The rationale for a national investment in early childhood learning, the needs to be met, and the costs are discussed. A number of current program models, diagnostic service centers, programs for parent education, and preparent programs at the secondary and college levels are described. Research studies and findings about different early childhood…

Case studies of seven Home Start programs are given as the third section of an evaluation study. Communities involved are Huntsville, Alabama; Fairbanks, Alaska; Fort Defiance, Arizona; Dardanelle, Arkansas; Wichita, Kansas; Gloucester, Massachusetts; and Reno, Nevada. Although each study varies in format, each describes in detail the degree and…

Case studies of eight Home Start programs are given as the third section of an evaluation study. Communities involved are Binghamton, New York; Franklin, North Carolina; Cleveland, Ohio; Harrogate, Tennessee; Houston, Texas; Weslaco, Texas; Millville, Utah; Parkersburg, West Virginia. Although each study varies in format, each describes in detail…

The literature reviewed here indicates that all environments are occasions for learning and that the open plan approach to school design can best provide for fluid interaction between the child and his physical surroundings. The idea of enhancing a learning process through enhancing the physical environment is not new. What is new, however, is an…

How soon does a child learn to discriminate orthographic units in his written language as distinguished from a general form-discrimination ability. A discrimination test of letters, words, or characters, in three written languages, Chinese, Hindi, and English, at three age levels, from four to five and a half years was given to 153 middle class…

This handbook defines children with special needs and develops guidelines for providing services to them. It answers questions commonly raised by staff and describes staff needs, training, and resources. It discusses problems related to communicating with parents, questions parents ask, parents of special children, and communication between…

The second phase of the study of social skills development in the Appalachia Preschool Education Program is presented. A standardized situation in which children would have an opportunity to demonstrate those skills was devised. Three treatment groups were included in the program. Sex of the child was used as a factor. One purpose of this study…

A THEORY UPON WHICH ELEMENTARY GUIDANCE PROGRAMS CAN BE SOUNDLY DESIGNED IS PRESENTED. A MAJOR THEME IS THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING OR GOOD ADJUSTMENT IS RELATED TO LEARNED, INDIVIDUAL COMPETENCIES SUCH AS COMMUNICATION AND INTERACTION IN DEPTH WITH OTHERS. THE APPROPRIATE CONCERN OF GUIDANCE THEN BECOMES TO FOSTER THESE COMPETENCIES, THUS…

This is the third progress report of the Brookline Early Education Project (BEEP) which is a program designed to provide diagnostic and educational services to the family through their child's preschool years. This document provides information on (1) the BEEP center, (2) playgroups: transition phase of the education program, (3) dental screening…

Field experience during teacher preparation enables the prospective teacher to observe children as they develop -- emotionally, socially, intellectually, and physically. Children, at different stages of development, exhibit characteristics of behavior which may or may not affect how and what they learn in the formal classroom environment. Thus,…

The sample for the 1975 field test of the Barber Scales of Self-Regard for Preschool Children came from Episcopal schools distributed widely by geographical area. The instrumentation included, besides the self-regard scales, the Self-Concept and Motivation Inventory and the Minnesota Personality Profile II, plus a demographic questionnaire. The…

This book surveys different aspects of childhood in the United States during its first 200 years. The first chapter surveys trends in immigration, mortality and health, education, and income. Chapter 2 is an historical review of family behavior. In Chapter 3, child health services over the last 200 years are reviewed including early policy and…

Covering the 1976 fiscal year and the one-time transition quarter of July 1, 1976 through September 30, 1976, this annual report on the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) presents narrative and tabular data re: (1) A Year of Strengthening the Partnership (highlights on the Federal, state, and local partnership which constitutes ARC); (2) Growth…

The Psychoeducational Profile (PEP) offers a developmental approach to the assessment of autistic and psychotic children as well as children with related learning disabilities. Scores obtained are used in the planning of individualized special educational programs for these children. Most appropriately used with children functioning at a preschool…

An examination of the influence of early bilingualism (German and Italian) on personality, social behavior, perception, and linguistic competence of four- to six-year-old Italian preschoolers (N=65) found no significant differences in social behavior, but some differences in terms of self-confidence, self-control, memory, and oral skills. (CB)