Part of a longitudinal study of the relationship of language and play in a preschool multilingual/multicultural setting indicated that not all children gain the same linguistic and social benefits from unstructured freeplay and that teachers may need to structure and individualize play according to children's social and linguistic development…

This book tackles the role education can play in dealing productively and peacefully with the challenges of the "localization" as well as the globalization of difference. The authors focus on how the politics of difference influences and is influenced by educational programs and provisions in Canada and, possibly, elsewhere in the world.…

This volume contains a collection of more than 50 articles and essays written by a professor of education at Kent State University who coordinates the undergraduate and graduate programs in gifted child education and directs a program for gifted students in grades 7-8. The articles, from publications such as "Education…

This issue of the quarterly newsletter, "PLAINTalk," is the second in a four part series, reprinting chapters from Sharon and Craig Ramey's book, "Going to School." Other articles in this issue include: (1) Ten Hallmarks of Children Who Succeed in School (Craig T. Ramey and Sharon L. Ramey); (2) Questioning to Aid Reading Comprehension; (3) Basic…

Noting that school provides one of the most important arenas for interactive processes that are crucial to children's healthy social development, this book examines the social, educational, and developmental psychology of the school environment, focusing on peer relationships and teacher-student interactions. The book demonstrates the complexities…

These two videotape recordings and accompanying workbook provide information on the developmental stages of childhood, influences on child development, and identifying children with disabilities. The videos, "Exceptional Child 1: Building Understanding," (27 minutes) and "Exceptional Child 2: Focusing on Nurturing & Learning," (28 minutes) address…

This action research project implemented a program for improving social skills in order to establish positive interaction among 4th grade students at a northern Chicago suburban school. Social skills deficiency was documented through behavior checklists and referrals, teacher observations and student reflection. Teachers reported that low incomes,…

This study examines the effects of in-service education on caring for preschool children with disabilities. Caregiving behaviors and self-perceptions of caregivers who did or did not receive training were evaluated. A 2-year, pretest/posttest, experimental-control group design was used to compare the effects of live and videotaped training…

Education may promote the development of students' whole-person identity formation--the spiritual, psychological, social, emotional, and intellectual. This paper considers how identify formation and self-esteem are related, how parents form the foundation for identity, and how teachers can contribute to further growth. Erikson's theory of…

This paper discusses the outcomes of a study that investigated the knowledge base and professional readiness of 50 regular education teachers for the inclusion of learners who have physical disabilities. Members of the sample were regular elementary and secondary teachers who were enrolled in a graduate teacher education program at a private…

This final report reviews the second phase of a life-span study of boys with fragile X syndrome (FSX), the most common known inherited cause of mental retardation. Males with the syndrome are more severely affected than females and in males, delays are usually evident in all the developmental domains, although cognitive and communication skills…

Although an extensive body of literature exists on the impact of Head Start, very few studies have used an experimental design with random assignment, a key methodological component needed to increase the weight of evaluation findings. This study used a randomized design with a wide range of outcomes related to school readiness to assess the…

A 3-year experiment evaluated the effectiveness of the Pyramid program, an educational program for young children from deprived situations and based on two concepts: psychological nearness (principles of attachment theory) and psychological distance (derived from developmental distancing, or the growing ability of a child to comprehend that an…

Suggesting that our society does not know enough about adolescent male development to provide them the love they need to become fully responsible, loving, and wise men, this book illuminates the inner lives of both highly functioning and troubled boys to help parents and educators confront the most common moral and emotional dilemmas of adolescent…

This book turns important research and theory into essential, easy-to-follow guidelines for new parents and child care providers to help them focus on the critical first 3 years of life to build a strong foundation for the future. All the key areas of child development are covered, including self-esteem, and cognitive, motor and social…