Early Primary School Children Research Articles

Different Eating Habits Are Observed in Overweight and Obese Children Than in Normal-Weight Peers.

Obesity is diagnosed in 13.6% of early primary school children in Poland. Its presence at this age increases the risk of obesity occurrence in adulthood. Therefore, it is important to properly shape eating behaviors at the stage of childhood and identify incorrect eating styles. This study aimed to investigate whether overweight and obese children differ significantly from children with normal body weights in terms of their eating styles. For the materials and methods, 43 mothers of overweight or obese children aged 3-10 years and 88 mothers of normal-weight children aged 3-10 years completed a questionnaire related to sociodemographic factors and the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire. The overweight and obese children, compared with normal-weight children, scored higher on the food responsiveness (p = 0.009) and emotional overeating (p = 0.013) scales and lower on the satiety responsiveness (p = 0.025) and slowness in eating scales (p < 0.0001). No significant difference was found for other subscales between the studied groups. In the group of overweight and obese children, the child's age correlated negatively with enjoyment of food, as did the mother's BMI with slowness in eating. The results indicate the presence of significant differences in eating styles between normal-weight children and overweight or obese children. Identifying families at high risk of inappropriate eating behaviors and educating them appropriately can reduce the risk of children becoming overweight or obese.

Pathways to Early Science Literacy: Investigating the Different Role of Language and Reading Skills in Science Literacy Among Early Primary School Children

The purpose of this study is to examine the distinct roles of language and reading skills in science literacy among primary school students through a qualitative approach. Science literacy, defined as an understanding of scientific concepts and processes, and the capacity to apply them in everyday life, is a crucial competency for students in the modern era. This research employed a case study method, with data collection techniques comprising in-depth interviews, classroom observations and document analysis. The findings indicate that language skills play a pivotal role in assisting students in comprehending and communicating scientific concepts in an effective manner. The aforementioned skills encompass an individual's capacity to comprehend and employ scientific terminology, construct sentences with correct grammatical structures, and convey ideas in a clear and logical manner. In contrast, reading abilities are pivotal for students to obtain, comprehend and integrate information from diverse sources, including scientific texts. Well-developed reading abilities facilitate students to understand intricate scientific texts, construct arguments supported by evidence and draw inferences from available data. This research offers insights into the development of language and reading skills holistically, with the aim of improving science literacy among primary school students. It also emphasises the importance of an integrated and comprehensive teaching approach in science education.

Perceptions of height and weight screening and associations with body image: a cross-sectional study in early primary school children

BackgroundDespite parental concern, few studies have investigated children’s experiences with school-based screening of growth deviations. This study aimed to explore perceptions of height and weight screening and associations with body...

Pathways to early science literacy: investigating the different role of language and reading skills in science literacy among early primary school children

ABSTRACT The initiation of formal science education provides an opportunity to investigate how age-related language and reading skills respond to the challenge of science literacy (SL) performance. SL in early primary schools refers to the understanding and application of scientific core ideas and practices for informed decision-making. Studies revealed that high levels of singular reading or language skills correlate with better SL performance in school settings. However, it is essential to explore how nuanced words and textual reading skills relate to SL performance for early primary learners. One hundred ninety-three Hong Kong second graders were assessed on word reading, reading comprehension, vocabulary, nonverbal reasoning, and SL. The hierarchical regression model shows that word reading and reading comprehension are significant predictors of SL, controlling for nonverbal reasoning and vocabulary. Further, mediation analysis reveals that reading comprehension significantly mediates the effect of word reading on SL at grade 2, suggesting a shared reading-SL cognitive process. A tailored early elementary school literacy instruction is a promising way to enhance SL development among young learners.

