Grounded in current research and theory, this practical book guides program leaders and staff developers to design and implement engaging professional development and coaching approaches. It focuses on early educator competencies essential for high-quality learning and teaching--executive functions, emotion regulation, relationship skills, and…

School communities in both urban and rural settings need trauma-informed (TI) supports; however, the adversities experienced and access to student supports may be unique to rural school communities. In addition, the contextual challenges experienced by rural schools and communities, as well as the strengths that can be drawn from them, will…

Social and emotional learning (SEL) involves the processes through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.…

This document contains a collection of instructional strategies to help elementary school children: (1) develop an accurate concept of who they are; (2) practice skills for interacting with others; and (3) experience a sense of personal agency in formulating goals, making decisions, and shaping the course of their lives. The goal of the activities…

Social development is an important and integral part of reading readiness; the reading teacher must be aware of the social skills needed for productive growth in reading and the techniques involved in developing them. (HOD)

This compendium, a deliverable for "Assessments for Social, Emotional, and Academic Learning with Preschool/Elementary-School Children," focuses on tools to assess the social and emotional learning (SEL) of preschool and elementary school students (i.e., five- to ten-year-olds), along with aspects of the contexts in which they learn and…

This book is one in the Children's Activity Series of books to promote awareness about health, family life, and cultural diversity for children in kindergarten through third grade. The books in this series are written to enhance an established curriculum, rather than to serve as the curriculum itself. They offer ideas for hands-on activities for…

Examines reasons children find superhero play so attractive and discusses how it relates to children's development. Also makes a case for allowing superhero play and suggests strategies to make such play a constructive experience for children. (KS)

Examines benefits to individuals and society of cooperative--as opposed to competitive--interpersonal relationships. Discusses children's sports, games, and play as means to promote cooperation and reviews research showing positive effects of children's cooperative play. Provides standards for a cooperative philosophy that would promote positive…

Describes cooperation and affirmation activities designed to create a classroom environment in which children interact peacefully and resolve conflicts creatively. Exercises include cooperation drawing, group hand prints and shadow murals, a circle game entitled "Rainstorm," student interviews, affirmation shows using video, affirmation clapping,…

Presents strategies to help parents, teachers, and counselors support the social and emotional needs of gifted children. Strategies include fostering communication between the school and parents, understanding the child's personality and social goals, making counseling for gifted students available, and providing opportunities for gifted children…

This booklet for caregivers of infants and toddlers with disabilities is intended to provide an overview of early childhood development, from birth to 36 months of age. The booklet is organized into 3-month age spans for the first year, 6-month age spans for the second year, and a 12-month age span for the third year. For each level, typical…

Fifteen preschool children with mild mental retardation (developmental delays) were observed during play with nondisabled peers. Children with delays showed less social play, more disruptive entry, more regressive behaviors, and less positive affect; their level of social play related to developmental age and communication ability but not to…

From earliest infancy, a typically developing child imitates or mirrors the facial expressions, postures and gestures, and emotional behavior of others. Where does this capacity come from, and what function does it serve? What happens when imitation is impaired? Synthesizing cutting-edge research emerging from a range of disciplines, this…

This interview with James T. Webb, clinical psychologist and coauthor of "Guiding the Gifted Child" (1982), focuses on ambivalent messages communicated to gifted/talented children, balancing parental attention among gifted and less gifted siblings, teaching social skills, underachievement, benefits of special programing for emotional development,…