Primary School Children Research Articles

Virtual Reality Based Executive Function Training in Schools: The Experience of Primary School-Aged Children, Teachers and Training Teaching Assistants

Executive function (EF) is a set of higher order cognitive processes through which learning and everyday goals are realised. They comprise the fundamental building blocks of how we plan, execute, monitor and regulate tasks, and impact our cognitive, socioemotional and behavioural responses. An important question to consider is how we can support children to develop effective EF skills through motivating and age-appropriate training. Virtual reality (VR) offers an interesting avenue to enhance motivation due to the experience of presence and immersion, however, whether children experience presence and immersion similarly to adults is unknown and could impact the educational utility of VR over other media. In order to understand whether VR is suitable for an educational setting we must understand the experience of key stakeholders, such as school-aged children and adults that will be facilitating use in the educational context. Therefore, the current study aims to understand the experience of key stakeholders using EF training delivered in a VR environment, to enable reflection on the feasibility and usability of the technology. This study aimed to explore the qualitative experiences of 8 primary school-aged children, 5 teachers and 13 training teaching assistants, after playing an EF training game, Koji’s Quest, on a VR head mounted display. Firstly we found that most teachers and trainee teachers gave good ratings of usability, but in their subjective descriptions of use focused on hedonic experiences, whereas, children focused on pragmatic experiences. Results also indicate that adults may favour ‘being’ definitions of presence, whereas child participants appear to incorporate both ‘being’ and ‘doing’ definitions into their accounts. This research has implications for how VR based EF training can be maximised within an educational setting.

Exploring the effects of a 12-Week functional training program on fundamental motor skills for primary school children aged 6–7

BackgroundFundamental motor skills (FMS) are the foundation of children’s movement. Professional guidance and customised training methods are essential to effectively acquiring and mastering fundamental motor skills. Recently, functional training has gained widespread popularity and is associated with numerous benefits. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effect of functional training on fundamental motor skills in children aged 6–7. MethodsThis study was conducted at a primary school. One hundred children were randomly selected from 382 who met the criteria and allocated to a functional training or regular physical education group, with 25 boys and 25 girls in each group. The research program lasted 12 weeks, with two weekly sessions, each lasting 40 min. The assessment of fundamental motor skills utilises the Test of Gross Motor Development and Pediatric Balance Scale. The pre-test and post-test data were analysed using generalised estimating equations. ResultsThe data analysis showed statistically significant differences between and within groups. There was a significant interaction effect of time and group on the gross motor quotient (x2 = 51.603, p = 0.001), locomotor subtest standard scores (x2 = 22.259, p = 0.001), object control subtest standard scores (x2 = 29.283, p = 0.001), and PBS balance scores (x2 = 24.881, p = 0.001). Furthermore, the main effect of time was significant for the four variables. However, the main effects of the group varied. Significant effects of the group were observed for the gross motor quotient (x2 = 8.662, p = 0.003) and object control subtest standard scores (x2 = 7.471, p = 0.006), but not for locomotor subtest standard scores (x2 = 2.558, p = 0.110) or PBS balance scores (x2 = 1.188, p = 0.276). Discussion and ConclusionsFunctional training can positively impact the development of fundamental motor skills in children aged 6–7, demonstrating greater effectiveness than regular physical education courses. These findings provide evidence that incorporating functional training into early childhood physical education can be an effective intervention for enhancing the development of fundamental motor skills.

Parental rules and child age as moderators in the relationship between screen time and perceived sleep problems in children aged 6–18

ABSTRACT Objective Child sleep problems are commonly reported by parents of children aged 6–18 years, with a growing body of evidence describing the link between children’s screen time and parental perceived child sleep problems. Using cross-sectional data, representative of the Victorian population, this study explored whether the relationship between screen time and parental perceived sleep problems differed across child age groups. It also examined whether parental rules moderated this relationship differentially between primary school-aged children and adolescents. Method Participants were 1699 parents living in Victoria with children aged 6 to 18 years who were recruited to complete a computer assisted personal communication through random dialling of mobile and landline numbers. Results Results indicated that more screen time was associated with more parental perceived sleep problems, with parental rules moderating this relationship for primary school-aged children but not for adolescents. Contrary to expectations, the relationship between screen time and parental perceived sleep problems did not differ across child age groups. Conclusions Results suggest that parental rules on media device use may be an instrumental factor in the development of successful intervention programmes for primary school-aged children. Further implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Historical education of primary school children: from theory to practice

