Peer relations contribute substantially to both social and cognitive development. The essentials of friendship are reciprocity and commitment between individuals who see themselves more or less as equals. Affiliation and common interests, the main themes in friendship relations, are first understood in early childhood. Friends serve as emotional…

This digest provides basic information and resources on visual impairments. Legal and educational definitions are given for "legally blind,""partially sighted,""visually handicapped,""blind," and "low vision". Typical characteristics of individuals with visual impairments in the areas of cognitive…

This brief information sheet summarizes the types of social-emotional problems common among gifted children and suggests preventive actions schools can take. A table lists problems associated with characteristic strengths of gifted children. Specific problems briefly addressed include: uneven development, peer relations, excessive self-criticism,…

A small but increasing number of school-aged children are engaging in home schooling--pursuing learning at home or elsewhere in the community. This digest summarizes research findings on and issues around home schooling. It describes the historical roots of home schooling, the estimated number of participants, the constitutionality and legal…

This digest describes the challenges of social skills instruction and provides three strategies for improving the social competence of all students, including children with disabilities. It begins by emphasizing the importance of teaching individual social skills within the context of establishing a school-wide culture of social competence. To…

Historically, the place of career education in the educational agenda has not been clear. No shared belief exists as to how schools ought to prepare students for adult life. This digest outlines a new model of career education. Schools need to have clear and specific outcomes for each aspect of personal growth and development for students. Goals,…