Children In Early Childhood Education Research Articles

Brain Gymnastics Guide to strengthen the cognitive development of children in early childhood education.

The first years of life are essential in the development of the individual, which is why in early education it is important to investigate the techniques and strategies suitable for the integral development of children. For this reason, the proposal "Brain Gymnastics Guide to strengthen the cognitive development of children in early education" was designed, which was tested on children in early education at the "La Gran Muralla" Educational Unit and validated by experts and users of the school. Regarding the methodological criteria of the study, the research was descriptive, with a mixed design, whose information repository techniques were: documentary analysis, observation and survey. The results showed the effectiveness of the guide in the development of cognitive skills of the children analyzed, and it can be considered a tool of great educational value, because it is adaptable to any national early education institution.

Through the Lens of a Latino Jewish Teacher: Uncovering Funds of Identity in Teaching and Advocating for Newcomer Immigrant Children

ABSTRACT Educating immigrant children requires teachers who are responsive to their complex and unique needs and who advocate for their education and well-being. Yet, few studies have examined teachers who teach immigrant children and their teaching practices, particularly in the field of early childhood education. Framed by the construct of funds of identity, this study focuses on a Latino Jewish immigrant teacher and how his identities, accumulated through lived experiences and knowledge, can be understood in the context of his teaching practices for immigrant children in early childhood education. Relying on his inextricably intertwined thick descriptions of seeing his immigrant students constructed through his own lens, I explore his reasons for teaching immigrant children and highlight his specific ways of advocating and caring for them. Implications for practice and teacher education are discussed.

The ambivalence of assessment — Language assessment of minority-language children in early childhood education and care

ABSTRACT Language development in early childhood education and care (ECEC) has received increased policy attention in the past 20 years. Yet, few empirical studies have explored language assessment from the standpoint of ECEC teachers. Transnational organizations, such as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), have increased their influence over national ECEC curriculums, stressing early intervention/readiness-for-school approaches to assist vulnerable groups in society. In contrast, the Nordic social pedagogy field perceives early intervention policies a threat to child-centered, playful approaches to learning. Based on interviews with 11 Danish and 11 Norwegian ECEC teachers in Copenhagen and Oslo municipalities, three main forms of ambivalence are identified: (1) ambivalence toward the ‘ready-for-school’ discourse, (2) ambivalence toward professional autonomy and discretion, and (3) ambivalence toward integration policy and the ideological code of ‘the standard child.’ The study recommends a more inclusive understanding of the implications of ‘adequate language proficiency’ and ‘school readiness.’

A Framework for Supporting the Development of Botanical Literacies in Early Childhood Education.

Although young children in Early childhood education (ECE) in Australia are often involved in learning in outdoor natural environments, research on their knowledge and attitudes towards plants is limited. Botanical literacies in young children involve developing knowledge and curiosity about plants, formulating questions about plants, and critically and ethically thinking about plants and their environments. This study explored young children’s knowledge and attitudes of the flora in the native bushlands on their school grounds. A total of 41 children, aged five to eight from two schools in Western Australia were involved in the research over one school year. Fortnightly visits to the school bushlands with the lead researcher involved bush walks, informal and formal conversations about plants, children creating drawings, maps and taking photographs, as well as visits from local Indigenous people to share Indigenous knowledge of the plants. The data were analysed using content analysis and a revised version of (Uno, American Journal of Botany 96:1753–1759, 2009) levels of botanical literacies. The results of this research led to the development of a framework for developing botanical literacies in ECE.

Exploring Stakeholder Perceptions of Quality Early Childhood Education in Private Day Care Centers in Ghana: A Qualitative Approach

In Ghana, despite increasing enrolment, majority of children do not have access to quality early childhood education. The lack of a context-specific and culturally relevant definition of quality in early childhood education is one of the challenges stakeholders face in promoting quality standards in Ghana. In this paper, we use data collected through qualitative semistructured interviews to explore stakeholder definition of quality in early childhood education, the implications of quality, and the key characteristics emphasized in recruiting teachers into quality early childhood education. For the participants, quality early childhood education embodies three key components: safety, nutrition, and teaching. Cognitive development, social skills, and leadership abilities were emphasized as some of the benefits of quality early childhood education for children. Regarding the recruitment of teachers, participants emphasized tertiary education rather than attitudinal and behavioral qualities as relevant for teachers in early childhood education. In view of the emphasis placed on nutrition in defining quality, we recommend that advocacy groups must ensure that the government’s school feeding program extends to day care centers. This will go a long way to ensure that children from poor households are not excluded from the benefits of quality early childhood education.

