This document begins by providing four tips parents and care takers can use to supporting childrens' reading skills at home: (1) Have conversations before, during, and after reading together; (2) Help children learn how to break sentences into words and words into syllables; (3) Help children sound out words smoothly; and (4) Model reading…

Key staff from over 500 child care centers were interviewed regarding risk assessment and reduction. Responses revealed three risk categories: (1) high frequency, low impact (playground injuries); (2) low frequency, low impact (burglary, vandalism, staff theft); and (3) low frequency, high impact (child abuse by staff, intruder crimes,…

The article presents a protocol for the assessment of prelinguistic intentional communication with young and/or severely language-impaired children. A set of tasks and scoring procedures are presented for the elicitation of proto-declarative and proto-imperative behaviors. Data are presented to support reliability. (Author/CL)

Discusses a study of 103 young children at risk of developing serious behavioral and emotional problems. Describes strategies for classroom management, academic enhancement, and social development that can be implemented in general education classrooms to prevent the development of serious emotional and behavioral problems in children. (CR)

Describes survey of experienced child-care directors asked to prioritize skills essential for a novice director to have. Recommends that administrative skills considered essential by those in the field be compared to state standards for licensing. (ET)

Explores how visual (pictorial) and verbal (linguistic) systems work together and influence each other as young children create symbol systems. Finds that, for young children, color plays a key role in communicating messages. Shows how art and writing (especially color and light) influence each other in children's literacy development. (SR)

This study identified a repertoire of early-life experiences to which young children with visual impairments need to be exposed to develop a foundation for literacy. By analyzing 254 stories from three published basal literacy series, 22 global areas of experience were determined to be essential. Guidelines for providing these experiences and…

Offers guidelines for use in questioning children about incidents of sexual abuse. Guidelines concern children's cognitive capabilities, social and emotional responses, and language abilities. Includes the story of a 4.5-year-old girl who was questioned in court. (BB)

This paper provides a conceptual model of the language learning environment of young children, incorporating child engagement with the physical environment, contributions of child and caregiver, and caregiver mediation of physical environment. A case study illustrates the impact of a relatively simple home environmental intervention on a…

Describes developmental and behavioral characteristics of homeless young children and their parents. Reports on how states and communities are attempting to meet the early education and care of young children in homeless families. Discusses the needs or problems that early education and care programs that include homeless children should address.…

This study demonstrates three ways of analyzing qualitative interview data: content, cultural models, and narrative analyses. Interview data from 250 Latino parents of young children with mental retardation illustrates these types of analyses. Suggestions for ways in which early intervention studies could be extended by considering different…

This book presents results of a longitudinal study of the effects of whole language instruction on six first- and second-grade African-American students at risk of failure. The book has three levels of meaning: how teachers engage children in genuine literacy, how the process of engaging in a literate community increases learning, and how truly…

This paper discusses implications of assistive technology for teachers or early intervention professionals who are seeking to optimize the educational experiences of children with disabilities. The paper considers the role of the Federal Government in Public Law 100-407, which establishes a grant program for statewide delivery of assistive…

This monograph examines the phenomenon of young children who lack the socialization and academic preparation needed to meet the demands of schooling and take advantage of educational programs. Such children have inadequately nurtured bodies and incompletely or inappropriately stimulated minds. The changing nature of childhood is portrayed in…

Highlights qualitative studies from two preschools that view the framework of literacy use as socially constructed and embedded in social and cultural perspectives and practices of communities. Suggests ways to strengthen early-childhood programs, including greater use of writing and drawing materials readily available, additional orientation to…