This study examines the effectiveness of a proposed English language program based on integrating two forms of children literature, mainly short stories and songs, in developing the needed life skills and language learning strategies of primary school students. Besides, it emphasized the importance of providing EFL fifth year primary students with…

In the late 1990s, a National Educational Goal was set in the United States that by the year 2000 all children should start school with the skills necessary for learning (Meisels, 1995 ) and assessment measures should be put in place to provide the screenings. Thus, readiness testing became widespread and kindergarten curricula shifted to more…

Children ages 3 to 5 were tested for their cognitive style (field dependence independence) and their play behaviors were observed and recorded. Results suggest that recognition of distinct play elements that have strong relationships with cognitive style can motivate and guide the development of optimal environments for young children's play and…

Comparison of 16 children (ages 9 to 12) with visual impairment to 16 sighted children found visually impaired children had a poorer understanding than did sighted children of characters in stories, as shown by fewer correct justifications based on mental states. Some subgroup patterns concerning congenital impairments and cognitive style were…

Defines and describes the concept of social cognition and its relationship to various psychological positions. Outlines Selman's stage theory of social cognition and the influence of Piaget's theory. Issues of interpersonal understanding are related to concepts of the individual, friendship, peer group and parent-child relations. (JAC)

Notes the differences between kindergarten and first grade in terms of children's learning styles and curriculum. Points out that play can be useful in kindergarten and also first-grade classrooms. Suggests the use of child-initiated learning centers to provide age-appropriate and individually appropriate activities. Gives examples of…

This final program evaluation report assessing the University of Western Ontario Preschool Project examined the cognitive and social development of 60 high and low income preschool children to determine whether the program had had a compensatory educational effect on economically disadvantaged children. The data analysis focused on: (1) the…

The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99, began following a nationally representative sample of approximately 22,000 kindergartners in the fall of 1998. Baseline data about these children, their families, and the kindergarten programs were collected from telephone interviews with the children's parents/guardians and…

Recently, children's play has gained considerable attention, and important concerns have emerged. The volume presents a review and critical analysis of the research and theoretical knowledge on the educational play of young children. The chapters reflect a range of philosophies on various aspects of children's play. Each chapter includes a review…

This study investigated the predictive power of four indices of cognitive style, the intercorrelations of cognitive style with selected cognitive and affective variables, and the test-retest reliability of the Matching Familiar Figures (MFF) test. The social, emotional, and cognitive development of 38 kindergarten children was assessed by their…

The Prosocial Attitude Blank (PAB) was designed to assess interpersonal values and ethical awareness of elementary school children. PAB was administered to 405 elementary students as one component of the evaluation of an intervention program designed to reduce interpersonal conflicts, increase literacy skills, and enhance children's ethical…

This book represents a synthesis of current knowledge about the physical, cognitive and social development of young children who live in the developing countries of Africa, Asia, Latin-America, and Oceania. The book develops five major themes: (1) It views child development in a comparative fashion, examining universal sequences in development as…

Describes three perspectives from which middle school teachers can plan laboratory activities for the purpose of improving students' scientific literacy. Perspectives are the learning cycle approach categorizing activities by stages of development; problem-solving skills approach categorizing activities according to the amount of teacher control;…

There is a growing consensus among educators that a major reason why traditional curriculum approaches have failed is that they are not based on knowledge of what is age-appropriate or individually appropriate for young children. This book provides practitioners with a practical framework for making curriculum effective and responsive for children…

The nine articles are divided into three general topics: language, cognition, and social development. Eduardo Hernandez-Chavez discusses strategies in early second language acquisition and their implications for bilingual instruction. Eugene E. Garcia, Lento Maez, and Gustavo Gonzales examine the incidence of language switching in Spanish/English…