Synthesis

Assignment 1: Synthesis of Information

Readings: New Program Teaches Preschoolers Reading Skills, Getting Along with Others

Science Daily November 14, 2008

A recent study funded by the National Institutes of Health ( NIH) has finally answered a long standing concern on whether programs in preschool education should emphasize on academic success of children or just concentrate on the emotional and social development. This question was answered by Dr. Duane Alexander Director of NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. He said that academic success of preschool children need not focus on one aspect; two things can be achieved at the same time. The study showed that it is possible to achieve both academic success and social skills of children. This study is all about developing a curriculum that addresses both academic achievement and social skills of a child. This program is called the Research- Based, Developmentally Informed or the REDI Program. This REDI curriculum is a combination of programs that fosters social and emotional development and those that contains components that promote language development and pre-reading skills. The REDI curriculum was tested on forty-four Head Start Centers in Central Pennsylvania. Half of the centers tried the REDI program enhancements while the other half tried the traditional Head Start Program without the enhancements. Results of the study showed that children who were under the REDI program scored higher on several tests of emotional and social development than children in the traditional curriculum. This included skills in recognizing emotions in others, and responding appropriately to situations involving a conflict. Additionally, parents of children who belong to the REDI group reported fewer instances of impulsivity, aggression and attention problems than the parents of children in the traditional program. Furthermore, children in the REDI program scored higher on...