Developmentally Appropriate Practices Research Articles

Kindergarten Teachers’ Beliefs Toward Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Jordan

The objective of this study was to examine the beliefs of Jordanian kindergarten teachers toward developmentally appropriate practices (DAP). The sample consists of 285 (14.9%) randomly selected teachers working in public and private kindergartens. A questionnaire with two parts, (1) general information and (2) teachers’ beliefs regarding DAP, was developed to answer the research questions. The items were distributed into the five dimensions of early childhood professional practice that were published by the National Association for the education of young children (NAEYC). The findings indicated that the overall mean score of kindergarten teachers’ beliefs on the five dimensions was 4.08, indicating high beliefs toward (DAP). Teachers endorsed DAP on all dimensions except establishing reciprocal relationships with families. The findings also indicated that there are no significant differences between the means of teachers’ beliefs toward teaching children according to teachers’ level of education, years of experience, or teacher’s age (except in the caring community of learners and the development and learning domains). In the light of the findings of this study, some recommendations are presented.

Teachers’ beliefs and practices regarding developmentally appropriate practices: a study conducted in India

The study assessed kindergarten teachers’ beliefs, stated practices and actual practices regarding developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) in India. Forty kindergarten teachers from the urban city of Mumbai (India) participated in the study. Overall, the results indicated that teachers’ beliefs were more developmentally appropriate than their stated practices or actual practices in the classroom. Further, teachers congruent in their developmentally appropriate beliefs and stated practices had classrooms with higher scores on actual practices. Lastly, group size was a significant predictor of teachers’ actual practices. The implications of these results for the early childhood education system of India are discussed in detail.

Exploring Effects of Developmentally Appropriate Practices in Cyprus

Research Findings: This study, undertaken in Nicosia, Cyprus, sought to evaluate some of the hypothesized developmental benefits of developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) by investigating how the pedagogical attitudes and practices of Greek/Cypriot parents (n = 142) and teachers (n = 16) relate to 4- to 7-year-olds' (n = 142) social–emotional functioning at the end of the academic year. After taking into account potentially confounding effects of parenting attitudes and practices, only a few classroom–environment effects were detected; virtually all of these proved inconsistent with theoretical expectations, though upon reflection they proved less surprising than first imagined. Practice or Policy: Results are discussed in terms of the evidence base of DAP.

Developmentally Appropriate Technology Use and Early Childhood Teacher Education

Early childhood teacher education methods classes often emphasize the application of developmentally appropriate practices (DAP). In today's digital age, it is important for teacher educators and their students to think about how to extend DAP to technology use. In this article, two contrasting classroom scenarios are provided to illustrate developmentally appropriate technology use (DATU), a new educational term coined by the authors. Briefly, DATU is defined as use that both respects the unique challenges presented by children's levels of development and capitalizes on children's natural desire to actively, collaboratively construct knowledge and solve problems. A five-element framework for guiding teachers toward DATU is explained.

Kindergarten Teachers' Perspectives on Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP): A Study Conducted in Mumbai (India)

A qualitative study examining teachers' beliefs regarding developmentally appropriate practices was conducted in the city of Mumbai, India. Twelve kindergarten teachers were interviewed for this study, and a constant comparative method was used to analyze the interviews. Six themes were identified within this study. The themes highlighted distinct differences between American and Indian cultures, as well as striking similarities, and pinpoint the importance of culture as the foundation for classroom practices. Themes included a focus on academics vs. play, the importance of worksheets, the importance of groups for socialization, and the difficulties of implementing a play-based curriculum. The description of these themes and its implication for the early childhood care and education of India are discussed in detail.

Teacher beliefs and practices survey: operationalising the 1997 NAEYC guidelines

This study examined the psychometric properties of a revised measurement, the Teacher Beliefs and Practices Survey (TBPS), devised for teachers of three‐ to five‐year‐old children. This measure was designed to reflect the concepts of developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) as presented in the revised 1997 National Association for the Education of Young Children guidelines. Reliability was examined using an internal consistency method. Validity of the measure was examined in its content, criterion and construct. The factors uncovered in the survey supported the content validity because the factors matched the important concepts of DAP in the revised guidelines. To examine concurrent criterion‐related validity, teachers' observed practices were compared to their self‐reported beliefs and practices. The low but significant correlation between the TBPS score and a theoretically related measure, the Teacher Educational Attitude Scale, supported construct validity. Considering the psychometric properties, the TBPS appears to be a promising measure for critically examining teachers' beliefs about and practices of DAP.

