DESCRIPTORS Academic Ability: *Academic Achievement: *Academic

To investigate questions concerning relationships among students ' cognitive processes, aptitudes, later achievement and attitudes, and direct instruction, fifth- and sixth-grade students (N=72) were randomly assigned to one of six classes usirg a factorial assignment of ability level crossed with attitude. The questions addressed were: (1) What cognitive.processes do students use during direct instruction? (2) How are students ' aptitudes, including ability and attitudes, related to their reported cosmitive processes during direct instruCtion? and (3) How are students ' cognitive processes during direct instruction related to later achievement and attitudes? Videotapes of teacher and student behaiicr and classroom observations were made while each class of 12 students was taught a two-day lesson-of probability. The teaching followed tie direct instruction-model and included review, development, controlle