Children learn a second language quickly and easily simply by being exposed to it. Adults generally learn more slowly and less well. It is hypothesized that the brain in youth is extremely plastic, but hardens with adolescence and adulthood and becomes less receptive. Children learn in an active way, during play, and the language is reinforced by…

This annotated bibliography focuses on recent publications dealing with factors that influence child growth and development, rather than the developmental processes themselves. Topics include: general sources on child development; physical and perceptual-motor development; cognitive development; social and personality development; and play.…

It was the contention of the Head Start/State Preschool Program of the Greater Los Angeles Community Action Agency (GLACAA) that a self-evaluation would not be workable or effective unless it was a joint process involving delegate agency staff, parents and central administration staff in all phases. The first phase of the self evaluation process…

Presented are the final reports of a two-part project designed to measure the effect of an intensive inpatient developmental program on 40 young multi-handicapped children (18-36 months old) and their parents. Part 1 describes a system developed and tested to record and analyze changes in child functioning. Reported are results from…

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether the impact of television advertising on black children is significantly different from its impact on white children, and if the impact is good or bad in terms of psychological and social development. Following an extensive review of the literature on this subject, an exploratory survey was…

This study investigates three types of reciprocal interactions among members of the family unit (father, mother and infant): father-infant interaction affecting child's development, father-infant interaction affecting mother's behavior, and husband-wife interaction affecting mother's behavior. Data from a sample of 39 healthy first-born infants…

The instructional materials are intended for use with the educable mentally handicapped students who are mainstreamed into home economics classes. The materials are divided into five substantive content areas: (1) child development, (2) personal development, (3) clothing and textiles, (4) consumer education, and (5) foods and nutrition. The…

Examined longitudinally were the rate and proportion by grade level of the cognitive development of 202 13- to 16-year-old educable mentally handicapped students. A 20-item written test composed of eight problem solving and 12 cognitive development items representing the concrete I, concrete II, and formal I operations levels of Piagetian theory,…

This report of the National Conference on Home-Based Child Development Programs is intended to serve as a resource document to people interested in developmental programs for parents and children. The report includes (1) a summary of Home Start evaluation findings; (2) brief descriptions of programs such as Dr. Ira Gordon's Florida Parent…

Designed for grades K-3, the career education curriculum guide focuses on dramatic play to create an environment which will stimulate children to explore various occupations within the community. At the beginning of the program, the community includes only a few structures. As the students realize the need for more buildings and services, the…

The author uses a behavioral model to discuss probable and demonstrable conditions through which retardation might develop. Noted are criteria for etiological classification and explained are four reasons why terms such as cultural deprivation should not be used to label mentally retarded individuals. The need to consider developmental retardation…

Analysis of 65 children over a 4-year period on tests of operational and causal thinking offers support for Piaget's notion of stage progression. In kindergarten and grade one, the majority of children in this longitudinal study were between preoperational and the achievement stage of operational thought. By grade two, the majority had attained…

This paper reports a longitudinal study of the mental health or pathology of a non-clinical population of 45 children from 4 to 6-years-old from an environment of economic, educational and cultural advantage. Data was collected annually on these children for a period of three years. Findings showed that the majority of children between four and…

Children's rights can be served by maximizing from birth the opportunities for each individual child's healthy growth, well-being, and fullfillment. Knowledge of the developmental needs and characteristics of children must be the foundation for action and policy by government and other agencies and institutions--national, state and local. Children…

Children who have specific learning problems in spite of intact intelligence and sense organs require a type of instruction that is adapted to their particular learning assets and liabilities. The "systems model" that is described consists of two input-output cycles which involve the teacher and the school psychologist. The teacher makes…