This study examined young children's spontaneous participation during classroom book reading in response to different types of books. Twenty kindergarten teachers read four books--two fiction (familiar/unfamiliar story format) and two information books (expository/narrative text). The majority of children's spontaneous participation was related to…

Early childhood care and education services in New Zealand have experienced major policy reforms since 1984. Life history interviews were carried out over a two-year period to obtain insight into the impact of the major reforms on the lives of eight kindergarten teachers. This article looks at the teachers' own perceptions of the changes and how…

The purpose of this book is to provide information and guidance about providing for children's social and behavioural learning. The book can be used in a variety of ways depending on the situation and previous experience of the reader. It is arranged in six chapters with a related training session at the end of each chapter. The intended audience…

This study examines to what extent the Korean National Kindergarten Curriculum has actually influenced pre-school practices. This study explores the characteristics of the National Kindergarten Curriculum as it is implemented in Korea. It also examines pre-school teachers' perceptions, daily practice and the curriculum content in pre-school…

Professionals in early intervention and early childhood special education often do not feel that they are adequately prepared to provide indirect services in the form of consultation to general early childhood educators. In this article, the authors propose a framework for the practice of consultation in early education and intervention. Although…

Most caregivers and teachers of young children are familiar with the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. Many may not be aware that there are two additional senses: the proprioceptive and vestibular senses. Proprioceptive sensors are located in the joints and tendons and enable a person to know the location of each part of the…

For the two past two decades, a child-centered view and integration of curriculum have become critical to developing literacy. Also, the emphasis on the importance of the teacher's role in teaching literacy has increased. Thus, teachers have been provided with the opportunity to reflect on their beliefs about children literacy and to increase…

This article explores the nature of developmental and cognitive constructivism as it has historically been related to the early childhood curriculum. The author reflects upon her personal experience in moving from a developmental to a socio-cultural theoretical perspective as an informant to her understanding regarding the education of young…

The impact of four computer input devices (mouse, EZ ball, touch pad, touch screen) for 81 preschoolers (ranging from 34 to 78 months of age) and 43 early childhood educators (mean age was 29 years and 9 months) was examined. Participants played two computer games with 10 trials for each game followed by a survey assessing their preferences for…

This study describes early childhood teachers' own beliefs and concepts of aesthetic experience in young children. The teachers involved in this study were directly engaged in preschools for 4 and 5 year-olds where arts and aesthetic education are a primary consideration of their integrated curriculum. These teachers identified a variety of…

This study investigates the perceptions and practices of early childhood practitioners in relation to the development of thinking in children aged 3-5 years. Five practitioners working in nursery and reception classes in England were interviewed, and sessions were observed in each setting, including discussions with the children. The results…

Case-based methodology has been a staple of teacher education coursework for many years. However, commercial case studies do not always meet specific teacher candidates' needs or match their experiences in school settings. Teacher educators in an Early Childhood program in a midwestern university developed an innovative use of case-based…

Young children with special needs and their families often experience transitions across multiple environments in the early childhood years. Many transitions are identified as stressful for children and families. In the present study, a series of focus groups involving administrators, practitioners, and family members were held around the United…

This policy brief explores kindergarten readiness observation and its benefits to local and state level stakeholders; highlights efforts by California counties and other states to measure school readiness; and makes recommendations for moving toward statewide use of kindergarten readiness observation tools. Key points include: (1) Early efforts to…

With increased discussion of universal preschool in California, and the possibility of increased educational standards for early childhood educators, it has become critically important to assess the capacity of the state's higher education system to meet rising demands for teacher preparation. Thus far, the discussion is moving toward raising the…