Theory of mind research focuses on children's understanding of other people's minds, their desires, intentions, and beliefs. Currently, there is much debate as to what is the substrate for children's theory of mind development; socio-cognitive skills, linguistic development, a simulation of one's own mental states, and the maturation of innate…

The Mozart Effect is defined as the ability of Mozart's music to temporarily heighten listeners' spatial awareness and intelligence, to improve listeners' concentration and speech abilities, and to advance reading and language skills. This book provides information about the ways in which the rhythm and tone components of music can enhance…

Violence in America is a public health problem of the highest magnitude. In order to address this problem, the causes of violence and an overview of some effective treatment and prevention programs are presented in this booklet. It focuses on biobehavioral factors (ways in which physiological characteristics influence behavior) and centers on such…

Responding to a Congressional request, the General Accounting Office examined Head Start programs' progress since January 1998 in meeting performance standards for cognitive and language development, their use of curricula since the performance standards for children's cognitive and language development were issued, and the use of teacher…

In the United States, growth retardation is higher among low-income children, with adverse cognitive effects of undernutrition more prevalent when combined with poverty. This study examined anthropometric indicators of physical development and their relationship to motor and cognitive development in Head Start children. Motor integration and…

Research reveals the importance of early experiences for the development of young children's brains. This guide suggests ways to make the most of children's brain potential at different ages. The activities described can be used to enhance all children's learning and brain development. Following an introduction, the guide's sections are: (1)…

This research reports on interpretive and cognitive approaches that were used in a unit of work with a final year high school biology class. The aim of the intervention was to promote students' awareness and communication of the biological, social, and ethical issues associated with cancer. Students were encouraged to use an inquiry approach. They…

At the Temple University Center for Research in Human Development and Education, Pennsylvania's largest independent multidisciplinary evaluation program, approximately 300 preschool aged children are evaluated annually to determine developmental performance in the areas of cognition, speech-language, gross and fine motor skills, social-emotional…

Noting that none of the small number of studies examining false belief performance in low-income children has addressed cultural practices that may help or hinder children's grasp of mental states, this study examined false beliefs from a cultural context, using an ethnically diverse low-income Head Start preschool population. Participating in the…

Project Spectrum is a collaborative research and development project offering an alternative approach to assessment and curriculum development for preschool and early primary education. The project, based on Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences theory and David Henry Feldman's nonuniversal development theory, emphasizes closely observing…

This paper establishes a link between children's development, appropriate teaching practices, and the use of computers in the early childhood classroom. The paper notes the growing body of research on young children and computers which educators can use to assist them when integrating technology into their programs. Current investigative studies…

The challenges of modeling students' performance in simulation-based assessments include accounting for multiple aspects of knowledge and skill that arise in different situations and the conditional dependencies among multiple aspects of performance in a complex assessment. This paper describes a Bayesian approach to modeling and estimating…

Presented the fifth progress report on a community-based educational experiment that was designed to develop a high level of bilingual competence by having English-speaking children in elementary school study through French as a medium of instruction. (Author/RK)

In this review, it is suggested that language influences the young child's thinking and behavior at an age earlier than commonly reported. Three areas are discussed: concept formation, communication, and problem solving. (CS)

Ten boys and girls in a nursery class, who were matched in age and in nursery experience, were each observed for a complete school day. All of their responses and activities were categorized and analysed in relation to their social class and intellectual and verbal ability. (Author/RK)