This study compared the performance of kindergarten children who had participated in a full-year Head Start program (FYHS) with that of children who had attended summer Head Start (SHS). FYHS subjects at each of two elementary schools were selected at random from eligible applicants. SHS comparison groups were made up primarily of children from…

A research project investigated parent and teacher perceptions of the appeal and utility of two bilingual children's television shows and studied the appeal and comprehensibility of the shows to children. A total of 250 parents, 244 teachers and 800 children in eight cities responded to questionnaires. Returns showed that better than 90% of the…

This report includes a description of the Frostig as a total instrument and an overall analysis, as well as separate analyses and descriptions of each subtest. A brief summary of the experimental design and sampling plan also is included. A summary of the AEL Early Childhood Program is available as PS 004 889. (Author/NH)

Argues that the Florida Teacher Certification Examination is culturally, linguistically, and philosophically biased against minorities. Suggested alternatives to testing are implementation of knowledge about effective schools, teacher workshops on effective techniques and attitudes for teaching nonachievers, and improved early education. (CMG)

This paper addresses the analysis of surveys administered to prekindergarten through eighth grade students and the analysis of parent and teacher interviews in an effort to determine why children read, what they prefer to read, and how adults can further motivate them to read. The premise of the paper is that attitudes (feelings toward an…

Noting that early childhood education is one tool for violence prevention, this study examined the effectiveness of a preschool violence prevention program in influencing the knowledge and attitudes of Head Start teachers in a rural, heavily Hispanic, southern Texas community. Head Start teachers were nonrandomly assigned to a control group, a…

The views of teachers and directors in four Christian preschools and four Buddhist preschools are examined in this qualitative study of early childhood education in Japan. In Christian preschools, the guiding principle was that each child was a precious gift of God. This belief resulted in a play-oriented curriculum that maximized the choices…

Argues that the use of prepackaged, worksheet-based curricula in preschools decreases teacher and student interest by creating a stagnant classroom environment. Provides guidelines for choosing prepackaged curricula when necessary. Suggests that a constructivist classroom promotes student interest, motivation, interaction, and discussion, and that…

Contends that educators and caregivers are still constrained in relationships with parents, respond with resentment and stonewalling when parents express uneasiness about pedagogical practices, and too frequently treat parents and children from other cultures differently. Suggests that true dialog may transform practitioners as educators, children…

Developed measures of relational aggression for young children. Found that relational aggression appears at young ages and can be distinguished from overt aggression. Preschool girls are more relationally and less overtly aggressive than boys. Relational aggression is related to social-psychological maladjustment. (Author/KB)

This study compared mothers' and teachers' ratings of adaptive behavior of 20 children (ages 24-38 months) with developmental delays in an early childhood education program, to determine whether their observations differed. Results are analyzed in terms of child's age, gender, and length of time spent in the program. (Author/JDD)

Parents and teachers share concerns about appropriate early childhood educational practices, but often differ on what methods best serve the children. Differences in opinion can result in strained relationships between the home and school, and make fulfilling the basic educational needs of the child more difficult. This study explores the age-old…

A study examined the interactions between special education and mainstream early childhood teachers and children with and without disabilities in integrated (mainstreamed) preschool settings. It was hypothesized that in an integrated setting, special education teachers would be more likely to interact with handicapped children while mainstream…

Noting the important influence of a positive home-school relationship on children's academic achievement, this study explored some of the factors that can prevent parents from becoming involved in their child's school. A questionnaire consisting of 25 statements to be answered on a five-point Likert scale, and four open-ended questions was…

This paper discusses advances in technology and how teachers can use technology for teaching students with disabilities. The work of the Macomb Projects, a group of federally funded, early childhood special education projects at Western Illinois University that has been exploring the use of computer and adaptive technologies in the education of…