Changes in selection criteria have meant that children are being provided with cochlear implants (CI) at increasingly younger ages. However, there is a paucity of measures that are appropriate for testing complex listening skills--most tests are too cognitively complex for such young children. The Common Objects Token (COT) Test was developed as a…

This article offers a way of viewing mathematics as social, drawing upon research on numeracy practices at home and at school carried out by the School and Community numeracies team in the Leverhulme Numeracy Research Programme, a five-year research programme (1997-2002) at King's College London. Within the school and community focus of the…

Brief reports provided in this paper document aspects of a neighborhood-center project in Hull, England. The project was aimed primarily at facilitating parent/community involvement in the education of very young children through the establishment of parent activity groups. Beginning with activity groups such as mother/toddler clubs, a community…

Describes the development of a two-session home observational scheme for the study of the interactions between mothers and their two- and three-year-old children, with the main thrust on socio-emotional development. The tool focuses on parental responsivity and sensitivity, affect, social communication, and social control and has a combination of…

Radio recordings were made of the conversations of 30 girls just under four years of age at school with their teachers and at home with their mothers. Frequency and type of question asked by the children and frequency and type of answer given by the adults were analyzed, revealing home/school and social class differences in all measures. (MP)

In this paper we develop our theory of "Bi-numeracy" and show the importance of children's own invented symbolism. Most studies to date have concentrated on the analysis of children's number representations in clinically set-up tasks (Hughes, 1986; Sinclair, 1988; Munn, 1994). These studies have added to our knowledge of and…

We use a genetically sensitive design to examine the relationship between language and nonverbal ability at 4 and a half and reading skills at 7 years of age in a sample of more than 1,000 children participating in the Twins Early Development Study. We find that nonphonological as well as phonological measures of early language make significant…

The study examines the reading attitudes and attainment of Hong Kong, Singapore and English primary-school students using data collected in the PIRLS 2001 international reading survey. A total of 13,486 students aged 9-10 years were assessed. Singaporean students were found to have more positive reading attitudes and confidence than Hong Kong and…

Describes the development, practices, and objectives of a project which has, over three years, focused on the support bilingual children may receive from their nursery as they learn English. (MP)

Thirty-six English children with cerebral palsy (ages 3-4) were compared on their skills for independence. Nineteen of the children were enrolled in a Conductive Education Program, and 17 were enrolled in special education programs. Results indicate there were no significant differences between the two groups in their independence skills.…

Examined attitudes toward smoking, current smoking behavior, mental health difficulties, and nicotine addiction among 38 pregnant women, mothers of young children, and their partners in East Surrey, England. Found that 11 female respondents presented symptoms of depression, anxiety, or social dysfunction. Smokers did not differ from ex-smokers or…

Reports results from a study of 45 playgroups and interviews with 435 mothers in England. Extent and nature of parent involvement, including that of fathers, and relations between involvement and socioeconomic characteristics of parents were studied. Involvement by mothers is substantial but not universal, and participation by fathers is rare.…

Three experiments on vowel decoding involving primary school children partially tested an interactive model of reading acquisition. The model suggests that children begin learning to read by establishing orthographic recognition units for words that have phonological underpinning that is initially at the onset-rime level but that becomes…

Examined the effect of regional accent on children's processing of speech. Children ages 4 to 7 were tested on their ability to repeat and define single words presented in their own and another accent. Word comprehension was significantly reduced in the other accent. Younger children performed less successfully and showed different error patterns…

Examines the development and operation of sponsored day care services in 12 English local authorities within the context of current policy developments. Suggests that provision for children in need is at risk for marginalization by current emphases on early education/child care for working parents. Highlights importance of developing services for…