The amount and intelligibility of spoken language output were evaluated in 15 deaf children (ages 4 to 9 years) during 15 minutes of free play with either their mothers or a hearing peer. Results indicated that significantly more speech was produced during the children's interactions with their mothers. (Author/DB)

Emotion is an innate, powerful, and principally unconscious process that is perceptible in body language, responds vigorously to high-contrast information concerning dangers and opportunities, and often biases the direction of our problem- solving responses. Curricular challenges involving the arts, play, and classroom management are discussed.…

Describes a project based on the book "Roxaboxen" by Alice McLerran for a multiage summer program at the Loudon Country Day School (Virginia) where children create an imaginary town. Discusses benefits of the project, including connecting children with books, illuminating the importance of play, use of imagination, and suitability for various…

A study compared the effect of structured play (SP) and facilitated play (FP) in promoting spontaneity and responsiveness in communication and play behavior in eight preschoolers with autism. Gains in appropriate communication and play were observed across both treatments, however, respondent communicative acts occurred more frequently during SP.…

Draws on examples from Australia to illustrate ways early childhood professionals can contribute to meeting the challenges of resettling young refugee children. Describes a repatriation program to help rebuild nations, a program establishing play centers inside refugee centers, and using preschools/child care centers to support refugee families…

Investigates the level of object mastery motivation between children with Down syndrome and children without disabilities of matched mental age. Reveals that participants from both groups displayed age-appropriate behavior when playing with toys, while those with disabilities interacted less than the comparison group with the effect-production and…

Describes one child's varied use of two languages, English and German, as she interacts with her adult caregivers during play. Two broad questions were used to guide the study: (1) What kinds of activity are the child and her adult interlocutors involved in? How does the child use her two languages to constitute her involvement in play?…

This study, with 180 deaf or hard of hearing infants and toddlers grouped into four age ranges, found highly significant interrelationships among the four categories of play and the four aspects of communicative development studied. The development of autosymbolic play, age of hearing loss identification, and symbolic object distribution accounted…

Notes factors for determining feasibility of field trips: age of children, value, uniqueness, children's interests, safety, distance, cost, and responsibility. Presents guidelines for organizing field trips including rules, supplies, and parent notification. Includes suggestions for traditional and alternative trips such as backyard field trips.…

Observed 56 preschool children during free play to record occurrences of four types of affect: moderate and strong positive affect, anger, and distress. Also collected teacher ratings of social competence and peer sociometrics. Found that social competence and peer acceptance were associated with strong positive affect, whereas anger and distress…

Focuses on the role of music in children's daily lives. Offers examples of children's experiences with music, based on observations of and discussions with children. Believes that teachers should let children's behaviors and needs shape music education programs. (CMK)

These eight articles describe successful public library programs for teens. Highlights include programs emphasizing immigrants' cultures; viewing film adaptations from appropriate books; summer book discussion groups; using music to promote reading; using teen and senior citizen volunteers to help restore books; teens as computer tutors for other…

Examined observational data on daily activities in a day care center to articulate different manifestations of playful actions and analyze their role in creating and maintaining togetherness. Found that, in their play, children were subjects and active agents in creating their own culture, realized throughout the day by means of humor, fantasy,…

According to Russell et al. ("Developmental Rev" 1998; 18: 313) child-parent interaction could contain horizontal qualities, similar to child-peer interactions. To study this, child-parent and child-peer play interactions were compared on several observed horizontal and vertical characteristics in 55 7-year-old children interacting with their…

There is a dearth of literature on multicultural aspects of play therapy, particularly for Mexican-American children. According to Landreth (2002), it is of utmost importance that children be able to communicate in a way that is most natural to them. The literature currently reflects a playroom based mostly on middle class European-American…