The New Orleans Parent-Child Development Center (NOPCDC) was funded four years ago to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a model of parent education. The ultimate goal was to prevent the effects of poverty on human development. The parent education program was designed to increase the mother's knowledge and understanding about child…

This document was compiled by the Specialist, Life Sciences, Science Policy Research Division and the Analyst, Biological Sciences, Science Policy Research Division of the Library of Congress in response to a request of the Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs. Submitted under the general title, "A Compilation of Key Papers for Use…

The Language Acquisition Device, or LAD, is related to reading and intellectual development in the first of five papers on cognitive and affective characteristics of exceptional children. A discussion of the intellectual processes involved in learning focuses on the developmental stages of Piaget. A report on a task force to discuss terminology…

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) is beginning a comprehensive longitudinal study of the cognitive, personal, and social development of disadvantaged children from age 3 to grade 3. ETS hopes to identify the antecedents of favorable intellectual and social development and to suggest what kinds of educational programs might help to bridge the…

In a discussion of psychological development separate sections are devoted to (1) biological and cultural influences on development, (2) development in infancy, early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence, (3) physiological foundations of behavior, (4) motivation and cognitive development, (5) intellectual development, (6) imagination and…

This paper presents a study using a neo-Piagetian theory to analyze the micro-structure underlying Piaget's "control of variables" scheme. Data are presented which support the conclusion that young children are capable of acquiring and utilizing this scheme before they acquire Conservation of Weight, that is, providing (1) that the…

The nature of the relations between traditional psychometric and Piagetian instruments is analyzed, in order to provide information relevant to the question of which type of test or combination of them will provide the most useful information to those seeking to construct and maintain optimal learning environments. Four hypotheses are posed: (1)…

Research literature on childrens' causal understanding in oral and written settings is reviewed. Results show that maturation and task complexity both influence childrens' causal understanding. However, the findings are contradictory, and no generalizations could be made about which factors influence causal understanding and at which ages they are…

Research on the cognitive development of play skills in young handicapped children is reviewed, focusing on two Piagetian styles of play--sensorimotor (exploratory) and symbolic (pretend and dramatic). The review emphasizes developmental patterns, areas of deficit, and implications for intervention in various handicapped groups. (Author/JDD)

This paper discusses preliminary results of a project investigating the phenomenon of mastery motivation with three significant groups: provider, family, and extremely premature infant. Three focus groups to determine the state of early intervention's knowledge and utilization of mastery motivation were conducted in three states. A repeated…

Intended for use with the Creative Curriculum for Early Childhood, this integrated ongoing student assessment toolkit is designed for preschool teachers to help them focus on all aspects of a child's development, thereby giving them a way to ensure that all children in their classes are making progress. The assessment kit uses a strength-based…

Based on the assumption that a knowledge of child development is essential when planning an early childhood program, this booklet provides information on the typical development of children from birth to two years. The booklet begins with a description of stages of physical, mental, and social development and presents a chart illustrating the…

Describes three types of functional assessment of young children with special needs: play-based, family interviews, and the evaluation of multiple intelligences. Claims that all three types are useful for planning developmentally appropriate interventions and are positive because the emphasis is on the children's and their families' strengths…

Western and Soviet views of memory-related performance are synthesized. Whether middle childhood-aged students comprehend better with meaning-based (involuntary) strategies due to the importance of semantic focus, and whether adolescent students comprehend better with memory-oriented (voluntary) strategies were studied with 243 students in grades…

Many children feel a considerable amount of anxiety in connection with their deity and internalize an authoritative being who is both good and evil, kind and abusive. Modeling of this being can continue into adulthood thus continuing to affect cognition and behavior. Implications for counseling and development are discussed. (LKS)