The relevance of the problem of historical education in primary school is determined by the need for younger students to develop a sustained interest in history, awareness of the importance of their own cultural and historical identity. This requires teachers to understand the essence of this process, apply innovative teaching methods and approaches aimed at actively involving students in learning history. The purpose of our research is to determine the essence of the concept of “historical education of primary school children” and the specifics of the organization of this process in primary school. Materials and methods. The following research methods are selected: 1) analysis of psychological and pedagogical literature – in order to determine achievements in solving the problem under consideration, to identify existing scientific points of view on the problem of historical education of younger schoolchildren; 2) SWOT analysis – in order to identify the advantages and disadvantages of existing programs aimed at historical education; 3) a survey – to determine the level of formation of knowledge of younger students about historical events. The sample of the study was made up of students of the 3rd and 4th grades of schools in Chelyabinsk. The sample size was 170 people. The analysis of psychological and pedagogical literature carried out by the authors allowed us to state the insufficient elaboration of the problem of historical education of younger schoolchildren in both domestic and foreign literature. The theoretical significance of the research lies in the author’s formulation of the concept of «historical education of primary school children», which refers to the activity of a teacher aimed at forming children’s initial historical knowledge in connection with an interest in the history of their Fatherland, a personal understanding of the significance of the main events, the desire to preserve historical memory. The analysis of the results of the survey indicates a lack of awareness of students in grades 3–4 about historical events. Based on the conducted SWOT analysis, threats to achieving the goals of historical education have been identified: excessive content of existing programs, planning a large number of expected results. Historical education in primary schools should be aimed at the study of reliable and scientifically based historical knowledge by children, the development of the ability to understand the causes and consequences of historical events, to assess their impact on people’s lives. It creates one of the foundations of the all-Russian civic identity and collective historical memory. One of the tasks of historical education in primary school is to form a value attitude to the world around us based on acquaintance with important and truly vivid events, personalities, and stories from the history of our country. To achieve this task, it is necessary to use the opportunities of lessons (literary reading, the outside world, ORCSE, music, art, etc.) and extracurricular activities (participation in design and research activities, visiting theaters, staging performances with a historical plot, studying epics, fairy tales, folk art, etc.).

Giving children a voice: Concept development and foundation of the first Children's council “mental health” in Germany

AbstractBackgroundAs summarized by the Lancet Psychiatry Commission on youth mental health (McGorry et al., 2024), the statistics on mental disorders in children are alarming and highlight the need to expand and optimize research on childhood mental health. Although patient and public involvement (PPI) of those affected has the potential to boost both the acceptance and outcomes of research studies, the active involvement of young children, that is, primary school children, in mental health research has been neglected.MethodsBased on the results of our systematic literature analysis of PPI of children in mental health research, the concept development of the Children's Council ‘Mental Health’ was administered in cooperation with several stakeholders and focus groups (practitioners and researchers in the field of clinical psychology and psychotherapy across the lifespan, representatives from three self‐help organizations for mental disorders, children's focus group). The concept was further optimized in collaboration with the German Children's Fund (Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk e. V.).ResultsThe Children's Council was successfully founded with five children aged between 6 and 9 years. Participation is positively received, and each meeting is evaluated using visual measurements. The results from the meetings are presented and discussed. They serve as basis for concrete recommendations for involving young children in mental health research.ConclusionsTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first structured approach involving young children in mental health research studies. The main goal of our study is the direct and immediate empowerment of children, in this case primary school children at the age of 6–12 years. This is associated with a child‐friendly exchange on topics related to mental health, as well as the enhancement of the education process on mental disorders and prevention.

