Kindergarten Age Research Articles

Do expressive mothers have expressive children? The role of socialization in children's affect expression

AbstractThe effects of maternal expressiveness and children's gender on children's nonverbal expressiveness were assessed in two settings. In the laboratory, 30 boys and 30 girls of kindergarten age were unobtrusively videotaped while talking about happy, sad, and fearful experiences and while experiencing three social situations designed to elicit happy, disappointed, and apprehensive feelings. Videotapes were rated for emotion expression, using global ratings and EMFACS codes. In school, teachers rated these children's expression of four discrete emotions. In both the laboratory and school settings children were more positively expressive than negatively so, and positive and negative expressiveness were unrelated. In the laboratory children's positive expressiveness was consistent across the three social situations, but negative expressiveness varied across affective context. In both settings, children of low‐expressive mothers were more positively expressive than children of high‐expressive mothers, who tended to be more negatively expressive than children of low‐expressive mothers. The difference in negative expression appeared most striking for anger. Gender was not predictive of children's expressiveness in either setting

The development of children's knowledge structures: events, slots, and taxonomies.

Seventeen preschool (age range 2; 10-3;6), 26 kindergarten (age range 5;5-6;7), and 26 fourth-grade (age range 9;5-10;5) children's knowledge structures were examined with a word association task and a match-to-sample picture task to determine whether or not children used slot-filler categories as a mediating structure between event-based and taxonomic knowledge structures, as proposed by Nelson (1985, 1986). In general, preschool children were able to provide event-based, but not slot-filler or taxonomic, relations; kindergarten children were able to provide event-based or slot-filler relations, but very few taxonomic relations; and fourth-grade children were able to provide all three relations. These findings support Nelson's hypothesis that taxonomic knowledge structures are derived from event-based knowledge structures with the aid of slot-filler categories.

Sociodramatic play as a method for enhancing the language performance of kindergarten age students

Are necessary skills, such as language, best taught to young children in structured kindergarten classroom environments, or are they best developed through practice and stimulation in freer child-centered activities? To assist in the resolution of this ongoing debate, this study tested the proposition that children of kindergarten age who had planned opportunities for enriched sociodramatic play would demonstrate increased levels of language performance. A single case repeated measures multiple-baseline design across subjects was used to experimentally determine that a functional relationship exists between enriched sociodramatic play and an increase in levels of language performance.

Pollakiuria, Extraordinary Daytime Urinary Frequency: Experience in a Pediatric Practice

Pollakiuria1,2 (pollakis: Greek, meaning often), or increased daytime frequency of urination, has been reported recently.3-5 This article documents pollakiuria with a prospective 1-year study in a general pediatric practice; compares its incidence with that of lower urinary tract infections in the same practice; describes a method of determining etiology; notes anxiety-producing situations, such as fear of death, as possible precipitating factors; and discusses an approach to therapy. The desirability and practicality of avoiding invasive and/or expensive procedures is emphasized. Pollakiuria, with urination as often as every 5 to 10 minutes, occurs during the waking hours only, and most commonly in children of preschool or kindergarten age.

Relationships between chronological age, developmental age, and standardized achievement tests in kindergarten

Chronological age and developmental age have been used to identify readiness for kindergarten entrance. In the current research, chronological age and results of the Gesell School Readiness Test were evaluated as predictors of kindergarten performance as measured by the Stanford Achievement Test. Subjects were 284 children attending kindergarten in the San Luis Coastal School District during the 1986—1987 school year. Results indicate that both chronological and developmental age provide good predictors of Stanford Achievement Test performance in kindergarten. Implications of the current research for setting appropriate entrance policy were explored.

