Although early reading skills in young children have been widely examined in previous research, studies that specifically investigate the application of the Glenn Doman method as a structured early reading instruction strategy for 5–6-year-old children in early childhood education institutions remain limited. This study aimed to improve the early reading skills of 5–6-year-old children through the implementation of the Glenn Doman method at KB Mamba’ul Ma’arif Belik. A qualitative approach was employed using a Classroom Action Research (PTK) design based on the Kemmis and McTaggart model, conducted over two cycles, with 15 group B children selected through total sampling. Data were collected through structured observation, documentation, and an early reading assessment rubric covering indicators of letter recognition, letter naming, reading syllables, and reading simple words, and were analyzed using qualitative descriptive analysis and percentages. The findings show a significant improvement in children’s early reading skills, as evidenced by an increase in the average score from 1.28 at baseline to 3.55 in the second cycle, as well as a rise in the proportion of children achieving the “Developing as Expected” category from 33.33% to 93.33%. The study concludes that the Glenn Doman method is effective in improving early reading skills in young children and is worthy of recommendation as an engaging early literacy instructional alternative that is well aligned with children’s developmental characteristics in early childhood education institutions.

Difficulties in recognizing capital letters persist among second-grade students, hindering early literacy development. This study aims to determine the effect of letter-card media on students’ ability to recognize capital letters at SDN 01 Balai Karangan. The research employed a quantitative approach using a one-group pretest-posttest design. The study subjects were 24 second-grade students. Data were collected through oral tests administered before and after the implementation of the letter-card media. The data analysis techniques included the Chi-square normality test and the Wilcoxon non-parametric test, as the post-test data were not normally distributed. The results indicated a significant improvement in students’ ability to recognize capital letters, as shown by all positive score differences and the Wilcoxon test results (T⁺ = 325, T⁻ = 0, T = 0). These findings demonstrate that letter-card media is effective in improving capital letter recognition among second-grade students.

Although a phonology-based coding system (i.e. Pinyin) is universally taught to beginning readers in mainland China, in Macau no such system is taught to children learning Cantonese. To examine whether providing such a system to Cantonese-speaking children is beneficial for reading development in both first (Cantonese) and second (English) language, the present study first attempted to implement a Cantonese phonology-based coding system (i.e. Jyutping) intervention with Cantonese-English bilingual children in Macau. Participants were 67 K3 children studying in a local kindergarten. Compared with the control group (N=33, mean age 5.76years), after five sessions of training, the children with Jyutping training (N=34, mean age 5.85years) showed a significant increase in Chinese and English phonological awareness at both syllable and phoneme levels. These results highlight the effectiveness of phonology-based coding systems in early literacy development and underscore the educational value of incorporating Jyutping instruction in kindergarten settings.

Many young people in the United States lack the exposure, confidence, and skills necessary to use public transportation independently. Our nonprofit in Austin, Texas addresses this gap by integrating daily public transit use into its summer camp experience. Each day, children (campers) and teens (volunteers) receive training and are led by camp leaders through the city using public transportation to reach educational destinations. This hands-on approach aligns with experiential learning theory, which emphasizes learning through action and reflection. It also reflects the PRECEDE-PROCEED model, prioritizing a real community need-low youth transit engagement-by reducing barriers and embedding evaluation into program design. The program builds practical navigation skills, city awareness, independence, and social confidence. Both age groups benefit: children develop early transit literacy, while teens gain leadership skills, practical knowledge, and increased civic engagement. Teaching youth to use public transportation increases the likelihood of confident, regular adult transit use, shaping future riders and strengthening public transit systems.

Abstract: In early grade students’ deficit of persistent learning is mostly covered by Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) program and have become a central focus of education policy. Foundational skills include the ability to read with meaningful comprehension and different basic and complex arithmetic operations by the end of upper primary. With the help of foundational skills meaningful participation in primary education and economic development of learners and students can be possible. This study shows the effectiveness of FLN programs on learning outcome with the help of different statistical analysis and economic theories prepare integrated framework. Effectiveness of any program cannot be automatically translate into learning achievement for that different statistical evidence from large scale learning assessment used to indicates about that school. Different surveys like Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) and National Achievement Surveys (NAS) gives the comparative results between expectation and actual student competencies at different grade level and also shows the substantial gaps by comparison of student’s result. FLN program find a solution of a problem of mismatch through continuous assessment, improvement of teacher capacity, changes in curriculum and structured pedagogy. By using different methods and models like descriptive statistics, inferential methods and econometric models shows the significant improvement in outcome and result of early literacy and numeracy and shows program beneficiaries and its effect on education. Meaningful learning gains can be known when effect sizes show the range between 0.2 to 0.6 standard deviation across multiple studies.

