Review of Compensatory Education in the Preschool.

Reviews the book, Compensatory Education in the Preschool by Mary J. Wright (No Year Specified). Compensatory education has been tried and it apparently has succeeded. This reversal of Jensen's 1969 conclusion has very significant implications for education in the 1980s. Wright's long-awaited publication of her program and the research supporting it should prove to be both a useful guide for those involved in implementing such programs or in educating teachers of the young, and an addition to the literature on evaluation of compensatory education. Her book is really two separate books--one an excellent guide to the operation of an effective program for three- and four-year-old children (both "disadvantaged" and "advantaged")--the other, a detailed report of evaluation research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Preschool screening: Identifying young children with developmental and educational problems.

Reviews the book, Preschool screening: Identifying young children with developmental and educational problems by R. Lichtenstein and H. Ireton (1984). With the appearance of this book, school psychologists and other professionals now have access to an up-to-date and practical discussion of the issues, research, and instrumentation in the preschool assessment process. This book represents a scholarly collection of six chapters that address matters of philosophy and policy to matters of practice. The book introduces questions about the effectiveness of preschool screening programs as they are characteristically implemented while offering constructive guidelines for improvement to the conscientious professional. Appropriate for use in upper level graduate courses and by professionals working in school and agency settings, this book makes a valuable contribution to the preparation and continuing education of school psychologists and educators who serve preschool-age children and their families. This well-focused and comprehensive volume is recommended highly to university trainers and practitioners in the fields of school and clinical child psychology, as well as early childhood education, special education, and pediatrics. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of History of Academic Psychology in Canada.

Reviews the book, History of Academic Psychology in Canada edited by Mary J. Wright and C. Roger Myers (1982). The title of this book is to be taken seriously. It is a history of academic psychology in Canada in which history of the academy moves prominently to the fore, often leaving the reader with only tantalizing glimpses of the psychology that gave meaning to the effort. Substantively, it is a history of university departments of psychology in Canada. Each departmental history is written by a person or persons having a long association with the department and a sufficient interest in its history to write it. At its best, this book provides well-written and penetratingly thoughtful accounts of the struggle to build psychology as an academic discipline in Canada. Often obscured in the effort, however, is the psychology itself. What was the psychology advocated by these personalities? What did they contribute to it? The reader will have to turn elsewhere for the answers. Regardless of limitations or faults, however, this book deserves full credit as the first attempt to rescue Canadian psychologists from their "social amnesia." It is an important step toward establishing a national consciousness and identity, which by itself would be sufficient reason for a positive reception. Fortunately, it has many other features that recommend it as well. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Head Start: A Canadian model. A review of Poverty and the child, a Canadian study.

Reviews the book, Poverty and the Child, a Canadian Study by Thomas J. Ryan (1972). The primary purpose of the author of this book appears to be to persuade the Canadian government to establish a Canadian equivalent to the Head Start Project which was launched by the government of the United States in 1964. The principal thesis advanced is that the behavior which leads to poverty is learned during the first years of life and most of the volume is devoted to the presentation of research findings which lend support to this view. Finally, it is argued that effective long range plans for interrupting the poverty cycle must involve the socialization or re-socialization of the children of welfare families. In so far as this book points out the urgent need for innovative effort and research on behalf of not only the disadvantaged but all Canadian children and a national commitment which would make this possible it has been an important contribution. However, it probably will not be viewed as a significant addition to the literature in child study. Some will regard the emphasis placed on the shaping effects of the environment as excessive. Furthermore many will be surprised that so little attention is paid to the current disenchantment with Head Start as it has been implemented in the United States. If Canada is to launch a program of compensatory education it should not repeat the mistakes made south of the border. Perhaps here we might begin with a new perspective namely to identify and build on strengths rather than capitulate to the social pathology model. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Techniques and issues in abuse-focused therapy with children and adolescents": Correction.

