The introduction of life-coping skills into the preschool curriculum provides the catalyst for the acquisition of skills essential for the development of a healthy individual. Life-coping skills taught at this level allow for the engagement of the child's entire developmental spectrum. (Author)

Describes the implementation of a brief behavioral intervention, based on the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program, by 13 pre-school practitioners with 39 parents. The results point to the role of primary care practitioners in providing services in settings that are easily accessed by parents, thus increasing the availability of support to parents…

Using naturalistic inquiry and case study contrasts, finds variation in literacy support available to children. In income-eligible preschools, curricula and pedagogy reflected a limited view of children as learners. Argues that poor children and children of color are socialized to practice a different literacy, one that offers limited experiences…

The relationship between young children's social competence and the goals of early intervention programs is explored, focusing on the significance of peer-related social competence, the development of peer social competence skills in young handicapped children, the nature of assessment and intervention strategies, and the importance of the social…

Available evidence suggests that early language intervention is effective when designed to meet the needs of the individual child. Intervention should begin when risk or predisposing factors so indicate or when significant delays are present. Intervention should respect the child's developmental level in relevant areas and should address…

The article reviews the literature on the effectiveness of early stimulation programs to prevent intellectual or social retardation. It summarizes findings and recommends continued use and development of early stimulation as a primary prevention strategy. Also stressed is early identification of preschoolers with potential or apparent…

This article reviews the legislative history of Public Law 99-457, the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986, which created a new program of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities. The unique features of Part H are considered in the context of current uncertainty about its future. (Author/DB)

This article explores the relationship between communication skills and social integration of preschoolers who are deaf or hard of hearing; examines facilitation and evaluation of social integration activities; and describes several components to assist adults who wish to facilitate the social integration of preschoolers who are hearing, deaf, or…

This essay provides a rationale for including social competence as a prominent feature in the understanding of mental retardation, outlines efforts to describe socially competent behavior, and considers factors that underlie social competence. The essay introduces the papers in this special issue on social skills in individuals with mental…

The article reviews research on children's use of time with emphasis on maintaining "engagement" (developmentally and contextually appropriate behavior). Techniques for preschool teachers to use to promote high levels of engagement by children with or without disabilities are identified. (DB)

This article reviews recent research on phonological development and characteristics associated with different forms of delay. Language-delayed students are considered categorizable at 24 months as either "late talkers" with no major deviations from patterns of normal acquisition or disordered students whose developmental patterns are markedly…

Six studies examined the effectiveness of the elaborative interrogation teaching strategy, which involves students generating answers to "why" questions about facts about to be learned. The preschool and elementary students demonstrated higher factual recall when they were instructed to use their own elaborations of facts rather than…

Explores preschool teachers' ratings of both the perceived importance of and their comfort levels implementing interventions for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Participants included 138 teachers from licensed child care facilities. Teachers concluded the majority of interventions were mostly important and believed they…

The purpose of this paper is to explore questions about the effects of Head Start. Among these questions are the following: What is Head Start? What are the short-term and long-term effects of Head Start education? Does Head Start meet the expectations of No Child Left Behind (NCLB)? The methodology used to answer the research questions was a…

This fact sheet on epilepsy is offered in both English and Spanish. It provides a definition, information on incidence, typical characteristics, and educational implications. It notes that epilepsy is classified as "other health impaired" under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and that students with epilepsy are eligible for special…