Problemstellung: Schuleingangsuntersuchungen belegen zunehmend Defizite in der motorischen und kognitiven Entwicklung von Einschülern. Im Hinblick auf Präventivmaßnahmen gilt dem motorischen und kognitiven Entwicklungsstand von Vorschulkindern ein verstärktes Forschungsinteresse. Die bisherige Wissensbasis soll mit aktuellen Untersuchungsergebnissen zum Zusammenhang von Motorik und Kognition bei Vorschulkindern erweitert werden. Methodik: Untersucht wurden 101 Kinder in vier Potsdamer Kitas im Alter von 3,5-4,6 Jahren. Zur Überprüfung der koordinativen und konditionellen Fähigkeiten wurden Standweitsprung, Sechs-Meter-Lauf, Balancieren, Einbeinstand und Seitliches Umsetzen sowie Handkoordination eingesetzt (KTK; Kiphard & Schilling 1972; Vogt 1978). Zusätzlich wurden in Anlehnung an das Brain-Gym-Konzept (Dennison 1984) körpermitteüberschreitende Armbewegungen qualitativ bewertet und auf Validität und Reliabilität geprüft. Die kognitiven Fähigkeiten wurden mit dem Bildbasierten Intelligenztest getestet (Schaarschmidt, Ricken, Kieschke & Preuß 2004). Ergebnisse: Jungen sind deutlich schneller und kräftiger als Mädchen, können aber geringfügig schlechter balancieren und feinkoordinieren. Ein Entwicklungssprung in den motorischen Leistungen ab dem vierten Lebensjahr konnte nachgewiesen werden. Weiterhin zeigte sich ein positiver signifikanter Zusammenhang zwischen der Gleichgewichtsfähigkeit und kognitiven Fähigkeiten bei den männlichen 3,5-Jährigen (r=.28-r=.32; p=0,01). Dies bestätigt: Je jünger die Kinder, desto stärker der Zusammenhang von Motorik und Intelligenz. Bei einseitiger Testung zeigten sich schwache signifikante Korrelationen von kognitiven Leistungen der Kinder und Qualifikation der Eltern (r=.18 - r=.21; p=0,01). Die Qualitative Bewertung der Arm- und Handbewegungen eignet sich wegen unbestätigter Validität und Reliabilität nicht als Untersuchungsmethode im Sinne einer frühfunktionellen Diagnostik. / Issue: Entrance exams used to determine readiness for school of first year pupils increasingly neglect the importance of motor skills and cognitive ability developments. For the implementation of proper preventative measures, more research is necessary to assess the motor skill and cognition developments of preschool students. The children’s basic knowledge must be tested in connection with the results of recent studies dealing with the motor skills and cognition of preschool students. Procedure: 101 children between the ages of 3,5-4,6 were studied in four kindergartens in Potsdam. Their coordination and endurance abilities were examined with regards to their abilities in long jumps from standing positions, six-meter runs, balancing themselves, standing on one leg, lateral movement, and their hand co-ordinations (KTK; Kiphard & Schilling 1972; Vogt 1978). Additionally, the Brain-Gym-Concept (Dennison 1984) was evaluated vis-à-vis the children’s reliability and validity to move their arms around their middle body. The cognitive abilities were tested with a visual intelligence test (Schaarschmidt, Ricken, Kieschke & Preuß 2004). Results: Boys are clearly faster and stronger than girls. The latter however have much greater abilities in their balance and fine motor skills. It was evident that children experienced major improvements in motor skills in their fourth year. Furthermore, three and a half year old boys had a significant connection between their sense of equilibrium and cognitive abilities (r=.28-r=.32; p=0,01). This proves that the connection between motor skills and intelligence are greater the younger the children are. One sided tests showed weak correlations between the cognitive abilities of the children to those of their parents (r=.18 - r=.21; p=0,01). The qualitative assessment of arm and hand movements doesn’t deem itself eligible as a study method as its reliability and validity concerning early diagnosis hasn’t been confirmed.

