The importance of laughter and humor to enhance education, and special education in particular, is addressed. A sense of humor is an attitude, and humor together with enthusiasm helps students enjoy the learning process. Humor can make students become more alert, and can have very positive influences on affect. A funny remark, a pleasant…

It is suggested that curricula for young multiply handicapped children should be based on well articulated child development models which specify milestones to be demonstrated as well as contexts in which they will be demonstrated. It is further suggested that the criterion of ultimate functioning should also be considered in choosing one design…

To investigate the effects of distraction, task performance with or without within-task color, holding task complexity constant, was assessed with 25 hyperactive Ss and 22 controls (5 to 10 years old). Two visual-motor drawing tasks, one visual concentration task and a combined visual-motor and visual concentration task were given. Error analyses…

Provided are sample lesson plans for a program to develop pre-language skills in profoundly retarded children and adults. Characteristic of the suggested activities is the stimulation of all sensory channels through structured infant-like play activities in five general areas: oral stimulation, sensory arousal, motor stimulation, vocal play, and…

Results of a study involving 20 hard of hearing school aged students indicated that Ss in two experimental conditions (language stimulation by Big Brothers or Big Sisters and special training in oral and written language skills with a hearing specialist) increased in the complexity of their oral language more than control Ss did. (CL)

This study investigated whether infants who were given increased amounts of response-contingent stimulation would evidence positive and nonspecific transfer of learning to situations requiring new responses to control environmental events. Subjects were thirty 3-month-old biologically normal home-reared infants. Infants in the group assigned to a…

Presented are a description and evaluation report of the Infant Stimulation Curriculum developed by the Developmentally Delayed Infant Education Outreach Project. The curriculum, for infants developmentally between birth and 36 months of age, is described in terms of characteristics (such as basis in the normal developmental pattern), rationale,…

This paper is a letter to Professor Hans G. Furth discussing his book "Piaget for Teachers" as related to the program of the Campus School at State University College in Plattsburgh, N.Y. The letter is from the three teachers who work with a classroom of 54 youngsters. There are approximately equal numbers of 4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-year olds…

This study examined the relationship between infants' early physical environment and their subsequent performance on the Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale. A total of 23 infants were observed twice a month in their own homes starting at 12 months of age and continuing through 24 months of age. These observations were subsequently coded into 30…

The article examines (1) the notion of teacher as developmental educator; (2) the classroom conditions prerequisite to stimulating moral development; (3) the role of teacher as moral educator; and (4) implications for pedagogy suggested by initial research on teaching within a cognitive developmental framework. (MJB)

The effects of alternate forms of sensory stimulation on self-injurious behavior (SIB) in a profoundly retarded 24-year-old female were evaluated. Both vibratory stimulation (a massager) and visual stimulation (flashing red light) equally and significantly decreased the subject's SIB in both treatment and nontreatment environments. (Author/DB)

The article discusses the uses of mechanical vibration for stimulating, rewarding, and suppressing behaviors of multiply handicapped blind children. Suggestions for further research and refinement of the techniques are made. (Author)

One of the most serious challenges facing academic administrators is to help faculty remain professionally active throughout their careers. Faculty development issues include promoting faculty professional development, faculty who have lost interest and enthusiasm in their profession, and faculty who desire a discipline change. (MLW)

This article emphasizes the importance of studying prelinguistic communication in infants. Motor development and environmental influences are seen to be important aspects of linguistic development. The possible link between sensorimotor activity and the syntactic structure of language development needs further exploration. (MS)