Teaching an infant manual signs is beneficial as it promotes early communication, improves socialization, and can functionally replace behaviors such as crying and whining. Improving early communication also may reduce the probability of an infant engaging in dangerous behavior, like unsafe climbing. The purpose of this study was to extend…

Prior work showed that infants look longer at impossible figures than possible ones, although it is unclear whether they or older children understand "impossibility." We employed a series of matching and sorting tasks with pictures and objects to evaluate children's knowledge of this dimension. In Experiment 1, nearly all children…

The theory of natural pedagogy has proposed that infants can use ostensive signals, including eye contact, infant-directed speech, and contingency to learn from others. However, the role of bodily gestures, such as hand-waving, in social learning has been largely ignored. To address this gap in the literature, this study sought to determine…

This study investigated the manner in which 56 infant educators used language to direct the behaviour of infants (defined as children aged birth to two years), on the basis that the ways in which educators frame their commands represent an important component of young children's learning experiences. Underpinned by systemic functional linguistic…

This study investigated transfer effects of gaze-interactive attention training to more complex social and cognitive skills in infancy. Seventy 9-month-olds were assigned to a training group (n = 35) or an active control group (n = 35). Before, after, and at 6-week follow-up both groups completed an assessment battery assessing transfer to…

Toddlers may bite as a reaction to being forced to be part of a group. Toddlers communicate in a physical manner but do not always connect the social consequences with their actions. By analyzing the circumstances surrounding a biting incident, teachers can redirect the child's energy and avoid a situation where biting might occur. (PAM)

Three mothers of handicapped children were taught to imitate their child's behavior; subsequently the number of mands displayed by the mothers during play sessions were measured. Results showed increases in the percentage of sample intervals during which mothers imitated their children and showed that, as imitations increased, mands decreased.…

This instructor guide is designed for use by postsecondary child development instructors in courses that have both lecture and laboratory sections. The guide is organized into five units covering the following subject matter: foundations and assumptions about child caregiving, development of young children, indirect guidance of children's…

The objective of this study was to provide intensive, consistent experience in the following developmental areas: relation to objects and vocal and gestural imitation. The curriculum was developed in an inner city industry-based day care center with 14 infants aged 8 to 19 months initially. The Hunt-Uzgiris Scales measuring development in these…

This is an illustrated collection of 77 articles from journals, popular magazines and other sources, intended for use by early childhood education classes. The articles, representing many points of view, are authored by experts in psychiatry, psychology, pediatrics, educational research, anthropology, toy design, state and public school…

Describes a series of six newsletters titled "Living and Learning with Infants," which contain information for new parents on 14 topics. Reviews an evaluation of the newsletter program which identified four topics containing the most useful information: baby's need for attention, baby's health, baby's growing abilities, and parent child…

Based on the premise that children learn language best in daily playful interactions with people, this guide for parents and professionals was designed to assist them in working with a child who is beginning to talk or who is not using language very much in their social and learning lives, especially with children with disabilities. The bulk of…

This guide is comprised of activities designed to assist parents in facilitating the language development of typically developing children or children with communication problems, to assist teachers and child care providers in effectively communicating with preverbal children, and to assist speech/language professionals in including preverbal…

This book on the social and psychological development of the infant (0-1 year) is designed for use in a foster parent training program. The book is divided into 5 parts. Part I briefly lists the expected social and psychological behaviors for each 2-month period of the infant's first year, suggests adult responses and guidance techniques…

This orientation manual includes a compilation of activities, curriculum, records, and operating procedures of ongoing infant and toddler group care demonstration projects. The current status of three day care units is described: the Infant Day Care Unit, the Toddler Day Care Unit, and the Toddler Enrichment Unit. The manual serves as a basic…