Beyond the DAP versus standards dilemma: Examining the unforgiving complexity of kindergarten teaching in the United States

Abstract This article presents findings from a qualitative study of two kindergarten teachers’ responses to the professional demands posed by recent shifts in national and state education policies in the United States. Although the literature has framed the practical challenges resulting from these changing expectations in terms of curricular/instructional tensions between developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) and academic standards, study participants indicated adapting to the changing climate of kindergarten, managing the expectations of their students’ parents, and responding to the demands of the first grade teachers at their school site were their most significant challenges. These findings suggest looking beyond our current framing of the situation to examine the full range of complexities and opportunities facing kindergarten teachers will lead to deeper understandings of the ways in which practitioners experience and respond to the new demands and changing expectations shaping their work.

Comparing beliefs about appropriate practice among early childhood education and care professionals from the U.S., China, Taiwan, Korea and Turkey

The purpose of this study was to examine what, if anything, caregivers and teachers of 3- to 5-year-old children from the U.S. ( n = 412), China ( n = 244), Taiwan ( n = 222), Korea ( n = 574), and Turkey ( n = 214), had in common in terms of self-reported beliefs and self-reported practices related to the National Association for the Education of Young Children's (NAEYC) policy statement for developmentally appropriate practices (DAP). DAP is widely endorsed by early childhood education and care professionals in the U.S. and is assumed to have far reaching impact on curricular beliefs and practices throughout the world. Pearson correlations and one-way ANOVA were used to compare overall mean scores for beliefs measured by the Teachers Beliefs Scale (TBS) to those of practices measured by the Instructional Activities Scale (IAS) [Charlesworth, R., Hart, C. H., Burts, D. C., & Hernandez, S. (1991). Kindergarten teachers’ beliefs and practices. Early Child Development and Care, 70, 17–35]. Item-by-item analyses were conducted using factor analysis and χ 2 analyses within and across countries. Similarities emerged related to, in particular, those beliefs and teaching practices associated with integrating across the curriculum, promoting social/emotional development, providing concrete/hands-on materials, and allowing play/choice in the curriculum.

Toward an Integrative “Educare” System: An Investigation of Teachers' Understanding and Uses of Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Young Children in Korea

The purpose of this study was to investigate how early childhood teachers in Korea understand developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) and follow DAP's instructional guidelines. In order to obtain insights for developing “educare,” an integrated system for the education and care of young children in Korea, a comparison of early childhood teachers' beliefs and instructional activities by center type (i.e., kindergarten vs. child care) was conducted. Findings indicated that early childhood teachers in Korea showed positive beliefs in DAP and utilization of its practices. However, a large percentage of teachers reported inconsistent profiles of DAP beliefs and activities. In particular, it is unclear whether teachers differentiate appropriate and inappropriate uses of DAP. Only 45 (21.3 percent) of 211 kindergarten teachers and 26 (12.5 percent) of 208 child care teachers reported consistent DAP beliefs and activities. In terms of group differences, kindergarten teachers showed more positive profiles than child care teachers. Based upon the results of MANOVA and discriminant analyses, the main group differences were related to teachers' inappropriate beliefs and practices. Suggestions for future research studies also were discussed.

Effects of Developmentally Appropriate Practices on Children’s Development: A Review of Research and Discussion of Methodological and Analytic Issues

Despite the widespread popularity of the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s guidelines on Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP), research on the effects of these practices is limited. In this article we review studies assessing the effects of DAP. We find no evidence of consistent effects of DAP for cognitive or academic outcomes. Further, the existing research has not generally been critically reviewed and is presented as showing positive results even when reported findings are mixed. We discuss methodological issues relevant to the study of DAP and review published empirical studies on the effects of DAP. Nearly all of the studies reviewed included a nested data design, in which effects of classroom practices were evaluated on multiple children within each classroom, but only one study used analyses appropriate to this data structure. We conducted Monte Carlo simulations for studies reporting positive or negative effects of DAP to evaluate the potential effects of clustering. Results demonstrated that only a few of the reported significant effects of DAP would have remained significant had the analyses been conducted appropriately. Further, the need to examine differential effects of DAP for different children and the effects of the broader school context is highlighted.