Evaluation in children of cold-adapted influenza B live attenuated intranasal vaccine prepared by reassortment between wild-type B/Ann Arbor/1/86 and cold-adapted B/Leningrad/14/55 viruses

A reassortant cold-adapted (ca) influenza B experimental live attenuated intranasal vaccine was evaluated for safety and immunogenicity in children by means of a blind, placebo controlled study. The vaccine contained the haemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes, and the gene for its non-structural proteins from wild-type (wt) B/Ann Arbor/1/86 virus, the contemporary strain at the time of the study. Other genes were derived from ca B/Leningrad/14/55 virus. No increase in illness rates was seen in the children from ages 3–15 years given vaccine at maximum potency (a one in two dilution of infectious allantoic fluid, having a titre of 10 7.0 EID 50) compared to children given placebo. About 60% of seronegative children, ages 3–7 years, exhibited a detectible antibody response following one dose of intranasal vaccine, with the seroresponse rate rising to > 70% after two doses of vaccine. Immunogenicity was lowest in seropositive children age 8–15 years, reaching a maximum of 36% after two doses. Results indicated that the vaccine was highly attenuated, and probably of adequate immunogenicity for kindergarten age children. The lower immunogenicity in older children suggests the vaccine might be overly attenuated for use in school-age children who are more likely to have a history of prior natural infection with influenza B virus. Further clinical and epidemiological studies of protection are needed to fully assess this.

Children's use of dispositional attributions in predicting the performance and behavior of classmates

Children's use of dispositional attributions to predict the behavior of classmates was studied. Kindergartners, fourth graders, and eighth graders predicted behavior in four situations for classmates who they claimed were (a) smart, (b) not smart, (c) nice, and (d) not nice. They also rated their own and their classmates' current and future relative academic and social comppetence. The results suggest that children as young as kindergarten age predict peer's behavior on the basis of dispositional attributions. However, the youngest children's attributions were not well differentiated; they predicted that the classmate to whom they gave a positive trait label would perform better than the classmate to whom they gave a negative label in all situations, including situations irrelevant to the label. Predictions became more differentiated with age. All children expected their peers' performance and behavior to be somewhat stable over a period of 1 year, but the older children expected greater stability than the younger children.

Emotional responses to objective and normative performance feedback

The effect of objective and normative feedback on emotional responses to tasks was assessed in kindergarten age and 2nd- and 4th-grade children. Children completed a task on which they received objective (few errors vs. many errors) and normative (superior vs. inferior to same-aged peers) feedback. After receiving the feedback they were asked to rate the intensity of their emotional responses (global affect, good, bad, proud, and embarrassed), and their competency on the task. Both objective and normative feedback affected most emotional responses. The effect of the evaluation feedback generally did not vary as a function of the child's grade. Girls' comptency ratings were more affected by normative feedback than boys', but boys were more embarrassed following objective failure than girls.

Cognitive-academic correlates of finger localization in right-handed kindergarten girls.

The scores of 49 right-handed girls in early kindergarten on a battery of finger localization tests were compared with their end-of-year achievement scores on the Metropolitan Readiness Tests. Examination of the correlations between performance with each hand and test measures of achievement favored a substantive role for each cerebral hemisphere in early acquisition. Strength of prediction was comparable for tasks with and without a naming requirement (numerical coding of fingers) and was independent of children's verbal-receptive ability on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. Apparently, differential hemispheric efficiency presumed to underlie left-right differences in finger localization is not closely related to level of academic skills in girls of kindergarten age.

Children's ideas about ‘solid’ and ‘liquid’

Students usually learn about the states of matter in the upper grades of elementary school. On the basis of this knowledge in physics the particulate theory of matter is introduced in junior high school. The objective of this research was to study the preliminary knowledge students possess regarding the concepts ‘solid’ and ‘liquid’ from kindergarten age (5 year olds) until seventh grade (12 year olds). Our findings show that a child can successfully classify liquids from an early age. This success is due to the idea that ‘all liquids are made of water’. The classification of solids follows a different pattern: Whereas rigid solids are classified correctly by children of all ages, non‐rigid solids are correctly classified by only 50% of children of all ages; the other 50% refer to non‐rigid solids as a separate group. Powders are misclassified by all ages and are referred to either as liquids or as a separate group. Educational implications are discussed.

