Studied perceptions of early childhood teachers and employers regarding early childhood teacher education. Found that previous experience with, attitudes toward, and understanding of children and entry qualifications were weighted higher than age and gender for teacher selection. Lectures, group discussion, direct experience with children, and…

Reviews the advantages and disadvantages of the use of DISTAR, a highly structured direct instruction program used to teach basic skills to disadvantaged preschool children. (FMW)

Reviews eight children's books, three books for teachers, and a set of posters that focus on African American history. The books focus on rhymes, poetry, the negro baseball leagues, the African American family, the civil rights movement, the Coretta Scott King Awards, multicultural education, and black innovators. (MDM)

Presents drawings of visual slides and accompanying text for NAMTA's parent education tool kit slide shows to introduce the Montessori method. The three shows are "At Home with Montessori,""What is Montessori Preschool?" and "What is Montessori Elementary?" Includes form for ordering slide shows. (HTH)

This paper describes components of the Central Institute for the Deaf (Missouri) auditory learning program for children with assistive listening devices, including: (1) audiologic management of the sensory aids; (2) a device-specific curriculum, listing objectives in a developmental sequence; and (3) appropriate teaching activities for reaching…

Discusses environmental education, noting that teachers' science backgrounds are not nearly as important as their showing interest in children's experiences and discoveries, respect for environment, and encouragement of close observation of the world. Suggests that to help children understand and appreciate nature, teachers can focus on having…

Presents a study of results of training a nursery teacher and nurse in "Incidental Teaching" (IT) procedures designed to encourage child-initiated language interactions in the classroom. Reports increased use of IT by the subjects and in initiation by second-language learning children. Concludes that the number of words used increased…

Notes that, as Head Start programs nationwide are finding increasing numbers of children displaying stressed behavior in the classroom, it is important to examine programs and to modify expectations and environments to better meet the needs of children. Offers advice on understanding stressed children's needs, classroom strategies for meeting…

Describes ways in which Hawaii's Kamehameha Prekindergarten Education Program (PREP) considers culture in developing program components. PREP makes connections to the home culture an ongoing process. Incorporating culture into educational activities for preschoolers occurs in three areas: making connections through familiar materials, language,…

Fifty-two severely handicapped children (ages 3-12) were trained on communication skills using microprocessor technology. Positive effects were found for the additional computer language training, especially on the specific vocabulary taught, a cluster of general language measures, and teacher and parent measures of social interaction skills. (DB)

Sixty-two preschool and kindergarten programs were examined with regard to various instructional practices. An observations protocol was developed to assess social and motivational effects of instructional practice in early childhood education programs. Program participants who had relatively high scores on the social context subscales had…

Behavior analysis was implemented in a school for 38 children with multiple disabilities, following staff training. Results over two years showed educationally significant increases in trials taught, correct student trials, and objectives achieved. During followup, results indicated maintenance and social validity of the behavior analysis package.…

Describes the development of a Head Start-public school partnership in Oregon from space sharing and mutually planned activities to coordinating a seamless transition between programs. Focuses on the joint use of the First Steps reading, writing, spelling, and oral language developmental continuums. Concludes that the newly articulated curriculum…

A range of qualitative and quantitative methods were used to create case studies and summaries of 16 inclusive programs in 4 regional U.S. locations. The individualized service model that programs followed were itinerant-direct service, itinerant-collaborative consultative, team teaching, early childhood, early childhood special education, and…

This document presents the final report of a 4-year project (ending in 1991) which conducted six studies of the impact of various peer-mediated interventions on the acquisition, generalization, and maintenance of social interaction skills of preschoolers with severe disabilities. The report covers project objectives, the project's theoretical…