This paper describes the process of translating curriculum theory into a school program for young children. It is an inquiry into the usefulness of a curriculum theory in the formulation of goals and the establishment of specific behavioral criteria to be used in their evaluation. Curriculum theory taken from Goodlad's conceptual model provided…

The purpose of this descriptive summary was to report on a Swedish preschool curriculum evaluation project. The study had as its purpose to evaluate the existing preschool program by comparing 130 preschool children with 130 home-based children on a number of variables relating to preschool objectives. This evaluation was carried out when the…

An extensive longitudinal research effort conducted through the Early Childhood Research Center at Michigan State University focused on understanding the forces leading to positive social and emotional development during the preschool years. Because of the rather limited base which was available from other studies for launching such an effort,…

The Attention and Classification Curriculum, which was developed for four-year-old children, is described and its implementation is discussed. The curriculum consists of a sequence of 40 lessons and a set of materials used to carry out the lessons. An evaluation of the curriculum was conducted following its use in nine participating centers.…

Two psychological theories which seem to have had a great impact on compensatory education programs are Skinnerian reinforcement theory and the cognitive developmental theory derived in part from Jean Piaget. The Englemann-Becker program is a typical example of the Programmed Curricular kind of program; the Florida Project, an Open Framework; and…

Children 2 through 6 years of age were interviewed, and their parents and teachers completed a questionnaire about their perceptions of play. Most parents defined play as something for fun or amusement, while teachers saw it both for fun and as an opportunity for cognitive and social development. (PCB)

To study growth in literacy, the literacy events of six preschool children, in which half the enrollees were Head Start children and the other half were tuition students, were videotaped daily for five months. Analysis of the data (including pre- and post-tests) indicated that all six grew in interest and knowledge of written language.…

Elaborates classroom work skills and the play curriculum. Reviews play's relationship to learning and to the role of the adult. The implications of the American work ethic for play curricula and play training for teachers are discussed. (AS)

Asserting that widespread Head Start and state universal prekindergarten programs validate the need for a nationalized preschool program, this paper presents an argument for nationalizing Montessori-style preschool education in the United States. The paper maintains that Montessori-style classrooms use developmentally appropriate practices as…

This teacher's guide accompanies "Innovations," a comprehensive, interactive curriculum for infants from birth to 18 months. The "Innovations" program is based on the view that curricula for young children should involve thinking and planning for everything that can contribute to child development as well as the teacher's relationship with the…

This self-directed teacher's guide accompanies "Innovations," a comprehensive, interactive curriculum for toddlers from 18 to 36 months. The "Innovations" program is based on the view that curricula for young children should involve thinking and planning for everything that can contribute to child development as well as the teacher's relationship…

Although pretend play has long been part of the early childhood curriculum, recent emphasis on accountability in education seems to have led to a decline in the general understanding of the contribution that high-quality play can make to children's cognitive development in the early years. This digest defines the cluster of concepts related to…

This paper describes the trademarked ScienceStart![TM] Curriculum--a science-based early childhood curriculum. The curriculum's major content goal is for children to develop a rich, interconnected knowledge base about the world about them. The curriculum's major process goal is to foster the types of intellectual development that characterize the…

This brief discusses research showing that high-quality early childhood programs can sharply improve readiness for school, especially for children who are at risk of school failure. The brief describes North Carolina's creation of the "More at Four" pre-kindergarten program and discusses research on important issues and potential…

The use of symbols in the play of young children during the preoperational period of cognitive development provides the foundation in representation that will be needed later when using higher abstract forms such as written words. (JN)