Reports an error in "Review of Techniques and issues in abuse-focused therapy with children and adolescents" by Francine Lavoie (Canadian Psychology/Psychologie Canadienne, 2001[Nov], Vol 42[4], 330-331). In the biographical note following the review of Sandra Wieland's Techniques and issues in abuse-focused therapy with children and adolescents (Canadian Psychology, 2001, 42(4), p. 330), the author was identified as Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Ottawa. In fact, Dr. Wieland's appointment at the University of Ottawa ended in 1997. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2007-17043-001.) Reviews the book, Techniques and issues in abuse-focused therapy with children and adolescents by Sandra Wieland (1998). Sandra Wieland's second book deals with difficulties faced by all kinds of therapists when dealing (in therapy) with young victims of sexual abuse. This book is unusual in that it emphasizes intervention over theory. It is based on clinical experience and includes a large number of excerpts from interviews. Another unusual aspect is the importance Wieland gives to adolescent experience. Basically, the book has four parts. The first part is a reiteration of the theoretical trauma model; the second deals with techniques; the third involves individual challenges corresponding to dissociation, sexuality, and resistance. In the fourth part, 15 adolescents and young adults present their point of view on what hindered and what helped their therapy. The techniques described have rarely been written about before, which makes this book highly interesting. This book stands out for its great sensitivity and understanding of children. It offers solid and imaginative approaches for caseworkers, as well as a wealth of information on methods seldom discussed elsewhere. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Children and the law.

Reviews the book, Children and the law by Jeffrey Wilson and Mary Tomlinson (1986). This book is divided into nine chapters focusing on almost all aspects of law that affect children including: custody and access issues, child protection and adoption, family support, property and civil participation, the child in the courtroom, crime and the child, children in education, and the child as an immigrant. The book Children and the Law is indispensible for both lawyers involved with children before the court as well as mental health professionals working with children. I know of no other accounts that are available that delve into the specifics related to legislation that are as highly readable and thorough as this account provided by Wilson and Tomlinson. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Techniques and issues in abuse-focused therapy with children and adolescents.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 43(1) of Canadian Psychology/Psychologie Canadienne (see record 2007-16926-001). In the biographical note following the review of Sandra Wieland's Techniques and issues in abuse-focused therapy with children and adolescents (Canadian Psychology, 2001, 42(4), p. 330), the author was identified as Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Ottawa. In fact, Dr. Wieland's appointment at the University of Ottawa ended in 1997.] Reviews the book, Techniques and issues in abuse-focused therapy with children and adolescents by Sandra Wieland (1998). Sandra Wieland's second book deals with difficulties faced by all kinds of therapists when dealing (in therapy) with young victims of sexual abuse. This book is unusual in that it emphasizes intervention over theory. It is based on clinical experience and includes a large number of excerpts from interviews. Another unusual aspect is the importance Wieland gives to adolescent experience. Basically, the book has four parts. The first part is a reiteration of the theoretical trauma model; the second deals with techniques; the third involves individual challenges corresponding to dissociation, sexuality, and resistance. In the fourth part, 15 adolescents and young adults present their point of view on what hindered and what helped their therapy. The techniques described have rarely been written about before, which makes this book highly interesting. This book stands out for its great sensitivity and understanding of children. It offers solid and imaginative approaches for caseworkers, as well as a wealth of information on methods seldom discussed elsewhere. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The psychoeducational assessment of preschool children.

Reviews the book, The psychoeducational assessment of preschool children edited by Kathleen D. Paget and Bruce A. Bracken (1983). This is is a multidisciplinary text that covers a wide variety of components of preschool assessment. As indicated in the preface, the intent of the editors was to provide a comprehensive book that would reflect the diversity of professions involved with assessment of preschoolers. To achieve this purpose, Paget and Bracken compiled a text that is comprehensive in both breadth and depth. The ambitious range of topics includes history of preschool assessment, legal issues, and the assessment of special preschool groups, such as the mentally handicapped, physically handicapped, gifted, creative, and culturally different. In addition, the assessment of a wide variety of domains of functioning such as cognitive, perceptual-motor, fine and gross motor, and social-emotional, are addressed. The editors intended for the book to be used by advanced undergraduate and graduate students, as well as by current practitioners in such diverse areas of practice as psychology, education, social work, and medicine. We concur that the text offers new information for established practitioners and provides extensive background for those new to the field of assessment of preschool children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Teaching children with learning and behavior problems.

