Although millions of young children spend much of their lives in classrooms, research rarely provides guidance to teachers organizing classrooms for play activities. Psychological literature on social play and pretend play illustrates the absence of clear guidance. Whereas early research posited a progression through levels of social play (i.e.,…

Fundamental teacher roles are presented in a model which depicts the ideal teacher. (JC)

Educational institutions are noted to make a difference, especially for children born in poverty, due to their potential of dealing with issues no less significant than life and death. [Available from America, 106 West 56th Street, New York, New York 10019]. (Author/AM)

Article focused on the involvement of parents in the classroom and how their attitudes affected the effectiveness of the educational program. (RK)

Reviewing the advantages and many disadvantages of conventional grading systems, the article discusses pass/fail grading, suggests the contract system as a solution, and describes a sample contract for a beginning high school child development class. (MW)

Observations of a language development program in an informal classroom of a British infant school. (PD)

The risk and resilience framework (Stanley, 2003) views developmental outcomes as the consequences of young people's responses to the risk and protective factors that are operating in their social settings. Students in the School of Education at The University of Waikato at Tauranga can have the opportunity to apply the framework to models and…

Examined were the incidence and classification of speech disorders among 563 predominantly upper middle class children seen from 1970 to 1973 by a private psychiatrist. (CL)

Discusses the emotional development, conflicts, defenses, interests, and strengths of the elementary school child and the ways that a librarian can help meet the child's needs. (PF)

Although alcoholism has long been considered a serious problem, the impact of parental alcoholism on children has only recently begun to receive attention from researchers and clinicians. A review of the empirical literature on children of alcoholics was conducted and it was concluded that children raised in an alcoholic family are at increased…

The study examined the interaction between the developmental condition of nonhandicapped and handicapped children and the psychosocial climate of the home. Mothers of 34 nonhandicapped, 22 Down syndrome, and 18 language impaired children (mean ages 3.5 years) participated in a study which used the Family Environment Scale (FES) to evaluate the…

Families in which one or both parents are diagnosed as being depressed are observed in this ongoing study of how the behavior of depressed parents relates to the child's present and long-term development. Each family which enters the study has a child approximately two years old and a child between five and seven years old. Families are initially…

This interpretive book explores some of the contexts in modern American society within which toys seem to be very important and discusses some of the conflicting interpretations regarding those contexts. Part I, which concerns the toy in the family, discusses the toy as bond and obligation, as solitariness, and as consolation. Part II discusses…

This study investigated the effectiveness of the Haitian Perinatal Intervention Project, which provided services to Haitian women and children in south Florida. The project's goals were to help Haitian mothers obtain health services for themselves and their infants and to provide information concerning child care and cognitive stimulation.…

This newsletter theme issue contains four articles which focus on the development of normal and handicapped infants in various settings. "The Baby's World," by Lois Barclay Murphy and Colleen T. Small, emphasizes experiences of sensation and discovery in the first three years of life, noting the role of caregivers and the cultural context. "The…