Describes how implementing a free activities period at the beginning of the regular class day can encourage creative, independent art projects; development of positive self-attitudes; and reading and writing behaviors and can lower rebellious classroom behavior by providing students with some measure of classroom control. (CRH)

Discusses recent research in the development of spelling, the development of spelling ability, and invented spelling and the child's voice. (DF)

Within a representative national sample, comparisons indicated that children from one-parent families scored worse on tests than children from two-parent families. Children from one-parent and step-parent families were perceived as more "anti-social" than were others, and children in one-parent families were seen as marginally more…

Focuses on possibility that correlations between measures of environment and child devleopment can be mediated genetically as well as environmentally. Proposing an elementary model to test this hypothesis, data from classical adoption studies and new data from the Colorado Adoption Project are used to illustrate the model and provide quantitative…

Explores four drafts of a child's story about the disappearance of television, showing how the later draft suggests the writer's interest in questions about the nature of reality, and how the student grew as writer. (HTH)

A study was conducted to determine the efficacy of computer-based simulation versus observation in a laboratory nursery school. Results indicate students in the computer-based simulation were better able to observe and record descriptions of child behavior in the video tape sequence after training than students in the control group who received…

Examined are the effects of denied abortions--being an unwanted child--upon the development of the child, with emphasis on the incidence of child abuse and filicide. Available from: EC 090 265. (IM)

Emphasizes three themes: learning is a process that begins at birth, or before; early learning in the home is crucial; and parents are important teachers. (Author/IRT)

The relationship between the family and the child care service is critical as each has a potentially strong influence on shaping the child's behavior toward desired ends. (Author/IRT)

With increased discussion of universal preschool in California, and the possibility of increased educational standards for early childhood educators, it has become critically important to assess the capacity of the state's higher education system to meet rising demands for teacher preparation. Thus far, the discussion is moving toward raising the…

A model of human language requires a theory of meaningful marks. Humans are the only species who use marks to think. A theory of marks identifies children's scribbles as significant behavior, while hypothesizing the importance of notational systems to hominid brain evolution. By recognizing the importance of children's scribbles and drawings in…

Children grow and develop through a process called attachment. Attachment is a fundamental framework for human development. It requires that a child be emotionally connected to at least one adult caregiver who can provide an enduring, nurturing relationship that provides the safety and structure necessary for a child to feel a secure base.…

"R&D Alert" covers issues affecting schools in the Western Regional Educational Laboratory's four-state region--Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah--and throughout the United States. This issue focuses on early childhood education. While the importance of early childhood education has long been recognized, traditional ideas of …

In this book, the author reveals the creative force of children's narrative imagination and shows how this develops through childhood. He provides a new and powerful understanding of the significance of narrative for children's intellectual growth and for learning and teaching. The book explores a series of real stories written by children between…

Young refugees from many parts of the world are increasingly present in UK early years settings. This book explores the crucial importance of play for young refugee children's development. It considers the implications of war and conflict on young children and notes how opportunities for play are denied. It provides a framework for early years…