Discussed are inconsistencies and cognitive conflict with respect to current mathematical knowledge of students and how that knowledge might be modified is discussed. The inconsistencies that students generate for themselves and those produced by the teacher are described. (KR)

Examines the relationship between pupil characteristics of income, gender, chronological age, and level of cognitive development and selected domain-specific skills in mathematics. Results show mathematics performance as a function of the quality of thinking. Teaching to cognitive developmental level requires an individualized approach to…

Developmental differences in the acquisition of information about strategy efficiency gleaned from observation of a peer model were assessed among 60 second and 60 seventh graders and 60 undergraduate students. At each age level, 20 subjects were randomly assigned to each of 3 experimental conditions. Developmental differences were considerable.…

Provides a theory-based examination of relations among aspects of preschool children's social environments and cognitive indices of their gender role development. Examines differences in the relations among social agents on cognitive indices of girls' and boys' gender role development. Significant sex differences are discussed. (JS)

Recent developments in infant mental health are outlined, with implications for work with at-risk populations. Discussed are: the biobehavioral-developmental perspective, the infant as a social being, the infant-caregiver relationship, the transactional model of the infant-parent relationship, assessing developmental disabilities, conceptualizing…

Reviews a monograph which addresses children's higher-order thinking skills. Suggests the following for teaching problem solving: identify and develop content-independent and content-dependent problem-solving skills, connect developed skills through workshop-style activities to subject discipline, and help students identify and reconstruct their…

Reports on two studies designed to prove three hypotheses: (1) five-year-olds can successfully learn a second language (L2); (2) early L2 learning has a positive effect on the development of children's cognitive and first language linguistic abilities; and (3) early L2 learning assists socio-economically disadvantaged children in overcoming…

Tested the effectiveness of a framework that linked developmental and multicultural counseling theories for use among elementary-school-age students (n=117). Designed to help students develop a variety of social and interpersonal skills that would increase their ability to resolve conflicts resulting from negative prejudices, the intervention was…

Reviews research on influences on children's symbolic play. Finds little support for the effects of child-adult symbolic play interactions on child solitary play. Discusses three theoretical perspectives that should support these effects: attachment, ethological, and scaffolding theories. Reconsiders the essence of specific variables affecting…

Response to article by Bornstein and Tamis-LeMonda in this same issue. Delimits the faults of the ethological, scaffolding, and attachment theories in assessing maternal effects on children's symbolic play. Concludes that environmental influences are important to, but are not necessarily the sole cause of, child behavior. (JW)

Compares the educational needs of young children and adolescents in relation to movement, work attitudes, psychic development, and language development, emphasizing the prepared environment of the Montessori approach. Also examines the importance of valorization, normalization, and key experiences in the education of adolescents. (MDM)

Assessed effects of maternal employment on infants with mothers working 20 or more hours per week or fewer than 20 hours per week. Found that neither differences in maternal employment during child's first year, nor child's entry into nonmaternal care before age one, predicted differences in cognitive and socioemotional development at ages two and…

Maintains that a major theme in Lev Vygotsky's later research was concept formation or conceptual development in child development. States that Vygotsky argued that the acquisition of mature academic concepts forms the crowning achievement of adolescence. Argues that the view raises a number of criticisms. (CFR)

Presents activities that use visual-geometric models to help students develop their understanding of exponents and division of powers with the same base. Presents opportunities for students to discover patterns for themselves and communicate these findings to others. (MDH)

Reviews research of writing activities that help identify student misconceptions and serve as a vehicle for knowledge construction. (29 references) (MDH)