Grade 12 students participated in a 1-semester cooperative education program and were monitored using the Personal Skills Map by Nelson & Law. Results indicate greater improvement in scores for the scales related to Interpersonal skills than for those in the areas of Career and Life-effectiveness skills. (LKS)

Training in appropriate physical management and handling procedures for caregivers of four children with severe and multiple disabilities found positive effects on the children's orientation, communication, and social interaction skills. The importance of appropriate physical managing and handling in natural environments for enhancement of…

Reviews research on young children's transition to kindergarten. Looks at three factors that affect early school adjustment: (1) children's skills and school-related experiences, including social skills, play behavior, and prior experience with peers; (2) parental influences, such as expectations and parent-child interactions; and (3) classroom…

This study used microethnographic techniques to analyze the communication strategies used by a hearing-impaired preschool child to access social interactions. Strategies tended to be similar to those of his peer subgroup, though nonverbal strategies prevailed. Teachers promoted the child's verbal request "Can I play," but it was unsuccessful in…

This article reviews the developmental literature in spoken persuasion and discusses implications for assessment and intervention with students with language-learning disorders, in terms of persuading others, analyzing persuasive appeals, and responding to persuasive appeals. (JDD)

If the United States is to be competitive in the global market, students must first learn to work with one another. Using cooperative and collaborative learning in the college classroom requires attention to group formation and composition, group dynamics, assessment of student work, and the design of group tasks. (MSE)

Evaluated the effectiveness of interpersonal problem-solving skills training (IPSST) for the treatment of self-poisoning patients. Subjects were assigned randomly either to IPSST or to a control treatment. Although both treatments reduced the number of presenting problems, the IPSST was more effective as determined by other outcome measures. (RJM)

Examined the role of pretend play interactions in stimulating social and emotional competence by comparing the quality of pretend and nonpretend social play. Found that pretend play involved more complex, mutually responsive, and emotionally invested social interaction than nonpretend play. Expression of psychosocial issues within pretense was…

A social intervention for 4- and 5-year olds exhibiting behavior problems is described. The multiyear social skills program includes direct instruction of social skills, incidental teaching, and reinforcement procedures. Training of school staff and program implementation are highlighted. Observable improvements in peer interactions resulted from…

Incidental teaching of social behavior and friendship activities are naturalistic peer interventions that can be easily incorporated into preschool curricula for children with and without special needs. This article provides a rationale for these two strategies, a 10-step program for implementing incidental social behavior instruction, and…

Argues that an evolutionary perspective can unite the study of species-typical development and individual variation. Provides examples from the domains of personality, social, and intellectual development. Maintains that understanding the ways in which genes and environments work together helps developmentalists identify children who need…

Argues that cooperative learning is useful in elementary social studies instruction. Identifies positive interdependence, student interaction, individual accountability for mastering material, and appropriate interpersonal and small group skills as essential elements of cooperative learning. Suggests that cooperative learning can help teach social…

Two studies involving 125 sixth graders and 28 fifth through seventh graders examined negative social reactions from the perspective of rejecting peers. The more children perceived atypical students to be responsible for idiosyncracies, the more anger and less sympathy they reported. Implications for improving social acceptance are discussed. (SLD)

This survey of 442 service providers and 422 supervisors of early intervention programs revealed few differences between the 2 groups regarding their perceptions of necessary supervisor competencies. Survey items ranked as the most important had three themes: knowledge of rules and regulations, competence in interpersonal skills, and awareness of…

Two studies examined the ability of a peer play scale, based on the Howes Peer Play Scale, to assess developmental sequences in children's play with peers from the infant through the preschool periods. The frequency and proportion of play forms, and the ages at which they emerged, varied as a function of the children's child care setting. (LB)