Early Childhood Development Teachers Research Articles

Exploring Challenges to Inclusion of Children with Intellectual Disabilities in Early Childhood Development in Mutoko District, Zimbabwe

This study sought to explore challenges in the current practices of including children with intellectual disabilities (IDs) in early childhood development (ECD) with a view to using the findings to improve their access to early learning programmes. The study employed semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews, nonparticipant observation and document reviews. Individual interviews were employed to gather data from eleven ECD teachers and five school heads. From each of the five schools, five teachers were purposively selected to participate in focus group interviews. The study found that the execution of this seemingly rather complex practice of inclusion in early learning programmes has to be changed since teachers revealed that they lacked the expertise and necessary resources to meet the needs of these learners. Additionally, schools would prefer these children to attend special schools; they do not accept them and teacher education programmes do not prepare them effectively to work in inclusive environments. The study recommends that capacity building for ECD teachers be improved in order to equip them with adequate skills to deal with children with IDs. In addition, it is recommended that ECD classes be adequately resourced in terms of material and infrastructure. The inclusion of children with IDs at ECD level should be supported by policies that clearly spell out how issues related to resources, class sizes, assessment and teacher education are addressed. Support services should also be available to assist ECD teachers to meet the needs of children with IDs.

Reimagining systems that support early childhood development centres in offering quality education

AbstractSystems ensure the attainment of goals at any educational level, including quality early childhood education. Various studies focus on the benefits and components of quality early childhood education, yet none emphasise systems that will support early childhood development (ECD) centres in offering quality education. This study explored existing systems that support ECD centres in providing quality education to young children. The study adopted a qualitative research approach and collected data through document analysis and face-to-face interviews with eight participants purposively selected from four ECD centres situated in Pretoria. The data were analysed thematically. The findings revealed that national policies, internally generated policies and financial systems support the participating centres in offering quality education. However, many of the participants did not know the existing national policies. The findings also revealed that ECD centres in the township area do not have financial systems to help them provide quality education. The study recommends effective implementation strategies to foster awareness and enforce strict adherence to government policies at ECD centres. The study contributes to awareness and adherence to quality early childhood education by suggesting that ECD centres, principals and teachers should engage in relevant and practical training on effectively establishing systems from the available national education policies that will help them offer quality education.Contribution: This study adds to the body of knowledge by filling in the gaps on how ECD principals and teachers understand national policies and translate them into systems that assist them in managing their centres on a daily basis. The novelty of this study is the empirical input from different disciplines (Early Childhood Education and Management and Policies Studies), in a way that enables one to comprehend the role of educational management and policies studies at the early childhood learning centres in South Africa, which is the emphasis of the Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa.

The Development Executive Functions for Early Childhood in 21st Century

Developing executive functions (EF) is a crucial issue in early childhood development which is also important in 21st-century learning. EF guideline was developed by Permsubhirunya and co to provide a guide for teachers who seeks to develop learning activities that could improve executive functions in children under the age of 6. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of the utilization of the EF guideline on the development of early childhood teachers’ abilities in designing learning experiences for EF development. The study was conducted with a qualitative approach. The participants were 65 teachers in public early childhood centers in Thailand. The participants were purposively selected using the criteria of their work status and experience. The instruments were the EF guideline, an evaluation form for learning management design ability and learning material selection, and an interview form. The data were analyzed using content analysis and thematic analysis. The results of the study were in the descriptive presentation. The findings could be summarized that the use of the EF guideline was beneficial in developing teachers’ knowledge of the early childhood executive functions, abilities to design learning management, and ability in selecting or creating learning material. The findings also suggested that teachers perceived the EF guideline as potential learning material that help them make a connection between the plan, activities, and evaluation. Therefore, it also helped them control the process of learning management and contribute to a meaningful learning environment.

