A multifactor instrument, the Bentler Interview Developmental Scale (BIDS), was used to measure developmental changes in children from birth to age 7. The device consisted of 115 age related items to which the mother responded. Data was gathered through interviews of the mothers of sample children throughout the United States. Reliability of the…

This paper offers reflections on problematic aspects of the relationship between adolescent mothers and their toddlers. Similarities in the stages of development and the characteristics of both the toddler and the adolescent mother are identified. Both mother and child are seen to be at very vulnerable ages. The adolescent mother's developmental…

The objectives of this research pilot project were (1) to train 3- and 4-year-olds in cognitive and tactile discovery tasks; (2) to provide guidance for parents, enabling them to reinforce and review the concepts taught; and (3) to establish training and employment, as tutors, for central city high school and junior college students. A "discovery…

In a summer program, 351 Head Start children were assessed. Goals of the program were (1) to assess the educability of these children as a group, (2) to identify to public schools the children in need of early special help, and (3) to obtain information germane for future Head Start programs. Children were screened with reference to probable…

Two studies demonstrated dissociation between preschoolers' understanding of pictorial and mental representations. Results showed that false picture tasks were significantly easier than false belief tasks. There was no correlation between performance on the two. Children were trained on false belief, false picture, or number conservation tasks;…

Part of a prospective longitudinal study examining factors that account for developmental outcomes for high-risk children, this investigation focused on how successful adaptation at 12 and 18 months is related to adaptation at 24 months, 42 months, and 4.5 to 5 years of age. Assessments at each age were designed to indicate how the child was…

The effects of instruction in the Piacceleration Program (PXL), a hands on mastery-based program of instruction in Piagetian skills, on the acquisition of skills of classification, seriation, and conservation were studied with 28 Head Start students of Hispanic origin and 28 comparisons. PXL students did perform better on these skills. (SLD)

In response to extended-day child care schedules, this article offers suggestions for planning a variety of developmentally appropriate activities to maintain the preschool child's interest and energy. Suggestions are provided for scheduling, enlisting parent and volunteer participation, increasing awareness of current events, and for end-of-day…

Designed for use by parents to further the emotional, social, and intellectual development of their 2- to 6-year old children, this book describes the Montessori method of early childhood education and provides sample activities and games to develop children's skills in the home, the neighborhood, and the world. Following introductory sections…

To examine how young children learn to read new words, we asked preschoolers (N = 115, mean age 4 years, 8 months) to learn and remember novel spellings that made sense based on letter names (e.g. TZ for "tease") and spellings that were visually distinctive but phonetically inappropriate. Children who were more knowledgeable about letter names…

THE DEUTSCH INTERVENTION MODEL IS BASED ON THE THEORY THAT ENVIRONMENT PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF COGNITIVE SKILLS AND OF FUNCTIONAL USE OF INTELLECTUAL CAPABILITIES. DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN HAVE INTELLECTUAL DEFICITS WHICH MAY BE OVERCOME BY USE OF MATCHED REMEDIAL MEASURES. LANGUAGE SKILLS AND MOTIVATION CAN BE IMPROVED BY TEACHING…

This report is the second from a 3 1/2-year project. The prekindergarten research involved matched groups of children (91 experimental, 115 control), representative of the local population, whose developmental needs (motor, auditory, language, visual retention) were identified by a test battery. Half-day classes focused on specific need for 20…

Child development can be fostered through relationships between older adults and children. Children's social isolation resulting from demographic, economic, and social changes can be addressed by means of intergenerational programs. During four developmental stages from infancy to adolescence, older adults can play a significant role in…

The predictive validity of an original Piagetian instrument (the Piagetian Task Instrument) was compared with that of two frequently used published screening tests for children entering kindergarten: (1) the Brigance K-1 Screen, and (2) the Merrill Language Screening Test. The relative contribution of each test was determined when they were…

This study examined the effectiveness of an intervention program for culturally deprived preschoolers living in a rural area. The subjects, 29 children between the ages of 3 years 10 months and 5 years 3 months, were administered a kindergarten readiness test and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test at the beginning of the school year and again at…