This work examines international strategies of early education and literacy for disadvantaged children, from a cross-cultural perspective. It brings together theoretical insights, the results of empirical research, and experiences with early educational intervention programmes.

Enhancing Educational Opportunities for Young Children, Lotty Eldering and Paul Leseman * Culture-Behavior Relationships, Ype H. Poortinga; Theoretical Conceptions of Human Development, Robert Serpell * From Parents' Cultural Belief Systems to Behavior, Sara Harkness and Charles M. Super * Context and Cognition in Early Childhood Education, Evelyn Jacob and Patricia A. Phipps * Modifiability of Cognitive Components, Fons Van de Vijver * Facilitating Language Development Promotes Literacy Learning, Catherine Snow * Home and School Literacy in a Multicultural Society, Paul P.M. Leseman * Parenting in Poverty: Young Children and Their Families in South Africa, Linda M. Richter * Literacy and Schooling in a Multilingual Society, Ludo Verhoeven * Empowering Parents and Children: The Case of the Turkish Early Enrichment Project, (c) i (g) dem (Kagitcibasi) * The Dutch Experience with the Home Intervention Program for Preschool Children (HIPPY), Lotty Eldering and Paul Vedder * Integrated Early Childhood Development: The Indian Experience Success for All: Effects of Prevention an Early Intervention on Elementary Students' Reading, Robert E. Slavin and Nancy A. Madden