Nutrition education and changes in mother's behavior towards fulfillment of vegetable and fruit consumption strategies in preschool children

The nutritional needs of preschool children are very important for their growth and development. However, the problem is the low consumption of preschool children for fruits and vegetables, so it requires special strategies, for that the role of the family is very important. This study aims to determine the impact of nutrition education and changes in mother's behavior towards the fulfillment of vegetable and fruit consumption strategies in pre-school children. This research uses quasi-experimental and observational methods, observations were carried out on 30 September 2019 on 44 preschool children. Data collection was carried out on September 20, 2019, in Early Childhood Education SB in 50 mothers of preschool children. The data is processed in stages; editing, coding, transferring and tabulating. Univariate data analysis in the form of frequency distribution tables, paired t-test statistical test. The results showed an average value of knowledge before the intervention (p= 0,000). Observation results show that after nutrition education was given, only 31,8% of preschool children were given vegetable and fruit supplies or processed food vegetables and fruits by the mother when going to school. The conclusion of the study is nutrition education on maternal strategies in increasing consumption of vegetables and fruit in preschool children in early childhood education effectively changing maternal knowledge but has not had a comprehensive impact on changes in mother’s behavior

Child Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Bad Situation Made Worse.

* Abbreviation: COVID-19 — : coronavirus disease 2019 Pediatricians have long recognized that social determinants (the circumstances in which children live, learn, and play) influence the health and well-being of children and their families.1 The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted the importance of this broader scope of health care, which encompasses more than simply addressing a child’s medical conditions. Although the vast majority of COVID-19 cases in children have been mild, the secondary effects on the health of children have been profound. Downstream effects of the virus on a family’s social circumstances, including increased food insecurity, housing instability, school closures, and lack of child care, have exacerbated preexisting socioeconomic and racial disparities.2 Although it has often been overlooked, the need for safe and enriching child care that allows parents to be able to work, particularly for the most vulnerable children in our society, has become more acute over the last several months and requires urgent action. The pandemic has brought to light the lack of safe, reliable, and affordable child care options. Even before the closure of many facilities, child care was plagued by long waitlists, ballooning costs, and safety concerns. Child care costs for preschool-aged children can rival college tuition,3 making high-quality child care nearly inaccessible for many families, especially those experiencing material hardships. With recent school closures due to … Address correspondence to Nikita Kalluri, MD, Boston Medical Center, 801 Albany St, Boston, MA 02119. E-mail: nikita.kalluri{at}childrens.harvard.edu

Educação das infâncias e crianças no Brasil

O artigo faz uma reflexão crítica dos impactos da pandemia para as crianças da Educação Infantil no Brasil. Delineia algumas concepções de criança e infância nos discursos normativos, apontando possibilidades que valorizem a experiência infantil.

Role Perceptions and Responsibilities in Children's Early Childhood Education: A Case Study of Indian Migrants in Melbourne

This qualitative case study explores Indian migrant parents' perceptions of their roles and responsibilities in relation to their children's early year education (ECE) in Australia. The study involves face to face in-depth interviews with a small sample of six parents who had migrated to Australia not more than five years ago and had children attending an Australian ECE. We explored their participation in their children's education, the factors that prevented or facilitated their engagement, including how they perceived their parental roles and responsibilities. A framework analysis of the data points to limited participation of the parents in their children's education in spite of several opportunities for involvement as they felt that their children's teachers had more power than them. In addition, the parents were not quite happy with the schools regarding behaviour management strategies the teachers employed for reducing children's misbehaviour. Based on the findings we argue for early childhood teachers to build effective partnerships between migrant parents and promote effective education for all children.

HABILIDADES DE NOMEAÇÃO INFANTIL E A QUALIDADE DOS AMBIENTES

The objective was to relate the quality of family, school and neighbourhood environments to the naming skills of children in early childhood education. Sixty-four (64) children from 24 to 60 months of age and one family member from each participated. The Child Naming Test was ap-plied, and to measure the quality of the environments it was applied the Family Poverty Idex, the Home Environment Resources Scale, the Neighbourhood Quality Instrument and the ECERS-R Scale for the school environment. It was identified that 45.3% of the children obtained a high score in the Child Naming Test. Thus, the relationship between the variables pointed out that family members' income and education, as well as joint activities between adults and children, were the factors most associated with the outcome of language, which highlights the importance of monitoring language skills and the quality factors of the environments.

HABILIDADES DE NOMEAÇÃO INFANTIL E A QUALIDADE DOS AMBIENTES

The objective was to relate the quality of family, school and neighbourhood environments to the naming skills of children in early childhood education. Sixty-four (64) children from 24 to 60 months of age and one family member from each participated. The Child Naming Test was ap-plied, and to measure the quality of the environments it was applied the Family Poverty Idex, the Home Environment Resources Scale, the Neighbourhood Quality Instrument and the ECERS-R Scale for the school environment. It was identified that 45.3% of the children obtained a high score in the Child Naming Test. Thus, the relationship between the variables pointed out that family members' income and education, as well as joint activities between adults and children, were the factors most associated with the outcome of language, which highlights the importance of monitoring language skills and the quality factors of the environments.

