Four- and 5-year-olds' understanding of basic turtle graphics commands was examined before and after a hands-on, interactive problem-solving experience. Children (n=32) saw display screen events consisting of an initial turtle state, a command transformation, and the resulting turtle state. They were asked to give the command executed in each…

Examination of seven refereed journals over a 10-year period (1977-1986) identified 28 papers using single-subject research methodology in studies involving preschool-aged children with handicaps or their families. Five types of single-subject designs were found to be used both alone and in various combinations. Of the 30 research designs…

Information from a workshop on how to help preschool teachers discuss death with young children is presented. Limitations of young children's preoperational thought processes are noted, including children's confusion about the irreversibility of death and the loss of a sense of trust in their environment. Children have different ways of dealing…

Offered are 20 tips that caregivers can use to help young children discover the pleasures and powers of language. Tips include: tie words to actions; use language that matches the child's stage of development; use specific encouragement; help children think in sequences; teach time and space words, as well as polar opposites and relational terms;…

The paper examines barriers faced by educators and administrators in serving young handicapped children in rural areas and suggests approaches to overcoming these barriers. Among problems identified are transportation; funding shortages due to a lower tax base and higher levels of poverty; unemployment, and seasonal employment; staff shortages;…

The Therapeutic Preschool Program serves 3- and 4-year-old children of average intelligence who are diagnosed as having emotional and/or behavioral problems. The primary goal of the program is to provide a framework for teaching the social, emotional, and cognitive skills necessary for eventually mainstreaming the children into a regular education…

The study contrasted the learning of the Rebus and Bliss symbol systems by language-delayed preschoolers. Subjects included 26 black preschool children, aged 4-6. Results showed that Rebus pre-test and post-test scores were significantly higher than Bliss pre-test and post-test scores. Results also showed a 35% improvement in identification of…

Changing the dramatic play area in a child care setting promotes creativity and gives children the chance to experience a place they may never experience in real life. Whenever possible, the children should be involved in the process of changing the area, by moving furniture and exchanging props, as well as brainstorming ideas for changes. The…

This booklet relates ways to communicate with preschoolers about such phenomena as Ninja Turtles. Ninja Turtles are likeable, fun-loving creatures that have captured the imagination of children because they have a great deal of energy, strength, and power. However, because the turtles model language and engage in violence that negatively affects…

The primary goal of special educators must always be to optimize the instruction given to low-performing students. The amount of teacher-directed instruction that low-performing students receive is directly related to their achievement. To maximize the amount of teacher-directed instruction, small and large group instruction is recommended.…

The study reported in this paper intended to trace what Chinese children think about life and identify their naive theories. Fifty-eight 5-year-old children in Taiwan from 39 kindergartens were interviewed using a semi-structured instrument. Results indicate that preschool children have preconceptions about the concept of life even before entering…

The purpose of this paper is to increase teachers' understanding of children's conceptualizations of death to enable them to respond to the symptoms of grief in both early and middle childhood. John Bowlby's theoretical framework of childhood mourning is elaborated, and research on teachers' facilitation of children's grief is briefly noted. The…

Part of a larger study of parents' practices regarding children's health, this report focuses on the relationship of such practices to parents' beliefs and knowledge about children's health. The study described factors influencing child health practices and sources of child health information used and preferred by parents. Also examined was the…

Preschool children experience literature early on through nursery rhymes, being read to, and tales told by parents and grandparents. This introduction to the literature of a child's culture, family, and times should be a most comfortable experience. On reaching school, however, the child will find that the demands of pedagogy become insistent over…

This bibliography was compiled for educators and parents involved in early childhood migrant education. It contains more than 200 entries of publications, publishers, and book dealers, to help parents and teachers encourage children to learn and read. The entries are arranged into three sections: (1) resources for staff; (2) resources for parents;…