Reviews the book, Teaching children with learning and behavior problems by Donald D. Hammill, Nettie R. Bartel, and Gary Owen Bunch (1984). This book was published in 1975 and re-edited in 1978 and 1982 as a practical reference book for classroom teachers. The 1984 "Canadian Edition" by Hammill, Bartel, and Bunch essentially consists of the 1982 text with an introductory chapter by Bunch and with additions and deletions aimed at providing a Canadian orientation. The authors seem deliberately to have kept the book's Canadian features separate from the basic text. Not only are there two prefaces and two introductory chapters: all textual additions are referenced in a separate bibliography and separate subject and author indexes. This referencing system is especially irritating because it is not always possible to guess from context whether a citation will appear in the "standard" or the Canadian listing. Finally, a useful list is given of Canadian sources for tests and materials. The overall effect of this format is to emphasize the book's discontinuities and to remind the reader that the preexisting text has not undergone a major revision or re-integration. This text begins with a general statement on special education needs and continues with chapters on reading, spelling, handwriting, composition, mathematics, language, behaviour problems, and perceptual-motor training. The traditional subject-area chapters are its strongest feature and include excellent scope-and-sequence charts, useful information on identification, and practical remedial suggestions. this ill-assorted book offers a stimulating Canadian-focused introduction to a worthwhile but rather time-worn text that does not cover Canadian issues in any meaningful way. A better book might have resulted from an updating for the international market rather than from this attempt at Canadianization. Our need for material that addresses the specifically Canadian aspects of special education is as great as ever. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The parent-child connection.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 31(2) of Canadian Psychology Psychologie Canadienne (see record 2007-08913-001). In the October 1989 issue (Vol. 30, No. 4, p. 697), Arnold Rincover's affiliation with the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education was incorrectly given as Associate Professor. He has been an Extramural Instructor at O.I.S.E.] Reviews the book, The parent-child connection by Arnold Rincover (1988). The parent-child connection is a well written book that offers valuable advice to help parents of young children evaluate and understand their children's behaviour. It also offers useful suggestions on managing child behaviour, although these parenting tips are most likely to be useful to those parents who least need them (i.e., those with numerous personal and social resources, whose children are presenting only minor behavioural difficulties). The two general themes of the book, child behaviour as communication and developmental norms as guidelines for deciding if behaviour is problematic, are well-suited to the purposes of a parent reference book. They offer an appropriate framework for discussing specific child behaviours and helping parents to determine if these behaviours are problematic in their children. This book is a welcome addition to the list of available parenting books, and may prove particularly useful for younger parents in need of accurate and understandable information about normal child development and behaviour. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparison of preschool curricula for disadvantaged children: A Canadian study.

The effects of a Piaget-based preschool curriculum for disadvantaged Canadian children ( N = 35) were compared with the effects of both a traditional program ( N = 18) and a no-treatment condition ( N = 18). Gain scores from pre- to posttest revealed significant differences between the Piagetian group and the no-treatment control condition on measures of verbal IQ (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test), mental age, seriation, and conservation. Moreover, the Piagetian group made significantly greater gains than the traditional class on measures of mental age, seriation, and classification. The only significant gain score (classification) difference between the children attending the traditional nursery and those not attending preschool at all favored the latter group. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Drama therapy and storymaking in special education.

Reviews the book, Drama therapy and storymaking in special education by Paula Crimmens (2006). This book is a resource for therapists, teachers, and paraprofessionals--anyone working with those children deemed to have "special needs." The book is divided into short chapters that are written in an informal, first person narrative style. The bulk of the book consists of chapters that focus on a particular theme or behavior, such as "helping others," "dealing with change," and "trickery and stealing." For each of these focus areas, Crimmens includes the texts of three or four relevant stories from a wide variety of cultures, and then "ideas for the story," which include thematically related games, visual art, character creation, and segments of simple dramatization. The book provides specific source material and activities that the author has successfully utilized in classroom settings. Both the stories and drama exercises that follow them address issues that are often more pronounced in children with various special needs. Although not earth shattering or revolutionary, this book will generate excitement in those practitioners who are looking for new ways to work with their students and clients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Review of The parent-child connection": Erratum.