Discursive tensions: Outcomes and rights in educators’ accounts of children’s relaxation

In early childhood education and care policy, there are two dominant discourses: ‘investment and outcomes’ and ‘children’s rights’. There is little research on how these discourses play out in educators’ accounts. In this article, the authors examine the case of discourse pertaining to children’s relaxation in early childhood education and care. They demonstrate that Australian relaxation policy for children in early childhood education and care constructs children as passive and incompetent subjects. Some educators reproduce early childhood education and care policy tensions by vacillating between investment-outcomes and children’s rights discourse in their accounts, while other educators deviate from the policy constructions and adopt children’s rights discourse.

Inclusion of Intellectually Disabled Children in Early Childhood Education in Hungary in the Light of the Law

The study commences with the introduction of the major Hungarian and international tendencies and the legal background of the inclusive education of children with special educational needs in Hungary, then it presents the strategies and tasks of kindergarten teachers in terms of the inclusive kindergarten education of intellectually disabled children, based on the results of our own empirical study. The actuality of the topic is demonstrated by the fact that, according to the statistical data, there is a large number of children with special educational needs in the mainstream kindergartens, which has an impact on the expectations in connection with the professional competence of the kindergarten teachers. According to the 2011 census data, 10% of the Hungarian population is intellectually disabled. The Central Statistics Bureau’s data published in 2018 shows that in 2016, 4.3% of the population belonged to the disabled population. From 2011 to 2016, the number of people with intellectual disabilities increased by 25% and it had exceeded 50,000 people.

Sexualidade infantil: a relação entre Educação Sexual e a identidade de gênero

Sabemos que as questões relacionadas à sexualidade estão intrinsecamente ligadas ao desenvolvimento integral de qualquer indivíduo. Considerando que ainda hoje é comum encontramos resistência em relação ao tema, sobretudo na escola, onde grande parte dos(as) educadores(as) sentem-se desconfortáveis ou não aptos para tratar tais assuntos, pretendemos, com este trabalho, levantar algumas reflexões acerca do possível entrelaçamento entre a educação sexual e a estruturação da identidade de gênero no que se refere a crianças em fase de educação infantil, tendo como embasamento teórico os pressupostos de Pierre Bourdieu. A partir da análise da herança cultural (conceito desenvolvido pelo citado sociólogo) de três agentes escolares, buscamos problematizar neste trabalho algumas discussões acerca da interferência desta herança no que tange a educação sexual oportunizada às crianças no âmbito da educação infantil, provocando uma reflexão pautada na importância da Educação sexual dentro e fora do âmbito escolar.

A review on the free play of children in early childhood education

A review on the free play of children in early childhood education

Challenges Of Creativity And Competence Of Children In Early Childhood Education

Early childhood education institutions focus on preschools, kindergartens, and practical schools that educate young children. A preschool education program has been developed to provide a rich learning experience for children in preschools and to promote healthy growth. Creativity is the foundation of a preschool curriculum and can be defined as a way of creating original things. Preschool teachers need to provide children with materials to stimulate their imagination, provide opportunities to imagine and explain their ideas, value children’s individuality, and encourage their different perspectives and also educators should be more attentive and responsible to increase children’s different competences that can be related to the education for their future. They should also encourage children to participate in creative games, take care of and appreciate children’s new products. It is also important to value children’s creativity, and to give children confidence. This study aims to examine the creativity of preschool children. The study used a simple causal design with pre- and post-test tests involving a single group. Participants consisted of 184 children (96 boys, 88 girls) studying in preschools and kindergartens under the Ministry of Education in Ankara during the 2014-2015 academic year. Forms A and B of the Torrance tests of creative thinking were used as pre- and post-tests. The results showed that the preschool education program had a positive impact on children’s creativity. Early childhood education institutions focus on preschools, kindergartens, and practical schools that educate young children. A preschool education program has been developed to provide a rich learning experience for children in preschools and to promote healthy growth. Creativity is the foundation of a preschool curriculum and can be defined as a way of creating original things. Preschool teachers need to provide children with materials to stimulate their imagination, provide opportunities to imagine and explain their ideas, value children’s individuality, and encourage their different perspectives and also educators should be more attentive and responsible to increase children’s different competences that can be related to the education for their future. They should also encourage children to participate in creative games, take care of and appreciate children’s new products. It is also important to value children’s creativity, and to give children confidence. This study aims to examine the creativity of preschool children. The study used a simple causal design with pre- and post-test tests involving a single group. Participants consisted of 184 children (96 boys, 88 girls) studying in preschools and kindergartens under the Ministry of Education in Ankara during the 2014-2015 academic year. Forms A and B of the Torrance tests of creative thinking were used as pre- and post-tests. The results showed that the preschool education program had a positive impact on children’s creativity.

