A study explored the nature of representational thought in 10 congenitally blind three- to nine-year-olds through interviews during which the subjects defined and described objects and later identified similar objects. Results suggested that blind children should be taught appropriate or systematic methods for tactually obtaining information. (CB)

As alternatives to preschool story hours, Parent-Child Learning Centers offer opportunities for parent education, hands-on activities that are appropriate for the developmental needs of the young child, more effective use of the library professional's time and skills, and expansion of library service to meet the changing needs of the community.…

An analysis of nine frequently used introductory special education textbooks examined the information presented and conclusions drawn concerning the efficacy of early intervention. Textbooks were consistent in the content covered, and conclusions were generally consistent with previously published efficacy reviews. Findings are discussed in…

Presents a joint statement by various educational associations of concerns about present practices in pre-first grade reading instruction and offers recommendations for improvement. (Author/BB)

The Multidimensional Stimulus Fluency Measure (MSFM) and the Thinking Creatively in Action and Movement (TCAM) instrument, both designed to assess ideational fluency through different response modes (verbal and nonverbal), were administered to 24 middle-class preschool children. Concurrent and construct validity were established for these two…

Describes a study that supports the idea that participation in sociodramatic play builds the language competence of young children and that play is vital part of good preschool programs. (HOD)

When two-, three-, four-, and five-year-olds were tested for knowledge of sex role stereotypes and preferences for sex-typed activities, boys' stereotype acquisition lagged behind preference development. Girls' data were ambiguous. Boys displayed equally strong tendencies to endorse same-sex activities; girls displayed a stronger tendency to…

Sex-typed preferences and gender constancy were assessed at ages four through eight years on a cross section of 819 urban children. Findings verified that sex-stereotyped preferences are highly developed among young children, and that, by age five, most children accurately attribute sex-stereotyped preferences to peers of the opposite sex.…

Long term studies of students who participated in preschool education programs show that the differences and effects are not in test scores but in children's ability to meet teachers' expectations and to avoid being labeled failures.(MD)

Counseling gifted preschoolers may prevent later underachievement and identify the need for intervention with children at risk for learning problems. Counseling goals include establishing a realistic self concept, helping children explore and label feelings, and coordinating resources for comprehensive assessment and intervention. (CL)

Explores 96 preschool children's utilization of complementary and taxonomic relations under varying task demands. Results indicated that, as task demands increased, (1) complementary intrusions produced systematic error in the taxonomic condition and (2) performance decreased in both conditions. Complementary pairs were maintained at progressively…

Investigated the validity of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) with a sample of preschool-age children. The K-ABC did not differentiate between age or sex groups, but blacks scored lower than whites. The findings are supportive of previous validity students and two-factor theories of intelligence. (Author/ABB)

Experiment 1 examined the position that mirror-image confusions reflect an inability among three- to five-year-olds to determine whether their performance level differences reflect differences among nonreaders already attending and those not yet attending to reading cues. Experiment 2 examined the Experiment 1 four- and five-year-olds, identified…

The sex-typed and sex-neutral activities of 54 preschoolers and their peers' negative and positive responses were recorded during free-play periods in three mixed-age day care classrooms. Each child was observed for a total of 100 minutes of peer interaction. (Author/RH)

Three studies investigated: the effect of parent involvement on the exploratory behaviors of children rated as high-, moderate-, or low-explorers; whether maternal presence increased the exploration of low-exploratory children, decreased the exploration of high-exploratory children, or both; and whether maternal presence or mother/child…