Proposals for teaching concepts have been dominated by traditional paradigms. A review of research on concept structure and formation reveals evidence for alternative paradigms, e.g., exemplar, probabilistic, and schematic models. The research also indicates problems regarding the traditional models. Implications for relating alternative models to…

Studies confirm the educational advantages and cost-effectiveness of high-quality early childhood programs and have made more persuasive the argument for developing such programs. The most important determinants of such programs are: group size, qualifications and training of staff, stability of care, and adult-child ratio. (MD)

Explores age differences (6 to 22 years of age) in conceptions about the nature of the skills required by verbal and nonverbal (abstract) intelligence tests. (HOD)

Proposes guidelines for the development of a curriculum of visual thinking for early childhood education. Outlines suggestions derived from Piaget's theory and research as they apply to developing children's mental imagery skills in the school setting. Relates Piaget's findings to those of learning theory and "split brain" research. (MCF)

Two studies examined second- through fifth-grade children's negative-item bias with responses to the Self Description Questionnaire and how it is related to cognitive development and reading achievement. Results showed that younger children and poorer readers responded less appropriately to negative items, thus biasing the interpretations of their…

Reviews and integrates several aspects of peer interaction in the infant/toddler period. Reveals convergence between age-related changes in social skills and similarly timed cognitive developments. (HOD)

Assesses the degree of difficulty parents attribute to specific socialization tasks; explores the relation between parents' perceived difficulty and children's perceived and actual competence in these two domains; and determines whether the ease or difficulty of these child rearing tasks, as perceived by parents, varies as a function of the…

Tested 32 4-year-olds and 32 6-year-olds for free and cued recall following either play-and-remember or sort-and-remember instructions and assessed them for their metamemory of the efficacy of conceptual and perceptual sorting strategies. Younger children recalled more items under sort-and-remember, whereas no recall differences were found for the…

Observes 75 first- and third-grade children in their classroom mathematics seatwork to test assumptions drawn from Vygotsky's theory about the development of private speech and its relationship to task performance, attention, and motor behaviors accompanying task orientation. (HOD)

Examines cognitive barriers to an individual's personalizing information about social discrimination against groups in which he/she is a member. Results suggest that individuals are more aware of discrimination against others than against themselves and are more likely to attribute personal efficacy and control to themselves than to others. (SA)

Develops a conception of the arts as cognitive activities. Draws implications of this conception for the schools including the following: concepts of talent and lack of talent have been used too long to cover up for weak or non-existent arts programs, and full cognitive development cannot exist without substantial arts instruction. (JDH)

Observation indicates that affect is experienced prior to organized thought. After five months emotional responses are increasingly differentiated and independent of physical state. All childhood learning is propelled by affect. Adults who work with children must recognize their emotions to facilitate their acquisition of skills and knowledge.…

Suggestions are offered to teachers with deaf-blind children in their classrooms. Guidelines touch upon general curriculum development principles and approaches for improving communication skills, cognitive development, social and emotional development, motor and self care skills, and sensory development. (CL)

Argues that much software designed for children needing remedial education is inappropriate, and a more relevant approach can be found in cognitive learning theory. These issues are discussed with reference to application of principle derived from cognitive and language development model to software designed for children with severe language…

Compares the separation distress of 26 19-month-old Downs Syndrome infants in the Strange Situation with that of 43 normal infants who were observed at 12 1/2 and 19 1/2 months to assess whether Downs Syndrome infants responded more similarly to cognitively comparable normals than to age-comparable normals. (HOD)