Research Findings: This study examined the association between preschool children's social-emotional competence (SEC), defined by their social skills and problem behaviors, and numeracy skills. It also examined if any subdomains of SEC predicted preschool numeracy above and beyond latent social skills or problem behaviors variables. Data came from…

Intervention to raise the literacy achievement of disadvantaged groups in society has focused on preschool literacy development because it is predictive of later educational achievement and because research has shown that key strands of literacy emerge very early in childhood. Intervention programmes to promote emergent literacy are likely to be…

Cooperation between preschools and parents is one key dimension of pedagogical quality in early childhood education and care (ECEC). We examined the structural characteristics of ECEC that predict preschool cooperation activities and how they are associated with children's language and social-emotional skills at the age of 3. The results are based…

The purpose of this study was to examine the relations between parents' home literacy practices and the literacy skills of young children at risk for reading difficulties. Participants included 198 kindergarten and first-grade students and their parents. Children were enrolled in two Title I schools in an urban setting. Parents completed the…

Research Findings: This study examines efforts by Head Start programs to coordinate with elementary schools and seeks to better understand how coordination practices may support children's transition to and success in kindergarten. Data were drawn from a nationally representative sample of Head Start children (N = 2,019) followed through…

The objective of this study was to evaluate two early intervention packages to promote successful transitions to kindergarten for preschoolers with behavior problems recruited from Head Start preschools. Fifty children (M[subscript age] = 61 months; 76% male; 98% minority) referred by teachers due to early externalizing behavior problems were…

Systematic, mandated facilitation of school transitions is an important but understudied aspect of the Reggio-Emilia approach to early childhood education admired internationally as best practice. We studied the links between Northern Italian transition practices and academic achievement, school liking, cooperativeness, and problem behaviors. We…

Premises about the effects of early engagement on achievement were investigated with 383 children who were followed from ages 5.5 to 13.5. Change and continuity in behavioral (cooperative-resistant classroom participation) and emotional (school liking-avoidance) engagement were assessed during Grades 1-3 and were examined within variable- and…

DURING THE SUMMER OF 1965, 5 AGENCIES SPONSORED A HEADSTART PROJECT FOR 4500 CHILDREN FROM THE GREATER CLEVELAND OHIO AREA. EFFORTS WERE CONCENTRATED ON ORGANIZING 5 ENDEAVORS. (1) THE DIRECTORS OF THE 5 AGENCIES WORKED TOGETHER TO ESTABLISH STANDARDS FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION PROCEDURES. (2) FROM 8 CENTERS, 125 HEADSTART CHILDREN AND 125…

This document describes Even Start, a new federal family literacy program that combines early childhood education, parenting education, and adult literacy education. The program is based on the collaboration of community organizations and provides a new range of services. These services include family-centered education programs that involve…

The interactional teaching patterns of 36 fathers and mothers with their 6-year-old sons and daughters were studied. Parents were asked to play (in parent-child dyads) with their child on a jigsaw puzzle and to teach the child to remember 25 picture cards that could be divided into conceptual categories. It was found that parents' instructional…

The objectives of this project were to test (1) a structured language-oriented curriculum, used for an academic year in Hawaiian Head Start classes, and (2) a parent education program. Teachers in eight experimental classes used semistructured language-strengthening activities along with structured lessons and were guided by supervisors. Eight…

In this guide, transition is defined as the period of time when adolescents are moving into adulthood. This guide is designed to (a) help youth and the adults who work with them understand the role of assessment in transition and (b) describe ways to collect and use data that will lead to informed choices based on accurate assessment of each…