Shaping Entrepreneurial Attitudes among Young Children on the Basis of the “Entrepreneurial Kids” International Project

Entrepreneurship is one of the key competencies that should be developed in the educational process. However, in the form of a specific subject with particular objectives and outcomes, it only appears in secondary school. Younger children are involved in direct or indirect entrepreneurial activities in a variety of activities. However, these are not planned and not evaluated. Preschool and early primary school children also cannot benefit from the offer of projects or competitions outside of school due to the limited number of opportunities and because they often focus on economic aspects rather than the development of soft skills, which in children aged 3–10 seem to be more important for their overall development. This article presents an example of an initiative that can fill these gaps, i.e., the “Entrepreneurial Kids” project. The theoretical foundations of this project, its course, and its results to date are discussed.

What do they say? Assessment of oral reading fluency in early primary school children: A scoping review

Recent studies have shown concern regarding an increased risk of functional illiteracy. A way to reverse this trend concerns focusing on improving reading fluency assessment. However, reading fluency assessment, which concerns quick, accurate and expressive reading, knows many shortcomings. To learn how to overcome these shortcomings, we conducted a scoping review. This review included primary and grey literature regarding the assessment and definitions of reading fluency and its underlying components within early primary education. Searches resulted in 107 relevant records. The results indicate that definitions of reading fluency are frequently not provided, and show discrepancies with assessment procedures.

Does vision therapy for visual information processing improve academic performance? A randomised clinical trial.

To determine whether a typical vision therapy (VT) programme designed to improve visual information processing (VIP) skills is effective in improving these skills and/or academic performance. We used a double-blind, randomised clinical trial to compare VIP VT to placebo training. Participating schools referred a sample of 579 early primary school children identified as being within the lower third of their class for literacy. From the referred sample, we identified 247 children eligible to participate (passed visions and auditory processing screening, and VIP performance <34th percentile), 94 of whom participated. Matching IQ, school grade and sex was achieved by sorting hierarchically on these values and then alternately allocating to VT or placebo groups. Both programmes ran for 10 weeks and consisted of 33 h working at home and 4 h working in office. The VT programme was indicative of that employed in Australian paediatric optometry practices, with the placebo programme containing similar activities, except targeting skills within a child's competencies and with specific VIP development activities removed. The main outcome measures were score change on three standardised educational tests (reading comprehension, spelling and mathematics) and six VIP tests, both immediately post-intervention (PI) and 6 months later. Sixty-nine children completed the programmes. The VT programme produced no significant improvement in the three educational tests or in five of the six VIP tests compared to the control. The VT programme improved visual sequential memory (VSM) by a moderate amount compared to the control (Cohen's d = 0.57 and 0.52, immediately PI and at 6 months, respectively: p < 0.03 and p < 0.02). The VIP and academic performance benefits from a VT programme were largely identical to those from a control programme, both immediately and 6-month PI. Placebo effects and general effects such as improvements in executive function and/or regression-to-the-mean could be mistaken for specific programme effectiveness.

The Toy Brick as a Communicative Device for Amplifying Children’s Voices in Research

The Toy Brick as a Communicative Device for Amplifying Children’s Voices in Research

Validation of the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire in Poland.

Obesity is increasingly diagnosed in pre-school and early primary school children. Eating styles displayed by the youngest children may contribute to the development of overweight and obesity. Their assessment may be extremely important in diagnosing the causes of obesity, but also in planning treatment. In view of the need to introduce a tool for assessing eating behaviours in children in Poland, the aim of the study was to develop the Polish adaptation of the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ). The study group consisted of 151 mothers of children aged 3-10 years (M = 6.77, SD = 2.34), who completed the Polish version of the CEBQ. In order to assess the validity of the questionnaire, a factor analysis was conducted, using the principal components method with the Oblimin rotation and Kaiser normalization. To assess the reliability of the questionnaire, its internal consistency was checked by calculating Cronbach's alpha consistency coefficient. The external validity of the CEBQ was also checked by correlating its scales with those of the Temperament Questionnaire (EAS-C). The principal components analysis extracted an eight-factor scale from the 35 items of the questionnaire in which a total of 60.57% of the common variance was explained. The validity of such an eight-factor solution was confirmed by the Kaiser method. Satisfactorily high values of Cronbach's alpha internal consistency coefficient were obtained (0.78). Positive correlations were found between emotionality and emotional undereating and overeating, between shyness and fussiness and negative correlations between activity and slowness in eating, sociability and fussiness and slowness in eating and between shyness and enjoyment of food. The Polish version of the CEBQ is characterized by the acceptable validity and reliability and has a satisfactory criterion accuracy; therefore, it can be used as a psychometric tool to assess eating behaviours in Polish children.

