Play is children's active involvement with the environment and the things in it. It is apparently enjoyable, voluntary, self-initiated, often social and a natural product of the processes of physical, social and cognitive growth. Play is also the context in which parents interact often and meaningfully with their children. But what do parents or…

A preschool program for 14 handicapped children in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, is described and evaluation findings reported. Program objectives are listed for instructional, parent-family, staff development, and demonstration and dissemination components. Among findings were that mentally retarded children showed greater than anticipated…

The paper examines special needs of low income families with handicapped children. The author asserts that parents must become acquainted with their rights under P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. The need of these families for advocates is underlined. Generalizations held by many people about low income families are…

The monograph describes the development of the Adolescent Parenting Inventory (API), an instrument designed to prevent child abuse by identifying adolescents in need of acquiring appropriate child rearing and parenting skills. Field testing of the API with approximately 3,000 adolescents is explained to have revealed substantial content validity,…

Intended for parents, the booklet (part of a 10 booklet series on talented and gifted education) discusses the identification of gifted and talented children and offers general information on their development. Giftendess and talent are defined, and some guidelines for parents' identification of giftedness and talent are presented, focusing on…

The document presents the final report of a national study to evaluate the process by which handicapped children were mainstreamed in Head Start programs. Findings related to the following areas of investigation are presented: placement of handicapped children after leaving Head Start, Head Start's role in establishing the new placement, Head…

Provided are materials from a workshop on parental attitudes toward their handicapped children and professionals' attitudes toward parents. Listed are four workshop objectives: to develop an existential view of parental attitudes, to identify the five frequently observed parent attitudes, to provide experience in working through four parental…

The bibliography presents approximately 70 citations (1958-1972) dealing with parents as behavior modifiers. Arranged alphabetically by author's name, the listings usually contain title, source, date, and pagination information. (CL)

This manual is designed to help parents apply reinforcement theory in managing their children. The program explains how parents can systematically use consequences to teach children in positive ways. Units include: When to Reinforce; How to Reinforce; Reinforcement and Punishment in Everyday Life; and Why Parents (and Teachers) Goof; the Criticism…

This study deals with the relative influence of parents and peers during adolescence. The assumption that these are the central references in the life space of the adolescent is widely documented in the available research. The basic research question in this study is: Who has the most influence on youth and under what conditions is this influence…

Over 200 questionnaire responses from parents of autistic children describing recreational activities that appealed to their children are reported. Recreation is defined as a means of skill development, an outlet for emotions, and an inspiration for living. Parents are encouraged to stimulate recreational interests by taking children along on…

The main barriers to teenage reading are lack of reading skills, lack of reading materials, and lack of time for reading. The school has often unconsciously contributed to the teenager's not reading by overloading him with homework and providing too many after-school activities. Another important factor that affects the child's attitude toward…

The relationship between educational textbook publishers and parents has, in the past, been restricted to parents glancing at their children's textbooks. Now, however, as a result of a general increase of interest in education, the schools' need for parental help in the learning process, and the increased instructional focus of the media (such as…

Some of the components of a good reading program are described so that parents can have a basis for judging the status of the reading program in their own child's school. The components identified are (1) a knowledgeable, enthusiastic administrator who understands the components of a good program and is sensitive to student and teacher needs; (2)…

This article examines the role parents play in the implementation of change at the school or district level. It also offers guidelines for the school administrator who wishes to foster parents' constructive rather than destructive participation. (RC)