THE PROCESS OF PERCEIVING LANGUAGE SYMBOLS AS CUES FOR MEANING, MODELS FOR SKILL PERFORMANCE, AND DEFINITIONS OF VALUE PERCEPTION WAS INVESTIGATED. THE OBJECTIVES WERE (1) TO COMPARE THE PERFORMANCE ON SELECTED PERCEPTUAL TASKS OF SAMPLING POPULATIONS OF MENTALLY RETARDED, AVERAGE, AND SUPERIOR CHILDREN, AND (2) TO ANALYZE THESE FINDINGS IN RELATION TO THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR THE TEACHING-TRAINING PROCESS. THIRTY PUPILS IN GRADES 4, 5, AND 6 AT 3 IQ LEVELS--60-69, 96-109, AND 130-139--WERE TESTED AND STUDIED INTENSIVELY FOR PERCEPTION OF FUNDAMENTAL SCHOOL LEARNING TASKS OF WRITING, READING, SPELLING, AND ARITHMETIC. THE PRESENCE AND DIFFERENTIATION OF NORMATIVE AND ASPIRATIONAL PERCEPTIONS HAVE BEEN DEMONSTRATED AS BEING PRESENT IN THE WRITING BEHAVIOR OF ALL INTELLIGENCE GROUPS, AND THE LACK OF STABILITY IN THE WRITING PERFORMANCE OF MIDDLE-GRADE STUDENTS SUGGESTED THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS KIND OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE SKILL TRAINING OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN. RESEARCH AND REDIRECTION OF SKILL TRAINING ARE NEEDED, AND A MORE ADEQUATE HANDWRITING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM IS REQUIRED. THIS WAS A CONTINUATION OF PROJECT NO. 151. (GC)