This study investigated the social competence of children with normal hearing (n=10) and children with impaired hearing (n=10) who attended an integrated preschool program for 4- to 5-year-olds. Observation of sociodramatic play and nonplay activities showed child entry behaviors were associated both with the hearing status of participants and…

Topic choice, topic synchrony, and utterance function during mother-child play sessions at age 3 were examined in 32 late talkers and 21 comparison children, matched at intake on age, socioeconomic status, and nonverbal ability. Late talkers and comparison children did not differ in number of utterances, topic initiation, topic synchrony, use of…

A study examined mothers' perceptions of the toy play of their 57 preschoolers (ages 2-5) with intellectual disabilities. The majority reported children not only engaged in appropriate play with toys, but engaged in advanced levels of play. Mothers also reported children would play with toys for extended periods of time. (Contains references.)…

Videotaped rough and tumble play to examine how preadolescent boys expressed care and intimacy through such play. Found that, when commenting on videotapes, the boys were clear on where and when it was appropriate to express care and intimacy for one another. Findings suggest teachers and administrators reconsider the importance of this kind of…

Contends that children's playfulness with flashlights is an artform suitable to the art classroom. For example, flashlights can become drawing tools or a means of sculpting with forms and light. Discusses works by "flashlight artists" and considers flashlight art history in the classroom. (CMK)

Three children with autism from a self-contained elementary special education class participated in daily free-play sessions with 15 nondisabled peers, who were sequentially individually trained in appropriate interaction skills. Generalized interactions between students with autism and nontrained peers began in all three groups after the…

Notes that falls from equipment are the number one cause of playground accidents. Presents guidelines for safe playgrounds from the National Safety Council. Provides a safety checklist, including considerations of the design and condition of equipment and surface material. (BGC)

Introduces theme issue on Piagetian constructivist perspective on children's understanding. Summarizes feature articles which argue that teaching should be based on Piaget's theory; and elucidate the development of social and moral understanding, perspective-taking, play, written language, friendship and popularity, and mathematics. Emphasizes the…

Discusses the benefits for children's literacy, creativity, and enthusiasm for classroom activities of taking dictation of preschool children's own stories and facilitating dramatizations of these stories. Considers issues in the process of dictation and dramatization. Describes differences and similarities in children's stories and their relation…

Examines the creation of process drama and writing experiences in a second/third-grade classroom. Describes how the classroom teacher used process drama (involving students in imaginary, unscripted, and spontaneous scenes) as a context for learning. Notes how process drama provided a context for content area instruction along with writing…

A study to determine effects of Lightspan Partnership Inc.'s interactive materials on student achievement in a Denver- area elementary school revealed higher reading and math test scores for Lightspan schools, compared to control schools. This serious play curriculum, assisted by parents, benefited neediest kids most. (MLH)

Incorporates dramatization into science teaching to explain difficult phenomena. Uses three different types of dramatization: teacher-performed dramatization, teacher-directed dramatization, and student-directed dramatization. Presents student analyses of the dramatizations. Introduces an instrument that is designed to measure student perceptions…

Advocates the use of serious play in the middle school classroom to provide students with motivating, creative, hands-on activities. Considers the pedagogical benefits and themes of fun and play, and ways to overcome teacher reluctance. Provides four examples of class activities. (JPB)

Describes constructive play and its importance to child development. Outlines the developmental changes in constructive play in young children, and identifies the benefits of this type of play for young children. Discusses the learning experiences of constructive play with art materials in early childhood settings, and describes strategies for…

Examines the structure-functionality relationship in traditional communication-based treatment approaches for children with autism. Contrary to popular opinion supporting either highly structured or highly functional treatment, feasible middle ground is proposed. The article concludes with instructional tips specific to the implementation of…