Self-Reported Sleep and Executive Function in Early Primary School Children

The study investigated the associations between children’s self-reported habitual sleep disturbance and multidimensional executive function (EF). Two hundred and four 7–9-year-old typically developing children completed the Sleep Self-Report and finished the Red-Blue Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and Backward Digit Span Test, indexing different EF components including inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and working memory. Results revealed that all the three EF components were significantly correlated with sleep. However, cognitive flexibility was no longer significantly related to sleep when the other EF components – inhibitory control and working memory – were controlled for. Meanwhile, inhibitory control, as well as working memory, was still significantly related to sleep after controlling for the other EF components. Results suggest that children’s self-reported sleep might be associated directly with inhibitory control and working memory, but indirectly with cognitive flexibility.

Capturing the moment: understanding embodied interactions in early primary physical education

ABSTRACT Background: Several studies demonstrate the benefits of understanding explicit and tacit embodied interactions in physical education (PE). However, there is little research that explores the embodied interactions that occur in early primary PE classes (years 1 and 2), where children (are socialized to) embody various body values, attitudes and stigma. We adopted a micro-sociological approach to examine the embodied interactions of a group of early primary school children. The study provides new insight into how primary age children embody the world around them in their PE interactions and the impact this embodiment has on them and on their peers. Purpose: Using a micro-sociological approach, the aim of this study was to examine the embodied interactions of a group of year 1 and 2 children (ages 6–8) in PE classes. Participants and settings: The study was conducted at a public primary school in Australia over a six-month period. The lessons were filmed by the lead author, yielding a total of 12 h and 21 min of footage. Observer XT, a systematic observation programme, was utilized to aid in the coding, management and analysis of observational data, allowing for the creation of multiple coding schemes. Findings: The findings highlighted two distinct themes. First, competition, which involved the constant comparison of performance between the children. Second, skill mastery, which involved the children engaging in acts that displayed their advanced understanding of how to perform certain skills. While the emphasis on competition and skill mastery has been echoed across PE literature, this study showed how those with the most cultural resources (sport experience and physical capital) were able to embody these goals to produce high levels of emotional energy during Interactional Rituals. The findings also indicated the pedagogical implications of these micro-moments. The implementation of an approach characterized by a lack of differentiation and minimal teacher intervention created an environment ripe for embodied engagement in competition and skill mastery. Implications: The micro-sociological approach provided a unique insight into how primary age children are embodying the world around them in their PE interactions and the impact this embodiment is having on themselves and their peers. This approach also provides insight into the pedagogical implications of this embodiment, and highlights the need for more creative and/or student-centred pedagogies in primary PE.

Making synchronous CSCL work: a widget-based learning system with group work support

ABSTRACT This paper presents a system architecture for synchronous mobile Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (mCSCL). The paper builds on the notion of content-independent mCSCL by adding the technology support designed according to the contemporary design principles to support young learners. The specifics of the presented architecture are the authoring application that allows for reuse of interactive web-based educational application modules named “widgets”. Widgets communicate via the Group Communication module to deliver group work educational experiences. The Group Communication module consists of the three sub-modules: Message Forwarding Sub-module, Activity Management Sub-module and History Management Sub-module. The three sub-modules are designed to deliver synchronous mCSCL experiences by distributing communication messages to the subscribed groups and their members in a timely manner and by ensuring possible state reconstruction necessary for smooth learner transition between widgets and devices. Such an approach adds to the robustness of synchronous communication which is demonstrated by utilizing the system and the developed widgets in two case studies where early primary school children learn Mathematics in pairs and triplets. The presented system is able to deliver synchronous mCSCL activities including pairs and triplets in a dynamic early primary school environment.