Emotional Labor and Professional Identity in Chinese Early Childhood Teachers: The Gendered Moderation Models

The sustainable development of early childhood institutions in aging China calls for the sustainable development of early childhood teachers, which should attend to the balanced development between male and female teachers. Yet this issue has not been adequately investigated in the literature. To fill this research gap, this study explored the gender differences in Chinese early childhood (EC) teachers’ professional identity (PI) and emotional labor strategies. Altogether, 250 teachers (146 female and 104 male, Mage = 30.28 years, SD = 7.81) from Southern China were sampled and surveyed. First, the independent samples t-tests revealed significant gender differences in teachers’ PI, deep acting, and surface acting. Second, the structural equation modelling results demonstrated that PI fully mediated the relationship between teacher educational attainment, years of teaching experience, and natural and deep acting. Third, multigroup analysis confirmed different mediation paths for female and male teachers. These findings suggest that male and female early childhood teachers differed in their sense of PI and use of emotional labor strategies. Therefore, future policymaking efforts should design and implement teacher professional development (PD) programs and teacher support mechanisms catering to male EC teachers’ needs, characteristics, and difficulties in the Chinese EC workforce.

From teacher education to practice: Development of early childhood teachers‘ knowledge and beliefs in mathematics

This longitudinal study examined the development of 129 German early childhood teachers’ knowledge and epistemic beliefs in mathematics from teacher education to practice. The test and questionnaire data have been analyzed with auto-regressive models with cross-lagged effects and mean differences to investigate change over time. The study reveals that knowledge increases over time, while most of the beliefs do not change. Furthermore, the correlational pattern between all constructs seems to be stable after having moved from teacher education to practice. Thus, findings are not in line with the theoretical assumption of a greater differentiation of teachers’ competence through practical experience.

The Teaching of Science Process Skills in Early Childhood Development Classrooms

There is a growing interest in the teaching of science in early childhood development (ECD) classrooms the world over. This has led to some countries crafting and implementing policies that ensure the teaching of science process skills. This study explored the teaching of science process skills in ECD classrooms of Zimbabwe through an interpretive multiple case study. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, lesson observations, still photographs and field notes from four purposively selected ECD teachers. Findings show that the participants had knowledge of science process skills namely, communication, observation, measuring, comparing, classifying, predicting and inferring. The study found that science process skills were best taught using child-centred approaches such as explorations, play, experiments and guided discovery because such methodology encourages an active participation of learners. Effective teaching of science process skills in prepared science environments lays a foundation of acquiring scientific knowledge, content and skills in young learners. The study concluded that participants' knowledge and experience of teaching science process skills afforded them a strong foundation for developing science skills in ECD learners. Hence, there is a need for parents and school administrators to support teachers through resource mobilisation, provision and allocation. The study recommends the ECD teachers to teach science process skills as a way of perpetuating the nation's goal of introducing STEM subjects in ECD classes.

The Impact of Incentives on Early Childhood Teachers’ Proficiency in Lubombo Region, Eswatini

Early childhood development programmes have been found to be crucial in the development of children in physical, cognitive, socio-emotional and linguistic domains. For early childhood development (ECD) programmes to be effective, several factors need to be considered, among them human and material resources. Although the availability of the aforementioned factors is of the utmost importance, there is also a need to establish the unforeseen factors that can help ECD programmes to be more effective. Currently, there is little information regarding what can facilitate proficiency among early childhood teachers in their daily practice. This study focused on the impact of incentives on the performance of early childhood development teachers in the Lubombo region in Eswatini, formerly Swaziland. The objectives of the study were to find out the types of incentives given to ECD teachers, to examine the factors affecting the ECD teachers’ incentives and proficiency, and to explore the best ways of incentivising ECD teachers to improve their effectiveness. The research questions guiding the study were derived from the research objectives and the approach used in the study was purely qualitative. The study adopted a case study design and used unstructured questionnaires, cell phone interviews and focus group discussions as data collection tools. The research was confined to Lubombo, where a sample of 30 participants was selected. The sample included 10 ECD teachers, 10 parents and 10 administrators. The findings of the study were that ECD teachers are paid low salaries, which are not sustainable, and they are not hired by the government and so have no pensionable benefits. The study recommends that the use of incentives can improve the proficiency of early childhood teachers; ECD teachers should be paid salaries like any other teacher that are scaled according to their qualifications. Scholarships to further their studies should also be made available to them. More research is essential in areas of teachers’ proficiency and quality early childhood development programmes.

