This inservice package for teachers provides a rationale for using blocks to enrich the young child's classroom environment and suggests numerous ways blocks can be used to encourage the physical, intellectual, social and emotional development of young children. A brief delineation of the developmental aspects of the block play stages through…

This collection of 3 papers summarizes the current thinking of those involved in the Head Start Program Effects Measurement Project regarding selected issues in the assessment of Head Start program effects on children's development. The first paper describes the project panelists' current approaches to the selection of measurement dimensions.…

This student guide for a program concerned with what young children need to know about death and how parents can help them deal with it is designed around a magazine format to allow maximum flexibility to different groups using the materials. The guide is divided into seven sections: (1) an overview of the theme and contents; (2) a summary of the…

In this study, six children were selected by age and were administered Piagetian tasks designed to measure their level of cognitive development against the hierarchical structuring of age/achievement posited by Jean Piaget. The task administrations are presented in detail with descriptions of the subject and the tasks, a verbatim report, and the…

The relationship between aspects of mother-infant interactional behavior (vocalization, smiles, mutual eye contact, and facing position) and the infant's developmental level was investigated through both observation and intervention efforts. A sample of 33 primiparous mothers (mean CA of 22 years) from low income families and their infants (mean…

A variety of research studies have indicated that fathers' availability and their leadership are vital to the healthy functioning of each individual in the family. One study showed that in 48 societies fathers assume an instrumental role in family life, while in only eight societies is fathering predominately an expressive function. Occasionally,…

A study was undertaken to investigate which of ten constructions are available to children of various ages for expressing conditionality. A modified sentence completion test based on use of the ten constructions was designed, field-tested, and administered individually to 20 students in each of five grades: kindergarten and grades two, four, six,…

Observations of the developing writing patterns of one child over a period of five years brought insight to the question of how children learn to write. The patterns, identifiable in other areas of child development, were the processes of differentiation and decentration, the sometimes nonparallel growth of form and function, and an increasing…

Intended for graduate students in special education, the text presents seven author contributed papers dealing with theoretical issues in the field. M. Faust and W. Faust ("Cognitive Constructing: Levels of Processing and Developmental Change") consider cognitive processing from a developmental perspective. In "Memory Processes in Exceptional…

Intended for parents of children with speech problems, the booklet describes specific types of speech disorders and provides suggestions for stimulating improved speech. The following types of speech disorders are addressed: delayed speech, articulation, stuttering, and hearing disorders. The developmental sequence of language is discussed, and a…

Researchers have studied both competence levels and competence motivation in children. Competence motivation is usually assessed in terms of children's spontaneous preferences for optimal cognitive challenge, but actual spontaneous preferences in free play have seldom been used to assess motivation. In fact, competence level and competence…

IT IS THE BELIEF OF SOME THAT SCHOOL PLANTS ARE FOR CHILDREN. TO SERVE AS A STUDY GUIDE FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS BELIEF, THIS PAPER PRESENTS PRINCIPLES, NEEDS OF CHILDREN, AND A LIST OF SUGGESTED READING. BASIC PRINCIPLES DISCUSSED ARE--(1) DEVELOPMENT IS A PRODUCT OF TWO FACTORS--LEARNING AND GROWTH, (2) HUMAN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT FOLLOW AN…

THE POOR HEALTH OF THE DISADVANTAGED CHILD IS A PRIMARY VARIABLE IN HIS EDUCATIONAL FAILURE. AN EXTENSIVE REVIEW OF HEALTH STUDIES SHOWS THAT NEGROES, PUERTO RICANS, AND INDIANS SUFFER FROM THE GREATEST HEALTH PROBLEMS. THE HEALTH FACTORS WHICH THESE STUDIES FOUND TO RELATE SPECIFICALLY TO INTELLECTUAL AND EDUCATIONAL DEFICITS ARE PREMATURITY,…

THE AUTHORS HAVE CONCERNED THEMSELVES IN THIS STUDY WITH IMITATION AS A DEVICE BY WHICH THE INVESTIGATOR CAN LEARN ABOUT CHILD LANGUAGE. THE DATA EXAMINED ARE PART OF A LONGITUDINAL THREE-MONTH STUDY OF LINGUISTIC DEVELOPMENT IN A TWO-YEAR-OLD CHILD. THE REPORT IS BASED ON 1,000 ELICITED IMITATIONS. CERTAIN PHENOMONA WERE OBSERVED GENERALLY WHEN…

PROJECT GOALS INCLUDED CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT IN PROGRAMS FOR NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY BETTERMENT AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH AND ADULTS. EMPHASIS WAS PLACED ON INVOLVING MINORITY GROUP PARENTS TO A DEGREE NEVER BEFORE ATTEMPTED. ADULT EDUCATION CLASSES AND PARENT DISCUSSION AND ACTIVITY GROUPS…