Integrisanje muzičkih i jezičkih sadržaja i veština u okviru predmeta Engleski jezik za decu uz pesmu i pokret

A song is a musical content in which melody and poetic text are unified, which makes it an ideal tool in all music activities with children of preschool and early primary school age. It also represents the core of integration of different school subjects, with a huge educational potential in language teaching (both mother tongue and foreign languages). In this paper we elaborate on the advantages of integrating English Language and Music Education academic courses in working with pre-service primary and preschool teachers who are trained to teach English to preschool and early primary school children. We examine students' music experience and their preferences, as well as their familiarity with the phonological elements of the language with the aim of improving the quality of teaching. The paper also presents the key results of the research conducted in 2018 and 2019 with the first and the second generations of students attending the course English Language for Children through Songs and Movement at the first year of their studies at the Teacher Education Faculty in Belgrade. Apart from providing useful insights for further teaching, the results of the research conducted on a convenience sample of 58 students (N = 58) confirmed the importance of integrating the two academic courses by reinforcing students' vocal development in English through songs and action songs as a fundamental tool in the cross-curricular integration. The results also offer new guidelines for the future exploratory research of teaching in university education. These guidelines have a broader pedagogical significance and methodological implications for the work of the future preschool and primary school teachers.

The health promotion role of Australian early primary school teachers supporting students with type 1 diabetes.

Early primary school children with diabetes require adult support for insulin therapy and primary school teachers often fulfil this health promotion role. Availability of support is inconsistent across Australia and insulin administration at school is avoided for some children. The aims of the study were to explore the experiences of Australian early primary school teachers who were supporting a student using intensive insulin therapy and to identify facilitators and implications of this support. A qualitative research design using narrative inquiry was utilised. Early primary school teachers (n=11) from six Australian states/territories and across Government, Catholic and independent schools participated in semi-structured telephone interviews between August 2015 and May 2016. Narrative analysis was used to interpret the interview data. Six narrative threads told a collective story of early primary school teachers' experience of supporting a student using intensive insulin therapy. The factors that facilitated support were: suitable class allocation, a transition process, and diabetes education and diabetes models of care. The implications of providing intensive insulin therapy support were legal considerations and burden of responsibility. The outcome was that all teachers supported intensive insulin therapy. School teachers in this study had a pivotal role in promoting the health of students with type 1 diabetes. This role was often associated with anxiety and the burden of responsibility. Support strategies for teachers include formal diabetes skills training, ongoing assistance from both teacher's aides and Diabetes Educators, and greater understanding of the legal aspects of intensive insulin therapy support. The development of consistent health promotion policy for students with type 1 diabetes across all Australian schools is required. SO WHAT?: Adopting the supportive strategies for teachers identified in this study will further promote the health of early primary school children with type 1 diabetes.

Osnovni principi škole sporta u radu sa decom mlađeg osnovnoškolskog uzrasta

Osnovni principi škole sporta u radu sa decom mlađeg osnovnoškolskog uzrasta

Cognition, emotion, and arithmetic in primary school: A cross-cultural investigation.

The study investigated cross‐cultural differences in variability and average performance in arithmetic, mathematical reasoning, symbolic and non‐symbolic magnitude processing, intelligence, spatial ability, and mathematical anxiety in 890 6‐ to 9‐year‐old children from the United Kingdom, Russia, and China. Cross‐cultural differences explained 28% of the variance in arithmetic and 17.3% of the variance in mathematical reasoning, with Chinese children outperforming the other two groups. No cross‐cultural differences were observed for spatial ability and mathematical anxiety. In all samples, symbolic magnitude processing and mathematical reasoning were independently related to early arithmetic. Other factors, such as non‐symbolic magnitude processing, mental rotation, intelligence, and mathematical anxiety, produced differential patterns across the populations. The results are discussed in relation to potential influences of parental practice, school readiness, and linguistic factors on individual differences in early mathematics. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Cross‐cultural differences in mathematical ability are present in preschool children.Similar mechanisms of mathematical development operate in preschool children from the United Kingdom, Russia, and China.Tasks that require understanding of numbers are best predictors of arithmetic in preschool children. What does this study add? Cross‐cultural differences in mathematical ability become greater with age/years of formal education.Similar mechanisms of mathematical development operate in early primary school children from the United Kingdom, Russia, and China.Symbolic number magnitude and mathematical reasoning are the main predictors of arithmetic in all three populations.

