The inability of the schools to meet the educational needs of economically disadvantaged minority children has prompted efforts to identify alternatives to the traditional school curriculum. One such alternative emphasizes the use of the arts in developing basic academic skills. Research indicates that the arts can be used to develop perceptual…

Since May 1980, participants in the Early Adolescent Project at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York have studied the early adolescent as a learner in a series of colloquia, discussions, and observations. The purpose of the study has been to develop recommendations for schooling of the early adolescent and for continuing and…

For the individual, gender difference falls along the feminine-masculine continuum with strong neurodevelopmental influences at various points throughout the lifespan. Neurodevelopmental influences are conceptualized in a vector model of sex difference. Vector attributes, direction and magnitude, are influenced initially by differences in levels…

Action research conducted by teams of university professors and middle school teachers investigated the relationship between teachers' developmental stages, collaborative research, and individual teacher change. Section 1 describes the study's purposes and objectives and the methods used in analyzing teachers' stages of development. An overview of…

This study examined the effectiveness of a training program designed to help disadvantaged teenage mothers promote their infants' early cognitive development. Subjects were 127 mothers whose babies were less than 6 months old at the start of the program; most were white women near the poverty level, and many were unmarried. The control group…

This paper discusses the results of a study comparing the language of preschool children from low-income homes to that of their parents as affected by the adult participation in training sessions planned to encourage language development. The study was conducted in three preschools in the Detroit metropolitan area. A total of 96 children from ages…

This paper is concerned with the role of speech in the development of control of cognitive processes, with particular attention paid to the nature of bilingualism. It is stated that exposure to a second language provides a way of overcoming the encapsulation of the mind that develops when an individual is exposed to only one language. In order to…

A new teacher observation scale is described and teacher ratings are related to measures of self concept and attitude toward school. Different results are obtained when analysis employs change measures of these variables in comparison with status measures. The teaching dimensions of "cognitive demand" and "warmth" seem to be important variables…

The TADPOLE (Tech Assessment and Development for the Preparation of Optimal Learning Environments) Research Project assessed areas of parental competence in setting up home learning environments for children from birth to three years of age. Six half-hour videotapes were made of each of 30 families in their homes. Two instruments, Parent…

This curriculum program was developed to serve as a guide or reference for those professionals wishing to implement or improve upon a current participation program for parents of 6- to 12-month-old infants. The curriculum program covers such topics as the importance of early stimulation, infants' gross and fine motor development, social/emotional…

To determine which types and qualities of science teaching strategies stimulate students to become involved in learning, middle and high school students (N=147) were observed for time-on-task (time actively spent by the student in learning) and off-task during periods while being taught by five student teachers. The "Teaching Strategies…

Descriptive and evaluative information is provided in this report on Project COMPAS (Consortium for Operating and Managing Programs for the Advancement of Skills), a cooperative effort between seven community colleges which developed cognitive skills programs for entry-level freshmen. Chapter I reviews the unique features of Project COMPAS,…

The two part presentation presents information on specific conditions of developmental delay and suggests intervention approaches. Three causes of mental retardation (Down's syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and cerebral palsy) are identified and described in terms of definition, incidence, characteristics, and educational implications. Part II is…

Project P.I.A.G.E.T. (Promoting Intellectual Adaptation Given Experiential Transforming) is a demonstration program to train five year old Hispanic children in the English language while maintaining their Spanish language skills. The instructional program is based on Piagetian principles which recognizes thought and language development as a…

Research on the development of ability to control variables during adolescence is reviewed. The first section discusses studies by Piaget and his collaborators, replications of Piaget's studies, and related studies by other investigators. Factors which influence performance on controlling variables tasks are delineated; the existence of Piaget's…