Discusses some reasons offered for the ease with which young children learn a second language. Children of kindergarten age can learn language in a playlike atmosphere in groups no larger than 10-12 children. Pronunciation is the outstanding skill, but comprehension and active speaking also show favorable results. (PJM)

Presents a model of a communication game involving adult learners in psychosocial roleplaying and decision making. Each adult develops a distinct character by continually making decisions and by relying on the other adults to add to the role-playing drama. In justifying character development choices, conversation skills are exercised. (PJM)

Telephone play can be instituted only with understanding of the child's changing levels of awareness, emotional flexibility, and insight. The capacity to facilitate communication makes telephones valuable therapeutic tools, but the child's ability and willingness to play allows the telephone to become a means of expression. (Author)

To obtain information on the potential benefits of integration, the study investigated the nature and extent of social interactions among 37 mildly, moderately, severely, and nonhandicapped preschool children at different developmental levels. (Author)

In order to examine whether the visual picture of the mother would, by itself, encourage toddlers to play in an unfamiliar situation, the effects of films of mothers were compared to the actual presence of the mothers, and to films of unfamiliar women. (CM)

Here is a new approach to kindergarten language arts, developed through a blend of the authors' skills in education and theater. Language enrichment is their goal, action dramatics their technique. Discover how to make your classroom a place where the action is! (Editor/RK)

A more constructive view of cultural socialization would promote cooperation rather than competition; cooperation is a value that children learn naturally through social interaction in forming and maintaining their own games. (MM)

Supports the approach for young children that allows them to perform actions on objects and observe the reactions. Describes some techniques to use to encourage an inquiry approach. (DDR)

Surveyed 147 11-year-olds about their reasons for playing computer games. Most played for fun, for a challenge, and because their friends did. For most adolescents, computer game playing is a fairly absorbing and harmless activity, but for a few it poses problems when game playing consumes too much time. (SLD)

Explored the effectiveness of an intervention program designed by the researcher to enhance playfulness, using sensorial stimulation. Found that the effectiveness of the playfulness training interventions is an important theoretical result that provides support for a model of teaching and learning that includes the enhancement of playfulness.…

Argues that sociodramatic play in early childhood education provides children with developmental gains in social, emotional, cognitive, intellectual, language, and creative spheres. Stresses the importance of proper teacher education and practice of classroom sociodramatic play. Summarizes survey of preschool and kindergarten teachers regarding…

Joint attention and topic initiation in caregiver-child interactions were explored in relation to language gains of 28 children with Down syndrome (DS) and 17 typical children. DS caregivers spent more time in joint attention than controls. Receptive language gains were associated with caregivers maintaining attention to child-selected toys and…

Describes CHILD-PAC (Children's Hand-on Integrated Learning Discoveries--Parents as Co-Partners), a take-home learning center developed for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their parents to promote positive, interactive parent-child learning and playing. Three different CHILD-PACs designed to turn potentially difficult interaction times…