Achieving body confidence for young children: Development and pilot study of a universal teacher-led body image and weight stigma program for early primary school children

ABSTRACTNegative body image attitudes develop in early childhood and there is a need for school-based resources during the early school years, but no teacher-delivered curriculum-based resources exist to mitigate these attitudes in young children. Achieving Body Confidence for Young Children (ABC-4-YC), a universal body dissatisfaction and weight stigma prevention program, was developed and then delivered in a pilot study. Fifty-one 5- to 8-year-old children completed pre- and post-intervention interviews assessing body image attitudes, and seven teachers provided feedback. Significant improvement in body esteem and positive teacher feedback were found. The results provide preliminary support for ABC-4-YC to improve children’s body image attitudes, but extensive evaluation is needed.

Changes in Legal Aspects of Public Education about Drugs and Their Importance.

Requirements for education on proper use of drugs were included in the junior high school educational guideline in 2012 incorporating pharmaceutical education in the obligatory school curriculum. This move is closely related to the country's new OTC drug marketing system. The amendment of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law (PAL) in 2013 highlighted the public's own role in "promoting proper use of drugs and other related products and making greater efforts to acquire knowledge and improve understanding of their effective and safe use". Furthermore, the Law to Amend the PAL and Pharmacists Law enforced in 2014 allowed all OTC drugs to be sold online under appropriate rules. Deregulation of online sale of OTC drugs is expected further to promote self-medication for minor illnesses and require stricter measures to ensure people's safety through their proper use. These legal amendments in recent years have made people's education about proper use of drugs one of the top priorities Japan should pursue at state level. Since 2000, the author has been offering education on drugs to early primary school children as part of their healthcare education program. In the future, dedicated education on drugs will be necessary for people of all ages including not only school children but also their guardians and elderly citizens as well.

Problem Behaviours in Early Primary School Children: Australian Normative Data using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire

This study provides normative and clinical levels of problem behaviours from a large community sample of Australian early primary school children. From a large community sample (n = 1928) of children aged 5 to 10 years (mean = 7.70, SD = 0.89) normative data are provided using the teacher-reported version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). A response rate of 88% ensures the data are representative. Mean scores on total difficulties between this Australian sample and UK norms were comparable. Some differences in the clinical cut-off scores are evident in the Australian sample, and adjusted clinical cut-offs are provided. Australian teacher reports of problem behaviour revealed lower clinical levels of emotional problems. Boys had significantly greater problems than girls on the Conduct, Hyperactivity, Peer and Prosocial scales. Overall, 5.3% of boys had scores in the clinical range on four of the five subscales. Comparisons of the factor structure revealed that for boys the Peer scale has two interpretations, with two items loading with Conduct problems and associated with greater problem behaviours. For girls, conduct problems are more strongly associated with poorer prosocial skills. Teachers are able to provide valuable predictive information on externalizing behaviours. Australian normative comparisons reveal minor variations in teacher interpretation of items. The present data is representative of the Australian community and should be used to assess behaviour difficulties in early primary school children. Future studies on older age children are required to understand the developmental progression of problem behaviours in the community.

An acoustics education outreach program for young children

With limited time for science in the preschool and primary classroom, and limited science education of many preschool and primary school educators, the need for science professionals to engage in outreach education is ever increasing. Additionally, there is an increasing need for children to be aware of the problems of noise exposure, especially with regard personal sound systems. In this talk, a one‐hour acoustics education outreach program developed for preschool and early primary school children is presented. In the program, children are involved in a discussion of the human auditory system and the dangers of noise exposure, engage in listening exercises using a keyboard synthesizer, construct a small musical instrument, and finally play the musical instrument with the rest of the class in a marching band.