In vitro Evaluation of Antifungal Activities of Zingiber officinale (Ginger) and Allium sativum (Garlic) Extracts on Fungal Isolates from Tinea Capitis

In vitro Evaluation of Antifungal Activities of Zingiber officinale (Ginger) and Allium sativum (Garlic) Extracts on Fungal Isolates from Tinea Capitis

Global Comparisons of Age, Gender and Socioeconomic Status Differences of Physical Fitness Health Risk in South African Primary School Children: Longitudinal Data from the NW-CHILD Study

Global physical fitness (PF) levels have declined over the past 50 years, contributing to early health risks in children although it is still unclear how age, gender and socioeconomic status (SES) impact PF risk. This study aimed to identify unique health risks related to age, SES and gender that might influence muscular fitness (MF) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels of primary school children in South Africa. Children (N = 349, boys = 165; girls = 184) of low (n = 201) and high SES (n = 148) underwent three time point measurements at 6, 9 and 12 years spanning seven primary school years. MF was assessed with the strength sub-test of the Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2) and CRF with a 20 m shuttle run. Relationships between biographical data, anthropometric data and PF were analysed using mixed linear regression models. After controlling for covariates, findings from unadjusted interaction models were used, revealing significant (p < 0.05) two-way age and SES interactions in standing long jump (SLJ), push-ups, wall-sit, sit-ups and VO2max and age and gender interactions (p < 0.001) in sit-ups, push-ups and VO2max. Universal cut-points are considered valid monitoring guidelines of PF risk in South African school children. For comparison, standardised global protocols for sit-ups and push-ups should be prioritised and intervention strategies should focus on improving PF in girls, older children from the age of 9 and children from low SES backgrounds.

Differences in Emotional Intelligence between Rural and Urban Primary School Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Alego-Usonga Sub County, Kenya

This study sought to establish differences in emotional intelligence between rural and urban primary school orphans and vulnerable children in Alego-Usonga Sub County, Kenya. The study used Ex-post facto research design, using schools that had good performance academically through school progress records. The study sample comprised of 319 pupils (157 males and 162 females) of between 12 to 17 years, representing 32.48% of the study population. The study used a questionnaire as source of data. The analysis of data involved descriptive statistics and independent sample t-test as reflected in tables and figures that appear in the results section. The study found that OVC’s emotional intelligence is influenced by their environment. Compared to rural areas, urban settings tends to provide a better environment for the nurturing of emotional intelligence of primary school children. In addition, flexible, interesting and accommodative school and home environments guarantee a fertile ground for improving the adolescents’ emotional Intelligence. Subsequently, appropriate recommendations were provided.

Correlates of Overweight and Obesity in German Primary School Children

Correlates of Overweight and Obesity in German Primary School Children

Гігієнічна оцінка фізичного розвитку дітей і підлітків – один із напрямів наукової діяльності кафедри загальної гігієни з екологією Львівського національного медичного університету імені Данила Галицького (до 125-річчя створення кафедри)