A new measure for assessing developmentally appropriate practices in early elementary school, A Developmentally Appropriate Practice Template

This study examines the psychometric properties of an observer measure of developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) for early elementary school classrooms, known as A Developmentally Appropriate Practices Template (ADAPT). Using a sample of 854–1511 first through third grade classrooms in 207–295 schools across 3 years, the study evaluates the reliability and content validity of the ADAPT as a measure of DAP; examines the ADAPT ratings descriptively, including the extent to which classrooms within the same schools are similar; evaluates the factor structure of the ADAPT; tests the invariance of that structure across treatment conditions; and assesses the convergent validity of the measure. The ADAPT is found to have a reliable, stable, and consistent factor structure consisting of three distinct but correlated factors: integrated curriculum, a social emotional emphasis, and child-centered approaches. The ADAPT was also found to be moderately related to another observational measure of the broader classroom environment. There was a large degree of similarity in DAP among classrooms within schools, affirming the need for using a multilevel framework to assess these practices.

The Effects of Developmentally Appropriate Practices on Academic Outcomes Among Former Head Start Students and Classmates, Grades 1–3

The educational ideology of Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP) in childhood education is influential, despite remarkably little empirical study. This article relates DAP to changes in achievement and receptive language among former Head Start children and classmates in Grades 1–3 (including between 1,564 and 4,764 children in 869 to 1,537 classrooms). The authors applied multilevel growth curve modeling techniques to estimate overall DAP effects and to examine possible interactions with sex, ethnicity, grade, and poverty. The results were consistent across years, with only a few significant effects of DAP, some positive and others negative. Collectively, the results indicate that DAP as observed in classrooms accounts for little or no variation in children’s academic performance. The article details the methodological and theoretical implications for future inquiry.

Parent/teacher views of developmentally appropriate practices: A Hungarian perspective

The purpose of the study was to explore the beliefs of Hungarian teachers and parents of children in preschool and Grade 1 as they relate to the construct of developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) identified by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC, 1987, 1997). In order to overcome methodological problems inherent in many previous DAP studies, Q-methodology and interviews were utilized to collect, analyze and interpret the data. Fourteen teachers and 14 parents were included in the Q-methodology (7 teachers and 7 parents in each grade level). Follow-up interviews were conducted with 6 participants. Results of the study suggest three major viewpoints regarding DAP beliefs of the Hungarian participants. These included: (1) focusing on children’s individual development and learning, (2) focusing on teaching children according to the traditional teaching methods, and (3) focusing on respecting diversity in schools, in children, and in families. Recommendations for further research included: (1) teacher observations in addition to interviews, (2) exploring administrators’ views of DAP along with that of teachers and parents, and (3) extending the study into higher grade levels.

Kindergarten teachers' certification status and participation in staff development activities in relation to their knowledge and perceived use of developmentally appropriate practices (DAP)

Two factors are examined that may impact public school kindergarten teachers’ knowledge of DAP: certification status and participation in various staff development activities. Four research questions guide this investigation: (1) Is knowledge of DAP related to certification backgrounds? (2) Does extent of participation in different kinds of DAP‐related staff development relate to certification? (3) Does extent of participation in different kinds of DAP‐related staff development relate to knowledge of DAP? (4) Is there a combined effect of certification background and staff development on DAP knowledge? Knowledge of DAP was assessed with a modified form of the “Teacher Beliefs Scale (TBS)” and “Instructional Activities Scale (IAS)” (Charlesworth, Hart, Burt, & Hernandez, 1991; Charlesworth et al, 1993a). Three different certification types were compared: Early Childhood, Elementary Education, and Other/Specialized. Teachers were asked to report different kinds of staff development and teachers with higher levels of more varied types of staff development activities in their backgrounds were compared with those teachers with less background. Analyses revealed a significant main effect for certification but not staff development activities, the specific types of which differed by certification. Suggestions are made to improve staff development for public school kindergarten teachers in need of DAP knowledge.

Distinct in beliefs/united in concerns: Listening to strongly DAP and strongly traditional k‐primary teachers

Twelve early childhood teachers in kindergarten/primary grades who hold opposing philosophical beliefs about developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) were interviewed about their perceived barriers to effective practice. Specifically, they were asked to discuss work‐related “things that keep them from being the best teacher they can be.” All teachers selected scored as highly efficacious about education and themselves as teachers and had low occupational stress scores. Half strongly endorsed and engaged in behaviors closely aligned with DAP and half were highly traditional. Interesting differences in terms of the relative influence of preservice education and acceptance of inclusive practices were found across the two groups of teachers, but they united in concern for standardized testing as a barrier to effective practice. Listening to these teachers can and should inform those of us engaged in pre‐ and in‐service education and policy formation and point us in future directions for research into teacher differences. © 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.