This study addresses the problem of low early literacy skills among children aged 5–6 years in early childhood education units in Suka Karya Village, Jambi City, and aims to develop anagram flash card media to stimulate early literacy skills, including recognition of letters a–z, initial letters, and emergent writing. Using the ADDIE development model, limited to the teacher practicality test stage (analysis, design, development, and implementation), data were collected through teacher interviews, expert validation, and teacher response questionnaires. The results show that the developed anagram flash card media are considered very feasible, practical, and effective in supporting early literacy learning for children aged 5–6 years, as evidenced by material and media expert validation scores that increased at each assessment stage. In material validation, expert validator 1 rated the media at 80.56% and 88.89% (both very feasible), while expert validator 2’s ratings increased from 63.83% (feasible) to 77.78% and 94.44% (both very feasible). In media validation, expert validator 1’s assessment rose from 91.67% to 100%, and expert validator 2’s ratings moved from 95% to 90% and then 98.33%, all within the very feasible category. Teacher responses further indicated very high practicality, with a feasibility rating of 91.67%. These findings indicate that the anagram flash card media underwent significant improvement throughout the development process and are highly suitable for classroom use, contributing to the enhancement of children’s early literacy skills and underscoring the importance of innovative, multisensory media tailored to developmental stages in early childhood education. Future research is recommended to apply this media to larger samples and conduct direct classroom trials to strengthen empirical evidence of its effectiveness.

Literacy skills are a crucial foundation for early childhood, determining their readiness to enter further education. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Make A Match learning model, when supplemented with flashcards, in enhancing the literacy skills of children in Group B (aged 5-6 years) at Harokatil Islamiah Kindergarten. The method employed was a pre-experimental study with a One-Group Pretest-Posttest Design, involving 12 children as the sample. Data were collected through performance tests and analyzed using a paired-samples t-test. The results showed a significant increase. The average literacy score of the children increased from 12.16 (43.45% of the ideal score) on the pretest to 20.08 (71.72%) on the posttest. Further analysis revealed that this difference was statistically significant (p-value = 0.000, p < 0.05). These findings confirm that the Make A Match model, using flashcards, not only provides a fun and interactive learning experience but also positively affects the development of children's early literacy skills. This card-matching activity successfully trains phonological awareness, letter recognition, and other cognitive skills in a way that children enjoy. This study recommends this model as an innovative learning strategy alternative that educators and parents can adopt

ABSTRACT The effects of language and literacy skills developed during early childhood on subsequent literacy achievement are well-known. As children's first teachers are their parents, supporting these skills in the home environment is necessary. This study investigated the effect of the Shared Book Reading (SBR) program based on print awareness on children's language and early literacy skills in children from low socioeconomic households. Thirty – four mother–child dyads were randomly assigned to an intervention or a control group. Mothers in the intervention group attended training sessions on using shared book reading strategies through picture books for 12 weeks. The analyses revealed positive effects of the parent-implemented shared book reading program on early literacy skills and the early literacy environment. These findings highlight the potential positive impact of a parent-implemented shared book-reading program on the early literacy experiences and skills of children from low socioeconomic households. The findings show that the mothers in the intervention group were able to transform their children's home education environment into one that valued and contributed to the children’s early literacy experiences and had a positive effect on early literacy skills.

