This study explored the progress 1700 English children made between the beginning and end of their first year of school, the Reception year, which is optional for 4-year olds in England. Findings show that the Reception year has a major impact on literacy and numeracy, although progress varied considerably among schools. (SLD)

Discusses notable changes occurring in early childhood education and the National Association for Education of Young Children: (1) both are experiencing unprecedented growth; (2) the increased attention from media, politicians, business, researchers, policymakers, and parents has created challenges for both; and (3) there are new leadership…

Examines the changes in perspective involved when early childhood teachers are promoted to administrators, focusing on leadership roles. Discusses stages of growth for administrators and the implications of these stages for effective leadership. (KB)

A program to reduce stress in families of preschool-aged children with autism applied a family-systems model. Nineteen families participated. Evaluation data measured program goals for increases in factual knowledge about autism, knowledge about stress and stress management, and awareness of social support and advocacy issues. (Author/EMK)

Describes a project whereby a harpist collaborated with a preschool to introduce a harp and related music instruction into the classrooms. Notes the various learning experiences of individual children and the appropriateness of play as the mechanism for creating an inviting environment as children experienced the harp. (HTH)

Explores ways of designing playgrounds that afford maximum safety with minimal risk of injury to children, as well as how to conduct a safety audit and the types of playground equipment not recommended for 2- to 5-year olds. Details ways of designing a playground that enhances creative-play experiences. Provides resource information for safety…

Offers a rationale for and overview of contextual factors that influence the play and developmental outcomes of preschool children with disabilities. Research on play is discussed relative to child, program, family, and measurement characteristics that can influence play/developmental outcomes. (DB)

Discusses using questioning to encourage nursery school children to develop skills of observation and communication. An effective way of exploring the ideas children hold is through productive questioning. (Author/CCM)

Describes a personal artistic struggle against heroin addiction, advising teachers of the difficulty of working to discover and express one's developing self. Considers the effect of poetry and philosophy on the developing creative process. Provides samples of the author's own poetry to demonstrate creative development, as an example to Montessori…

Presents issues raised in designing a software interface as a teaching aid for a preschool user group. Addresses issues such as message variance caused by disappearance of information when media access varied by user, and finding commonalities across a user base. (PA)

Presents data showing that the Rhyming Detection instructions do not have the effect claimed by Bryant (1998). Argues that Bryant's new measure reflects children's global sensitivity to sound similarities between different words and provides no convincing support for his conclusion. Concludes that their evidence supports the view that phonemic…

Presents the structure and organization of science education in Kenya from preschool to university level. Addresses such sociocultural issues as religion and acceptance or resistance to science by Kenyan society. (Author/VWL)

Examined the developmental relationship of children's motivational orientations and reading skills from preschool through grade 2. Results for 48 children show that regressive and progressive reading career groups of matching initial phonemic awareness and verbal ability did not differ motivationally at preschool but motivational orientation did…

Examines the effects of adding correspondence training to a behavioral skills training package that taught abduction prevention skills to 31 children, ages 4-5 years. Results indicate that correspondence training did not improve correspondence between saying and doing target behaviors. However, both training approaches were equally effective in…

Presents research findings regarding the relationship of social skills deficits and behavioral characteristics associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among kindergarten-age children. Children with ADHD characteristics (N=95) were rated as having significantly poorer social skills than children without ADHD characteristics…