This study was conducted in order to examine two questions: 1) Does free movement while listening to classical music influence a preschooler's preference for the music?; and 2) Does free movement while listening to classical music influence a preschooler's ability to answer recognition questions relative to the music? Subjects (N = 34) were 4- to 5-year-old students from two intact classrooms at the BYU Child and Family Studies Laboratory Preschool. After being involved in six lessons utilizing two different classical pieces, each identified by a prominent instrument and experienced either Actively (with free movement) or Passively (while sitting or lying down), the students were interviewed relative to their music preferences and recognition. To strengthen the results, the process was repeated (termed Wave 1 and Wave 2) with different pieces in different experience orders. Results of a Chi-Squared test of independence indicated no effect for Active or Passive exposure on piece preference in either wave. However, in Wave 1, pieces experienced Passively were significantly preferred to those experienced Actively, while the reverse was true in Wave 2. The Active exposure had no significant effect on the overall accuracy of recognition responses. Observational data is also included, which corroborates and extends statistical results.

We are living in an era of growing technology. Therefore, technology is making its way into classrooms around the nation. A type of technology that is growing in popularity is video modeling. However, there is limited research in the area of effective use of video modeling used in classrooms, especially inclusive early childhood classrooms. Additionally, when the use of technology is investigated it is primarily researched with a certain population of students, specifically students with autism. This study examined the effectiveness of using video modeling to teach social maintenance skills to three preschool children with developmental delays within a preschool classroom. A multiple probe across participants design was used to determine the effects of video modeling on social maintenance skills. Results showed that the three student participants reached criterion on their social maintenance objectives. Results indicated all three children maintained and generalized the skill as well.

Pre-kindergarten students often arrive the first day of school carrying a backpack filled with supplies which they are eager to use. Inside these backpacks are scissors, glue, and crayons. This study proposes that the pre-kindergartners are also carrying another backpack, their literacy backpack holding all of their literacy skills and practices that they use every day at home. This qualitative case study examined these literacies brought from home in the students’ figurative literacy backpacks. The study also focused on their teachers’ literacy views and practices. The study was conducted in three parts. First, through field observations and interviews with parents, the literacy practices occurring at home were identified and examined. Unique “literacy stories” were crafted from the data for each of the pre-kindergartners and shared with their parents. Part two of the study examined the two pre-kindergarten teachers’ literacy practices through semi-structured interviews. The impact of external forces (e.g. state and federal mandates, school curriculum, grant requirements, and trainings) on the views and practices of the pre-kindergarten teachers was discussed. These external forces stress the development of formal literacies, thus modeling a narrow definition of literacy. Part three of the study focused on sharing the students’ “literacy stories” with their teachers and examining the teachers’ reactions to the stories. Data from the interviews following reading the stories pointed to the teachers’ acknowledging the multiple literacies found in the homes of their students and a desire to learn more about their families’ literacy practices in order to utilize them in the classroom. The students’ “literacy stories” proved to be a valuable tool in expanding the teachers’ definition of literacy. The stories helped the teachers broaden their views of literacy to include literacy practices that occur in many different cultural and social contexts; adopting a definition more in line with the socio-cultural development of literacy and the NLS concepts (Street, 2003). Using this definition, multiple literacies will be made visible in the classrooms and connections from home to school can be made allowing students to strengthen their existing literacies and expand them to incorporate other literacies. / text