The integration of creative economy values and local wisdom in Early Childhood Education (ECE) has gained increasing attention as part of the global agenda for sustainable development. However, research exploring how these values are embedded in ECE practices and their explicit contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 remains limited. This study aims to examine how creative economy values and local wisdom are integrated into ECE learning activities and to analyze their contribution to achieving the SDGs 2030. Using a qualitative approach with an exploratory case study design, data were collected through in-depth interviews, participant observations, documentation, and focus group discussions with teachers, parents, and local creative community actors in several ECE institutions in Kuningan, West Java. Data were analyzed thematically following Braun and Clarke’s (2019) framework, with credibility ensured through triangulation and member checking. The findings indicate that creative economy values such as creativity, innovation, collaboration, and cultural literacy are integrated through local wisdom–based activities, including ecoprint, traditional market role-play, storytelling, and local crafts. These practices foster children’s creative identity, cultural pride, and early entrepreneurial literacy. Furthermore, they contribute directly to SDG 4.2 (quality ECE), SDG 4.7 (education for sustainable development), SDG 8 (sustainable economic growth), and SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities). Despite these strengths, challenges remain in teachers’ limited understanding of creative economy concepts, the absence of standardized assessment tools, and sporadic community involvement. Integrating creative economy values and local wisdom in ECE not only strengthens children’s cultural identity and 21st-century skills but also provides a clear pathway to achieving SDGs 2030. Systematic teacher training, contextual assessment tools, and sustainable school–community partnerships are essential to support this integration.

Gender remains a significant yet often subtle dimension of literacy in early childhood education and care (ECEC). Picturebooks and digital texts may introduce young children to patterned cues about how gender is seen, valued, and enacted, sometimes reinforcing binary expectations even when such messages are not explicit. This paper considers how children may encounter and interpret gender through schemas, scripts, and multimodal features embedded in the texts they read and the literacy practices they participate in. Drawing on insights from picturebook scholarship, cognitive studies, queer theory, and childhood studies, the discussion explores how gender may be shaped through repeated visual, verbal, and affective cues that children learn to recognise and respond to. At the same time, a growing body of inclusive and counter-normative texts may offer opportunities for children to expand or adjust their existing understandings of gender, although such shifts are often partial and dependent on context, mediation, and broader cultural messages. By approaching literacy as an embodied, relational, and multimodal experience, this paper aims to open a reflective space for considering how early literacy practices may support more diverse and expansive possibilities for gender in ECEC settings.

Language development in early childhood is greatly influenced by optimal early literacy stimulation from preschool age. Early literacy forms a crucial foundation for reading, writing, communication skills, and children's confidence. This study analyzes strategies and approaches in early literacy learning to enhance language skills at Al Irsyad Al Islamiyyah Kindergarten Pemalang. It employs a qualitative case study method, with data gathered via observation, interviews, and documentation, validated through source triangulation. Analysis followed the Miles and Huberman model: data reduction, presentation, and conclusion drawing. Results revealed that educators' early literacy strategies—playing, singing, and storytelling—effectively stimulate interest, enrich vocabulary, and familiarize children with letters, numbers, shapes, and colors in engaging ways. Applied approaches included behaviorism, cognitive, and social constructs, providing language stimulation while emphasizing social interactions with the environment. These complementary strategies and approaches foster active, creative, participatory learning environments, significantly advancing children's language development. Thus, the study confirms that early literacy success hinges on educators selecting strategies aligned with early childhood needs and developmental stages.

Purpose: This study examined the reading achievement of Grade Three pupils in the Pacific Area of the Division of Northern Samar and analyzed the relationship between selected school profile variables and pupils’ performance to provide an empirical basis for a strengthened Developmental Reading Program in English. Methods: A descriptive correlational research design was employed involving 65 public elementary schools. Data were obtained from school heads and Grade Three teachers using a validated survey questionnaire and school-based records. Pupils’ reading achievement was measured using three standardized literacy assessments: the Comprehensive Rapid Literacy Assessment, the Early Grade Reading Assessment, and the Early Language, Literacy, and Numeracy Assessment. Frequencies, percentages, means, and multiple regression analyses were used to analyze the data at a 0.05 level of significance. Results: Most schools were small, non-central institutions with limited teaching staff and scarce higher-level reading facilities. Reading achievement results showed that many pupils demonstrated basic decoding skills, but a substantial proportion remained at refresher, emergent, or transitional levels, particularly in comprehension. School population showed a statistically significant but very weak negative relationship with reading achievement, while reading facilities exhibited a weak but significant positive relationship. The number of teachers and type of school showed no significant relationship with reading performance. Conclusion: The findings indicate that structural school characteristics have limited influence on reading achievement. Meaningful improvement in Grade Three literacy requires enhanced reading facilities, effective instructional use of resources, and strengthened teacher capacity through a structured developmental reading program.

