Recognizing the compelling language of imagery available in the drawings of children who have been sexually abused, this book focuses on the link between sexual abuse during the latency period and specific developmental problems. Chapter 1, "Paradigms of Trauma and Sexual Abuse," presents sexual abuse as an external event associated with…

This qualitative study examined the ways in which homeless children cope with their environment. Preliminary data were gathered by observing homeless children at a homeless shelter day care center in a medium-sized midwestern city. As many as 12 children, aged 2 to 6 years, were observed in the day care setting on three different weekday mornings.…

This paper discusses the use of different media for art instruction and creative activities with preschoolers at the Reggio Emilia preschools in Italy. Drawing made with markers, paper constructions, clay sculpture, and wooden constructions are all used to deepen children's understanding of a particular theme or concept. Typically, a small group…

In language arts classes a "composition" generally refers to a written text. Semiotic theory based on C. S. Peirce's work suggests that writing is only one of many forms of composition available for mediating thought and activity. According to J. V. Wertsch (1991), writing should be one tool in a tool kit of mediational means available…

This paper examines art, a discipline that bears striking parallels, and differences, in the way it is practiced and valued in the United States and Japan. In Japan, art is a valued part of the elementary curriculum warranting as much time as science and social studies. In the United States, art is generally thought of as something extra to do if…

This study investigated the use of the Draw-a-Person: Screening Procedure for Emotional Disturbance (DAP:SPED) with students enrolled in classes for children with emotional disturbances (ED), learning disabilities (LD), or cognitive disabilities (CD). The DAP:SPED was administered to 39 students in a large urban area in eastern Wisconsin and to 31…

This study describes preschoolers' computer-generated graphics. Of specific interest were three questions: (1) What is the nature of children's computer-generated drawings in terms of the developmental stages of art? (2) How do the stages evident in children's computer-generated drawings compare with those in drawings produced with traditional art…

A participant observation study of a primary grade classroom, in which three first grade students were selected as case study subjects, illustrates the range of workstyles of beginning writers. Primary grade teachers are often concerned that their students are not producing writing comparable with their capabilities, but educators' conceptions of…

Children have long been "objects of inquiry", that is, research has been "done" on children. Research into starting school is but one example, where children have been observed, tested and assessed at various points, as a means of evaluating their adjustment to the school environment. The Starting School Research Project aims…

This study involved fifty-eight 3-year-olds. It sought to determine whether the preschoolers could learn to discriminate visually the critical elements of shape through a program of perceptual-motor training, transfer such knowledge to similar but different shapes, and then resist the process of forgetting the critical elements. The children were…

Examines how Hispanic bilingual kindergartners and first graders create and express personal meanings by illustrating parts of stories read aloud in class, dictating responses, and writing original narratives. Notes that literacy activities should be tied authentically to questions and interests expressed by children in the classroom. (MM)

Describes activities in which students use mathematics, writing, and drawing to explore the "My Travels with Gulliver" curriculum unit. Discusses seven suggestions for developing activities to incorporate literature into mathematics classes. (MDH)

Reviews literature supporting the proposition that language is an essential component of early artistic development. Suggests that appropriate forms of dialogue between adults and children in art-making contexts may provide a foundation for understanding and facilitating early artistic activity. (Author/BB)

Replicates Jessica Davis' study of the U-shaped aesthetic development curve in a cross-cultural setting. Examines whether a similar U-curve is evidenced in Chinese aesthetic development. Presents results that suggest that Chinese aesthetic criteria do not produce a U-shaped evaluation of artistic skills. Discusses limitations of the study. (DSK)

Presents a longitudinal case study of one girl's artistic development from age 2 to 6 years to illustrate the interplay between the child's symbolic development and the social context in which she draws. Considers the observer-researcher as a "co-constructor" of artistic development, highlighting the need for models of development that integrate…