Mediated Learning: Teaching, Tasks, and Tools to Unlock Cognitive Potential, 2nd Edition, Sep/2007

This layperson's guide shows how to implement Professor Reuven Feuerstein's theory of mediated learning that intelligence is modifiable and that people can change with the right kind of intervention.

Review

"Teachers are often told to improve students′ problem-solving abilities, but this is a book that explains HOW a teacher can go about that task. The authors teach the practitioner how to recognize dysfunctions in cognition, and provide strategies for helping students become independent learners." -- Lauren Mittermann, Social Studies Teacher Published On: 2006-11-28

"A practical primer par excellence for teachers who want to implement the principles of Reuven Feuerstein′s Mediated Learning Experience. A multitude of easy-to-implement suggestions for the use of Mediated Learning empowers teachers to transform even the most challenged students into more effective thinkers and learners." -- James Bellanca, Chief Executive Officer Published On: 2006-11-28

"Offers a host of important intervention techniques to increase student motivation and improve problem-solving skills, and is a recommended pick for any college-level teaching or education collection. The inclusion of worksheets makes for a practical resource, offering reproducible fill-in checkpoints for success." -- The Bookwatch, October 2007 Published On: 2007-11-07

About the Authors:

Mandia Mentis is an educational psychologist and senior lecturer in the Special Education and Educational Psychology Programmes at Massey University, New Zealand. She is an accredited trainer of Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) and the Learning Potential Assessment Device (LPAD), having completed her training at the International Centre for Learning Enhancement in Israel under Reuven Feuerstein. Over the past 20 years, she has run Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) workshops with the Cognitive Research Centre in South Africa and with the Australasian Institute for Learning Enhancement in New Zealand. She has contributed extensively to research projects and publications and has co-written and published two books on Mediated Learning and Instrumental Enrichment. Mentis taught at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels and has worked as an educational psychologist in both special and inclusive education settings. Her teaching and research interests include cognitive assessment, teaching for diversity, and e-learning. Her doctoral research focuses on developing effective e-learning communities of practice.

Marilyn Dunn-Bernstein’s diverse career in education spans 36 years. Along with her 20 years as a high school vice-principal, she has studied under Reuven Feuerstein and implemented the principles of structural cognitive modifiability, IE, and MLE in an extensive range of educational settings. These included 10 years of research, writing, and lecturing with the Cognitive Research Unit of the University of the Witwatersrand and 16 years of work with the Gifted Child Program for disadvantaged individuals in South African townships. Her current work as a psychologist in Australia involves enhancing cognitive, emotional, and creative development in individuals with autism, Down syndrome, Asperger’s, and gifts. She also works with undergraduate psychology and social sciences students, and has been part of the team that runs Feuerstein workshops in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. She holds a PhD in education, a masters in psychology, and a degree in human behavior.