Family literacy studies have shown that the role of parental storybook reading has an impact on children's success in school-based literacy instruction. Storybook reading is when adults read an appropriate text to their children. This review describes studies in which parents and children engage in storybook reading. It specifically reports…

This article discusses studies that provide the historical and contemporary patterns of father involvement in the USA to provide researchers with an understanding of contemporary fatherhood. It describes the historical patterns and research studies on father involvement that created methodological and conceptual challenges in conducting studies…

The issue of the preparation of effective teachers becomes more critical for teachers of early childhood programs. It has been hypothesized that better program quality depends on better-educated teachers. The purpose of this investigation was to explore the importance of a high level of education for all early childhood education teachers. This…

Researchers and educators have developed an interest in language development. Their studies focused on the cultural context in which language is learned and developed and its relationship to cognitive development. This article reviews the researchers' definitions on oracy and its social facets of language learning. Specifically, it reviews studies…

Studies indicate that young children's literacy learning can be promoted in a play setting. Literacy interactions, strategies, and activities in the children's play environment can facilitate their acquisition of literacy. In literacy-related play experiences, children select and utilize their abilities that are essential for literacy learning in…

Examines recent trends in early childhood education practice: the education of all children in inclusive classes, the management of vertical and horizontal transitions, the emergence of early childhood education and care programs, the development of school-family-community partnerships, the emphasis on language learning and emergent literacy, the…

Notes that developmental theories are a resource for developing early-childhood curricula; reviews a variety of current theories and research, including maturationist, behaviorist and psychoanalytic theories, and constructivist theories of cognitive development. Presents suggestions for translating theory into curriculum, as well as conceptions of…

Teacher preparation, a career-long enterprise, is conducted through reflecting on practice, receiving advice from other teachers, reading, and participating in inservice education. For designers of inservice education, appropriateness of learning activities can be assessed by examining criteria such as teacher needs, trainers' desire to help…

Defines "professional development" for early childhood teacher education, and cites the nine principles of effective professional development created by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Outlines the different stages of teacher development put forth by Fuller and Katz. Believes that interaction with persons at higher…

Presents the definition of culture within the context of early childhood curricula and briefly outlines the history of early childhood education. Claims that culture and child development are closely related. Examines early childhood education programs around the world and describes how the culture of each country influences the content of early…

Investigated implicit theories underlying classroom decisions of preschool, kindergarten, and first grade teachers. Suggested that diversity of teacher preparation programs, the personal nature of teaching, and isolation from colleagues might account for the variety of implicit theories held by teachers. (DE)

Uses such sources as personal visits, interviews, journal articles, and agency reports to describe the history and current status of reform of Chinese kindergartens and the preparation of Chinese kindergarten teachers. (DE)

Defines and discusses professionalism, and discusses the certification, credentialing, and preparation of early childhood teachers in light of recent research on these topics and the educational reform movement. Argues that the integration of new knowledge emerging from studies of educational practice and child development can help raise levels of…

Discusses the relation of individual differences to cognitive styles in the early childhood education classroom. Topics include the use of knowledge of cognitive styles in classrooms and in matching teachers to children. (RJC)

Explains the definition and criteria of high quality in early childhood practitioners as the most important element in determining the quality of an early childhood program. Defines professionalism in the early childhood field and describes differentiated levels of professionalism, early childhood teacher certification from a national perspective,…