Multidimensional Self-Concepts of Children and Teacher Beliefs About Developmentally Appropriate Practices

Relationships between children's multidimensional self-concepts (SC) and teachers' beliefs were explored. Twenty-three boys and 28 girls were given the Self-Description Questionnaire-I (SDQ-I) near the beginning of the school year and again 6 months later to measure multidimensional SC; their teachers were given the Primary Teacher Questionnaire to measure beliefs about traditional (TRAD) versus developmentally appropriate practices (DAP). Multiple-regression analyses to predict the later SC from the earlier SDQ scores and teacher beliefs showed that TRAD predicted academic SC and general school SC for boys, but DAP was not a predictor of any dimension of SC. Neither DAP nor TRAD predicted any dimension of SC for girls. Findings are discussed in relation to the literature on developmentally appropriate practice and child outcomes.

Academic performance among at-risk children: The role of developmentally appropriate practices

This research examined the effect of developmentally appropriate teaching practices on the academic achievement of kindergarten and first grade children attending urban schools. One hundred-thirteen mostly African American and Hispanic children participating in the Head Start/Public School Transition Project were tested with three subscales from the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement (Woodcock & Johnson, 1990). Developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) were assessed in 28 classrooms by using the Assessment Profile for Early Childhood Programs: Research Version (Abbott-Shim & Sibley, 1992). Based on scores from the Assessment Profile, classrooms were divided into two levels (lower DAP and moderate DAP). A 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 repeated measures MANOVA indicated significant main effects for grade and semester and significant two-way interactions for grade × semester and DAP level × semester. Sex was not a significant variable. The results indicate that achievement was significantly higher in the more developmentally appropriate classrooms for letter/word identification and applied problems over time and suggests that developmentally appropriate practices can improve children’s achievement in urban settings.

Characteristics of Teachers Who Talk the DAP Talk and Walk the DAP Walk

Studies consistently find a discrepancy between teachers' self-reported beliefs about developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) and their actual, observable classroom practices. Teachers attribute the discrepancy to a variety of environmental/work-related stresses or institutional barriers. Some early childhood professionals, however, are either unaffected by, or able to cope with, these same obstacles and live out DAP beliefs in practice. What are the characteristics of teachers who both state a belief in DAP and engage in DAP practices in their early childhood classrooms? Although there were differences between preschool and primary teachers in this sample of 20 early childhood educators of children ages birth through 8, DAP beliefs overall were strongly correlated with practices at the p <.001 level (r = .79). Also, high personal teaching efficacy and internal locus of control were significantly related to high DAP beliefs and predictive of DAP practices. In addition, teachers who either had an academic background in early childhood education or child development, or who had experience working in a preschool, were found to be significantly more DAP in their actual classroom practices than those who had an elementary education degree and no preschool experience. Implications for teacher education and professional development are discussed.

The May Center for Early Childhood Education: description of a continuum of services model for children with autism

Children with autism have complex learning and behavioural challenges which typically require comprehensive educational and therapeutic services. In recent years there have been many developments in the philosophy, methodology, and scope of intervention for this population. Factors such as early intervention, criterion‐referenced assessment, the combination of applied behaviour analysis and developmentally appropriate practices (DAP), parent training, and public school inclusive education have been noteworthy. This article describes a comprehensive continuum of services model for children with autism developed by a human services agency in Massachusetts which incorporates these and additional empirically‐based approaches. Service components, methodologies, and program objectives are described including representative summary data. The article concludes with a discussion of educational, therapeutic, and research issues which address “best practice” approaches toward children with autism.

Program quality characteristics in segregated and inclusive early childhood settings

Program quality characteristics in 58 community-based early childhood settings which were currently serving at least one child with disabilities were examined. Observations of the environment and classrooms practices were conducted in the classrooms and teachers completed questionnaires related to beliefs in and implementation of Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP). Results indicated that segregated and inclusive settings were generally similar across measures of program quality and levels of quality were moderately good in both types of settings. Teacher demographic variables were not related to the selected program quality indicators. The similarity in selected quality characteristics may reflect ongoing convergence in practice and quality in early childhood and early childhood special education settings.