Introduces this special issue on the evolving childcare and early education services in the city/nation of Singapore and presents ongoing research interests in the area. Topics for articles include an historical overview; the role of play, language development, and early reading experiences for young children; number concepts; and early-childhood…

Presents a historical overview of preschool education in Singapore. Focuses on the custodial services of the creches organized through the social-welfare department and on the postwar development of kindergartens as a community service offered through the Ministry of Education and child-care centers under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of…

Conducted a pilot questionnaire study on Singaporean family reading practices. Found that in the majority of homes, the mother initiated reading of mostly fictional material borrowed from public libraries. Reading aloud to children occurred in about one-third of homes, with direct reading instruction occurring in over two-thirds of families. Found…

Analyzed videotapes of 3- to 7-year-old Singaporean children to document play and language level. Data analysis revealed a developmental trend in play and language scores, several significant gender differences in Smilansky's and Parten/Piaget play categories but no significant gender differences in language scores. Socioeconomic status…

Examined the effectiveness of a year-long integrated language and music program (the Expressive Language and Music Project) to enhance Singaporean kindergartners' English oral-language competency. Found that the natural communicative setting and creative use of resources and activities based on the Orff and Kodaly approaches facilitated language…

Tested the feasibility of using local culturally relevant rhymes written for Singaporean children with 3- to 6-year olds and evaluated workshops designed to assist teachers in teaching rhymes to young children. Found that children thought the rhymes humorous and became more involved and participative, and that teachers used a wider, more creative…

Examined links between theory-of-mind status among Singaporean and United Kingdom preschoolers and their social pretend play. Found that ratings by Singaporean and UK teachers yielded measures of facilitation, shared meaning, and thematic maintenance of interactive play. Rater nationality did not affect ranking patterns. Findings indicated a link…

Examined effects of the day care environment on Singaporean preschoolers in 16 day care centers as assessed by the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale. Found that day care quality as measured by the total score and specific subscales was related to children's language development, especially verbal fluency. Effects were evident even when…

Examined early mathematics learning in Singaporean preschoolers and kindergartners, as well as preschool teachers' teaching styles and materials. Findings suggest that crucial factors in early mathematics learning include (1) the provision of opportunities for children to reflect on their observations; and (2) adults' warmth expressed in…

A pilot study examined Singaporean parents' views on the value of various curriculum skill areas for their young children with disabilities. Findings indicated that parents gave the highest priority for self-help functional life skills, followed by social relation skills, community-based functional life skills, and functional academic skills.…

Examined the feasibility of integrating children with mild disabilities into mainstream preschool centers in Singapore. Results after nine months of implementation found positive effects for the children, both disabled and nondisabled, their parents, and teachers. (Author/KB)

Used teacher questionnaires to examine incidence of left-handedness in nearly 2,800 Singaporean children, racial differences in this left-handed population, and educational provisions in preschool and primary school. Findings indicated that 7.5% of preschoolers and 6.3% of primary children were left-handed, with a higher proportion being Chinese…

Examined attitudes of 76 Singaporean preschool teachers and supervisors regarding integrating young children with disabilities into mainstream preschool centers. Findings indicated that the majority of teachers were willing to consider integrating but voiced concerns about their abilities to cope on a daily basis without relevant information about…

Examines current issues influencing the provision of early care and education for Singaporean children. Focuses on the increased need to encourage mothers to return to the workplace, to promote the early awareness of family values and national identity, and to prepare children adequately for primary school. (Author/KB)

Examined major discriminating factors for cognitive development in high-IQ and low-IQ children in child care who had been adopted after age four. Found that birth rank, maternal mental retardation, pregnancy/delivery complications, severe prematurity or low birthweight, and number of hospitalizations differentiated the two groups. Over time, IQs…