Purpose Although e-books have been widely studied, empirical evidence on their role as mediating tools that support children’s meaning-making remains limited. This study explores early childhood teachers’ perceptions of e-books as mediators of meaning-making among children aged 5–6 years. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews with ten early childhood teachers who provided informed consent for the use and publication of their responses. Data were thematically analyzed through four stages: preparing analytic templates, managing data, handling transcriptions, and ensuring ethical treatment of data. Findings The findings indicate that well-designed e-books can stimulate children’s meaning-making abilities. Teachers emphasized that e-books function not merely as content delivery tools but as effective mediators that foster meaning through interaction, personal experience, and feedback. Originality/value This study contributes to early childhood literacy research by highlighting teachers’ perspectives on e-books as mediational tools in children’s meaning-making processes, offering pedagogical insights for integrating digital texts into early learning contexts.

Early childhood literacy skills form a crucial foundation for developing of critical thinking and academic readiness. In Indonesia, low reading interest and a lack of culturally contextualized learning media pose significant challenges. This study addresses this gap by aiming to developing and evaluating the validity, practicality, and effectiveness of an interactive e-comic based on the traditional Palembang game, Tungkupan as an innovative tool for early childhood literacy instruction. Employing a Research and Development (R&D) approach following the ADDIE model, the research involved three expert validators and 27 children from group B at Pembina 7 State Kindergarten in Palembang. Experts rated the product as highly validaverage 80.00% – 83.56%, whileeachers rated it very practicalaverage 91.60%. The effectiveness test, measured by N-Gain, showed a significant increase in scores (from 37.4 to 84.44), with an average N-Gain score of 0.73 (high category), confirming its effectiveness (73.75%) in improving children's literacy skills. These results demonstrate that the interactive Tungkupan based e-comic is a highly valid, practical, and effective medium for both improving early literacy and preserving local cultural heritage.

Purpose: This study aims to describe the effectiveness of a singing-based approach in introducing numbers and letters to early childhood learners at TK Melati Purwakarta. Considering that early childhood cognitive development is characterized by symbolic and imaginative thinking, this period is regarded as a golden age for the introduction of early literacy skills. Method: This study employed a qualitative approach using a descriptive method. Data were collected through classroom observations, interviews, and documentation of learning activities. Results and Discussion: The findings indicate that the singing-based approach enhances children’s ability to recognize numbers and letters in an enjoyable and meaningful way. Songs combined with body movements and visual media were found to improve memory, concentration, and active engagement in the learning process. Teachers implemented learning activities systematically, beginning with the selection of theme-appropriate songs and continuing through to the evaluation of children’s development. In addition to cognitive benefits, this approach also contributed positively to the development of children’s musicality and social-emotional skills. Conclusion: The singing-based approach represents an effective and appropriate alternative teaching method in early childhood education, particularly for introducing numbers and letters in a fun and meaningful manner.

Early literacy skills in reading are an important foundation for early childhood development. Observations at Palam State Kindergarten showed that out of 23 children, 15 still had difficulty recognizing letters and reading simple syllables. This study investigates how learning apps influence the early literacy development of 5-6-year-old children at Palam State Kindergarten, North Tinangkung District, Banggai Islands Regency. The method used in this study is a quantitative experiment with a one-group pretest-posttest design on 23 children in group B. The results showed a significant increase, where the average pretest score of 20.91 (category "starting to develop") increased to 32.73 in the posttest (category "developing as expected"). The t-test showed a calculated t value of 36.42 > t table 1.717 (α = 0.05), so Ho was rejected and Ha was accepted. Thus, it can be concluded that the use of learning applications significantly influences the early literacy skills of children aged 5-6 years at Palam State Kindergarten, North Tinangkung District, Banggai Islands Regency.

COVID-19 led to substantial changes in early literacy instruction. Although emerging evidence documents its effects on children’s reading achievement, much less is known about how these changes relate to young children’s reading motivation and school-related well-being. This study compared two cohorts of second graders (N = 287) from the same four low-SES schools, all assessed at the beginning of second grade. A pre-COVID-19 cohort, whose first-grade instruction was delivered entirely face-to-face, was compared with a during-COVID-19 cohort whose first-grade reading instruction took place amid extended distance learning with intermittent, restricted in-person schooling. Cohorts were compared on reading motivation, school-related well-being (covitality), and reading achievement (word reading, vocabulary, and reading comprehension). Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) were conducted to compare cohorts (pre- vs. during COVID-19) and reader groups (typical vs. poor readers), with gender, class, and school entered as control variables. In motivation, self-concept was higher during COVID-19, and typical readers reported higher motivation than their peers. In well-being, covitality was higher during COVID-19 at the total score and across gratitude, optimism, zest, and persistence; a cohort by group interaction for persistence indicated higher scores for typical readers during COVID-19. In achievement, phonological decoding and orthographic word identification were lower during COVID-19; typical readers scored higher than poor readers on all achievement outcomes. Together, these findings suggest that the educational setting shapes motivation and well-being alongside achievement, and that distance learning is not uniformly detrimental, as it coincided with higher covitality and reading self-concept at school reentry.

