This qualitative study investigated mothers' views about their role in their children's education and their expectations of their child's preschool. A particular focus of the study was to contrast the views of mothers with differing degrees of parenting self-efficacy and to contrast the perceptions of working-class and middle-class mothers.…

Information about limited-English-proficient (LEP) students in the Austin (Texas) Independent School District (AISD) is summarized. In the 1990-91 school year, 5,047 students in the AISD were served in LEP programs at elementary schools (3,933 students), middle schools (555 students), and secondary schools (559 students). Most were Spanish…

This article describes a food and restaurant project undertaken by 6-year-old children in a bilingual school in Mexico City. The teacher who conducted this study illustrates the children's involvement in this investigation through photographs, samples of their work, and explanations.

La Escuelita, a primary-level program of second language (Spanish) instruction set in an elementary school, was developed for preschool and elementary education students through the collaborative work of enthusiastic, creative teachers and a strong support group of school officials, interested students, and parents. (CB)

Describes a system of inservice training and support delivered to mainstream day care personnel by the staff of the Social Integration Project. The results of the project's goal to integrate handicapped preschool children into day care programs are measured by the progress of the children served and by teacher attitudes. (Author/DT)

One way of countering illiteracy is to teach children to read before they enter elementary school, e.g., in nursery school or at home. The "right age" for learning to read is discussed; positive results of a project in France that taught nursery school children to read and write are examined. (RM)

Identifies key components of U.S. Language immersion programs and offers a description of existing partial and full immersion schools. The survey parallels information-gathering efforts in Canada and Europe by providing details and summaries of demographic information, teachers, materials, target language proficiency and use, program structure and…

Compared work environments of NAEYC accredited and nonaccredited centers using the Early Childhood Work Environment Survey. Found that innovativeness, goal consensus, opportunities for professional growth, and clarity accounted for the greatest differences between accredited and nonaccredited centers. Also found differences in staff's job…

Explored responses to interactive multimedia by 3- to 5-year-olds through examination of verbal and facial expressions, use of mouse, body movement, attitudes toward multimedia, and teacher comments. Found great interest in using the technology and little difficulty in adjusting to developmentally appropriate materials, which has implications for…

Reports on increased federal funding for education, training, employment, environmental, and natural resources programs for 1997. Focuses on how various types of rural areas are affected. Education programs received large increases; most programs benefit low-income students, hence rural poverty areas. Six tables and figures show funding increases…

Overviews the history of Service Volunteered for All (Servol), an organization founded in 1970 in Trinidad and Tobago by Gerard Pantin, a Catholic priest. The organization has evolved into 2 national networks of 150 preschools, 40 life centers for teenage boys and girls, training programs for preschool teachers, and community programs aimed at…

A model for assessing the interactive sources of communication development in young children is proposed, focusing on the reciprocal behaviors of both adults and children. The model integrates theoretical and empirical findings and is designed for parallel diagnostic and treatment purposes in five areas: social play, turn taking, nonverbal…

Examined preschool and primary school students' ability to recognize differences between spoken samples of languages foreign to them. Results found that, although both groups performed as well as adults when the languages within a pair differed, preschoolers performed significantly worse than primary school and college students when the speakers…

Reviews professional literature on such topics as the use of whole-language programs at all age and educational levels; ways for teachers and parents to respond to children's fascination with war play and war toys; the integration of children's literature into the social studies curriculum; and the teaching of prosocial skills to preschoolers and…

Examined public school preschool programs for disadvantaged children and their developmental appropriateness by studying the programs' effects on children's language and memory skills and on classroom environment. Results showed that teachers could not distinguish their uninvolvement from overly and inappropriate academic involvement. Teachers did…