There is currently widespread international concern with delivering high-quality early childhood education and care to young children. Crucial to this effort is an appropriate way of defining and monitoring quality. This article explores the micro-context of quality care, that is, the nature of interactions between children and others (both…

Data reported in this paper were collected as part of a larger longitudinal study of the development of young Chicano or Mexican American children and their families. The measures completed by the children included the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities, a standardized instrument that measures general intellectual level. The first three…

Eighteen work group papers, several of which previously appeared in "Zero to Three," the Bulletin of the National Center for Infant Clinical Progams, are presented under four headings. Under the heading "Findings and Recommendations of ZERO TO THREE/National center for Clinical Infant Programs' Work Group on Supervision and…

As part of a larger project concerned with the development of changes in children's understanding of meaning as they become literate, this study examined the age at which listeners begin to acknowledge paraphrasing as a legitimate response to questions about the utterances of characters in stories. Subjects were 54 native English speakers from…

This report outlines the 1992-93 objectives for the Early Childhood Development Unit (ECDU), an organization that promotes high quality early childhood education, and parent and family involvement in education, in New Zealand. The report includes: (1) a statement of purpose; (2) guiding principles; (3) a statement concerning the responsibilities…

This directory summarizes the main features of federal programs that provide money or other economic assistance for child care or the child care profession. For each program, the following information is provided: (1) the program title; (2) a contact person; (3) purposes and restrictions of the program; (4) the legislation that authorized the…

The result of a collaboration of psychoanalysts and others who met over several years to study the many meanings of play, this book is designed to contribute to the broader field of knowledge about the emotional development and inner resources of children. Written primarily for therapists, educators, and clinicians, it is divided into three major…

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…

Research indicates that children possess four important personality characteristics and abilities which define them as resilient. These characteristics and abilities are social competence, problem solving skills, autonomy, and a sense of purpose and future. In addition, several qualities of the environment of resilient youth tend to predict…

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 annotated bibliography and resource guide for early childhood trainers aims to provide an overview of the training materials used in the Child Development Associate (CDA) training programs throughout the country. The bibliography contains citations of books, training manuals, modules, and audiovisual materials and lists more than 140 printed…

This amply illustrated booklet for parents presents activities that help children understand their emotions and build self-esteem, eat the right foods, prevent disease, and build strong bodies. Each of the 18 activities presented includes a list of what supplies are needed, a description of the activity, and the goals of the specific activity. The…

Drawing on current research, this paper advocates the optimization and enhancement of quality in group day care. Child development researchers offer many suggestions for improving the quality of child care. Recent research has indicated the importance peers play in children's development. Researchers have also indicated the importance of…

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"…

In 1996, under the coordination of the National Science and Technology Council's (NSTC) Children's Initiative subcommittee, 23 federal agencies involved in child and adolescent research programs came together to examine the federal investment in research focused on the biological, cognitive, and social development of America's children. This…