This book synthesises research on very early language learning in pre-primary organised instruction settings such as kindergarten, nursery or afternoon classes. Using a framework of ecological development, it investigates the nested systems in which very young learners operate, the other agents involved in each of these systems and the influence…

In this landmark volume, Greg J. Duncan and Richard J. Murnane lay out a meticulously researched case showing how--in a time of spiraling inequality--strategically targeted interventions and supports can help schools significantly improve the life chances of low-income children. The authors offer a brilliant synthesis of recent research on…

High-quality pre-K that really improves children's outcomes--that's the goal early childhood professionals will work toward with this groundbreaking text, the first volume in the NEW National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education (NCRECE) series. Combining the most current knowledge of top researchers, policy makers, and federal and…

This book offers a comprehensive history of the parent cooperative preschool movement, a unique educational system that attained its peak in the 1950s and 1960s. The book uses interviews with pioneers and current members of parent cooperatives, official documents, periodicals, and scholarly publications to offer a history that weaves the…

This monograph describes the system of higher education in the United Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The preface points out that despite perestroika, two features of Soviet education persist, a high degree of unity and centralization and a close link between higher education and employers. Chapter 1, "Historical Overview," begins…

The connections among language learning, language education, and children's wordplay are explored in this book. Each chapter examines some aspect of the interrelations between wordplay activities and the goals of language education. The book is divided into three sections, with the first section exploring wordplay and language learning in the…

In the 2003 Grutter v. Bollinger University of Michigan Law School affirmative action case, Sandra Day O'Connor declared on behalf of the majority of justices that, "We expect that 25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary." As this amounts to no less than a mandate that affirmative action for college…

Challenging the prevailing belief that the first 3 years of a child's life comprise the most critical period for development, this book maintains that although there is valid scientific evidence for the existence of critical periods, the same research points to learning and development occurring throughout life. The book asserts that too many…

This study quantified the benefits to children and parents participating in nine early intervention programs and conducted a cost-benefit analysis of the Perry Preschool and the Elmira Prenatal/Early Infancy Project (PEIP). The findings indicated that early intervention programs led to the following advantages for program participants relative to…

This book is designed to provide a broad range of information on family structure and function in an increasingly multicultural society, family system characteristics and the implications for intervention, communication development in the family context, the nature and delivery of family centered-services, specific requirements of Public Law…

This is volume 5 in the series of translations of books from the Soviet literature on research in the psychology of mathematics instruction and on teaching methods influenced by the research. The heart of this volume is the need to establish a continuity between sensory perceptions and conceptual development as children progress from work in…

Much more is known about how to best prevent and remediate learning deficits than is being applied. However, much remains to be learned about effective programs for students at risk of failure. Major restructuring of compensatory and special education programs in the early grades is needed to ensure all students an adequate level of basic skills…

This publication provides a summary of relevant federal laws concerning the legal rights and benefits available to persons with disabilities. Relevant laws are divided into general subject areas, including education, employment, health, housing, income maintenance, nutrition, civil rights, social services, transportation, and vocational…

The current state of rehabilitation for persons with disabilities in the Asia and Pacific Region is outlined in a series of national or regional descriptions. The descriptions focus on such aspects as the incidence of disabilities, education, demographic and economic factors, attitudes, government policy and initiatives, non-government initiatives…

Examined are the interactions of parents and their children with developmental disabilities, focusing on the following aspects: social, emotional, language, communication, clinical, educational, and methodological. A partial listing of contents follows: "Determinants of Parent and Child Interactive Behavior" (Carl Dunst and Carol…