This paper describes an ongoing project on the nature and effects of family structure and family interaction. The research presented involves the study of normal families, emphasizing the effects of system-level variables on the development of children within the family. A theoretical model is provided which focuses on the individuation process,…

The answers of scholars and leaders in the fields of early education and child development to four broad interview questions concerning sociopolitical factors influencing early childhood care and education have been organized topically in the chapters of this book. In chapter 1, technical and ethical problems in early identification of actual and…

This paper discusses research findings concerned with the reemergent recognition of the role of the father in early childrearing, the attitudes these fathers have towards their parenting role, and the identifiable impact they have on their progeny. Following a brief review of the literature on (1) how the American culture prepares boys for…

The language development of one child was examined from birth to three years of age in order to map the similarities and differences in the acquisition of oral language, reading, and writing skills. The study also sought to provide insight into why learning to read and write are not as naturally easy as learning to talk. Data were collected by…

A study, as yet unfinished, sought to replicate, expand, and provide preliminary answers to questions raised in previous research on the development of fantasy play by black children as functions of age, sex, income level, and other environmental factors. Fantasy play involves the attribution to persons, objects, materials, or situations of…

The papers in this collection focus on the integration of child language development research into curriculum and instruction, which was the general topic of four conferences held in conjunction with the 1979 and 1980 annual conventions of the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English. Section one, on child…

A study charting the development of grade school children's analogic reasoning used 26 second, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students from lower middle class and higher middle class schools. The children were asked to explain concrete, interactive, and abstract concepts to an imaginary creature (a puppet). For half the items, an initial period of…

The intent of this booklet is to provide practitioners and parents with (1) research findings related to three aspects of development important to all children--problem solving abilities, language development, and self-concept; (2) interpretations of these findings; and (3) activities for children appropriate to these findings. Bibliographies of…

Changes in kindergarten education in the United States from its inception to the present and reasons for the historical changes are explored. Froebel's approach to kindergarten education is described and the introduction of kindergarten programs in the United States by various sponsors such as the Women's Temperance Union, churches, and settlement…

The family, responsible for the well being of children, has felt alienated from the schools. One of the reasons has been its inability to communicate personal and social needs to the schools, and the schools' inability to clarify what is expected from parents. Parents and the family unit need to be helped to understand the schools' role in the…

Aspects of the Help-A-Kid (HAK) program considered in this series of six workbook guides include: (1) the program's organization, its objectives, its strategies for getting students to participate, and the roles of parents and the community in the program's implementation; (2) in-service training for junior staff; (3) values clarification raps…

In a consideration of the development of referential communication performance, this paper describes three broad capacities that appear to underlie successful performance: the speaker's ability to analyze the persepective of the listener and formulate a message with this perspective in mind, the child's ability to meet the information processing…

This study investigated the role of the public library in serving children from infancy to age six. Recommendations from early childhood education authorities pertaining to 5 areas of public library work with young children (services, programs, materials, physical facilities, and personnel) were obtained through questionnaires and interviews. Data…

This collection of short articles focuses on various dimensions of childhood ecology. Section I introduces a conceptual framework for the study of childhood ecology and poses 4 methodological principles for human development specialists. Four ecological subsystems are identified and discussed briefly. Section II discusses the family microsystem in…

This overview was designed to illustrate how elementary education is a total program based on the natural growth and development of children. Ten humanistic goals are identified as of fundamental importance for a fully educated person, and the responsibilities of the school in achieving these goals are discussed. Three educational objectives are…