The Development of Relational Terms in Different Concept Areas

Abstract The development of the comprehension of relational terms “more,” “less,” and “same” were investigated for a broad range of concept areas commonly used in conservation and seriation research: number, weight, proportion, volume, length, area, distance, and substance. Ss were 192 Dutch children from kindergarten divided into three age levels; mean ages, respectively, 54, 62, and 72 months. The results showed ceiling effects in all concept areas except volume for age levels 2 and 3. The asymmetry phenomenon (i.e., “more” is easier than “less”) was not evident in kindergarten age level 1. No clear sequence of mastering was observed for either the terms “more” and “same” or the terms “less” and “same” in the majority of the concept areas. Analysis of the incorrect responses did not reveal the synonymity phenomenon (i.e., “less” was interpreted as “more”). However, another synonymity phenomenon was observed: “more” and “less” were interpreted as “same,” and “same” was interpreted as “more.” This is a no...

Concurrent Validity and Reliability of the Kaufman Version of the McCarthy Scales Short Form for a Sample of Mexican-American Children

Largely because of Public Law (PL) 94-142, there has been a recent spate of interest in the early detection of children who might have learning problems. The major focus of such research has been to develop abbreviated tests (short forms) from well known clinical tests of intelligence. The concurrent validity and reliability of Kaufman's short-form version of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA) was examined for a sample of 342 Mexican-American preschool and kindergarten age children. The impetus for this investigation was due to interest generated by PL 94-142 and by the paucity of appropriate screening instruments for such children. The results showed that generally the positive psychometric properties of the Kaufman short form of the MSCA (correlation between the estimated scores from the Kaufman form and actual cognitive scores earned on the full MSCA, standard error of estimate, and reliability) were also noted for the children in this study. It was concluded that the Kaufman short form can be safely used in the screening of Mexican-American children who may have learning problems, but with extreme caution and flexibility, particularly in the case of monolingual Spanish-speaking children.

Learning Skills and Types of Temperaments as Discriminants between Intrinsically and Extrinsically Motivated Children

Intrinsic motivation as a personality orientation and its relationship to learning skills, types of temperament, and curiosity ratings was investigated at kindergarten age. 236 kindergarten children were given the Picture Motivation Scale and the Adelphi Parent Administered Readiness Test. The teachers rated the children on Thomas, Chess, and Birch's types of temperament and on 9 categories of curiosity and creativity from the California Child Q set. A discriminant function analysis indicated significant discrimination between intrinsically and extrinsically motivated children on sex, writing ability, visual perception, vividness-energy, persistence, and attention span. A differential cognitive functions explanation is offered.

The One-Child Family in China: The Need for Psychosocial Research

China, with its very large base population, high rate of natural increase in the recent past, and very young age structure, is encouraging couples to have only 1 child in the hope that an average family size of 1.7 children can be achieved by 1980 and a population below 1.2 billion by the year 2000. According to the schedule, the proportion of fertile women giving birth to only 1 child would be about 50%, perhaps higher in urban areas. The government has begun educating the public through the news media and various organizations about the longterm implications of controlling population growth. Economic incentives given to couples having only 1 child include health care funds, free medical care, and free kindergarten and schooling. If the parents agree to have only 1 child they receive a bonus at the birth of the child and a monthly payment until the child reaches 14. Old age pensions, medical care, and living facilities for elderly 1-child parents are planned. 2 effective methods of encouraging the 1-child families are provision of honorary certificates to parents signing contracts to that affect, and the good example of the cadres. Despite a new marriage law, it will be some time before the traditional family structure can be changed to ensure that daughters have equal rights with sons and that a boy may marry into a girl's family. A survey conducted by the Beijing Normal University showed that only children tended to be superior to multiple children in intellectual development and in health. Results of comparative studies of personality and behavior of kindergarten age only children and other children have been conflicting. Further study is needed on the personalities of only children, and parents should be assisted in raising and educating their children to have desirable personality traits.

Visual handicap in children.