The effect of primary years program (PYP) on children’s science process skills (SPS) in early childhood education

The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of the Primary Years Program (PYP) on the science process skills (SPSs) of children in early childhood education. The study design was quasi-experimental and focused on children attending private schools in Istanbul. In this study, the Science Process Scale developed by Ozkan (2015) was used. Herein, approval for this study was granted by the Ministry of National Education, and consent was given by parents, to determine differences between their preschoolers who were attending an International Baccalaureate (IB) and Ministry of National Education school. Before implementing the PYP, a pretest was applied to the children in the experimental and control groups. After that, the children in the experimental group attended the PYP for 12 weeks. Conversely, the children in the control group attended the program of the Ministry of National Education. Following this 12-week period, the children were given a posttest. When the pretest results were compared after completing the IB program, there were no significant differences between the experimental and control groups. After the 12 weeks, a significant difference was found between the two groups with regards to their SPSs. When analyzed according to the factors, there seemed to be no differences between the two groups. However, at the end of the research, an interesting difference was found between the post and follow-up test results in the experimental group.
 
 Key Words: International Baccalaureate, Primary Years Program, Science Process Skills, Preschool Education.

Perception as an Intermediary in the Relationship between Socioeconomic Status, Expectations, and Participation

Family participation is needed in education. The level of parental participation for the success of their children in early childhood education still relatively low. The purpose of this study is to describe and analyze the relationship between socioeconomic status, expectations, and participation through parental perceptions in education in North Banjarmasin. This research is classified as descriptive correlational quantitative, with 148 research samples taken from 234 parents. Data were taken using a questionnaire and analyzed descriptively linear regression and path analysis. The results of the study concluded that there is a direct relationship between Socioeconomic Status, Expectations, Perceptions, and Parental Participation; there is an indirect relationship between socioeconomic status and parental participation through perception; there is an indirect relationship between expectations and participation through perception. It is recommended that parents, teachers, and early childhood education unit heads establish communication and socialization so the growing perception that will increase parental participation in education.

DIÁLOGOS COM A MATEMÁTICA NA EDUCAÇÃO INFANTIL: POSSIBILIDADES DE APRENDIZAGEM COM A PEDAGOGIA FREINET

Esta pesquisa descreve os percursos e aprendizagens de crianças da Educação Infantil nos seus tateamentos experimentais envolvendo conhecimentos matemáticos. O objetivo deste estudo é responder ao seguinte problema de pesquisa: “Quais vivências podem ser planejadas para a aprendizagem de conceitos matemáticos na Educação Infantil dentro de pressupostos da Pedagogia Freinet?”. Para os estudos, fez-se uso dos referenciais teóricos de Pedagogia Freinet, como Freinet (1996), Sampaio (2006) e da Educação Matemática, como Lorenzato (2008) e Smole (2003). A metodologia de pesquisa utilizada foi a pesquisa-ação. Os resultados apontam que intervenções planejadas conseguiram criar contextos ampliados para aprendizagem de matemática resultando em aprendizagens que se fizeram presentes em brincadeiras e interações entre as crianças durante as rotinas da turma como pular-corda, brincar de amarelinha, jogos matemáticos, utilização de mapas da sala e registros de contagens.

A cross-sectional study of packed lunchbox foods and their consumption by children in early childhood education and care services.

To (a) describe lunchbox foods packed and consumed by children attending early childhood education and care services; (b) compare the serves of foods packed and consumed with nutrition guideline recommendations; and (c) explore associations between parent characteristics and serves of food groups packed in lunchboxes. A cross sectional study was conducted on a sample of early childhood education and care services where parents provide food in the Hunter New England region of NSW, Australia. Lunchbox contents were assessed using photography and pre- and post-meal weights. Descriptive statistics were used to describe packing and consumption of core food groups and discretionary foods. Data on food packed and consumed were collected for 355 children's lunchboxes from 17 services (preschools n=14, long day care services n=3). Less than half (44%) of lunchboxes contained vegetables, and 54% contained at least one serve of discretionary foods. Less than 1% of lunchboxes met all setting-specific nutrition guidelines. On average, children consumed 68% of lunchbox contents, with the lowest consumption rate being for vegetables. An association was found between parent education level and packing of discretionary foods (-0.36, P= <.01) but not for packing of fruit or vegetables. Lunchboxes contained an over-representation of discretionary foods and under-representation of vegetables, and children had a low preference for consuming vegetables compared with other food groups. Interventions to support parent packing of lunchboxes in line with nutrition guidelines and strategies to expand child preference for foods such as vegetables are warranted.