The interaction of gender, occupation, and fine phonetic detail

In China-mainland, the high turnover rate of private kindergarten teachers has long bothered relevant scholars and policymakers. In the current research, we recruited 692 teachers from Chinese private kindergartens as participants, and then used a questionnaire survey to investigate the relationship between the occupation stereotypes held by private kindergarten teachers on their turnover intention and the acting mechanisms between them. The results of data analyses demonstrated a significantly positive correlation between the occupation stereotypes held private kindergarten teachers and their turnover intention, reflecting those private kindergarten teachers with negative occupation stereotypes were more likely to left the organization in future. Further data analyses showed that personal control sense played a partially mediating role between occupation stereotypes and turnover intention, indicating that private kindergarten teachers with stronger occupation stereotypes tended to perceive lower personal control sense and lower personal control sense further enabled them to generate the intention of leaving the organization. Moreover, we also found that the above mentioned mediation was further moderated by the intolerance of uncertainty of participants (IU) — compared to private kindergarten teachers with high IU, those private kindergarten teachers with low IU were more likely to generating the intention of leaving the organization resulting from the low personal control sense induced by their negative occupation stereotypes. The present research firstly demonstrates the significant correlation between occupation stereotypes and turnover intention of kindergarten teachers in China Mainland, and also provides a meaningful guideline for Chinese government to alleviate the separation tendency of private kindergarten teachers.

In this documentary account, a kindergarten teacher and teacher educator describe our efforts to explore how young children think and reason about gender expression in and beyond the classroom. We describe our ongoing collaboration to develop a framework for teacher-initiated and student-initiated conversations about gender, which often result from students’ spontaneous remarks and questions about gender norms. We explore the question, How can educators create relevant and engaging learning opportunities to invite young learners to discuss gender norms within the classroom? In this paper we share kindergartners’ conversations about gender and three examples of their writing about this topic. We conclude that an inquiry approach to teaching, that aims to be respectful of and responsive to students developing ideas about gender identity, is both possible and necessary. efforts to explore how young children think and reason about gender expression in and beyond the classroom. We describe our ongoing collaboration to develop a framework for teacher-initiated and student-initiated conversations about gender, which often result from students’ spontaneous remarks and questions about gender norms. We explore the question, How can educators create relevant and engaging learning opportunities to invite young learners to discuss gender norms within the classroom? In this paper we share kindergartners’ conversations about gender and three examples of their writing about this topic. We conclude that an inquiry approach to teaching, that aims to be respectful of and responsive to students developing ideas about gender identity, is both possible and In this documentary account, a kindergarten teacher and teacher educator describe our efforts to explore how young children think and reason about gender expression in and beyond the classroom. We describe our ongoing collaboration to develop a framework for teacher-initiated and student-initiated conversations about gender, which often result from students’ spontaneous remarks and questions about gender norms. We explore the question, How can educators create relevant and engaging learning opportunities to invite young learners to discuss gender norms within the classroom? In this paper we share kindergartners’ conversations about gender and three examples of their writing about this topic. We conclude that an inquiry approach to teaching, that aims to be respectful of and responsive to students developing ideas about gender identity, is both possible and necessary.

Turnover is a particular problem among childcare workers and less so among preschool and kindergarten teachers. In 2022, turnover in childcare work was about 65 percent higher than in a typical job, while attrition among preschool and kindergarten teachers was on par with the typical occupation.

ObjectivesPolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are a well-known carcinogen causing lung and skin cancers in exposed workers. Several occupations such as coke production have been reported to be associated with high PAHs...

