In this article, the author demonstrates how the current emphasis on viewing early childhood education (ECE) as an investment keeps ECE at the margins of U.S. political debates as well as in other discussions around the world. Historically, the field of ECE in the United States has struggled, and continues to struggle, for political positioning.…

Examined (1) whether Korean children exhibit superior levels of mathematics achievement, compared to U.S. children; (2) whether an early advantage in informal mathematical thinking contributes to superiority in mathematical achievement; and (3) whether the superior achievement of Korean children is qualitatively different from that of U.S.…

The "sociocultural framework" highlights the contributions of children's cultural and linguistic contexts to early language and literacy development. To collaborate with parents in early intervention programs, including speech-language therapy, there must be a sincere commitment to the development of cultural competence. Hispanics are…

Presents study which examines relation between cultural beliefs and values and organization of communication between caregivers and young children in a community in western Samoa and in Anglo middle class. Illustrates ways in which organization of turn-taking and procedures for clarification and interpretation are linked to beliefs and…

Assessed U.S., English, Israeli, and Japanese teachers' views of the ideal temperaments of children. Teachers in the U.S. and England had the most similar views, whereas those in Israel were most divergent. Differences and similarities of teacher's views are discussed in terms of eight dimensions of temperament. (BB)

This study explores children's attitudes toward individuals with special needs in Greece and in the United States. A total of 196 kindergarten-age children participated in the study. Children's attitudes were examined using the "Acceptance Scale for Kindergartners-Revised" (ASK-R) and were further explored with the use of an open-ended…

The ways in which children learn a language--be it their mother tongue or their second language--can have a strong influence on their success in school. Researchers in linguistics and early child development have tried to determine the factors that can help and hinder language acquisition in young children, with some conflicting results. In this…

A powerful means to understand young children's normative development in context is to examine their everyday activities. The daily activities of 79 children (3 years old) were observed, for 20 hr each, in their usual settings. Children were selected from 4 cultural groups: European American and African American (Greensboro, United States), Luo…

This study compared the involvement of American and Chinese mothers in their 5- and 7-year-old children's number learning in their everyday experience and during mother-child interaction on mathematics tasks pertaining to proportional reasoning. Results indicated that Chinese mothers of both the 5- and 7-year-old children were more likely to teach…

This investigation is an examination of musical practices, musical preparation of teachers, and music education needs as reported by early childhood professionals in the United States. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered via a survey mailed to a random sample drawn from the database of preschool centers accredited by the National…

Describes a model, Mediated Learning Experiences (MLE), for understanding specific criteria within adult-child (usually parent-child) interactions that effect flexiblity of mind in young children. An examination of cause-effect relationship between parental behaviors and measures of developmental outcomes are presented, based on two longitudinal…

The purpose of this hearing was to examine the federal role in improving the effectiveness and coordination of sixty-nine Federal programs that are designed to help parents help their young children with child care and early education. Opening statements were delivered by Subcommittee Chairman Senator Lamar Alexander, Tennessee; Ranking Member…

A study of 53 Japanese mothers and their young children who were temporarily living in the United States found that, when life stress was high, mothers reported less parenting stress if social support was adequate. The more satisfied mothers were with their support, the less secure was their children's attachment. (BC)

This article addresses the underlying beliefs needed by teachers of young children if their learning communities are to be successful and self-sustaining. The relationships of language arts and social studies content to specific academic, social and literary rituals are discussed in the context of classroom examples in the United States. Trust and…

Loris Malaguzzi, founder and guide for 50 years to the schools of young children in Reggio Emilia, Italy, passed away in January 1994. In this interview, conducted in 1990, Malaguzzi speaks directly to early childhood educators in the United States. He blends theory and practice as he clarifies the theoretical base of the Reggio schools and…