Examines the relationship between story-telling and children's construction of meaning. Includes transcripts of children's discussions of a story involving Vietnamese refugee children. Maintains that children, especially when given encouraging contexts, can construct and discover meaningful insights. Discusses the role of the teacher in this…

Responds to a recent critical report on computers in childhood. Highlights include computers, children, and research; social and emotional development; types of software; motivation; social and cognitive interactions; cognitive development; creativity; language and literacy; writing and word processing; mathematics and reasoning; and science and…

Investigates the potential interaction of conceptual representations and linguistic systems during language acquisition. The study examined language-thought interactions in American, Finnish and Polish children, focusing on the conceptual and linguistic development of space and time. Findings reveal that spatial and temporal linguistic systems and…

Investigates the comparative effectiveness of two teaching strategies, large-group and individual/small group singing activities, on kindergartners' developmental music aptitude. Examines improvements in children's singing and musical aptitude in order to ascertain length of time and types of instruction necessary to affect improvement. (MJP)

Asserts that music-student learning outcomes need to encompass the development of general and transferable cognitive, technological, psychomotor, affective, and social skills as well as musical achievement. Discusses the ways that research can help integrate this approach into the curriculum. Briefly reviews the national goals outlined in the…

Recounts the case of a learning disabled sixth grader mainstreamed into a social studies class. Describes a variety of instructional strategies and activities that capitalize on the student's strengths to facilitate learning. These include critical thinking maps, semantic maps, simulations, and kinesthetic learning. (MJP)

Describes British study that monitored and evaluated the cognitive development and academic attainments of Down's Syndrome children ages 3-10 over a two-year period. Comparisons with mainstream schools and special schools are made in the areas of children's expressive language, comprehension, numeracy, verbal fluency, drawing ability, and reading.…

Analyzes one third grader's participation in mathematics class discussions, his beliefs about class discussion, and his arithmetical development throughout a school year in a problem-centered learning classroom. Concludes that a fruitful classroom discussion both necessitates and, conversely, is facilitated by the negotiation of social norms and…

A study of Head Start preschoolers and families suggests emergent literacy is supported by the Home Based Reading Project, but only when teachers teach parents strategies in simple language, offer a library of quality books, and provide materials highlighting reading practices and effective literacy interactions. Parents play a crucial role in…

Describes three perspectives from which middle school teachers can plan laboratory activities for the purpose of improving students' scientific literacy. Perspectives are the learning cycle approach categorizing activities by stages of development; problem-solving skills approach categorizing activities according to the amount of teacher control;…

Considers four language arts--speaking, listening, reading, and writing--as activities that enhance the development of mathematical concepts. Suggests ways language arts can be used in learning difficult concepts as missing addends, algorithms, number facts, and problem solving. (39 references) (MDH)

Examines television's role in the social development of Black children, including television's use, socialization content, potential antisocial and prosocial effects, and television as an educator. concludes that television is a significant player in the socialization (cognitive and social learning) of Black children with positive and negative…

Ninth-grade students' (n=90) responses to impromptu, in-class writing assignments were examined to evaluate students' understanding of mathematical concepts. Participating teachers benefited by seeing how students' writings may reveal misconceptions concerning mathematical concepts, skills, and generalizations. (MDH)

Advances a framework for teacher-assisted computer implementation based on Vygotsky's theory of socially mediated cognitive development. The approach suggested by this framework acknowledges critical roles of adults or more skilled partners in task performance and knowledge construction. Describes an application of the approach used to provide…

Reviews 36 studies of both model demonstration projects and large-scale public programs to examine the long-term effects of these programs on children from low-income families. Results show early childhood programs can produce significant short-term benefits on intelligence quotient, and important long-term benefits on school achievement, grade…