Este trabalho teve dois objetivos : verificar se a emissão de Tatos face a figuras variava segundo a dimensão cor, e estudar o vocabulário do pré-escolar.Para tal, trabalhou-se com 48 sujeitos, de quatro,cinco e seis anos. Em cada faixa etária havia dois sub-grupos, igualmente constituídos, quanto ao sexo e número de sujeitos, sendo a única diferença a ordem de apresentação do material colorido e preto-branco. o material consistiu de dois tipos de figuras: pranchas do PLDK -nível P (três séries), apresentadas coloridas e preto-branco e uma gravura. As crianças foram testadas individualmente em duas sessões. Os resultados indicam que: no PLDK nível P - a) de modo geral, não houve diferença de desempenho face as pranchas preto-branco e coloridas; b) houve várias correlações significantes entre cada série e o total, embora poucas inter-séries; c)quanto a seqüência de apresentação, apenas o grupo de quatro nos revelou ganho na seqüência preto-branco considerando a variável idade, de forma geral os mais novos tiveram desempenho inferior ao dos mais velhos. Na gravura: apenas o grupo de seis anos diferiu dos outros qrupos, não havendo diferença entre os sexos. Na comparação PLDK nível P e gravura, não foi encontrada nenhuma correlação significante. Tendo em vista a extensão da amostra, bem como a pouca informação científica sobre o desempenho no PLDK nível P, especialmente no Brasil, foi sugerida a realização de outras pesquisas. / The purposes of the present study were to investigate the influence of the dimension co1our in the emission of Tacts, face to pictures, and the vocabulary of preschool children. A group of forty-eight children of four, five, and six years old were the subjects during the research. In each age group the subjects were usually divided into two groups, the only difference being the order of presentation of coloured or black-white picture cards. The results in the PLDK indicate that : a)there were no significant differences in the performance , as a whole , face to colored or black-white cards ;. b) there were various significant correlations between achievement in each serie and the whole performance o The inter-series correlations however , were weak; c) further to the sequence of presentation , the results indicate that only the four years old group revealed better performance when the coloured set was presented showing the black-white one; d) regarding the sex variable, only once there was a difference between boys and girls e)considering the age variable, the younger children achieved a lower score than the older ones. The results collected after the presentation of the printed picture showed that the six years old group presented higher score when compared to the younger groups. The latter ones presented no differences among themselves. Considerering the variable sex, no difference was found. The scores particularly achieved by the presentation of the cards and printed picture were also compared and no significant correlation was found. Taking into consideration of the sample and lack of scientific information about performance in the PLDK Level P, mainly in Brazil, further research on the subject is suggested.

Este trabalho compreende três estudos, tendo por objetivo mais geral analisar o comportamento verbal de pré-escolares em situação de teste e de brinquedo. o primeiro estudo teve por objetivo verificar se a ordem de apresentação de uma gravura e de três séries de pranchas influenciava o comportamento verbal. Foram testadas 48 crianças, de quatro, cinco e seis anos, 50% de cada sexo, sendo todas de classe alta. A metade dos sujeitos foi apresentada inicialmente a gravura e sem seguida as pranchas, e vice-versa. A análise do material coletado não permitiu localizar diferenças entre os sujeitos que foram submetidos às duas sequências. Além disso, não foi encontrada correlação do desempenho nas duas situações. o segundo estudo teve por objetivo estudar o desempenho de 72 crianças das três faixas etárias já referidas, e de nível sócio econômico médio-alto (GA) e baixo (GB e GC} 11 \'ao descrever\' uma gravura e em seguida rotular três séries de pranchas. Quanto as os resultados indicam que: a) houve um maior número de correlações significantes entre cada uma das séries e o total do que nas séries entre si: b) a análise de acertos por Item mostrou que a frequência de palavras com mais de 75% de acerto foi igual à das palavras com menos de 25% de acerto; c) o GA apresentou a maior frequência de palavras com alto e baixo percentual de acertos; d) O GB apresentou a maior frequência de desconhecimento manifesto das pranchas apresentadas; e) a análise focalizando as variáveis faixa etária, sexo e nível sócio-econômico revelou que apenas esta última parece relevante a este tipo de tarefa. Já a avaliação do desempenho face à gravura revelou que: a) foram altas as correlações entre os vários aspectos estudados (vocábulos, come sem re petição, tato considerando o total emitido e sem considerar repetições e sentenças: b) as análises considerando as variáveis faixa etária, sexo e nível sócio-econômico mostraram que apenas esta última, parece relevante. Tão pouco neste estudo foi localizada correlação entre às duas situações. Finalmente, o terceiro estudo visou comparar o desempenho de crianças que apresentaram resultado bom (GD) ou insuficiente (GE) face às pranchas, ao interagir com as suas mães em duas situações de brinquedo, com um quebra-cabeça e com os módulos. Inicialmente os grupos extremos foram comparados, tendo os resultados indica do que eles realmente eram diferentes. Comparou-se os comportamen tos verbais emitidos pela mãe e pela criança, a sequência de inte ração e as pausas existentes nas duas situações. Além disto, con frontou-se as duas situações quanto à eliciação do ,comportamento mais reforçadores positivos, bem como um maior subtotal de estimulos discriminativos verbais: b) na situação módulo\", não foi encontrada diferença quanto aos estImulos liberados, embora tenha ocorrido diferenças quanto à emissão de informações, questões,mandos em geral, reforços positivos, comportamento ecoico e o o subtotal de respostas. todas essas favorecendo o GD. Já a comparaçao das emissões verbais das crianças demonstrou que: a) ao brincar com o quebra-cabeça as crianças de GD liberaram mais informações, tanto