Although the study of the acquisition of a first language has been split by a controversy between the "innatists" and the "behaviorists," neither group has given enough consideration to the relationship between language development and the other developments of the child (social, cognitive, and perceptual). This collection of readings links the…

The growth model of intelligence; i.e. intelligence is the product of genetics plus environment (I.Q.=G+E), is discussed and questioned. If the growth model is discarded, formulating the problem of the development of intelligence in different ways and thinking of different possible technologies for changing intelligence can begin. The child…

This research deals with the development and relative importance of both the conceptual-cognitive and the aesthetic-affective aspect of the perceptual process at various age levels of children. Three tasks were chosen: (1) sorting drawings of human figures--a task that represents a more conceptual function; (2) expressing preferences for those…

A brief overview is presented of the effect of television viewing on the cognitive and affective learning processes of young learners and on the growth of the social interaction skills of this same viewing audience. The main conclusions of the report are that (1) the effects of television viewing are complex and are both positive and negative; (2)…

The paper describes principles and procedures of naturalistic assessment as practiced in the Schaumberg Early Education Center (SEEC), a preschool setting for handicapped children. It is explained that a multidisciplinary team observes and interacts with students in an environment that encourages play and spontaneity. The SEEC screening procedure…

The authors describe their efforts to produce a global assessment scale for young emotionally disturbed children derived from an integrated synthesis of developmenta theories. Charts outline developmental stages, zones, modes, and dominant traits or characteristics of five major theorists (S. Freud, E. Erikson, A. Maslow, J. Piaget, and F.…

This document presents guidelines for kindergarten programs and identifies goals based on the physical, emotional, intellectual, and social development of children 4 to 6 years of age. Separate chapters briefly focus on the kindergarten child's brain development; the role of play in children's learning; the teacher's role in guiding play; the…

Through a synthesis of 15 research studies, this report profiles parenting information needs and attempts to increase understanding of potential sources of parenting information. It is suggested that the synthesis may assist (1) needs-assessment for program planning and design, (2) development of information strategies or products for parents, and…

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…