While studies have explored the physical literacy of Chinese kindergarten teachers and its impact on young children’s health, to date, none has provided a comprehensive analysis of Chinese kindergarten teachers’ self-perceptions in relation to sport. This study explored the environmental stressors associated with participating in sport during the teenage years of 148 Chinese female pre-service kindergarten teachers majoring in early childhood education at a Chinese university through the analysis of their individual sports life history texts. The researchers found that there were multiple simultaneous pressures regarding girls’ sport participation in China. First, there is the pain of student sports participation caused by the pull of multiple forces, and the inconsistency between government, school, family, and student demands for sports, which makes both sports and students a passive presence. Second, there is gender discrimination against women in the sports arena, which adds another burden for girls. Third, physical education teachers seem to have been unable to solve the physical and mental discomforts caused by perceptions of girls’ limited ability, accidental injuries, anxiety and shyness in the sports process. The study revealed the profound impact of body culture and gender culture in Confucianism on adolescent girls’ sports during puberty. The findings contribute to understanding and improving the pre-service physical education practices of female kindergarten teachers and female physical education practices during adolescence, as well as, in the long run, improving the quality of kindergarten children’s physical activity in a context where females are the dominant occupational group.

A focus of interest among researchers and educators is to find teaching methods adjusted to developmental aspects in early childhood. Teaching that generates significant learning and creates motivation, interest and enjoyment in young children is a real challenge in contemporary education. The effectiveness of using puppets in early childhood has been demonstrated in clinical areas as having the potential to create communication, increase involvement and change attitudes. However, there is limited research literature relating to the use of puppets as a teaching method, and therefore a methodology based on measurement and evaluation is lacking in this field. This article presents partial results of a broader study that examined the influence of an intervention program integrating a puppet as a mediation tool on learning motivation, and enhancing literacy achievements in regular and special kindergarten children. One of the aims of this research was to evaluate, from mediators' perspectives, the use of puppets as a mediation tool for kindergarten children. This evaluation was carried out by means of personal interviews with each of the mediators at the end of the intervention program. From the interviews it became apparent that the mediators considered the puppets to be an effective tool for young children's developmental aspects, by means of which they could relate to cognitive, emotional, and social realms. Mediation using puppets facilitated learning processes, while using puppets, children's cooperation level increased, as did interest, attention span and their involvement in learning interaction was evident. The puppets contributed to the mediators' self-confidence and to their sense of professionalism. During the puppets mediation, the mediators felt that they were teaching in a clear manner, and they felt they were being interesting and. interactive. By using puppets, they succeeded in creating a close personal connection with the children. These findings have an applicable contribution in presenting the effectiveness of the puppet as a mediation tool for use in kindergarten and with special needs children.

Studies investigating auditory perception of gender expression vary greatly in the specific terms applied to gender expression in rating scales. This study examined the effects of different anchor terms on listeners' auditory perceptions of gender expression in phonated and whispered speech. Additionally, token and speaker cues were examined to identify predictors of the auditory-perceptual ratings. Inexperienced listeners (n = 105) completed an online rating study in which they were asked to use one of five visual analog scales (VASs) to rate cis men, cis women, and transfeminine speakers in both phonated and whispered speech. The VASs varied by anchor term (very female/very male, feminine/masculine, feminine female/masculine male, very feminine/not at all feminine, and not at all masculine/very masculine). Linear mixed-effects models revealed significant two-way interactions of gender expression by anchor term and gender expression by condition. In general, the feminine female/masculine male scale resulted in the most extreme ratings (closest to the end points), and the feminine/masculine scale resulted in the most central ratings. As expected, for all speakers, whispered speech was rated more centrally than phonated speech. Additionally, ratings of phonated speech were predicted by mean fundamental frequency (f o) within each speaker group and by smoothed cepstral peak prominence in cisgender speakers. In contrast, ratings of whispered speech, which lacks an f o, were predicted by indicators of vocal tract resonance (second formant and speaker height). The current results indicate that differences in the terms applied to rating scales limit generalization of results across studies. Identifying the patterns across listener ratings of gender expression provide a rationale for researchers and clinicians when making choices about terms. Additionally, beyond f o and vocal tract resonance, predictors of listener ratings vary based on the anchor terms used to describe gender expression. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.19617564.

