Young children are able to read before they experience formal reading instruction. They have unique backgrounds, experiences, and capabilities. As a result, young children need to have reading and writing experiences that are of interest to them and are developmentally appropriate for them, which also include the primary grades. This review…

This paper identifies salient practices of faculty mentors of undergraduate research (UR) as indicated in the extensive literature of the past two decades on UR. The well-established benefits for students involved in UR are dependent, first and foremost, on high-quality mentoring. Mentorship is a defining feature of UR. As more and different types…

This report provides a brief literature review describing a variety of best practices in middle school education.

Most teachers persist in using highly structured teaching methods with pre-school pupils and in trying to teach academic skills for which young children are not prepared. This is the case because many teachers teach as they were taught or in ways that students' parents and relatives want. But researchers find these practices dangerous, and stress…

A literature review on developmentally appropriate practices in kindergarten and remedies for inappropriate practices was conducted. The review resulted in four sets of annotated references: (1) a total of 18 annotations concerning factors influencing the developmental point of view; (2) a total of 14 annotations dealing with the effects of…

Given what is known about cognitive development, how well prepared are 4-year-old children to succeed in school? This paper addresses the question by describing three areas in cognitive development, highlighting major themes in the research, and suggesting implications for teaching practice and social policy. Classical and contemporary views of…

Examines the influences of the Reggio Emilia approach on a reconceptualization of quality and developmentally appropriate practices in early-childhood education. Concludes that the determination of quality approaches to children's care and education requires a functional system of relations in which all voices count. A commitment to quality…

This article synthesizes key principles that teachers should utilize to support English language learners in mainstream early childhood classrooms. Principles include treating children fairly, which entails treating children differently; providing an appropriate language environment; providing adequate English instruction to allow basic…

This article explores the effects of the integration movement on the placement of preschoolers with disabilities and describes the effects of integration and developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) methodology on assessment and instructional practices. The paper concludes that programs following the DAP guidelines can be adapted to promote…

This article summarizes research supporting claims that offering opportunities for planning and reflection in early years promotes development of thinking and reasoning. Strategies to encourage planning include ensuring that children can see areas and materials during planning, asking children questions, encouraging children to elaborate on plans,…

Key considerations for designing reading practice include determining the most effective methods to store word meanings for fluent retrieval during word recognition, making practice stimulating, determining whether practice ought to occur within or without the context of extended text, and addressing whether a target instructional objective is…

This paper presents an expanded definition of school readiness that includes the skills children possess as they begin formal school as well as the ways that family backgrounds, preschool experiences, and primary-grade classrooms interact with children to point them toward school success or failure. The paper notes five dimensions of school…

Educators are placing increasing emphasis on developing literacy requirements for young children. This book reviews research on emergent literacy among preschool and kindergarten children and provides suggestions for kindergarten teachers to create instructional programs that enhance children's literacy learning and to avoid developmentally…

Addresses the benefits of multiage grouping of primary students in small, rural schools. Reports on a survey indicating that 20 of 49 school districts in a rural state employed multiage grouping. Stresses the importance of considering child development when implementing multiage grouping, and concludes that multiage grouping may be the future of…

Usually considered a pedagogical plan, the term "curriculum" is linked with decisions regarding educational content and often with related instructional strategies. However, a curriculum for young children embodies more than the "what" and the "how" of children's learning experiences in early childhood settings. Based…