Objective is to highlight the results of scientific research on the hygienic assessment of the physical development of children and adolescents performed at the Department of General Hygiene and Ecology of Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University Materials and methods. Printed scientific works, abstracts, scientific research reports. Methods – search, analytical, descriptive. Results. 125 years have passed since the founding of the Department of General Hygiene and Ecology of Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University. Hygienic assessment of the physical development of children and adolescents has become one of the important directions of scientific activity of the department. In the late 40s of the twentieth century, the physical development of students of craft and factory colleges, factory training schools, and young men and women who worked at manufacturing enterprises was studied. It was found that young men and women who worked had better indicators of physical development. Their anthropometric indicators significantly exceeded those of peers in 1923. The physical development of boys and girls aged 4-6 in Lviv was studied in 1995-1996, in rural areas of Lviv region – in 1998-1999. It was found that 71.2%-71.6% of preschoolers had normal physical development. In particular, 72.4% of boys and 70.0% of girls who were residents of the city, 70.6% of boys and 72.6% of girls who were residents of rural areas. Deficits of body weight of the first degree were found in 38.7%, excess body weight of the first degree in 29.9% of children from Lviv, and among children from rural areas – 34.6% and 32.8% respectively. Rural children were shorter and had a lower body weight than urban children. From 1969-1971 until 1995-1996, urban children's body weight decreased by 1 kg on average. Among the examined male and female primary school students (2003-2005), 73.5% had normal physical development at entering school, 67.8% in the second grade, and 66.2% in the third grade. The number of individuals with tall height and excess body weight of the I and II degrees has increased. According to the retrospective analysis of anthropometric parameters compared to 1969-1971 a tendency to deceleration was revealed. Among the examined schoolboys and schoolgirls in 2014-2015 68.9% of 7-year-olds, 64.1% of 8-year-olds, 70.5% of 9-year-olds and 68.7% of 10-year-olds had an average height, harmonious development among 7-year-old boys amounted to 69, 8%, girls – 66.1%, 8-year-olds – 65.9% and 64.6%, 9-year-olds – 72.6% and 65.8%, respectively, 10-year-old boys had the smallest share of harmonious physical development – 50.6%, and girls – 59.4%. Dynamics of anthropometric indicators from 1967-1969 to 2014-2015 was characterized by processes of acceleration against the background of astenization and gracefulization of children. Growth processes of anthropometric indicators took place unevenly. The lowest indicators of height and body weight in children were observed from 1992 to 1996, the highest – in 2014-2015. Nowadays children are taller and have more body weight than their peers 19-49 years ago. Among the examined schoolboys and schoolgirls of secondary school age (2018-2020), 74.5% and 77.3% of average height were found, respectively, 53.7% of schoolboys and 58.5% of 11-year-old schoolgirls had harmonious development, 12-year-olds – 60.5% and 56.3%, respectively, 14-year-olds – the share of harmonious development amounted to 79.3%. 16.5% of 11-year-old boys and 15.4% of girls, 11.4% and 16.9% of 12-year-olds, 19.6% and 16.0% of 14-year-old schoolchildren were overweight. Disharmonious physical development of schoolchildren is caused by an excess or deficit of body weight of the I and II degrees, an increase or decrease in the circumference of the chest of the I and II degrees, and their combinations. The dynamics of the physical development of schoolboys and schoolgirls is characterized by processes of acceleration – a clear regularity of the increase in height and body weight of children from 1996 to 2020 has been traced. Territorial peculiarities of physical development have been revealed. Regional scales of regression by height were developed. Conclusions. The majority of the surveyed children and adolescents have harmonious physical development. At the present stage, the processes of acceleration of physical development have been identified. To assess the physical development of preschoolers, primary and secondary schoolchildren, regional regression scales by height were developed. Keywords. Department of general hygiene with ecology, physical development, boys, girls, schoolboys, schoolgirls.

FAMILY EDUCATION STYLES AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON THE FORMATION OF A CHILD’S PERSONALITY

The relevance of the study is due to the fact that it is now becoming important to consider the availability of the necessary factors for the successful development of the child. These include the psycho-emotional characteristics of the student, which are inextricably linked with the family system. The period of childhood is, on the one hand, the period of formation of individual abilities, and on the other, the time when the child is not emotionally separated from his family. The family system has the maximum impact on the psycho-emotional state, as well as on the disclosure of creative abilities. According with the opinion of L.S. Vygotsky that primary school age is a special period in a person’s life, we investigated children of this particular age group. Purpose of the study is to investigate the infl uence of parenting style on child development, as well as the relationship between parenting styles in families and the level of creativity in primary school children. The study sample included primary school students aged  to  years and their parents. Research methods included the technique for identifying the styles of family education by S. Stepanov, techniques for identifying the educational position (measures of care) of parents to a child by I.M. Markovskaya, Kettell’s multifactorial personality questionnaire for children from  to  years old (boys, girls), methods for identifying creative thinking - Torrens’ diagnosis of creativity. Study results. Relationships between parenting styles in families and the level of creativity in primary school children, as well as features of parenting styles, were identifi ed and described. A meaningful analysis of theoretical and empirical material was carried out, during which ideas about the relationship between the styles of upbringing in families and the level of creativity in primary school children were expanded. During primary school age, the upbringing style is an important factor that determines the psycho-emotional state of the child and the disclosure of the potential of creative abilities, as well as the development of such signs of giftedness as social courage and verbal intelligence. The results obtained can be used in the practice of family and child counseling, in the curriculum of training courses on family psychology and child-parent relations, school education programmes, etc.