como estímulo quanto corno resposta, e além disso, apresentarão um maior sub-total de estimulação; c) ao brincar com o módulo houve uma diferença significante, em favor do GD quanto às informações liberadas (estímulo e resposta), questões formuladas ( também como estímulo e como resposta), frequência de mandos como resposta às solicitações maternas, frequência de respostas estimuladoras do tipo ecoico e finalmente, total de respostas emitidas. O estudo das sequências de interação revelou um padrão idêntico nas duas situações: não houve diferenças na sequência Mãe-mãe, embora tivesse havido nas sequências Mãe-criança, criança-mãe e criança- criança, todas elas favorecendo o GD. Ao considerar as pausas feitas pode ser observado que o GE apresentou períodos grandes de não verbalização nas duas situações tendo diferido significantemente do GE. O resultado do estudo correlacional, indicou que as duas situações são bastante semelhantes em termos de eliciação do comportamento verbal oral. / This work consists of 3 studies, having as a general objective the analysis of the verbal behaviour of kindergarten children playing and being tested. The first study had the objective of verifying if the order of the presentation of a picture and three series of planks influenced the. verbal behaviour. Fourth eight children were tested, four, five and six year olds, 50% of each sex They were all from upper class. Initially, to half of them, the picture was presented then the planks, and then vice-versa. The analysis of the information which was collected in this work did not permit the localization of any difference between the children which were submitted to the two sequences. Besides, no correlation was found of the performance in those two situations. The second study had the objective of studying the performance of 72 children from de same age group, medium-high social-economic level class (GA) and low (GB and GC), during the description of a picture and following the labeling of three series of planks. With respect to the planks the results indicated that: a) there were a greater number of significant correlations amongst each of the series than the total of the series themselves; b) analysis of the correct answer, by item, showed that the frequency of words with more than 75% correct were equal to the words with less than 25% correct; c) the GA showed the greater frequency of words with high and low percentage correct; d)the GB presented the greater frequency Of non-acquaintance when facing the planks; e) the analysis emphasizing the variables of age, sex and social-economic level revealed that only the latter seems to be relevant to this type of work. On the other hand, the appraisal of their performance in front of a picture revealed that: a) the high correlations amounts the various aspects studied (vocabulary with and without repetition, considering the total uttered, without considering repetitions and sentences) these correlations were high; b) considering the various ages, sex and social-economic level, the analysis showed that only the latter seems to be relevant. Even in that study the correlation between the two situations was not localized. Finally, the third study intended to compare the behaviour of children who showed result as good (GD) or insufficient (GE) in front of the planks, when they had the help of their mothers in those two play situations, with a puzzle and with the modulus. Initially the utmost groups were compared, having the results indicating than they were really different. The verbal behaviour uttered by the mother and her child, the sequence of interaction and pauses existent in the two situations were compared. Besides that, the two situations were confronted with respect to the draw out of the verbal behaviour. The analysis of the behaviour of mothers revealed that; a) in the puzzle situation GE mothers had a tendency to utter more \"mands\", command type, and more negative reinforcements, both to stimulate than the GD mothers, the latter had done more positive reinforcements, as well as a bigger sub-total of verbal discriminative stimulus; b) in the situation \"module\" it was not found difference in the liberate stimulus although differences had occourred with respect to the uttering of information, questions, mands, in general, positive reinforcements, echoic behaviour and the sub-total of answers, all these helping the GD. On the other hand, the verbal uttering of children demonstrated that; a)playing with the puzzle the GD children gave more information; as much as an encouragement and answer, and beside that, showed a bigger sub-total of encouragement; b) playing with modules there were a significant difference in favor of GD with respect to the literate liberation encouragement/answer, frequency of mands as an answer to the mother\'s request, frequency of encouragement answer, echoic type and finally total of uttered answer. The study of the interaction sequences revealed an identical pattern in the two situations; there were no difference in the sequence mother-mother, although in had happened in the sequences mother-children, children- mother and children-children, all favoring the GD. Considering the pauses done we can observe that GE presented big periods of non-verbalization in the two situations, showing a significant difference from the GD. The results of the co relational study indicated that the two situations are very similar in terms of expelling the oral/verbal behaviour.