Kindergarten teachers in Hong Kong are often criticised for not putting early childhood education theory into practice after their in-service training. It appears that they may be too concerned about academic work and discipline in the classroom and neglect to create a coherent vision of early childhood education. It might be suggested that kindergarten teachers have difficulties in coping with reform that advocates child-centred teaching approaches and active learning as the idealised vision of early childhood education when they have to cope with the Chinese cultural influence and parental demands for an early academic start. This article reviews the current teacher education provision and the cultural context of education in Hong Kong, and tracks the classroom strategies of kindergarten teachers in nine case studies. The findings of the study suggest that there is a general pattern for teaching in kindergartens. The culture of teaching tends to reflect the coping strategies of the teachers to overcome a triangle of potentially conflicting expectations and orientations: the vision of early childhood education, the Chinese culture, and local constraints. Moreover, simply training teachers would not ultimately change their practice unless the environment in which teachers work facilitated this. In view of this, teacher development and change are most possible if there is a change in views and attitudes towards teaching.

Early childhood education as the main foundation of one's education is determined by the quality of teachers who can be seen through the performance of teachers and teachers, so the discourse of professional development is important. This study aims to determine how the performance of superior early childhood teachers and performance measurement as performance standards for outstanding teachers. Qualitative research is carried out with a psychological approach that is carried out directly on the object under study, to obtain data relating to aspects of teacher performance so that increased performance becomes an example for other teachers. Research data collection techniques using interviews, documentation, and observation. The results showed that the performance of outstanding early childhood teachers always tried to hone and control themselves by participating in outstanding teacher competitions to monitor their professional condition and performance. Early childhood teachers who have extraordinary grades also have strong scientific insight, understand learning, have broad social insights, are positive about their work, and show work performance according to the required performance criteria. The teacher's performance in the extraordinary category is the success and ability of the teacher in carrying out various learning tasks. Measuring the performance of early childhood teachers with achievement has two tasks as measurement standards, tasks related to the learning process and tasks related to structuring and planning learning tasks. Referring to these two tasks, there are three main criteria related to teacher performance in early childhood teacher professional development literacy, namely processes, teacher characteristics, and outcomes or products (changes in student attitudes). In the learning process, the performance of early childhood teachers who excel can be seen from the quality of work carried out related to professional teacher learning activities.
 Keywords: Early Childhood Education, Outstanding Educator Performance, Professional Development

This empirical study deals with the issue of compulsory education in kindergartens, which was implemented in the Czech Republic in 2017. Children aged 5 must attend kindergarten or opt for individual home-schooling. The intention of this Czech educational policy step was to raise the preparedness and eligibility of children for compulsory primary school education and to eliminate or compensate for potential handicaps when detected. The aim of the research was to document the reflections of parents and kindergarten teachers on the realization of the compulsory pre-school education, specifically the concerns and other reactions of the adults and the children themselves. The data collection was performed by two means: a questionnaire filled in by 305 parents within which predominantly open questions were analyzed, and the method of thematic writing by kindergarten teachers. In the second case twenty-nine texts averaging 2500 characters were obtained. To process the data we used the content analysis method based on open coding. Several significant findings were disclosed characterizing compulsory pre-school education, notably regarding ambivalence. The parents’ attitudes are based on preferences and necessities of pre-school education (as opposed to individual home-schooling) for their children’s further educational career, however, the strict legal obligation to ensure children’s kindergarten attendance was disputed. The teachers welcome the expected improvement of the children’s preparedness; at the same time, they perceive a borderline shift regarding the follow-up childhood stage traditionally connected with entering primary school. The teachers also identify the changing attitudes of children in transition from an institution where they “go to play” while their parents work, to that of a learning place with a status similar to that of primary school.

