his wits and knowledge to overcome every problem makes for a great read. - Summary by Phil Chenevert