Commendable as it is for children to have high self-esteem, many practices advocated in pursuit of this goal may inadvertently develop narcissism through excessive preoccupation with oneself. Self-esteem is more likely to be fostered when children have opportunities to build self-confidence through effort, persistence, and accrual of skills. (SLD)

Discussion of the need to include affective components in the education of gifted students considers: development of interpersonal and emotional intelligence, the need for an affective curriculum component, the role of the teacher to address the social and emotional needs of gifted students, and inclusion of affective learning in multidisciplinary…

This study investigated families of children with autism spectrum disorders using early intervention and early childhood services, as well as the perceived efficacy and developmental outcomes related to the services and service delivery methods. Results indicated that a variety of recommended practices are not being used by families and…

The author presents three educational products for kids: (1) "Novel Perspectives" by Shelley Harwayne; (2) "Summarization in Any Subject--50 Techniques to Improve Student Learning" by Rick Wormelt; and (3) Voices Reading, the new comprehensive reading and character development program for Grades K-2 from Zaner-Bloser. "Novel Perspectives" carries…

Background: In 2000 the so-called "Reception" class was re-conceived (in curricular terms, at least) as the second and final year of the Foundation Stage, a distinctive educational phase for children aged 3 until entry to key stage 1 at 5 or 6 years old. The "Curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage" endorses a play-based,…

This digest examines research on preschool programs that include children with and without disabilities. Recent research suggests that children with disabilities are able to take advantage of experiences that promote typical development. One study found that children with disabilities enrolled in integrated programs demonstrated higher levels of…

This paper discusses cooperative learning as a teaching method that uses intrinsic rewards, or rewards that come from within a student, in the education of young children. The developmental perspective of cooperative learning, which suggests that peer interaction, without the use of extrinsic rewards, leads to intellectual and social growth, is…

Young children are aware that color, language, gender, and physical ability are connected to privilege and power. Racism and sexism have a profound influence on children's developing sense of self and others. This book on the creation of anti-bias curriculum can be used to help young children develop anti-bias attitudes, learn to think critically,…

The text reviews characteristics of gifted students and educational approaches for gifted and talented students. A definition of giftedness is presented in the first chapter. The development of giftedness is traced in the next two chapters (sample subtopics in parentheses): becoming gifted (prenatal and perinatal influences and intellectual…

This instructor's guide for a foster parent curriculum consists of specific curriculum material for the study of the social and psychological development of toddlers, ages 1 and 2. The guide is divided into 5 parts: (1) a developmental guide of normal toddler behaviors and appropriate adult responses; (2) an outline of desired foster parent…

Introduced by background information on all exceptionalities, the educational guide presents a general curriculum for use with the educable mentally retarded on a beginning and intermediate level. Areas of concern are language arts, arithmetic skills, social skills, and vocational information. The guide presents suggestions for games, specific…

This paper discusses moral development and illustrates ways that it can be fostered in children both in the home and in the classroom. Moral education is discussed in terms of four basic questions: (1) Is there a need for it? (2) If so, is it the job of the schools to teach morality? (3) What is moral development? and (4) If fostering moral…

This manual describes the buddy skills training program, which provides teachers with a set of tested strategies designed to facilitate interactions and support the development of friendships between preschoolers with and without disabilities. The training procedures are philosophically based on social exchange theory. To support the concept of…

This training module presents a social skills curriculum designed to be utilized as a tool for parents and teachers to increase levels of interaction between preschool children with and without autism. The curriculum consists of five social skills that were chosen based on evidence suggesting that they tend to result in more lengthy interactions…

This teaching guide presents a rationale for proactive social skills training for persons with mental retardation as well as over 100 examples of such instruction across the K-12 continuum. Chapter 1 provides a conceptual framework of social competence with principles of what, when, and how to teach social skills. Chapter 2 discusses the direct…