Reports an error in "Review of The parent-child connection" by Charlotte Johnston (Canadian Psychology Psychologie Canadienne, 1989[Oct], Vol 30[4], 697-698). Arnold Rincover's affiliation with the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education was incorrectly given as Associate Professor. He has been an Extramural Instructor at O.I.S.E. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2007-09101-001.) Reviews the book, The parent-child connection by Arnold Rincover (1988). The Parent-Child Connection is a well written book that offers valuable advice to help parents of young children evaluate and understand their children's behaviour. It also offers useful suggestions on managing child behaviour, although these parenting tips are most likely to be useful to those parents who least need them (i.e., those with numerous personal and social resources, whose children are presenting only minor behavioural difficulties). The two general themes of the book, child behaviour as communication and developmental norms as guidelines for deciding if behaviour is problematic, are well-suited to the purposes of a parent reference book. They offer an appropriate framework for discussing specific child behaviours and helping parents to determine if these behaviours are problematic in their children. This book is a welcome addition to the list of available parenting books, and may prove particularly useful for younger parents in need of accurate and understandable information about normal child development and behaviour. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Normalizing the ideal: Psychology, schooling, and the family in postwar Canada.

Reviews the book, Normalizing the ideal: Psychology, schooling, and the family in postwar Canada by Mona Gleason (1999). The history of psychology in Canada has not received the attention it deserves. This book is a bold attempt to sketch the development of the discipline and its influence on child-rearing practices and education in post-war Canada. Unfortunately, the author appears to have been guided by a theoretical perspective that can best be characterized as an uninspiring blend of Michel Foucault, Christopher Lasch, and reductionist 1970s feminist scholarship. Gleason's portrayal of the development of psychology, is inadequate on several counts. First, throughout the book, psychology is presented as a monolithic discipline characterized by complete consensus, theoretical unity, and a single-minded purpose of influencing society. Second, Gleason claims that psychologists forced their definitions of normalcy upon an unsuspecting and innocent population by intruding into previously private realms and extending the tentacles of its expertise in building up a professional tyranny. Third, Gleason frequently criticizes psychology for reinforcing and reproducing the social status quo and presenting the ideal family in terms of white, middleclass, heterosexual, and patriarchal ideals. Fourth, she seems to condemn psychologists for inflicting their ideas on an unsuspecting population because they were driven by ulterior motives such as self-aggrandizement and an attempt to increase their own professional power. Gleason's is the first book to provide an overview of the influence of psychology on Canadian society after World War II. Her analysis would have gained from investigating and highlighting the different and at times mutually exclusive ideas, motives, and theories of Canadian psychologists instead of assuming their uniformity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The Young Offenders Act: A revolution in Canadian juvenile justice.

Reviews the book, The Young Offenders Act: A revolution in Canadian juvenile justice by Alan Leschied, Peter Jaffe, and Wayne Willis. The recent historical development of how we deal with young criminals in Canada is well covered in this book. For most of this century, the treatment of young offenders was governed by the Juvenile Delinquents Act (JDA). A product of the reform movements of the end of the 19th century, this act was based on the rationale that young criminals were wayward children whose antisocial behaviour was a reaction to deprivation and neglect. Unfortunately, over the years the JDA became in operation often oppressive, with little attention to due process, and a smothering concern for the welfare of its clients that enmeshed them in a net from which they could not easily escape. The "solution" to these problems was the Young Offenders Act (YOA), implemented during the past decade. The central theme of the first seven chapters of the book--about half of the total--is how the old Welfare assumptions have been replaced by a Junior Justice model. As detailed therein, accused young offenders are now given legal safeguards equivalent to those afforded to adults, with the same rules of evidence, guarantees of defence lawyers and legal aid, and definite fixed sentences if convicted. As one might have expected, the "Revolution in Canadian Juvenile Justice" claimed by the book's subtitle is often much more profound at the level of legal philosophy than on the front lines where real decisions about kids' lives have to be made. Old problems have been replaced by new ones, for example the precipitous drop in the number of convicted youths in psychological treatment programs. Clearly, the roles of both lawyers and psychologists within the System have changed with the adoption of the YOA, and the balance of power has shifted away from treatment. However, as is clear after reading this book, working procedures under the new act are not all fixed by the legislation; rather, some procedures could probably be altered relatively easily. As well, some minor changes in the legislation might make the entire system much more amenable to treatment. The JDA evolved over time, and so will the YOA. This volume can serve as a good starting position for one to consider what the YOA can become and how it can be directed in its evolution, rather than decrying the very dubious value of what it replaced. It will certainly be of interest to psychologists and other professionals in the criminal justice field. It could also serve as a good introduction to criminal justice issues for other readers with interests in adolescent behaviour. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Educational psychology: Reflection for action (Canadian edition).

