This discussion of the role of structured guidance in facilitating cognitive development presents the author's point of view regarding a current issue in early childhood education. (WY)

Outcomes of fantasy play training were compared with those of nonfantasy/skills training in English nursery classes and play groups. Children receiving fantasy play training engaged in cooperative play more than did those receiving skills training, played more often in larger subgroups, and were more physically active. Most effects were present at…

A study of student teachers' perceptions of preschool children at play shows that teachers see the play situation in four ways and in this developmental order: fragmentary (details without coherence), partialistic (focusing on one part of the whole scene), chronological (events ordered temporally), and abstracting (the scene illustrating a…

American culture appears to be the enemy of childhood. Children now look, dress, talk, and behave like adults. At the same time, adults have become more like children. (Author/JM)

Examines some of the reasons that role playing and simulation are not heavily used as teaching techniques in language classes and discusses the need for a better understanding of the nature and scope of the techniques. Ways in which these techniques might be more fully exploited are suggested. (Author/JL)

The historical development of play within the public school curriculum is traced from its origins in eighteenth century French Revolutionary society through Pre-Industrial and Industrial America and Europe, the Progressive and Post World War II Eras, the Protest Era of the 1960s up to modern times. Predictions for the future are also offered. (JN)

The incorporation of play experiences into the school curriculum is discussed in relation to the political nature of curriculum decision making and the use of play as a curriculum strategy. (JN)

An analysis is made of the reciprocal relationship between play and three areas of interaction between the brain and human development: (1) the affective characteristics of play and the brain; (2) developmental theories of cognition and play; and (3) creativity as a continuation of the brain's need for play. (JN)

Research findings indicate that children who are unpopular with their peers play in less emotionally mature cognitive and social ways than do children who interact well socially. It is suggested that noncompetitive play in familiar environments may promote a behavior change in unpopular children. (JN)

The author describes ACT (Acting Out Central Theme), a method for dealing with psychomotor, cognitive, and affective domains in slow readers. The ACT approach involves three sessions which focus on discussion of a theme such as friendship, presentaton of the theme as a skit, and assignment of topics to individual students. (SW)

Amateurism is the authentic sporting spirit, the spirit of playful delight. The competitiveness and elitism of professional sports have a place in American life, but not on its school campuses, where coaches should emphasize true educational values: fitness, enthusiasm, morality, self-awareness, and self-mastery. (Author/SJL)

The use of symbols in the play of young children during the preoperational period of cognitive development provides the foundation in representation that will be needed later when using higher abstract forms such as written words. (JN)

Presents findings of two studies that sought to clarify the issue of the comparative effectiveness of two different methods of prosocial teaching for the very young: depicting the desired behavior in a totally prosocial setting v depicting the desired behavior as a strategy for resolving an explicitly portrayed conflict situation. (Author)

The Parent as a Teacher Inventory (PAAT) was administered to 30 Mexican-American parent pairs to assess child rearing expectations. Scores were correlated to income, family size, parental sex, parental education, and parent accessibility to the child. Consonance of observed behaviors with PAAT responses indicated an acceptable instrument validity.…