Discusses (1) the new perspective on children's capabilities provided by focus on discourse; (2) conversation with an older member of the culture as a context for development; (3) links between linguistic and cognitive development; and (4) children as a member of a culture from infancy onward. Developmental changes and problems in discourse study…

Examined third and seventh graders during dual tasks to estimate the mental effort required to elaborate accessible noun pairs. Findings indicated that the accessibility difference was limited to the third grade. Findings support a knowledge-base view of developmental differences in elaboration effort. (SH)

Discusses the relationship between Lawrence Kohlberg's cognitive-stage theory as a further development of Piaget's moral theory. Argues Kohlberg describes moral thought and not the formation of the independent moral function. Finds Kohlberg's major interest is in the characteristics of stages of individual moral reasoning and the principle of…

Focuses on strategies that aid cognitive competence in children of poverty. Explains how development may be hindered, delineating instructional strategies that may be useful to the development of cognitive processes. States multiple strategies exist to promote cognitive competence and that intervention strategies assist the child's effectiveness…

Domain theorists' findings in Piaget's work in children's moral development do not contradict Piaget because they are predicted by objective responsibility; research has not established that children distinguish between moral and conventional events. Claims that Piaget underestimated early morality are based on research that neglects children's…

Tests the hypothesis of U-shaped development in graphic symbolization that postulates similarities between the drawings of preschool children and adult artists, and the loss or suppression of the early facility in middle childhood. Confirms the existence of a decline in symbolic skills in adolescent children. Presents implications for art…

Sylwester says education must begin relying more on biology than social and behavioral science. All brain systems move from a slow, awkward functional level to a fast, efficient level. Contributions of metacognition, self-regulation, emotions, reflective and reflexive responses, comparison, and classification to cognitive development are…

Examined how quality of center-based child care related to early cognitive and language development from 6 to 36 months among 89 African American children. Found that higher quality care was related to higher measures of cognitive, language, and communication development, even after adjusting for selected child and family characteristics.…

Examined the association between otitis media with effusion (OME) during the first 3 years of life and cognitive, academic performance, and behavior outcomes at 12 years of age. Results indicated that OME during early childhood was not related to intellectual performance, academic achievement, behavior, and attention. Suggests that generalizations…

A follow-up study examined cognitive and motor development in 52 children prenatally exposed to cocaine (ages 48-64 months) and 52 typical children. Results found that the children who were prenatally exposed to cocaine continued to exhibit problems in expressive and receptive language areas. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

A study examined cognitive and motor development in 56 toddlers prenatally exposed to cocaine (ages 12-27 months) and 56 typical toddlers. Infants prenatally exposed to cocaine experienced developmental problems in expressive and receptive language areas. In addition, there was a possible relationship between cocaine exposure and subsequent…

This study compared cognitive and linguistic development of young children with (N=28) and without (N=29) cleft palate. Children with cleft palate, although well within the normal range, performed significantly below the control group on cognitive and linguistic tests. Cognitive differences were linguistic in nature and were related to hearing…

Considers the nature and developmental functions of physical activity play. Distinguishes three kinds of physical activity play with consecutive age peaks: rhythmic stereotypies, exercise play, and rough-and-tumble play. Considers gender differences and function in terms of immediate and deferred consequences in physical, cognitive, and social…

Development of reading speed in Italian children with dyslexia was estimated using individualized growth curves for 38 children with dyslexia tested longitudinally from 2nd-8th grade and compared with controls. Their reading speed development followed a linear trend of .3 syllables per second per grade, half the increment observed in controls.…

Examines the relation between a play-based assessment tool, specifically the PLAY observation system, and a standardized assessment of cognitive and social skills of preschool children. Recorded the level of play each child exhibited. Play behaviors reflected the child's cognitive and social developmental functioning. (CMK)