Reviews the book, Educational psychology: Reflection for action (Canadian edition) (2008). Targeted toward aspiring teachers, this book provides an overview of the content knowledge germane to school-age education in Canada and attempts to foster the types of procedural skills and dispositions necessary to gather and evaluate evidence about one’s own classroom practises and about the diverse array of Canadian students in those classrooms. The book is well written, in language that is clear and accessible to preservice teachers at the undergraduate level. For a more advanced audience, the book also provides an excellent model of how to integrate goals of content, procedural, and disposition acquisition. To these ends, each chapter includes pedagogical features that help readers activate and connect their prior knowledge, skills, and attitudes with those of more expert teachers operating in real classrooms (e.g., samples of classroom life to ground understanding in experience, models of expert analyses following knowledge acquisition, well-timed invitations to engage in reflection during learning). Particular attention is paid to the ecologically valid activity of reasoning about what students know on the basis of what they say and do. In addition to lists of key concepts, end-of-chapter exercises, and a glossary, a number of supplements and additional resources for instructors and students also are mentioned. A parallel e-version of the text, complete with interactive features, is available online at no extra cost. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Assessment and programming for young children with low-incidence handicaps.

Reviews the book Assessment and Programming for Young Children With Low-Incidence Handicaps (1983) by C. R. Reynolds and J. H. Clark. The enrollment of children with low incidence handicaps in the public schools is a relatively new phenomenon; many practicing school psychologists completed their training when instruction in development, assessment, and programming for this population was not available. The challenge facing the editors is to introduce this relatively experienced audience to the critical concepts, theories, and practical applications unique to education for low incidence handicaps. The book consists of 10 selections adopted from papers presented at the Nebraska National Conference on Assessment and Programming for Infants, Preschool, and School Age Children with Low incidence Handicaps. It is a multidisciplinary effort, written for all professional educators; this review only considers its usefulness for the practicing school psychologist. Although it includes valuable insights into the evaluation of hearing impaired children, it is incomplete in its view of other resources for their assessment and educational programming. Also, the book is flawed with several distracting misprints, typos, omitted sentences, and missing references. The book lacks the precision and excellence necessary to serve as a sourcebook for low incidence handicaps; it may serve as a useful reference for school psychologists with specific interests in the handicapping conditions of physical and motor deficits or visual handicaps. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sometimes, two swallows do make a summer.

Reviews the book, The social world of children learning to talk by B. Hart and T. Risley (1999). Betty Hart and Todd Risley's second book reporting the results of a longitudinal study of language development among children, ranging in age from 9 to 36 months, and their families. Rather than providing too little information from which to draw accurate conclusions, this second volume is a forceful and important follow-up to their earlier work, Meaningful differences in the everyday lives of young American children (Hart & Risley, 1996). This second volume focuses on the children themselves and the changes they make in social interactions and language production across the span of infancy, toddlerhood, and early preschool years. Learning to talk is an important volume in its own right, offering a detailed and rich picture of the relation between social and language development in young children. Serious students of language development, psychologists interested in early development, and practitioners or researchers interested in early development and intervention will all profit from this important contribution to our understanding of young children and their families. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)