School well-being in primary school children with chronic illness. A prospective cohort study.

Children with chronic illness perform poorer at school, and school well-being (SWB) may mediate this association. We investigated the association between chronic illness and three domains of SWB in children in first grade. Data from a German population-based prospective cohort study were used. Children with chronic illness were identified via their preschool health examination and follow-up parent surveys during first grade. Children were grouped as either (i) having current special health care needs (SHCN), (ii) having at least one physician diagnosis of a chronic illness but no current SHCN, or (iii) being healthy. SWB was assessed at the end of first grade and measured by the Questionnaire for the Assessment of Emotional and Social School Experiences of First and Second Grade Primary School Children. Based on SWB theory and previous frameworks, the following subscales were used: School-Related Self-Concept, Social Integration, and Joy of Learning. The sum score for each subscale was converted into area-transformed T-values (mean 50 and standard deviation 10). Associations between chronic illness groups and SWB subscales were investigated by multivariable linear regression models. Effect estimates were adjusted for potential confounding variables and standardized mean differences (SMD) were calculated. Of the 1,490 children included, 15% had current SHCN and 37% had a physician diagnosis of a chronic illness but no current SHCN. Compared to healthy children, children with SHCN had lower scores for the School-Related Self-Concept and the Joy of Learning subscale (SMD -0.18 for both) but not for the Social Integration subscale. In contrast, children with a chronic condition but no SHCN had lower scores only for the Social Integration subscale (SMD -0.12). Primary school students with a chronic illness with or without SHCN have lower SWB in some domains compared to their healthy peers. SWB may be a mediator in the association between chronic illness and poor school performance.

Children's Personality and Its Contribution to School Grades Inequality: Evidence From Mexico

ABSTRACTWe explore the relationship between Big‐5 Personality Traits and school grades, using a novel survey of state primary school children in Mexico. Linear school fixed‐effects estimates controlling for household income, principal caregiver's education, IQ, and personality traits indicate that higher conscientiousness and agreeableness consistently and significantly correlate with high school performance in all subjects, net of child's IQ. A regression‐based inequality decomposition shows that a child's personality accounts for 5.1% and 6.5% of the inequality in mathematics for girls and boys, whereas for Spanish, it accounts for 3.9% and 8.0%, respectively. Results are robust to unobservable confounders using Oster bounds.

Exploring the Nexus of Executive Function, Information Integration, and Parental Literacy on Academic Achievement in Rural South Indian Primary School Children

Exploring the Nexus of Executive Function, Information Integration, and Parental Literacy on Academic Achievement in Rural South Indian Primary School Children

Perceptions of pupil poverty: what do trainee teachers really think?

ABSTRACT This study gained an understanding of trainee teachers’ perceptions of poverty and the effects on primary school children. Previous research is limited but has suggested that trainees may hold stereotypical deficit views about children in poverty, which can negatively impact the learning and progress of such children. The study took place over a three-year period at a university in the East Midlands region of England. Participants were volunteers from three Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes. Qualitative data were collected from three snapshot focus group meetings with participants from each programme (n = 6; n = 5 and n = 7). These were followed by three focus group meetings with another group of trainees (n = 5), which were convened across their one-year course. The findings showed that the trainees often viewed poverty in terms of income and lack of material possessions. They expressed negative opinions couched in derogatory language, equating poverty with a lack of aspirations, care and supervision on the parents’ part. However, there were indications of some shifts in perceptions during training. The findings suggest that it is important for ITE courses to offer trainees opportunities to facilitate the disruption of stereotypical beliefs by engaging meaningfully with issues of social justice.

