This guide book is addressed to those responsible for early childhood physical education. It is divided into nine segments, each covering in detail different facets of the subject: (1) the young child's development and learning processes in their relation to physical education; (2) the child's physical education program, its purpose and…

Parents of 31 developmentally delayed children (ages 1-27 months) received training to assess their children's developmental status. No initial differences existed between parent and professional scores in the motor, social, or language domains. Differences in the self-help domain disappeared after 4 months and in the cognitive domain after 12…

A set of developmental norm data for reflexive and voluntary visual-motor development was compiled, revised after extensive clinical use, and found to have highly significant interrater agreement. Use of the resultant Erhardt Developmental Visual Assessment is illustrated with a multiply handicapped three-year-old. (Author/JDD)

This paper discusses preliminary results of a project investigating the phenomenon of mastery motivation with three significant groups: provider, family, and extremely premature infant. Three focus groups to determine the state of early intervention's knowledge and utilization of mastery motivation were conducted in three states. A repeated…

Discusses five factors that may influence the reading readiness of mainstreamed children: visual and auditory capabilities, motor development, spatial concepts, vocabulary development, and social and emotional status. Offers suggestions for use in facilitating a mainstreamed child's reading development. (FL)

This elementary physical education teacher developed a student evaluation system by rewriting the curriculum, producing a series of grade-specific objectives to guide her teaching, matching learning activities, creating rubrics for the objectives which she and the students could use, and generating computerized, personalized grade reports for each…

Traces encounters between mother and child that occur around nursing and feeding, which result in a powerful attachment. Identifies approaching solid foods and subsequent weaning as the place where detachment begins. Discusses locomotion as another way incremental steps toward independence are reached: crawling, walking, and pulling up with hands…

Describes alternative conceptions to the connection between music and movement by relating aspects of recent research on infant-caregiver interaction to musical development. Claims that existing explanations seem to fall short of providing an explanation adequate for the immediate, expressive, and integrated nature of this bond. (MOK)

The patterns of adaptive behavior in gifted and nongifted children (n=296, ages 2-16) were compared using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale. Results indicated a significant difference between gifted and nongifted groups in communication, social skills, and daily living skills, but not in motor skill development. (Author/JDD)

This article comments on recommendations for physical education in the British National Curriculum as they pertain to children with special educational needs. It considers arguments for physical education; motor development of the child; principles of physical education for this population (entitlement, access, integration, integrity); teaching…

Describes the development of a British-Hungarian project focused on training specialist teachers (conductors) in Great Britain in conductive education, a system of special education developed at the Peto Institute in Hungary for children and adults with central nervous system disorders affecting motor control. Conductors enable the physical,…

Discusses ways for teachers of young children to utilize the arts, particularly music and the visual arts, across the early childhood curriculum. (BB)

Examined children's developmental trajectories in five domains. Children were assigned to same- or mixed-age child care groups and assessed at 6-month intervals between approximately 32 and 49 months. Children in the two groups differed in their trajectories for communication, cognitive, and motor development but showed similar trajectories for…

This study documents the goals, purposes, and outcomes of a 6-week conductive education program for 10 children (ages 1-10) with cerebral palsy in Brisbane, Australia. Observations revealed little improvement in mobility or eating skills, though parents reported that their children had made gains in such areas as self-care, hand function, and arm…

A survey examined perceptions of 125 professionals and parents of developmental dyspraxia (DD), developmental coordination disorder (DCD), and clumsy child syndrome (CCS). DD is perceived as severe, complex, serious, and technical, whereas CCS is perceived as mild, simple, weak, humorous, and nontechnical. DD and DCD are regarded as more positive…