This study explores the proposition that literary criticism may be an important part of the elementary school curriculum and that its practice can be informed by the theories of Northrop Frye. The study is in three parts. The first chapter of Part I argues that there is virtually no emphasis in the elementary school on the study of literature as…

The article discusses Developmental Therapy--an approach to working with emotionally disturbed and autistic young children that is based upon developmental constructs--and presents the results of several studies testing its effectiveness. (Author/DLS)

Elementary students can learn to appreciate their own and other cultural backgrounds through a four-stage process of observation. The process involves taking a careful look at home environment, participation in food exchange with classmates, observation at friends' homes and other schools, and followup discussion. (AV)

The authors stress the importance of social learning theory and ecological psychology in teaching social skills to the developmentally disabled. (CL)

Strategies typically used for teaching academic skills can also be used to teach disabled children to become more socially competent. They include modeling, strategic placement, correspondence training, rehearsal and practice, positive reinforcement/shaping, prompting and coaching, positive practice, and multimethod training packages. (VW)

Offers caregivers in day care centers broad guidelines for promoting early infant-infant and infant-toddler social interactions. Argues against the common belief that a child is developmentally unsociable before three years of age and advocates engaging him/her in meaningful daily care activities. (DT)

Authors discuss crazymaking; distorted feedback in communications children have with others. Examples and results of distorted communication are discussed in addition to ways in which these distortions inhibit a child's construction of reality and ways to prevent distorted feedback. (HS)

Asserting that the significance of Project work in the early childhood curriculum may not be just intellectual but, more importantly, may be related to dispositional development, this paper discusses why the Project Approach is important in early childhood education. The paper explores the intellectual and social benefits of the Project Approach…

Considers the value of multicultural literature as a means of promoting social development for the greater good of society. Multicultural literature can be used across grade levels and subject areas to promote substantive social development, and it can improve the social studies curriculum by supplementing traditional materials. (SLD)

This article discusses how the exploration of opera with high-ability students can contribute to positive social and emotional development, particularly the development of humane intelligence, by stimulating ethical and moral awareness, making connections with age-old truths of humanity, and providing a powerful genre for self-expression. Teaching…

Describes cooperative learning in three high school classrooms showing that the cooperative learning strategy may be a potent instrument in work-mate preference stability and change. The examples also demonstrate the value of this strategy for maximizing intergroup interaction for the promotion of learning experiences. (JD)

Successful intervention for students with reading difficulties should integrate social/emotional variables with skills-based approaches, keeping in mind that these students are reluctant to take reading risks, appear immobilized when asked to read, flee from challenging reading tasks, engage in disruptive behavior, and refuse to complete reading…

The article describes a social skills training group for 10 British autistic children (ages 9-16 years) which aimed to integrate them into the regular classroom. The weekly sessions were held over 4 years and followed guidelines of G. Mesibov and S. Spence. (Author/DB)

According to a recent Washington State survey, middle school educators need more than general training in teaching and administration to meet young adolescent students' needs. Respondents desired more knowledge about young adolescents' emotional, social, and intellectual development, and appropriate teaching and discipline techniques. Includes…