Bhatt and Quinn (2011) present a compelling case that human learning is "early" in two very different, but interacting, senses. Learning is "developmentally" early in that even infants show strikingly robust adaptation to the structures present in their world. Learning is also early in an information processing sense because infants adapt their…

A reading program for second- and third-grade nonreaders based on neurological development rather than reading or perceptual skills is described. Results of a study of 24 children in the program showed average gains of eight months in reading ability in four months of instruction. (PHR)

Four experiments confirmed the widely accepted hypothesis that, although children as young as two engage in pretend play, even four and five year olds do not understand that pretending requires mental representation. Children appear to misconstrue pretense as its common external manifestations, such as actions, until at least age six. (MDM)

The difficulties children have when learning to read vary from child to child and from age to age. Some learning variables transfer as a child develops so that skills acquired in early learning stages transfer to more mature stages of development. However, the abilities that transfer and produce effects at one stage of learning may be different…

Explores the relationship between drawing pictures and the development of reading skills in preschool and primary grades. Maintains that a definite link exists between the two and briefly notes some of the relevant research. Concludes that further investigation is warranted. Includes an 11-item related bibliography. (MJP)