This article discusses newer views of functional developmental plasticity occurring after biological insults to the developing central nervous system (CNS), including concepts of neurobehavioral outcome and ways to measure it, biological risk, age and development at onset of CNS insult, time since onset of CNS insult, and reserve. (Contains…

Examined effects of divorce and custody arrangements on Taiwanese preschoolers' emotional adjustment and gender role development 2 years after divorce. Found no differences in maladjustment of children from divorced versus two-parent families. Found children with same-sex custodial parents were better adjusted than children in custody with…

Investigated the reliability and item appropriateness, as discerned by adults affiliated with an infant center, of the Caregiver-Environment Scale (CES). Found the CES to be an easy to use, reliable instrument for evaluation. (Author/SD)

Highlights the importance of preparing young children to become peacemakers and peace builders. Addresses the steps of moving toward a culture of peace, preparing children for peace, peace education, and values education for peace. Advocates early childhood educators teaching peace to young children. (SD)

Explains that educational research in social studies must identify the practices contributing to children's well-being. Argues that research in social studies should be conducted within real school settings and must focus on the consequences of educational practice for children's development. (CMK)

Supports the view that children's developmental status and varied family, school, and cultural contexts all caution overgeneralization on empirically supported treatments. Supports Hughes' notion of developmental psychopathology as a relevant asset for school psychology practice and intervention research. Discusses several obstacles when applying…

Describes early childhood education research done in Poland as part of the IEA Pre-primary Quality of Life project. Observations discussed include: the children's activities, teacher behavior, management of children's time in kindergarten, the relationship between these variables, and their connection with the development of 4- to 7-year-old…

Maintains that the "getting into shape" hypothesis of explaining the inverted-U distribution of exercise play across age is likely incorrect. Argues that the biological study of human physical activity play, as recommended by Pellegrini and Smith (1998), will reveal whether physical activity play represents an example of…

Offers a typology of emergent literacy skills, reviews research relating emergent literacy to reading, and reviews evidence linking emergent literacy environments and development of emergent literacy skills. Proposes that emergent literacy consists of inside-out skills and outside-in skills that are influential at different times during reading…

Offers suggestions to kindergarten teachers for creating a more accepting environment in their classrooms for children with disabilities. Three key influences in attitude formation are discussed--indirect experiences, direct experiences, and the child's primary social group--and ideas for examining these influences and adapting them are suggested.…

Examines the traditional place of play in contemporary early childhood programs in light of new directions in theory and curriculum, the push for educational outcomes, and perceived pressures of the global market economy. Maintains that a new focus on teaching through play may provide a way to reconcile demand for outcomes with a concern for…

Describes engagement of children in a Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan with projects of nationalism. Outlines different visions for the children's future and ways these visions inform actions of their proponents. Focuses on how children draw upon different discourses of national community in the process of developing identities that are strongly…

Three experiments explored 5- and 7-month-olds' intermodal coordination of proprioceptive information produced by leg movements and visual movement information specifying these same motions. Results suggested that coordination of visual and proprioceptive inputs is constrained by infants' information processing of the displays and have…

Examined whether new mothers would gain knowledge of child development after participating in a home visitation program for six months, and whether there would be differences between adolescent mothers and older mothers. Results indicated an overall increase in total knowledge of child development for mothers (of all ages) participating in a home…

Identifies strategies early childhood educators can use to create an environment that encourages character development in young children. Provides reflective checklists for specific areas of character development and character education addressed: (1) content; (2) communication; (3) clarification; (4) community; (5) critical thinking; (6) context;…