This paper suggests two steps in instructional deisgn for early childhood that can be derived from a recent major paper on instructional strategy taxonomy. These steps, together with the instructional design variables involved in each step, are reviewed relative to current research in child development and early education. The variables reviewed…

Points out how the theories advanced during the 1930s by Russian psychologist L. S. Vygotsky can provide insights to western educational psychologists as they seek to understand child development and, particularly, as they devise ways of working with socially disadvantaged and mentally retarded children. (DB)

Many social studies curricula are based on John Dewey's principle that education should start from what the child knows and work outward from there. This paper suggests that social studies educators will make the pursuit of social studies knowledge more interesting if they tailor curriculum content to students' developing cognition. A three stage…