The kind of literacy education currently valued in America has been ineffective in teaching more thoughtful literacy skills. A sociocognitive approach to literacy instruction focuses on developing the thinking skills that students will use as they engage in socially purposeful activities. Teachers, tests, and instructional materials in this…

This book presents five papers that address a variety of issues confronting those who work directly with young children and their teachers. The first three articles present ways of thinking about what constitutes professionalism in working with children and parents. Specifically, "Contemporary Perspectives on the Roles of Mothers and…

After two years of operation, Project BACSTOP (Better Acquisition of Cognitive Skills through Outdoor Programming, a series of structured experiences in wilderness settings meant to bring seventh and eighth grade students of different races together in challenging adventure activities intended to promote interaction, communication, and…

The development of Outward Bound, from the early beginnings in Britain through expansion in over 30 locations throughout the world, is outlined, and Outward Bound educational aspects are analyzed in terms of the Australian Outward Bound School. The concepts of experiential education, lifelong education, and the broader Australian educational scene…

This book is a collection of 36 articles by various authors which attempt to acquaint students with current information and concepts in child development. The articles are grouped under the following general headings: (1) The World of Children, (2) The Roots of Development: Biological, Psychological and Sociocultural Origins of Growth, (3)…

As part of the national Head Start Planned Variation Study, this study used a relatively small sample in an intensive evaluation of program implementation in one field community using the Tucson Early Education Model (TEEM). A modified Solomon four-group research design formed the organization framework. Evaluation of six TEEM classrooms and two…

This report surveys writings by National Institute of Mental Health grant recipients who have investigated this first five years of life. The authors attempted to identify and correlate ideas, themes, perspectives and issues which can be useful in the formulation and evaluation of social policies related to infant and child development. Major…

The work of four task forces on human deprivation is reported. Aspects of deprivation treated include psychosocial deprivation and personality development; influences of biological, psychological, and social deprivations upon learning and performance; socialization and social structure; and biological substrates of development and behavior. For…

This handbook is intended as an aid to administrators in setting up a preschool program based on the Responsive Care Model and provides administrators with useful guidelines and resource materials. The Responsive Care Program was designed to facilitate the development of children's social and cognitive repertoires and was first implemented at…

Since the 1900s, US leaders have worked to address the needs of American children and youth. Social services, educational resources and health organizations have targeted the needs of youth. In every decade of the 20th century, the White House has brought together prominent scholars, social workers and community leaders to address the contemporary…

The assessment of school readiness needs to include all aspects of children's early learning and indicators of family/community activities that support children's development. This study used a holistic approach to set baseline benchmarks on factors related to school readiness for entering kindergarten children, and to engage schools in Washington…

Noting that children must receive nurturing, consistent care during the first 3 years of life in order to reach their full potential as curious, confident, and able life-long learners and contributing members of their families and communities, this guide presents a framework to assist Arkansas caregivers in providing such care for infants and…

Early Head Start was designed in 1994 as a 2-generation program to enhance children's development and health, strengthen family and community partnerships, and support the staff delivering new services to low-income families with pregnant women, infants, or toddlers. This document contains the final technical report, appendixes, and local…

This guide details eduational standards as a way to improve the overall quality of early care and education programs within Kentucky and to ultimately result in positive outcomes for all young children. These standards address the essential knowledge and competencies that children are expected to achieve at various ages and may be used as a…

Children between the ages of 5 and 8 years undergo profound transitions in cognitive, social, and emotional functioning as well as and in their educational and peer experiences. This book, the fifth in the "Your Child at Play" series, describes the types of play activities children engage in as they explore ideas, interact with friends…