By describing the characteristics of the educational and developmental belief systems of low-income African-American parents of kindergarten children, this study extended previous research on parents' beliefs about early education and development to more ethnically and socioeconomically diverse subject groups. A sample of 115 African-American…

Using folktales from around the world, this workshop paper presents a multicultural curriculum for kindergarten and first grades. A statement of purpose, the curriculum presents lists of recommended teaching resources, publishers and distributors of multicultural materials, organizations; a 12-item multicultural bibliography; and activities for…

Early Prevention of School Failure (EPSF) is a program designed to prevent children from failing academically. The program, which was introduced in the Wake County, North Carolina Public School System in 1986, identifies the developmental level of each participating kindergartner and recommends strategies to address each kindergartner's needs and…

This study examined the effects of training and follow-up training on teacher aides' effectiveness in the reinforcement of reading skills and motivational techniques introduced by kindergarten and first-grade classroom teachers. The following questions were addressed: (1) are trained assistants rated as more effective than untrained assistants?…

This study examined how modes of organizing conversation determine the type of knowledge conveyed to preschool and kindergarten children. Approximately 150 audiotaped conversations from 23 classes of students of different age levels from 2 to 6 years were analyzed. Children's spontaneous speaking turns or answers to teachers' questions were…

This paper describes a supported transition plan for preschool students with special needs who are entering a kindergarten classroom. The transition plan includes the following phases: (1) make decision regarding kindergarten placement; (2) develop a preplacement plan which includes a visitation to the preschool program by kindergarten staff; and…

A study investigated the characteristics of elementary school (kindergarten and grades 1-2) teachers of limited-English-proficient (LEP) students and the oral language proficiency of students in the classrooms of identified effective bilingual and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teachers. The study involved (1) a district-wide survey of…

This guide is designed to help kindergarten through grade 12 students begin a life-long dialogue about intergroup relations. It helps them to examine their attitudes about diversity and intergroup relations, assists them in identifying problems in intergroup relations by using their own experiences and the results of The National Conference Poll…

This report describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of a pilot project by the Studio in a School (SIAS) arts group to place professional artists in six preschools and kindergarten programs in New York City public schools. The SIAS program provided both on-site, hands-on visual arts training of teachers and aides and direct…

This study compared teacher-rated classroom ability groupings with total reading scores reported on standardized tests. Kindergarten teachers divided their students into three groups according to how well they had mastered a set of criteria which the teachers felt represented the successful reader and writer at the end of kindergarten. Results…

Two studies examined the relationship between metacognitive knowledge and performance among Japanese children. It was predicted that highly prosocial children would have more appropriate knowledge of helping than would children who were low in prosocial behavior. The first study involved 109 third graders and 129 fifth graders and examined the…

This practicum was designed to provide an assessment instrument that would serve as an alternative method of documenting the progress of kindergarten students. The portfolio approach to assessment of student progress was implemented in a kindergarten class and applied as an ongoing process. During a 12-week period, teacher and student selected…

This publication presents a summary of South Carolina's use of funds provided by Chapter 1 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act as an educational resource for educationally deprived children from 1985 to 1989, and identifies projects exhibiting the greatest gains in student achievement during fiscal year 1989. The report consists of…

This kindergarten music curriculum provides a year-long program of a sequenced series of activities designed to develop music concepts. Topics of the units in this guide are: self-concept (beginning of the year), fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, winter, a circus, Valentine's Day, spring, and farms. A scope and sequence chart of concepts…

The Ganado (Arizona) Primary School, located on the Navajo Reservation, instituted a successful English writing project for kindergarten children that illustrated that young children should be allowed and expected to develop as writers because they are capable of real writing. Teachers encouraged children to complete drawings and writings in…