The Effect of a Sibling Shared Reading Intervention on the Reading Development of Early School-Aged Children in Rural China

ABSTRACT Research Findings: The home literacy environment provides important support for the reading development of preschool and early school-age children; however, existing research has mainly focused on the role of parents. The current study examines the effect of a 10-week, sibling-shared reading intervention on the reading development of lower-grade primary school children in rural China. Sixty children in grades 1–2 from multi-child families were recruited from a rural primary school and randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups (30 in each group). Results showed that although the two groups of children were well matched on various background characteristics and reading measures at baseline, immediately after the intervention, children in the Sibling Shared Reading intervention group not only performed significantly better than the control group on intervention-based character recognition but also showed significantly higher performance on reading comprehension beyond the intervention materials than the control group. At the six-month follow-up test, the intervention group also performed significantly better than the control group in reading comprehension. The findings of the present study extend the home literacy model and suggest the role of siblings in children’ reading development. Practice or Policy: We recommend that, in addition to parents, reading enrichment activities among siblings are an important and effective strategy for promoting children’s reading development in multi-child families.

Beowulf Opera Scenes: Classroom music pedagogy and knowledge when composing an opera with primary-school children

Beowulf Opera Scenes: Classroom music pedagogy and knowledge when composing an opera with primary-school children

Study Habits and English Learning Achievement of Left-behind Children in a Selected Rural Primary School: A Correlation Study

In the process of urbanization, a large number of migrant workers have appeared. Such migration often leads to the migration of rural youth to cities, leaving their children to the care of older relatives due to various restrictions. This situation requires social attention to the overall well-being of left-behind children, especially in their education. Lack of parental guidance and support due to long-term separation often leads to unbalanced academic and personal life, leading to problems such as passive participation, disinterest in learning, inattention in class and poor note-taking. This paper aims to explore the influence of learning habits and English learning performance of left-behind children in rural primary schools in Shandong Province. This provides comprehensive support for left-behind children in rural areas and cultivates their ability to learn independently.

A Comparative Analysis of Children’s Identity in Multilingual Settings in Two Distinct Areas of Southern Poland

The functioning of attitudes in multilingual settings has always evoked interest of researches (for example, Dewaele and Li, 2020). Nonetheless, there is still a gap concerning the knowledge about how the process is shaped in the early stages of life. The present paper is about to explore the attitudes of primary school children towards Polish, English, and regional dialect in two distinct areas of southern Poland. The main purpose is to investigate the following issues (i) how the status and the feeling of belonging are reflected in children’s responses, (ii) what their approach is in terms of learning languages (iii) to what extent social desirability influences their views. The study was conducted among two groups of primary school children, aged 7, 8, and 9. The data was gathered in reference to an interview with the students conducted in Polish. Children’s voices were recorded for their subsequent transcription. Findings depict how the status and the sense of belonging are different in each examined area, and how the emotional attachment to dialectal tradition may be rooted in children’s minds. In addition, the outcomes cleared out how children’s attitudes are being formed in multilingual environments, and whether school has a visible influence on those attitudes.

Sociolinguistics of regional languages: An analysis of Javanese and Madurese usage among elementary school children in Jember, Indonesia

This study analyses the patterns of Javanese and Madurese language use among primary school children in Jember, Indonesia, where the two ethnic cultures meet. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, data were collected through observations, interviews and questionnaires on 50 primary school students, 6 teachers and 10 parents from three different schools. Results show a clear diglossia between Indonesian for education and the regional language (Javanese/Madurese) for informal interaction. Children code-switch between these languages flexibly depending on the social context. Families play an important role in the maintenance of regional languages, while schools and digital media such as YouTube tend to encourage the use of Indonesian. Although regional languages are still strong, national/global influences are increasingly driving the use of Indonesian, reflecting the tension between local identity and national/global demands that children face. This research provides insight into the sociolinguistic dynamics in a region with two dominant languages.