Barbara Biber, a seminal figure in twentieth-century education, here presents a selection of her writings on developmental and educational psychology over a forty-year period. Each of the older articles is introduced by a brief personal note placing it in context and is followed by a new essay that highlights its continuing relevance and surveys pertinent thinking in the intervening years.
"No other volume in the literature of early education brings together the reflections of an outstanding leader as they have developed over a period that is almost equivalent to the history of the...

In this book a blue-ribbon group of practitioners, researchers, and policymakers provide an overview of the numerous programs that have emerged in the past decade in response to the changing needs of families. Addressing the historical and social context of current family support efforts, the range and variety of the programs, available research, and the challenges of funding, staffing, and managing them, it chronicles past problems and accomplishments and offers specific recommendations for the future. "A timely and important book."--T. Berry Brazelton, M.D. "This remarkable volume surveys a...

For almost thirty years, the U.S. government has funded education programs to help disadvantaged children succeed in school. In this important new book, Edward Zigler, one of the leading figures in this effort, and his associates evaluate the three existing programs (Head Start, Follow Through, and Chapter 1), Senator Edward Kennedy describes the newly created Head Start Transition Project, and the authors propose a bold plan to redirect and consolidate the programs in order to achieve a coherent, comprehensive policy for the nation's impoverished young children.
The authors conclude that...

Essential reading for parents and social policymakers, this book draws on the latest brain research and social science findings to offer important advice on infant and toddler care.
"This book offers policymakers essential information about child development and the need for a continuum of supports to both children and their families. I highly recommend it for all concerned about the healthy development of our children."--Marian Wright Edelman, President, Children's Defense Fund
"A masterfully woven tapestry of early childhood policy and science. Ed Zigler and...

Zigler, who has been a consultant to every administration since he helped found Head Start in the sixties, tells the behind-the-scenes story of the program's rocky course, from its beginnings as "Project Rush-Rush" to today.

Understanding Mental Retardation constitutes a guide to research and theory for specialists and students alike. Throughout, Edward Zigler and Robert M. Hodapp draw on our knowledge of normal development to inform their discussion of various aspects of retardation. Two introductory chapters provide the developmental framework for this discussion. Topics addressed include issues of definition, classification, and prevalence; motivation and personality factors; intervention in the lives of organically and so-called familial retarded persons; the possibility of 'miracle cures'; and the problems...

Issues in the Developmental Approach to Mental Retardation is one of the first books exclusively devoted to applying the theories, findings and approaches used in work with nonretarded children to several types of retarded individuals. It defines the developmental approach and explores theoretical issues as they relate to retarded populations. Problems involving similar sequences of development, cross-domain relations, the environment, and motivation are all discussed, as is the importance of separating the various etiological groups for research and intervention purposes. This book will be...

This important text analyzes the relationship between child development research and the design and implementation of social policy concerning children and families. The editors have compiled contributions from leading experts in the fields of developmental psychology, psychiatry, public health, business, political science, and education. By so doing, they present a multidisciplinary account of the controversies and challenges that have emerged in the field of child development and social policy, and an analysis of recent changes in our national ethos toward children and families.

Decades of research point to the need for a universal preschool education program in the U.S. to help give our nation's children a sound cognitive and social foundation on which to build future educational and life successes. In addition to enhanced school readiness and improved academic performance, participation in high quality preschool programs has been linked with reductions in grade retentions and school drop out rates, and cost savings associated with a diminished need for remedial educational services and justice services. This 2006 book brings together nationally renowned experts...

By consolidating forty years of Zigler's research with the work of other major researchers in the field of personality, this book provides a single resource for students, researchers, and professionals working in the field of mental retardation. The basic focus is that although cognitive impairment is a defining feature, personality, emotions, and motivation play a significant role in the behavior of individuals with mental retardation. The comprehensive overview of the theory, research, and practical considerations provided in this book has relevance in identifying, educating, and...