This study investigates the developmental trajectories of transcription and oral language skills in kindergarten students over the course of an academic year, with a focus on the influence of executive functions (EF) and home literacy practices (HLP). Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) analyses revealed significant growth in transcription skills, with both EF and independent home literacy practices positively influencing baseline transcription scores. The interaction between independent home literacy practices and formal literacy practices at home further enhanced transcription skill development. In contrast, oral language skills were not influenced by either HLP or EF. These results suggest that EF plays a more prominent role in transcription development than oral language skills in early childhood, especially in transparent orthographic systems. The findings highlight the importance of cognitive and environmental factors in early literacy development, suggesting implications for educational practices, particularly in fostering effective home literacy environments

This desktop review reconceptualizes Sustainable Development Goal 4 (quality education) by examining digital learning’s impact on Kenyan international schools’ curricula. Analysing 15 Kenyan peer-reviewed studies (2019–2024) and OECD reports, we identify cognitive-pedagogical trade-offs: digital tools boost STEM engagement and collaboration (e.g., 25% KCSE gains via hybrid models) but risk fragmenting literacy and critical thinking in humanities due to screen-based distractions. Sweden’s evidence-led recalibration—prioritizing print for core literacy/math and digital tools for specialized tasks—reversed comprehension declines by 12%, offering Kenya a model for balancing innovation with foundational skills. Systemic gaps persist in Kenya, including urban-rural access divides, under-resourced teacher training, and low parental digital literacy, which exacerbate inequalities and threaten holistic development. To advance SDG 4 amid today’s technological challenges, we propose a participatory hybrid framework: (1) strategic screen-time governance (capping digital exposure at 30% for early literacy), (2) AI-augmented adaptive learning with ethical safeguards, and (3) community co-designed partnerships to align emerging technologies with localized needs. Case studies (e.g., Braeburn School’s print-digital scheduling; Trans Nzoia’s solar-powered tablets + story circles) demonstrate 15–25% academic gains and 90% student satisfaction when blending low- and high-tech methods. We urge policymakers to leverage strategic communication for stakeholder buy-in, emerging media technologies for equitable resource distribution, and AI governance to ensure tools serve pedagogical—not just technological—ends. Findings advocate for phased hybrid rollouts, teacher capacity building in blended facilitation, and parent-involved digital literacy initiatives to foster inclusive, future-ready education systems that reconcile SDG targets with tomorrow’s possibilities.

Abstract Parents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often demonstrate less positive parenting behaviors, lower involvement, and greater household chaos, which relate to parent-child interactions and poorer child outcomes. This study delved into the nature of writing support provided by parents with ADHD for their preschool-aged children and how their support related to children’s early literacy, beyond children’s age and parents’ education. Participants were 41 Israeli parents (36 mothers, 5 fathers) with ADHD, whose average age was 39.40 ( SD = 5.67), and one of their preschool-aged children. Parents completed a self-report ADHD scale and children’s early literacy skills (letter knowledge, phonological awareness, early writing) were assessed. Parents were asked to help their children write words. Parents’ writing support was analyzed for both literacy elements (grapho-phonemic and printing support) and emotional elements (positive reinforcement, entry into child’s space, lack of accuracy demands). Results revealed that more severe ADHD symptomology was significantly associated with lower level support, more positive reinforcements, and more instances of entry into the child’s space. Parents’ grapho-phonemic and printing support significantly positively related to children’s literacy skills and their lack of accuracy demands significantly negatively related to children’s literacy skills (except early writing). Finally, beyond children’s age, parents’ writing support explained a significant portion of the variance in children’s letter knowledge and phonological awareness. This initial foray into how parents with ADHD interact with their children surrounding literacy, indicates that these parents may benefit from guidance regarding the importance of their support, and suggests methods for supporting their children’s literacy.