Este trabalho teve dois objetivos : verificar se a emissão de Tatos face a figuras variava segundo a dimensão cor, e estudar o vocabulário do pré-escolar.Para tal, trabalhou-se com 48 sujeitos, de quatro,cinco e seis anos. Em cada faixa etária havia dois sub-grupos, igualmente constituídos, quanto ao sexo e número de sujeitos, sendo a única diferença a ordem de apresentação do material colorido e preto-branco. o material consistiu de dois tipos de figuras: pranchas do PLDK -nível P (três séries), apresentadas coloridas e preto-branco e uma gravura. As crianças foram testadas individualmente em duas sessões. Os resultados indicam que: no PLDK nível P - a) de modo geral, não houve diferença de desempenho face as pranchas preto-branco e coloridas; b) houve várias correlações significantes entre cada série e o total, embora poucas inter-séries; c)quanto a seqüência de apresentação, apenas o grupo de quatro nos revelou ganho na seqüência preto-branco considerando a variável idade, de forma geral os mais novos tiveram desempenho inferior ao dos mais velhos. Na gravura: apenas o grupo de seis anos diferiu dos outros qrupos, não havendo diferença entre os sexos. Na comparação PLDK nível P e gravura, não foi encontrada nenhuma correlação significante. Tendo em vista a extensão da amostra, bem como a pouca informação científica sobre o desempenho no PLDK nível P, especialmente no Brasil, foi sugerida a realização de outras pesquisas. / The purposes of the present study were to investigate the influence of the dimension co1our in the emission of Tacts, face to pictures, and the vocabulary of preschool children. A group of forty-eight children of four, five, and six years old were the subjects during the research. In each age group the subjects were usually divided into two groups, the only difference being the order of presentation of coloured or black-white picture cards. The results in the PLDK indicate that : a)there were no significant differences in the performance , as a whole , face to colored or black-white cards ;. b) there were various significant correlations between achievement in each serie and the whole performance o The inter-series correlations however , were weak; c) further to the sequence of presentation , the results indicate that only the four years old group revealed better performance when the coloured set was presented showing the black-white one; d) regarding the sex variable, only once there was a difference between boys and girls e)considering the age variable, the younger children achieved a lower score than the older ones. The results collected after the presentation of the printed picture showed that the six years old group presented higher score when compared to the younger groups. The latter ones presented no differences among themselves. Considerering the variable sex, no difference was found. The scores particularly achieved by the presentation of the cards and printed picture were also compared and no significant correlation was found. Taking into consideration of the sample and lack of scientific information about performance in the PLDK Level P, mainly in Brazil, further research on the subject is suggested.