Early Childhood Teachers' Professional Development Paths from a Cultural Ecology Perspective

Exploring the path of early childhood teachers' professional development from the perspective of cultural ecology is in line with the lifelong education advocated by the state, and is also beneficial to teachers' professional and long-term development. Based on this paper, we analyze the significance of cultural ecology to the professional growth of early childhood teachers and the three factors that affect their professional development, with a view to finding the paths of professional development of early childhood teachers from the perspective of cultural ecology from the following three perspectives: creating a superior material culture, constructing a strict institutional culture, and creating a positive spiritual culture.

Leadership in Implementing Inclusive Education Policy in Early Childhood Education and Care Playrooms in South Africa

Leadership plays a central role in improving and sustaining quality in Early Childhood Development (ECD) settings in the South African context. This article explored the leadership of the Inclusive Education Policy (IEP) and the challenges experienced by ECD centre managers and teachers. Children with disabilities are most vulnerable, marginalised, and denied access to early education, especially in rural communities. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s ecosystems theory, the study adopted a qualitative approach. The participants included three centre managers and three teachers from Early Childhood Development centres in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The findings revealed that most participants had minimal knowledge and understanding of the policy and its implementation. There was also a lack of leadership from the policymakers to ensure that the IEP was monitored, supported, and implemented. Our recommendations are that all ECD practitioners receive appropriate training and development on the policy, ongoing support and guidance in implementing the policy, and proper resources for their centres and playrooms (financial, physical, and human resources).

Implementing the updated Early Childhood Development curriculum in Zimbabwean primary schools: Social Validity Based on Practitioners’ Views

This article analysed the level of social validity on implementing the updated Early Childhood Development (ECD) curriculum in Epworth, Mabvuku, Tafara (EPMAFARA) District in Harare, Zimbabwe. To address the ever-changing world economy, Zimbabwe introduced an updated curriculum in all its primary schools, in 2017. The updated curriculum provides a framework for the knowledge that help young people to develop a sense of independence and self-reliance. A qualitative method was employed to explore curriculum implementation in Zimbabwean primary schools. Data were collected from a purposively selected sample of two District Schools Inspectors, four School Heads/ Teachers in Charge and eight ECD teachers. The data were analysed using the NVivo software. The researchers discovered that as well as exposing some gaps in the implementation practice, the study revealed some advantages namely, competence-based component, child centred methods, skills-based approaches, change and nurturing of various children’s talents among others. The disadvantages encountered comprised lack of financial and human resources and school basic infrastructures, excessive workload for teachers, lack of Information, Communication and Technology skills and high- teacher: pupil ratio. The qualitative research method used was one major limitation since it was time consuming and, labour intensive. The researchers' initial sample was further affected by COVID-19's onset in the country in March 2020, when the World Health Organization (WHO) advised lockdown limitations, causing schools to close abruptly. The paper’s findings underscored the significance of planning for change in ECD educational programs in terms of teachers’ preparedness and stakeholders’ resourcefulness. These findings imply that teachers should be trained to become innovative and creative in curriculum implementation. Stakeholders are recommended to support teachers and schools with prerequisite resources.

Studying teacher professional development: how a Chinese kindergarten teacher brings play practices into the program

ABSTRACT Research has suggested that system-wide professional development needs to embrace ongoing and sustainable processes such as critical reflection, being within a community of practice and the co-creation of new practices within and across early childhood systems. However, there is little research on how professional development can be designed in a personally meaningful way to support sustained learning. The research reported here is part of a wider study on the professional development of early childhood teachers. Video observations of one teacher’s interactions with children and interviews with that teacher are analysed to investigate how Chinese early childhood teachers’ professional development may be meaningfully designed through an Educational Experiment (EE). A Conceptual PlayWorld model as the intervention for the educational experiment was used to create new conditions. The theoretical problem for teachers and researchers was how to bring new play practices into kindergarten programs. We argue that the educational experiment creates a new kind of social situation for teachers, amplifies reflective practice and in so doing, acts as an important source of professional development for sustained practice change.

