Map and compass skills are a neglected aspect of the elementary school curriculum. Orienteering--a sport that involves running a prescribed course with the aid of map and compass--may provide an avenue for teaching these skills. This study taught orienteering to 148 10-year-old children and compared the effectiveness of a serial approach based on step-by-step rule-based learning, with that of a conceptual approach focused on understanding the relationships between relevant concepts. Prior to training, all subjects passed a screening test of the ability to read a simplified map and follow right, left, and forward directions; there were no significant differences by sex or handedness. Eight teachers were trained in the serial and conceptual approaches and then used one of these approaches to teach their students for 2 months, approximately 2 hours per week. The teaching package covered elementary navigation, map drawing and use, orientation with and without compass, and bearings work. The conceptual approach included the concept of rotation from the north, articulated either as cardinal points or a precise numerical bearing. On a series of six progressively harder post-tests (both indoor and outdoor), conceptual approach subjects performed significantly better than serial approach subjects; there were few differences between boys and girls. Relationships between orienteering skills and attainment targets of the National Curriculum in Geography and Mathematics are discussed. (SV)