Demonstrates how role-playing in a mock trial situation allows children to view critically both sides of an issue and introduce them to trial procedure. Offers pre-trial activities, ways to teach students to see both sides of a situation, themes for mock trials, and supporting resources. (GG)

Analyses of communicative exchanges among 64 playgroup children revealed that both 3-and 4-year-old nonhandicapped children adjusted the communicative function, style, and affective quality of their interactions when addressing mildly developmentally delayed companions. Adjustments were more closely related to interpersonal and social status…

Briefly discusses the evolution of children's real and imaginary fears and appropriate ways that preschool teachers and caregivers can help children cope with these fears. (BB)

Describes an action research study that observed the use of Logo by first grade children in public schools. Students' use of screen wraps is highlighted, and learning activities other than programing that resulted are described, including problem solving, acquisition of mathematical concepts and language, peer tutoring, and productive play. (LRW)

Parents of four nonverbal and four echolalic autistic children, aged five-nine, were trained to increase their children's speech by using the Natural Language Paradigm. Following training, parents increased the frequency with which they required their children to speak, and children increased the frequency of their verbalizations in three…

Discusses two contrasting philosophies of education for three-, four-, and five-year-old children: the developmentally appropriate approach to learning and the academic or behavior modification approach. Discusses the manner in which preschool children learn self-esteem and self-discipline in both educational settings. (BB)

Examines role of play and experiential learning in early childhood education. Summarizes educational experiments and research projects on outdoor experiential play for enhancing adventuresomeness, self challenge, cognitive development, and socialization of young children. Suggests need for traditional and experiential educators to develop…

Discusses the effect of culture on creative drama. Provides an overview of the following features of creative drama in cultures previously examined: identification, mediation, transformation, empathy, metaphor and symbol, structures and dynamics, roles, communication, and audience. Summarizes emergent issues and relates them to the nature and…

Examined the out-of-school time of children between the ages of four and seven who were enrolled in Head Start and school transition programs. Found that watching television, playing, and spending time with friends were children's major activities during their out-of-school time. (MDM)

Helps early-years educators to be sensitive to the cultures of the families by providing observations of culturally diverse children at play, the cultural contexts they bring to play activities, and the demonstration of childhood learning of cultural diversity. Theoretical observations about childhood and play are discussed. (GLR)

Patterns of teacher language used with at-risk toddlers in three different play contexts (doll/house, block/truck, and large motor) were studied within a naturally occurring classroom setting. Significantly different language-use patterns by teachers were found in each area, and these were associated with differences in the rate and nature of…

Reviews research on the attitudes of nondisabled children toward disabled children in regular classroom settings, and on patterns of play among at-risk and non-at-risk children. Implications for camps include encouraging social skills development through an atmosphere of peer friendship development, and helping at-risk children develop verbal…

Causes of preschoolers' anger, and preschoolers' reactions to anger, were studied. Measures of social competence and popularity were obtained. Sex, age, and context differences in coping strategies were found. Socially competent and popular children coped with anger in relatively direct and active ways that minimized conflict and damage to social…

Reviews the research concerning how the classroom environment--classroom ambiance, privacy, density and crowding, and arrangement of play and learning centers--can influence young children's play and social, emotional, and intellectual development. (BB)

Examines how best to use cooperative learning in preschool classrooms. The article describes young children at play and discusses cooperative play (CP) and the development of social skills, the impact of CP, principles of implementing CP in preschool classrooms, and teacher role. (SM)