Early childhood teachers' and managers' lived experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa

The declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation in March 2020 brought many changes to the early childhood sector internationally. The South African response is best understood in the context of an under-developed sector with pre-existing vulnerabilities. In this article, we present a contextual understanding of the lived experiences of early childhood development (ECD) teachers and managers during the lockdown and the opening phases of a risk-adjusted approach. Our use of a phenomenological lens together with systems theory provides a reality check through a focus on lived experiences. Data were produced through an online survey with 28 ECD teachers and managers. We conducted semi-structured interviews with a subset of 8 of these participants. Findings show that disruptions of COVID-19 led to entrenching inequities in service provision and early learning opportunities. These intersecting dimensions have implications for building effective ECD systems.

Parental Perceptions of Male Early Childhood Development Teachers in Khami District, Zimbabwe

The purpose of this study was to establish parents’ perceptions of the involvement of males as early childhood development (ECD) teachers. The research adopted a qualitative approach and used a case study design to allow interaction with the subjects and to draw conclusions based on their diverse perceptions. A sample was drawn from the Khami District population that comprised 10 parents, four administrators, four female teachers and two male teachers. Two sampling techniques, namely convenience and purposive sampling, were used. Convenience sampling allowed the researcher to select a small sample where participants were chosen on the basis of being accessible and convenient. Only parents with children taught by male teachers were purposively sampled. Ethical considerations were observed during data collection by explaining to participants that participation was voluntary, with confidentiality guaranteed. Online questionnaires, telephone interviews and virtual focus group discussions were used to collect data, making it easy to maintain social distancing during the Covid-19 lockdown. The following are some of the major findings of this study: parents have mixed perceptions about the involvement of males as ECD teachers; female teachers and school administrators have more positive perceptions about the involvement of males as ECD teachers because they are viewed as qualified for their job. However, in spite of the positive perceptions established about male teachers, some factors such as gender and societal inclinations still cause parents to have fears about the involvement of males as ECD teachers. The study recommends that more male teachers should be recruited to balance gender representation and more workshops and refresher courses for both parents and teachers should be conducted to develop trust.

Development of early childhood teachers’ knowledge and emotions in mathematics during transition from teacher training to practice.

Development of early childhood teachers’ knowledge and emotions in mathematics during transition from teacher training to practice.

Current Needs of Preschool Teachers for Professional Development in Greece: A Focus Group Study

This paper presents a brief overview of the literature regarding preschool teachers’ careers and professional development. The main purpose of the part of the study presented here was to conduct a needs-assessment exercise to identify the specific needs for professional development of early childhood teachers’ in Greece. Data were collected through a focus group. Results highlighted the challenges of moving forward in a teaching career and the need for increasing professional development opportunities that match teachers’ needs and interests. Professionals indicated that the absence of teacher-parents’ collaboration and structured practices for dealing with children’s discipline issues are their basic concerns. Implications of the study’s results are also discussed.

Joy in Collaboration: Developing Early Childhood Teacher Professionalism through Lesson Study

ABSTRACT Early childhood professionals are sometimes referenced as caregivers and other times as educators. In order to empower them as professionals, it is important to provide professional development opportunities that deepen teachers’ knowledge. This qualitative case study explores the impact of Lesson Study on four early childhood teachers with no prior Lesson Study experience. Participants’ teaching experience ranged from a first-year teacher to a 20-year veteran. The professional development approach engaged teachers in conversations to collaborate, plan, observe instruction, and focus on students. Group meetings were audio recorded and transcribed, and observational notes were collected during teacher meetings and during the research lesson. At the conclusion of the experience, participants wrote a personal reflection paper and individual interviews were conducted. Findings suggest that Lesson Study supported the development of early childhood teachers’ professionalism through sharing of varied perspectives during student-focused collaboration. Another powerful finding is that teachers felt joy in this collaboration. They found pleasure in thinking deeply together and warmly described the trust that developed among them as they engaged in the process of improving practice through Lesson Study. Our findings suggest Lesson Study could empower a workforce that is in need of a unified professional identity.