Este trabalho compreende três estudos, tendo por objetivo mais geral analisar o comportamento verbal de pré-escolares em situação de teste e de brinquedo. o primeiro estudo teve por objetivo verificar se a ordem de apresentação de uma gravura e de três séries de pranchas influenciava o comportamento verbal. Foram testadas 48 crianças, de quatro, cinco e seis anos, 50% de cada sexo, sendo todas de classe alta. A metade dos sujeitos foi apresentada inicialmente a gravura e sem seguida as pranchas, e vice-versa. A análise do material coletado não permitiu localizar diferenças entre os sujeitos que foram submetidos às duas sequências. Além disso, não foi encontrada correlação do desempenho nas duas situações. o segundo estudo teve por objetivo estudar o desempenho de 72 crianças das três faixas etárias já referidas, e de nível sócio econômico médio-alto (GA) e baixo (GB e GC} 11 \'ao descrever\' uma gravura e em seguida rotular três séries de pranchas. Quanto as os resultados indicam que: a) houve um maior número de correlações significantes entre cada uma das séries e o total do que nas séries entre si: b) a análise de acertos por Item mostrou que a frequência de palavras com mais de 75% de acerto foi igual à das palavras com menos de 25% de acerto; c) o GA apresentou a maior frequência de palavras com alto e baixo percentual de acertos; d) O GB apresentou a maior frequência de desconhecimento manifesto das pranchas apresentadas; e) a análise focalizando as variáveis faixa etária, sexo e nível sócio-econômico revelou que apenas esta última parece relevante a este tipo de tarefa. Já a avaliação do desempenho face à gravura revelou que: a) foram altas as correlações entre os vários aspectos estudados (vocábulos, come sem re petição, tato considerando o total emitido e sem considerar repetições e sentenças: b) as análises considerando as variáveis faixa etária, sexo e nível sócio-econômico mostraram que apenas esta última, parece relevante. Tão pouco neste estudo foi localizada correlação entre às duas situações. Finalmente, o terceiro estudo visou comparar o desempenho de crianças que apresentaram resultado bom (GD) ou insuficiente (GE) face às pranchas, ao interagir com as suas mães em duas situações de brinquedo, com um quebra-cabeça e com os módulos. Inicialmente os grupos extremos foram comparados, tendo os resultados indica do que eles realmente eram diferentes. Comparou-se os comportamen tos verbais emitidos pela mãe e pela criança, a sequência de inte ração e as pausas existentes nas duas situações. Além disto, con frontou-se as duas situações quanto à eliciação do ,comportamento mais reforçadores positivos, bem como um maior subtotal de estimulos discriminativos verbais: b) na situação módulo\", não foi encontrada diferença quanto aos estImulos liberados, embora tenha ocorrido diferenças quanto à emissão de informações, questões,mandos em geral, reforços positivos, comportamento ecoico e o o subtotal de respostas. todas essas favorecendo o GD. Já a comparaçao das emissões verbais das crianças demonstrou que: a) ao brincar com o quebra-cabeça as crianças de GD liberaram mais informações, tanto como estímulo quanto corno resposta, e além disso, apresentarão um maior sub-total de estimulação; c) ao brincar com o módulo houve uma diferença significante, em favor do GD quanto às informações liberadas (estímulo e resposta), questões formuladas ( também como estímulo e como resposta), frequência de mandos como resposta às solicitações maternas, frequência de respostas estimuladoras do tipo ecoico e finalmente, total de respostas emitidas. O estudo das sequências de interação revelou um padrão idêntico nas duas situações: não houve diferenças na sequência Mãe-mãe, embora tivesse havido nas sequências Mãe-criança, criança-mãe e criança- criança, todas elas favorecendo o GD. Ao considerar as pausas feitas pode ser observado que o GE apresentou períodos grandes de não verbalização nas duas situações tendo diferido significantemente do GE. O resultado do estudo correlacional, indicou que as duas situações são bastante semelhantes em termos de eliciação do comportamento verbal oral. / This work consists of 3 studies, having as a general objective the analysis of the verbal behaviour of kindergarten children playing and being tested. The first study had the objective of verifying if the order of the presentation of a picture and three series of planks influenced the. verbal behaviour. Fourth eight children were tested, four, five and six year olds, 50% of each sex They were all from upper class. Initially, to half of them, the picture was presented then the planks, and then vice-versa. The analysis of the information which was collected in this work did not permit the localization of any difference between the children which were submitted to the two sequences. Besides, no correlation was found of the performance in those two situations. The second study had the objective of studying the performance of 72 children from de same age group, medium-high social-economic level class (GA) and low (GB and GC), during the description of a picture and following the labeling of three series of planks. With respect to the planks the results indicated that: a) there were a greater number of significant correlations amongst each of the series than the total of the series themselves; b) analysis of the correct answer, by item, showed that the frequency of words with more than 75% correct were equal to the words with less than 25% correct; c) the GA showed the greater frequency of words with high and low percentage correct; d)the GB presented the greater frequency Of non-acquaintance when facing the planks; e) the