This empirical study deals with the issue of compulsory education in kindergartens, which was implemented in the Czech Republic in 2017. Children aged 5 must attend kindergarten or opt for individual home-schooling. The intention of this Czech educational policy step was to raise the preparedness and eligibility of children for compulsory primary school education and to eliminate or compensate for potential handicaps when detected. The aim of the research was to document the reflections of parents and kindergarten teachers on the realization of the compulsory pre-school education, specifically the concerns and other reactions of the adults and the children themselves. The data collection was performed by two means: a questionnaire filled in by 305 parents within which predominantly open questions were analyzed, and the method of thematic writing by kindergarten teachers. In the second case twenty-nine texts averaging 2500 characters were obtained. To process the data we used the content analysis method based on open coding. Several significant findings were disclosed characterizing compulsory pre-school education, notably regarding ambivalence. The parents’ attitudes are based on preferences and necessities of pre-school education (as opposed to individual home-schooling) for their children’s further educational career, however, the strict legal obligation to ensure children’s kindergarten attendance was disputed. The teachers welcome the expected improvement of the children’s preparedness; at the same time, they perceive a borderline shift regarding the follow-up childhood stage traditionally connected with entering primary school. The teachers also identify the changing attitudes of children in transition from an institution where they “go to play” while their parents work, to that of a learning place with a status similar to that of primary school.

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in mean fundamental frequency between vocal fry and harshness. Ten adult males recorded a standard passage in their normal voices and then in vocal fry. A second group of 10 males whose voices had been clinically diagnosed as harsh recorded the passage in their usual harsh voice. The Fundamental Frequency Indicator and the phonellegraph were used to obtain fundamental frequency data from these recordings. A mean fundamental frequency of 36.4 Hz with a range of 30.9 to 43.7 Hz was found for vocal fry; the mean of the harsh voices was 122.1 Hz within a range of 103.7 to 180.0 Hz. Normal fundamental frequencies ranged from 98.4 to 125.1 Hz with a mean of 110.6 Hz. The major finding was that vocal fry can be differentiated from clinical harshness and normal phonation on the basis of mean fundamental frequency. A secondary finding was that clinical harshness and normal phonation could not be so differentiated.

Vocal stability and vocal tract configuration: An acoustic and electroglottographic investigation

Our laboratory has developed an in vivo rabbit model to investigate the effects of phonation on expression and turnover of the vocal fold extracellular matrix. As a logical outgrowth of this research to include phonotrauma in the present study, we investigated the hypothesis that an increase in airflow rate delivered to the glottis produces a change in glottal configuration and an increase in mean phonation intensity. Prospective animal study. Six New Zealand white breeder rabbits weighing 3 to 5 kg were used in this study. A rigid endoscope and camera were used to document glottal configuration. Acoustic signals of modal and raised phonation were recorded and digitized. Two separate one-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests were used to investigate within subject differences in phonation intensity and fundamental frequency between modal and raised phonation. Phonation intensity was 54.19 dB SPL (6.21 standard deviations [SD]) during modal phonation, and 60.31 dB SPL (5.68 SD) during raised phonation. Endoscopic images revealed a convergent glottis, with greater separation of the vocal folds during raised phonation. Results of ANOVA revealed a significant within subjects effect for phonation intensity (P = .011). Pairwise comparisons revealed that phonation intensity increased significantly during raised phonation, compared to modal phonation (P = .008). No differences in mean fundamental frequency were observed between phonation conditions. Improved understanding of factors that control phonation output in the in vivo rabbit model will result in improved capabilities to match phonation dose across animals and provide immediate direction to future biochemical studies.

This Community Service Activity aims to improve teachers' and parents' understanding of early childhood mental health in Balinggi Jati Village. The activity was carried out on June 11-13, 2025 and was divided into three main stages, namely preparation, implementation of education, and evaluation of results. Participants consisted of the principal, two kindergarten teachers, and 32 parents who were selected purposively. The methods used included observation, interviews, focus group discussions (FGD), and pre-test and post-test questionnaires. Education was delivered through seminars and mentoring by lecturers from the PGAUD Study Program, STAH Dharma Sentana, Central Sulawesi. Before the implementation, understanding and parenting practices related to children's mental health were still low, namely between 45%–65%. After education, there was a significant increase in knowledge, attitudes, and parenting practices reaching 85%–95%. This program succeeded in encouraging changes in attitudes that were more empathetic and responsive. Collaboration between schools, parents, and universities is the key to success, with recommendations for further training and monitoring to ensure the sustainability of the impact.