A student's entire journey along the educational spectrum is affected by what occurs--and, crucially, by what does not occur--before the age of eight or nine. Yet early learning has never received the attention it deserves and needs. In his latest book, education expert Gene Maeroff takes a hard look at early learning and the primary grades of…

This article presents a negotiating practice that demonstrates the importance of the interplay of visual, verbal and linguistic signs. As such it discusses the relationship between identity and a signifying practice in a Swedish preschool, as children and teachers negotiate meaning. With emphasis on the relationship between building identity and…

Research evidence demonstrates that a high-quality early education can ameliorate the effects of disadvantage and produce positive outcomes not only for children and their families, but society as well (Barnett, 1998; Vandell & Wolfe, 2000). One of the most consistent indicators of quality is the presence of qualified teachers who have…

This article reviews the research evidence that relates to the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in pre-school settings. While there is widespread agreement that children should be helped to become confident users of ICTs, the literature presents a more qualified picture of potential benefits and barriers. The review…

Promote the mental health of preschool children in care by providing nurturing environments and relationships. Common Psychological Disorders in Young Children is an easy-to-use guide that will help providers recognize and cope with the symptoms and behaviors associated with ADHD, autism, anxiety, and other disorders providers may face. Learn to…

This article is concerned with parental involvement and participation in preschool education in Hong Kong. Based on the experience gained from a parental education programme, it is argued that three issues are crucial in the development of parental education: (1) an ecological approach to recognise the nature of parental education; (2) parental…

Early childhood education has received an increasing amount of attention in the last two decades in the United States and in other countries. There is now a strong consensus on the many benefits of preschool. Studies have shown that attending a high-quality preschool program not only increases children's readiness for kindergarten, but also causes…

The development in the last decade of methodology for measuring and scaling household food insecurity and hunger in U.S. populations makes possible systematic examination of the ways in which hunger and food insecurity affect individuals and families. The impact on children has always been of primary concern for policy, advocacy, and science…

Many Americans assume children's publicly funded education begins with kindergarten. To the contrary, kindergarten is not mandated in all states. Moreover, most kindergarten programs implemented in the public education system are half-day; full-day kindergarten is far less frequent. Access to kindergarten is highly dependent on state, school…

The need for additional support for Indigenous children at school is well documented. Occupational therapists are well positioned to form part of this support. However, many occupational therapists report that Indigenous families do not access their services and when they do, the occupational therapist feels uncertain about how best to meet their…

Young children develop social and emotional competence through interactions with others in the two major contexts in which they spend time: home and preschool. This study examined whether parenting stress in the home context is related to the children's behaviour while in preschool. Previous research has suggested that parenting stress negatively…

Results are reported from a national validation survey of early childhood and early childhood special education professionals and family members related to guidelines for implementing accountability systems at the preschool level. Of the 47 statements included on the survey, 43 were validated by 75% or more of the 299 respondents. Specific…

A growing phenomenon in the United States is state-funded pre-kindergarten. This article deals with the status of pre-K programs in the United States. In this article, the authors discuss a major study of 240 state-funded pre-K programs in six states initiated by the National Center for Early Development and Learning (NCEDL) to provide a base of…

This article describes the ScienceStart! Curriculum, an early childhood curriculum that takes coherently organized science content as the hub of an integrated approach. ScienceStart! maps onto the typical preschool day and may be adapted for use in full-day or half-day preschool programs. It is designed to support the important developmental…

The mission of the Education Law Center (ELC) is to ensure public school children access to an equal and high quality education. Over the past year, they expanded their efforts to achieve that goal using the innovative advocacy strategies presented in this report. Highlights include: (1) Providing legal services to 479 low income and disadvantaged…