Noting that scientific observation of children's dreaming offers unparalleled opportunities to study experience of conscious mental states, this book presents findings from two studies on children's dreaming. Following an argument outlining the problems in equating dreaming with perception, the book explains the use of sleep laboratories and…

Noting that the last 30 years have seen enormous increases in the understanding of infancy, this book examines the current state of knowledge regarding infant development. The book's contents stem from meetings of the British Infancy Research Group. Although the book was intended for advanced undergraduates, it would also be useful for advanced…

Based on extensive research with children and young adults, this book examines adaptive and maladaptive cognitive-motivational patterns and shows how these patterns originate in people's self theories; their consequences for one's achievement, social relationships, and emotional well-being; their consequences for society; and the experiences that…

This chapter is part of a book that recounts the year's work at the Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) at Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi. Rather than an "elitist" laboratory school for the children of university faculty, the dual-language ECDC is a collaboration between the Corpus Christi Independent School District and…

Starting Early Starting Smart (SESS) provides an integrated system of child-centered, family-focused, and community-based services targeted to at-risk children from birth to age seven at twelve sites across the country. To access families that are often not in the mainstream of service access and use, SESS programs partner with primary care…

Noting that our ability to incorporate the cultural strengths and the distinctive ways that families, specifically fathers, contribute to educational accomplishments of preschool children is severely constrained by major gaps and inadequacy in the research literature, this Digest explores what is known about the role of fathers in young children's…

National Education Goal One, "All children in America will start school ready to learn," seems simple, but being ready for school requires meeting certain needs related to physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and language development. Families, schools, and communities each have responsibilities in these areas. Families in…

The Michigan School Readiness Program (MSRP) is the state's early childhood education program for 4-year-olds at risk of school failure. This report details previous findings from the longitudinal study of two cohorts of MSRP children from kindergarten through the primary grades, current findings from the 1998-99 school year, program quality and…

This paper discusses shortfalls in teacher preparation and the programs that launch prospective teachers toward careers in education. It examines the state's role in connecting that preparation to a career that fulfills the purposes of public education. In too many cases, institutions of higher education have given responsibility for preparing…

The Step by Step program was begun in 1994 as an experiment linking sound early childhood educational practice with concepts of democracy to create learning environments in which children practice choice and learn critical thinking skills, and in which parents actively participate in their child's education. This manual expands the program to…

This book examines dramatic interactions between a 3-year-old Inuit girl and the adults in her world. In these playful yet emotionally charged dramas, Inuit adults enact with children the plots that drive Inuit social life; they test, act out problems, entertain themselves, and create children who think and feel like an Inuit. The child, Chubby…

The decline in civility, social responsibility, and institutional affiliation challenges the nature of schooling. Child development in the 1990s family is under pressure from changes that deny children the three basic essentials (nurture, structure, and latitude) for psychological health, effective learning, and civility, and that require children…

Noting that there is little focus in research literature, in popular discussions, or in policymaking regarding how to promote positive youth development, this research brief presents a preliminary set of constructs that might comprise positive youth development in order to spark productive conversations that will lead to a better conceptualization…

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of a 4-year federally supported project to develop independence in 12 young children (ages 3-5) with deaf-blindness enrolled in the Portland (Oregon) Public Schools Early Intervention Program. The project focused on helping teachers learn to target communicative and cognitive learning…

This text, one of two volumes on the instruction of students with visual impairments, focuses on the history and theory of teaching such students. The following chapters are included: (1) "Historical Perspectives" (Phil Hatlen) with emphasis on the last 50 years; (2) "Visual Impairment" (Kathleen M. Huebner) which provides general information…