Nonsocial play continues to be perceived as a behavior that is detrimental young children's development. The research evidence in this area is mixed but lends itself to a more positive view of nonsocial play. Despite the substantial amount of literature available, the terminology used fails to be consistent and may prove to be distracting and…

This article presents the developmental continuum of children's storytelling skills and provides examples at each of five levels: labeling, listing, connecting, sequencing and narrating. The authors connect these developing narrative skills to communication, literacy and cognition. Strategies to facilitate development from one level to another are…

The study examines the effect of the "Living Values Educational Program" (LVEP) on certain behaviors and attitudes related to personal intelligences (Intrapersonal & Interpersonal) in elementary school students in a private school in Lebanon. A sample of 76 second and third grade students was randomly selected. A pre-post…

Computers are increasingly a part of preschooler's lives. The purpose of the present paper was to discuss research avenues employing computers as a learning tool and to analyse the results obtained by this method at the preschoolers' learning level. Specifically this research was to determine if computer assisted instruction (CAI) was a useful…

Defiant behavior in two- and three-year-olds is a natural expression of a young child's growing autonomy, and, although frustrating to adults, is a natural phase of a child's socio-emotional growth. L.S. Vygotsky's socio-historical theory of the development included a discussion of "crisis" periods, one of which he felt occurred at age three. The…

The purpose of this research was to investigate whether different kinds of environmental print logos were known more frequently by young children than other kinds. Sixty-one 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds were assessed on 20 full-context color pictures of environmental print logos. These 20 logos were divided into three categories: community (signs…

A written questionnaire was used to obtain information regarding Greek kindergarten teachers' personal views on the concept of Environmental Education (EE). The questionnaire was also designed to obtain the teachers' views relative to a series of theoretical and methodological issues concerning the application of EE. It was ascertained that the…

Staff interviews and classroom observations based on predetermined observation criteria and open-ended questions were conducted at early care and education programs in Kakunodate, Akita, Japan; Tazawako, Akita, Japan; Butte, Montana; and Missoula, Montana. Differences in curriculum, classroom structure and educational strategies were found. For…

The period of early childhood sets the stage for how well children view themselves, each other, and their world. Shared positive emotional experiences between caregivers and children serve as building blocks for the development of social and emotional well-being in infants and toddlers. Incorporating the three principles of promotion, prevention,…

This article addresses the underlying beliefs needed by teachers of young children if their learning communities are to be successful and self-sustaining. The relationships of language arts and social studies content to specific academic, social and literary rituals are discussed in the context of classroom examples in the United States. Trust and…

Family involvement in schooling can benefit young children, teachers, and families. Family involvement in schools can be influenced by both school-related and family-related factors. School-related factors include teachers' attitudes toward families, and school and teacher expectations. Family-related factors include ethnicity, prior school…

This study describes the lived experience of Kevin, a young child with physical disabilities who is placed in an inclusive classroom, a classroom where children with and without disabilities are educated together, with extra support provided for the child with disabilities. Children with disabilities who are placed in inclusive early childhood…

Many struggling readers, students with English as a second language, and children with disabilities do not engage in the strategies that good readers use when reading for understanding. Reading comprehension depends upon the students' ability to successfully use strategies to monitor and control their own comprehension. Teachers need to help…

Preschool is an institution for cultural preservation, which responds to social change. Guided by this assumption, this study used a recent video of Chinese preschool in conjunction with the questionnaire from "Preschool in Three Cultures", a study by Joseph Tobin and his colleagues in the 1980s, to examine the cultural and professional beliefs of…

Current preschool assessments lack the ability to capture performance variance and complex thinking skills. This study examined the relationship among student performance, student feelings, and teacher perceptions as they apply to using a formal performance assessment in a preschool setting. A formal performance assessment was administered to 71…