A total of 86 children three, four, and five years of age were observed to evaluate the frequency of occurrence and conditions surrounding laughing and smiling. Results were interpreted as supporting interpersonal theories of laughing and smiling and as calling into question theories stressing intrapersonal factors. (Author/RH)

The study described the consistency of articulation productions for frequently misarticulated phonemes among 2 1/2- to 5-year-old children. The Coarticulation Assessment in Meaningful Language was given to 360 children at six age levels. A four-way multivariate analysis of variance with repeated measures on the last two factors tested for main…

Five-year-old articulation-disordered children, some classified as substituters and some as syllable reducers, were compared with normal child and adult controls in their production of voicing contrasts. In every comparison the substituters' performances resembled that of the normal controls, as did the syllable reducers' use of voice onset time…

Case studies of two highly gifted preschoolers are presented. The article discusses pitfalls in providing programs for the highly gifted and warns that acceleration is not enough. The author suggests that three components--assessment, flexible scheduling and counseling--are critical to the success of any program for children with advanced…

The components of the Retrieval and Acceleration of Promising Young Handicapped and Talented (RAPYHT) program, a federally funded outreach model for gifted/talented handicapped preschoolers are discussed: general programing, talent screening, talent identification, talent assessment, talent programing, parent involvement, and evaluation. (CL)

Test results of 80 gifted four-six year olds confirmed the accuracy of parent recommendation, the high ability and achievement levels of the children, and their variability within achievement. Program adaptations included more mathematics teaching, individualized instruction, parent meetings, and allowance for inadequate handwriting skills and…

Fifteen legally blind preschoolers and 15 sighted controls matched for age, sex, and socioeconomic status were observed with novel and non-novel toys. Analysis of the exploratory behavior revealed no significant differences between the interaction of each group with either toy except in patterns of sensory utilization. (CL)

To examine the effects of placing young nonhandicapped children in classes primarily containing handicapped children, 16 nonhandicapped children were assigned to integrated special education preschool classes. Placement of nonhandicapped children in integrated special education classes, where the majority of peers were handicapped, did not appear…

Observation of imaginative play and scores on measures of ideational fluency, fantasy predisposition, and intelligence for 15 preschoolers revealed that ideational fluency and fantasy predisposition were related to naturally occurring imaginative play behavior. (CL)

A study involving three Down's Syndrome 4 year olds, three nonretarded Ss with similar choice behaviors, and three nonretarded Ss with mature choice behaviors identified behaviors constituting mature choice behavior and suggested that some children need help in developing the ability to make decisions. (CL)

As California develops local and statewide efforts to make high-quality preschool education available to all four-year-old children, the attention of policy makers and program planners has turned increasingly toward how to ensure a well-trained, stable, and linguistically and culturally diverse preschool teaching workforce. A central part of this…

A review of Experiments in Primary Education: Aspects of Project Follow-Through" (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich), by Eleanor E. Maccoby and Miriam Zellner. A preliminary report of Project Follow-Through, the U.S. Office of Education-sponsored project designed to continue selected experimental preschool programs through the primary grades of…

The purpose of this paper is to state the rationale for expanding applied scientific efforts to the area of early education and to suggest some goals for the resulting technology." (Author)