How to help babies and young children right from birth to become competent in talking as well as emergent literacy is illustrated by research findings as well as with specific clinical stories. Both kinds of knowledge can serve to galvanize parents and teachers to increase awareness of infant and preschool language development and the crucial role…

An infant's ability to process auditory signals presented in rapid succession (i.e. rapid auditory processing abilities [RAP]) has been shown to predict differences in language outcomes in toddlers and preschool children. Early deficits in RAP abilities may serve as a behavioral marker for language-based learning disabilities. The purpose of this…

Available evidence suggests that early language intervention is effective when designed to meet the needs of the individual child. Intervention should begin when risk or predisposing factors so indicate or when significant delays are present. Intervention should respect the child's developmental level in relevant areas and should address…

This paper reviews research on the consequences of prenatal exposure to alcohol and cocaine on children's speech, language, hearing, and cognitive development. The review shows that cognitive impairment, learning disabilities, and behavioral disorders are the central nervous system manifestations of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), and cranio-facial…

The third of seven training modules for professionals in early intervention focuses on working with young (birth to age 3) children who are speech/language impaired, learning disabled, slow learning, or socially delayed. Background information summarized what is known about language, cognitive and social dysfunction or affect in infants and young…

"The Oxford Handbook of Deaf Studies, Language, and Education, Volume 2," is an updated edition of the landmark original volume. A range of international experts present a comprehensive overview of the field of deaf studies, language, and education. This area has grown dramatically over the past forty years. From work on the linguistics…

This compilation of short reports distributed to preschool teachers in the Pittsburgh area covers four main topics: (1) Adoption (2) Expressive Art Therapy, (3) The Infant, and (4) Learning Disorders in Young Children. The adoption section includes reports pertaining to the adoption process in Pennsylvania, adoptive parents' legal rights, medical…

The annotated bibliography on early childhood intervention-general theory and programs for handicapped children contains approximately 100 abstracts and associated indexing information for documents published from 1968 to 1974 and selected from the computer files of the Council for Exceptional Children's Information Services and the Education…

The third Fenno-Hungarian Conference on Developmental Psychology covered four main concepts: the historical roots and development of social competence through three generations, parent-child interaction, parenthood, and the development of socio-cognitive competence through childhood and adolescence. A series of papers was presented addressing the…