This final report discusses the outcomes of a research project that examined which training procedures lead to effective acquisition and generalization of social skills of students with serious emotional disturbances and behavior problems. Specifically, goals of the project were: (1) to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of five training…

A year-long qualitative study constructed a "thick" (rich, literal) description and interpretation of the social organization, interactions, and attitudes displayed within one self-contained second-grade classroom during its scholastic language arts activities and instruction to explain how a literacy learning environment can be seen as…

This study examined the effects of early educational experiences on a group of inner-city children as they approached the transition to junior high school. Data on 249 sixth graders enrolled in 67 schools in a large urban school district were used in the study. The sample, about 62 percent of which was female, was 96 percent African American; 76…

Attachment theory posits that intimate relationships (especially during early childhood) have an influence on future social functioning. Children construct an "internal working model" of a relationship which is influenced by the nature and quality of primary attachment relationships. This model then serves as a foundation for future…

This practicum project involved working with four preschool children with mental disabilities to increase their cognitive abilities through the use of computer-based instruction and use of manipulative materials. It also sought to improve the children's social-emotional development and self-esteem. The developmental levels of the four students…

The social and emotional development needs of fourth and fifth grade students (N=16) with learning disabilities were addressed through development and implementation of a 12-week awareness program called "Pupils' Over-Whelming Esteem Rise" (Project POWER). This project targeted: (1) self-awareness; (2) social awareness; (3) coping,…

This paper presents a series of propositions concerning processes that are at work in mentoring relationships, with each proposition accompanied by a brief discussion of the theory and research on which it is based. Examples are provided of the role of mentoring in the development of creative individuals. The propositions cover the following…

SHAPES--an acronym for the South Plains Child Care Management Services (SpCCMS) Helping, Assisting and Preparing Educators and Staff--is also the name of a preschool readiness curriculum that is being developed for use by administrators and teachers. The first phase of the curriculum development consists of the publication of five books to be used…

When considering what type of communication is required for development, the conventional answer of diffusion of technological innovation for modernization and growth is inadequate. Daniel Lerner and Everett Rogers describe traditional people as the greatest obstacle to development. Paulo Freire perceives communication as an instrument for…

This report explores social environmental supports and hazards to emotional, social, and linguistic development in infancy and early childhood. After a discussion of the prevalence and consequences of early language and emotional difficulties, selected studies that examined the effects of social experience on emotional and linguistic growth,…

Noting the lack of basic information necessary to begin to make conclusions about a home schooled child's social contacts, a study investigated the social networks of home vs. public schooled children (with a child's "social network" defined as all of the people who interact on a regular basis with the child at least once a month). The…

A study investigated whether parents' use of power-assertive or negotiating strategies to resolve conflicts with children predicted children's psychosocial adjustment and use of comparable strategies with peers. The study also determined whether children's behavior with mothers at 2 years of age predicted their behavior with peers at age 6. The…

Children whose temperamental traits are significantly different from the average risk abuse or neglect from parents who do not recognize this "differentness" as legitimate expressions of individuality. This paper discusses how parents can learn to cope with "difficult" or temperamental infants, by explaining the work of the…

This digest examines research on preschool programs that include children with and without disabilities. Recent research suggests that children with disabilities are able to take advantage of experiences that promote typical development. One study found that children with disabilities enrolled in integrated programs demonstrated higher levels of…

This book discusses the developmental characteristics and needs of preschoolers and how to create an environment that fosters growth in all facets of their development. The four chapters examine intellectual development, social-emotional growth, spiritual growth, and physical development. Each chapter explores the particular needs and…