analysis emphasizing the variables of age, sex and social-economic level revealed that only the latter seems to be relevant to this type of work. On the other hand, the appraisal of their performance in front of a picture revealed that: a) the high correlations amounts the various aspects studied (vocabulary with and without repetition, considering the total uttered, without considering repetitions and sentences) these correlations were high; b) considering the various ages, sex and social-economic level, the analysis showed that only the latter seems to be relevant. Even in that study the correlation between the two situations was not localized. Finally, the third study intended to compare the behaviour of children who showed result as good (GD) or insufficient (GE) in front of the planks, when they had the help of their mothers in those two play situations, with a puzzle and with the modulus. Initially the utmost groups were compared, having the results indicating than they were really different. The verbal behaviour uttered by the mother and her child, the sequence of interaction and pauses existent in the two situations were compared. Besides that, the two situations were confronted with respect to the draw out of the verbal behaviour. The analysis of the behaviour of mothers revealed that; a) in the puzzle situation GE mothers had a tendency to utter more \"mands\", command type, and more negative reinforcements, both to stimulate than the GD mothers, the latter had done more positive reinforcements, as well as a bigger sub-total of verbal discriminative stimulus; b) in the situation \"module\" it was not found difference in the liberate stimulus although differences had occourred with respect to the uttering of information, questions, mands, in general, positive reinforcements, echoic behaviour and the sub-total of answers, all these helping the GD. On the other hand, the verbal uttering of children demonstrated that; a)playing with the puzzle the GD children gave more information; as much as an encouragement and answer, and beside that, showed a bigger sub-total of encouragement; b) playing with modules there were a significant difference in favor of GD with respect to the literate liberation encouragement/answer, frequency of mands as an answer to the mother\'s request, frequency of encouragement answer, echoic type and finally total of uttered answer. The study of the interaction sequences revealed an identical pattern in the two situations; there were no difference in the sequence mother-mother, although in had happened in the sequences mother-children, children- mother and children-children, all favoring the GD. Considering the pauses done we can observe that GE presented big periods of non-verbalization in the two situations, showing a significant difference from the GD. The results of the co relational study indicated that the two situations are very similar in terms of expelling the oral/verbal behaviour.

This study examined the effects of a computer-mediated intervention on "at-risk" preschool students' receptive vocabulary development, computer-literacy skills, and enthusiasm for leaning. Twenty-two preschool-aged children attending an urban primary public school and participating in government subsidized school lunch program participated in the study. A pretest/posttest control-group design and case-study participant observations were used for data collection. Students were assigned to one of two treatment groups. Eleven preschool students with pretest School Readiness Composite (SRC) standard scores of 80, or below, on the Bracken Basic Concept Scale-Revised (BBCS-R), were assigned to the intervention group. Eleven pre-school students matched by age level and teacher comprised the comparison group. The intervention group received computer-mediated instruction while the comparison group received classroom teacher instruction. The first research question examined the effect of the intervention on students' receptive vocabulary analyzing groups' pretest and posttest BBCS-R School Readiness Composite mean scores. Combined analysis of a Two-Factor Repeated Measures and a Posttest only ANCOVA revealed that computer-mediated instruction was as effective as classroom teacher instruction in helping "at-risk" students acquire readiness receptive vocabulary. The second research question examined the effect of the intervention on "at-risk" student's computer-literacy skills analyzing participants pretest and posttest mean scores on the Computer Input Observation Rubric (CIOR), a rubric developed by the researcher. Analysis of One-Factor ANOVA and of Two-Factor Repeated Measures indicated that computer intervention significantly increased students' computer literacy skills. The third research question examined the impact of computer-mediated intervention on preschool students' enthusiasm for learning and followed descriptive case study methodology. Students' level of task involvement and positive-self statements confirmed enthusiasm for learning with technology.

This study examined differences in literacy development between five students attending whole language pre-first-grade classes and five students eligible for pre-first-grade classes but attending modified traditional first-grade classes. Differences between whole language pre-first-grade classes and modified traditional first-grade classes in use of literacy materials, teaching procedures, and amount of time spent on literacy were also examined. The procedures involved testing the subjects on reading and writing skills, observations of the pre-first-grade and first-grade classes, and analysis of subjects' writing samples.