Early childhood development teachers’ perceptions on the use of technology in teaching young children

Background: Although technology plays a significant role in the development and learning of young children, early childhood development (ECD) practitioners are often under-informed and lack confidence in using information and communications technology (ICT).Aim: Understanding ECD teachers’ acceptance of technology usage is crucial to the implementation and integration of ICT resources. This study examines the perceptions of ECD teachers regarding the use of technology in South Africa’s early childhood classrooms.Setting: A sample of eight Grade R teachers was conveniently and purposefully selected from inner-city ECD centres in Pretoria, South Africa.Methods: A qualitative research methodology was used. Data were collected by using semi-structured interviews and classroom observation. This study is grounded in the extended technology acceptance model.Results: It was found that the teachers understood the advantage of technology incorporation in early childhood education and also have a positive mind-set about the use of ICT in teaching and learning in early years. However, the acceptance level of ICT use by these teachers appear to be low because of barriers such as poor parental and school support towards technology use, lack of technological resources, teachers’ poor knowledge and lack of practical training on the use of developmentally appropriate technology for children as claimed by the teachers.Conclusion: Despite this positive belief and attitude towards ICT use for supporting playful learning and child’s development in young children outside the classroom, teachers are less inclined to using ICT in teaching and play activities in their classrooms.

Teachers' Competency in Integration of Information Communication Technology in Early Learning in Bungoma County, Kenya

Integrating Information Communication Technology into curricula with the intent of positively influencing teaching and learning has been in a state of evolution over the past 20 years. The purpose of the study was to analyse teachers' competency in integration of ICT, into teaching and learning in early learning in Bungoma County, Kenya. The study was guided by Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Framework (TPACK) by Punya Mishra and Matthew J. Koehler’s. The study population included Early Childhood Development (ECD) teachers, education officers in charge of ECD in the county and public primary school headteachers. Simple random sampling was used to obtain 177 ECD teachers which is 10% of 1,768 ECD teachers from 884 public primary schools in Bungoma County. The study adopted a descriptive research design. A questionnaire and interview schedule were the main primary data tools for data collection. The findings showed that Integration of ICT in early education is highly related to teachers’ ICT competencies, planning for instruction, teaching methods, teaching and learning materials and how assessment is done. The central issue in the integration of ICT into early learning is pegged on the instructors having the requisite ICT training. ICT integration in early learning is often attributed to the teachers thus, those teachers who competency and higher confidence are expected to integrate ICT in their classes. Teacher's underutilization of ICT in the classroom and their resistance to embedding ICT across the curriculum can be detrimental to attempts to introduce new teaching and learning technologies in education. Therefore, it is crucial to monitor teacher's ICT utilization and examine factors that contribute to their skeptical practices of teaching with technology. Keywords: Integration, Competency, Information Communication Technology DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-30-11 Publication date: October 31 st 2020

English

The study sought to investigate the readiness of mainstream early childhood development centres to actualize the updated preschool curriculum in Zimbabwe. The curriculum is one of the basic and central components of powerful educating and learning. Curriculum change assumes a significant role in rebranding instructive practices to make them receptive to contemporary national and individual needs. Keeping that in mind, a curriculum review process in Zimbabwe that was initiated in November 2014 culminated in another curriculum whose implementation started in January 2017. In this examination, a subjective structure was utilized. School heads and early childhood development (ECD) teachers who were interviewed were purposively sampled from four centres in mainstream primary schools. Discoveries from the study uncovered that school heads and teachers were putting forth deliberate attempts to concentrate on the new dispensation. Notwithstanding, discoveries additionally uncovered that the ECD teachers and school heads needed satisfactory conceptualisation of the updated curriculum, and resources like textbooks and other fundamental materials explicit to the new curriculum which were not yet set up. The investigation prescribed increasingly decentralized and comprehensive dissemination workshops to explain the origin, segments, and substance of the updated curriculum; as well as progressively vigorous resources activation procedures to address the content of the updated curriculum. Key words: Updated curriculum, dissemination, implementation, early childhood development, centres, resources.

A Study of Early Childhood Development Teachers’ Experiences in Zimbabwe: Implications to Early Intervention and Special Education

A Study of Early Childhood Development Teachers’ Experiences in Zimbabwe: Implications to Early Intervention and Special Education