Four high school students who were peer tutors to students with severe disabilities received social interaction training and were then compared to four controls. The training increased the frequency of initiations of interactions from tutors, increased the proportion of social rather than task interactions, and increased targeted social behaviors…

The article examines the educational implications of people's inclinations to blame social victims for their plight, looking at the situation of immigrants and issues of apathy. The article suggests that genuine encounters with suffering may offer the best hope for educational and social progress. (SM)

Offers a theoretical and methodological approach to study of children's socio-cognitive interaction. Observation of object-centered activities among three age groups of children showed different modes of collaboration. Processes were similar across age groups; roots of basic peer interaction patterns reach back into infancy. Similarities across…

Comments on Verba's ideas about collaboration in peer interaction in this issue. Praises Verba for setting new direction in the study and understanding of social processes in cognitive development and for establishing important continuities in how children communicate with peers. Notes that Verba's analyses suggest natural categories of…

The observational study of effective instructional processes in kindergarten by DeVries and others is critiqued. It is maintained that (1) the study takes a narrow approach to constructivism that does not reflect current thinking; (2) there are flaws in the coding system used; and (3) the understanding of instructional issues involving minority…

In a study on the effects of play period length on four and five year olds' play behavior, results indicated that play time affected the amount and maturity of play. Guidelines for structuring play time in the classroom are offered. (BB)

Describes the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual characteristics of young adolescents and discusses the ways that middle education can meet their unique needs. Urges educators to consider the impact of peer pressure, manage classes and individuals fairly and consistently, and ensure that students do not feel left out. Discusses…

Students in grades two through five in two elementary school programs were compared over four years on measures of social development. One program emphasized an external motivational orientation; the other helped children develop an internal commitment to values and norms. Results showed that schools differed in ways that were consistent with…

Describes the teaching-upbringing complex (UVK) educational facilities in rural areas. Argues that UVKs create conditions that foster social, spiritual, and moral-esthetic development of rural students. Emphasizes the need for UVKs to provide guidance in literature, music, culture, and ethics. Encourages the channeling of students' free time into…

Evaluation of 17 children with autism at the ages of 6 to 15 and then again at ages 13 to 25, suggested that, for the majority of people with autism, there may be little development of a theory of mind. For a minority, development may extend to the equivalent of a 3- to 4-year-old level by the teenage years. (JDD)

Discussion of the role of public libraries in socioeconomic development focuses on an evaluation of the existing library system in Istanbul (Turkey) and proposes a plan for its balanced development with respect to population distribution and technological advances. Highlights include building design, library automation, and financial…

Examined sex role socialization and sex-typing in six-year olds from conventional and nonconventional family types. Children from families with strongest sex egalitarian beliefs displayed non-sex-typed knowledge of objects and occupations more often than did children from other families. Across family types, girls had more flexible sex-typing…

Social interactions of 10 severely disabled junior high school students were recorded during school arrival, lunch, and vocational training. Teacher perceptions and parent attitudes were also measured. Results portray subjects as more involved in task-related than nontask interactions, interacting more with teachers than with peers, and dependent…

As families and institutions change, many U.S. children could fail to realize their potential to lead fulfilling adult lives. Confronted by poverty, the crack cocaine epidemic, and increased exposure to violence, children make daily choices altering their life's course. Schools are increasingly expected to resolve social problems without…

This paper examines the role of athletic participation in the social systems of adolescents. Data from 422 high school students and 319 college students indicate there are differences between males and females in all 3 social status measures of remembrance after high school, type of sport participant preferred for a date or friend, and…