First Steps is a program instituted by the Western Australia Ministry of Education to improve the literacy and numeracy of primary school students, particularly those at risk of academic failure. First Steps is organized around reading, writing, spelling, and oral language; children's skills are organized along developmental continua. These…

This book synthesizes information from a range of scientific disciplines, including neuroscience, developmental psychology, and psychiatry, to explore the idea that the mind emerges at the interface of interpersonal experience and the structure and function of the brain. Each chapter explores a major domain of human experience. Following an…

The Child Development and Behavior Branch (CDBB), within the Center for Research for Mothers and Children, has grown in the past four years from supporting five programs to supporting seven, with a concomitant increase in the number of grants of more than 50 percent, and a corresponding increase of more than 87 percent in overall funding. During…

Article discusses the benefits of providing children with an educational environment that allows students to develop from their own motivation rather than at the direction of the teacher. (RK)

Discusses social development stages of middle childhood and peer-group relations, noting demands of group conformity. Presents aspects of cognitive and physical development as well as implications for providing effective guidance and counseling services. (RC)

Studied a rare condition, elective mutism in children. Results indicated (1) immature development, especially in speech; (2) high rates of behavior problems; (3) excessive shyness; (4) significantly greater incidence of lower range performance IQ; (5) family psychiatric problems; and (6) intractibility. (Author/DB)

Offers selected ERIC references on the application of Piagetian theory and the use of Piagetian tasks in beginning reading/language arts instruction. (RL)

Education courses can make a difference in classroom practices. Research indicates that the application of educational concepts has improved teaching in several areas: understanding child behavior, constructing and interpreting tests, monitoring and increasing academic learning time, and applying principles of child growth and development.…

Argues that inadequate parenting is a feature of Australian social life, partly because as a community, Australians are unaware of some of the problems that exist, and partly because they have few adequate procedures for coping with problems that arise during child-rearing. Problems addressed include short-term separations, child abuse, and joint…

Argues that multicultural education can be incorporated into every aspect of early childhood education and discusses the teacher's role and some misconceptions about the nature of multicultural education. Guidelines suggested for integrating a multicultural perspective into the curriculum include enhancing self-concept and cultural identity,…

The infant's impressions of his environment are viewed by several philosophers, including Jean Piaget. There has been some past tendency to suppose that, prior to the acquisition of language, the infant has no real impressions about his environment. More recent understandings consider that the infant is capable of conceptualization and can express…

An overview of research and evaluation developments concerning Head Start, preschool education, and day care during the past decade is provided. Possible ramifications for the future are shown from the reexamination of early education programs. (JN)

To understand the processes of learning and to make educational decisions for the future, three levels of environmental and historical context need to be considered. The microsystem represents the most immediate environment, the family; the exosystem includes environment experienced directly, the neighborhood; and the macrosystem represents the…

Presents evidence revealing the complexity of young children's language understandings with regard to spelling patterns, parts of speech, and vocabulary; points out that teachers must build upon the language knowledge that children bring to school. (GT)