Few studies of parenting have considered the possibility that the association between one parent's supportive parenting and a child's early cognition is moderated by the other parent's supportiveness. We test this proposition using a low-income sample of coresident couples. In addition, we cross-classify parents within couples according to their…

The Northern Ireland Pre-School Playgroup Association, now known as NIPPA--the Early Years Organisation, was founded in 1965. The history of NIPPA has been strongly influenced by the sectarian conflict between the Republicans and the Loyalists. NIPPA is an umbrella organization that provides a range of support to its 1,200 member groups. This…

A 9-month naturalistic study of 16 preschoolers' classroom literacy behaviors and a related study of one student's literacy activities at home examined book-related dramatic play as an important part of the children's literacy interactions. Analyses of instances where play was related to the meanings of the books the children had read indicated…

Research has shown that teacher involvement can stimulate and enrich children's play, with positive developmental consequences. This study examined teachers' thinking and practices in relation to the role of the teacher in children's outdoor play. Data were collected from eight preschools through teacher interviews and observations of children's…

This paper explores the case method as a model for teaching education students about play. The case method may contribute to an examination of the barriers to children's play expression within school and create more effective classroom practice. Within the model, students can consider cases which have been carefully constructed from actual…

The relationship between parent-child interactions during free play and a teaching situation and children's school functioning was studied, focusing specifically on the relationships between mediated-learning-experience (MLE) interactions between mothers, fathers, and children and teachers' ratings of the child's adaptive behavior. MLE involves an…

To help parents address those aspects of their child's development which may need special encouragement, support, or intervention, this digest delineates 11 categories of behavior for assessment. Parents should not be alarmed if their children are having difficulty in only a few categories, and they should not judge their children's permanent…

This study examined three elements of the mother-child relationship that have been found to influence cognitive development: (1) the child's security of attachment to the mother; (2) the sensitivity of the mother to her child's cues; and (3) maternal work status during the child's first year of life. Considered are the relationship of each of…

Three groups of 12-month-old infants (10 deaf infants with hearing parents, 10 deaf infants with deaf parents, and 10 hearing infants with hearing parents) were videotaped during free play with mothers. Infant attention state was coded, identifying periods as: (1) unengaged, (2) onlooking, (3) object-attend, (4) person-attend, (5) supported joint…

This report includes papers submitted by 23 presenters at a conference on recreation and leisure programs, facilities, and management. Titles of the papers are as follows: (1) "Trends in Parks and Recreation Masterplan Development" (C. W. Kelsey); (2) "Play Therapy: Implications to Recreation" (G. Bader); (3) "Wilderness…

This qualitative, ethnographic study documented an upper primary school teacher's thinking as she planned to integrate a block play center into her classroom. Data was collected through a series of seven interviews in May, July, and August. Other methods of data collection included journal entries, stimulated recall, drawings, pictures, and notes…

Based on a 3-year observational study of children at play in a variety of settings, this book is a description of the play behavior of preschool children. In Section I, "Playing with Ideas," the chapters are: (1) "Questions about the World"; (2) "What Is, What Was, and What Will Be"; and (3) "Questions about Life." In Section II, "Active Play"…

A study examined the effects of literacy-enriched play settings on preschoolers' literacy behaviors in spontaneous free play. Subjects were 91 children, ages 3-5, from 2 urban day care centers. Prior to, and following the intervention, the frequency of each child's handling, reading and writing behaviors in play was assessed through direct…

This paper explores the development of humor, the positive potential of young children's humor, and resources for harnessing the energy of humor. The literature on humor is dominated by two theoretical streams: psychoanalytic theory, which recognizes humor as a vehicle for expressing emotions, particularly unacceptable emotions; and cognitive…

This report examines preschools for children with disabilities in Sweden. In Swedish society the roles of the family and the environment are emphasized with the preschool serving as part of a family support system for children with disabilities. The value of a family oriented intervention is stressed. The first section discusses Swedish provision…