This study, part of a narrative classroom inquiry into the teaching and learning of mathematics in a Canadian elementary classroom, emerges from the three years I was a participant-observer in Janine O'Neil's 3rd/4th-grade classroom at Bay Street Community School. Drawing on the curriculum commonplaces of teacher, social milieu, subject matter,…

Children with developmental disabilities often have difficulty with joint attention that can affect more advanced communication skills. This study evaluated the complexity of child engagement behaviors demonstrated by twenty-five, pre-intentional children (age 9 to 25 months), who had developmental disabilities and were at risk for being…

This article presents a qualitative study of six families of children with disabilities and their perspectives on humor. The findings revealed that the families had an understanding of humor that went beyond the generalized humor construct. They embraced both the concept of humor and "other types of fun." Furthermore, the families' attempts at…

Adult piano students (N = 711) from 24 states across the U.S. rated the existence and importance of 31 potential benefits of adult piano study. Benefits selected from existing adult music and leisure-benefit research were organized into three categories: Personal, Skill, and Social/Cultural. The category of Skill Benefits was the most-agreed-upon…

Advocacy among primary students and lack of classroom participation was the identified problem area for this action research project report. There were 19 student participants in an afternoon kindergarten at Site A, and 20 student participants in a first grade classroom at Site B. The research team consisted of three teacher researchers. Two of…

Noting that parents are children's most important teachers, this guide provides parents and children with weekly activities for all parts of the year that are intended to enhance children's eagerness to learn. The suggested activities, carefully chosen by Medina County, Ohio, kindergarten teachers, were designed to reinforce skills introduced in…

This practicum identified an inability of staff to facilitate play among students with diverse abilities in an inclusive preschool setting, and presented staff training projects to improve such facilitative skills. Because the staff lacked knowledge regarding play characteristics, functions, and categories needed to provide necessary interventions…

Aimed at parents with infants, this book is a collection of 250 simple, fun-filled games that can be played with children up to the age of 1. The games have been categorized into the following eight types: (1) growing and learning games; (2) special bonding games; (3) kitchen games; (4) laughing and having fun games; (5) art and singing games; (6)…

This handbook was designed for those individuals interested in increasing their understanding of basic movement skill development, observation and assessment, and program implementation. The basic movement skills identified in the text are the essential building blocks on which all physical education, active play, recreation, and physical activity…

This guide was designed for use as a reference when planning and reviewing the curriculum of Strathclyde, Scotland preschool centers, as well as a resource tool for parents and others wishing to learn about the curriculum. The guide is divided into 9 main sections that address: (1) the definition, design, and implementation of curriculum; (2) the…

This book presents a collection of classic and new games for early childhood educators to use with young children. Examples of classic games included are "Hide and Seek,""Hop-scotch," and "Hang Man." Also included are playful inventions which emphasize individual challenge, along with group activity, cooperation, and caring. The book's…

This final report discusses the outcomes of a federally funded study of nine toddlers and preschoolers (ages 29-63 months) with a variety of disabilities. The project investigated the effectiveness of embedding systematic instruction within inclusive, developmentally appropriate practice (DAP), play-based environments to teach young children with…

For many children, societal changes have restricted the opportunities for and the right to play. Adults deal with these violations of children's right to play by trying to correct problems, preventing future problems, or by denying that problems can or could exist. In order to meet the challenge of preserving children's play rights, we need to be…

In response to increasing concern about the mental health of young children, the field of play therapy is expanding rapidly. This book explains the principles of Adlerian therapy and offers step-by-step instructions on how to integrate these concepts and techniques into the practice of play therapy. Ideas are presented on how to build an…

This booklet suggests ways for parents to help their preschool children grow, develop, and have fun learning. A brief opening section called "Learning Begins Early" provides a general context for the book. The second section, on what it means to be ready for school, describes the qualities and skills that youngsters need to get a good start in…