Vision is the primary mode of learning and if it is absent or impaired, other pathways must be stimulated. The range of appropriate services available to visually handicapped children is explained in relation to the school run by the Royal Victorian Institution for the Blind in Melbourne. A period of residential education may be needed for children with multiple impairment. Those whose handicap is primarily visual can usually live at home and have their education integrated with that of their normal peers. Home-based services and parent support systems for preschool and kindergarten age children are outlined. To be successful, they require sharing confidential medical and education information. The school provides a major input to a discussion group of all professionals dealing with such children. Information from the group includes the causes, and educational implications of visual handicap in Victorian children. The commonest pathologies are macular problems and congenital cataract.

Children's Understanding of the Referential Properties of Collective and Class Nouns

SMITH, LINDA B., and RIzzo, THOMAS A. Children's Understanding of the Referential Properties of Collective and Class Nouns. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1982, 53, 245-257. Preschool and kindergarten age children's understanding of the distinct referential properties of collective and class nouns and the relationship between this understanding and performance in part-whole comparison tasks was examined in 3 experiments. The results of these experiments show that young children have a fine understanding of the relationship between nouns and the sets to which they refer. Specifically, children understand the hierarchical structure of class nouns and thus know that a superordinate class noun that correctly labels a set also correctly labels any included subset. Children also understand the part-whole structure underlying collective nouns and thus know that a collective noun that labels some set may not label a portion of that set. This knowledge was evident in children's judgments of the application of collective and class nouns and in their ability to define the 2 types of nouns differently. This knowledge appears to be a major factor in children's failures in traditional class-inclusion tasks and success in such tasks when a superordinate class noun is replaced by a collective noun. Children misinterpret class nouns as referring to included subclasses because they know class nouns refer to included subclasses. Children do not misinterpret collective nouns because they know collective nouns refer to entire sets. Finally, young children can make part-whole comparisons both when the whole is designated by a class noun and when it is designated by a collective noun. When the intended meaning of class nouns was clear, the children compared classes and subclasses as well as they compared collections and portions of collections.

A Study of the Syntactic Complexity of Standard English and Black English Speaking Kindergarten Age Children

A Study of the Syntactic Complexity of Standard English and Black English Speaking Kindergarten Age Children

A Sex Education Program in a Therapeutic Nursery

ABSTRACTThe authors describe a Sex Education Program for pre-school and kindergarten age children with emotional and learning problems in a therapeutic center. It is explained that the “Baby Week” method combines experiential and didactic learning sequences geared to the developmental needs of this age group. The planning, organization and setting of the Sex Education Program are discussed and descriptions of some of the children's experiences are presented. It is reported that with structured play materials, teachers help to provide a setting in which curiosity and exploration are fostered with safety and within limits.

A comparative study of the language comprehension of rural American Indian and rural Caucasian kindergarten age children

The purpose of the study was to investigate the level of language comprehension which rural American Caucasian and Indian children have upon entering kindergarten and after 20 weeks of school. The results indicated that the rural Caucasian children scored no differently than the national norms for the Test of Auditory Comprehension of Language either at the beginning or after 20 weeks of school, although significant gains were observed over this period. The rural Indian children scored significantly lower both at the beginning and after 20 weeks of school. Significant growth was also noted during this period. Implications centering on more appropriate language instruction at an earlier point in the Indian child's school experience were discussed.

Background and Focal Environmental Conditions of the Home and Attention in Young Children1

A conceptual distinction is drawn between two aspects of the perceptual field, focal features which the individual selectively engages and extraneous background conditions which serve as a context within which these activities occur, and a study is described which examined the relationship between these aspects of the home environment and attentional skills in young children. Ninety‐four families with kindergarten age children participated in the project. Interviews and observations were conducted in the homes in order to assess background conditions (e.g., noise and activity levels) and variation and patterning of focal features (e.g., furnishings), and tasks designed to assess attentional skills were administered to the children. The results indicated that children from homes with high noise levels had longer response latencies on a visual search task and also subsequently recognized fewer incidental aspects of the task than did children from quieter homes. Furthermore, the former group appeared to be less distractible, i.e., less responsive to an auditory distractor. Neither variation nor patterning of focal features was found to be associated with task performance. In general, the findings are interpreted as indicating the adverse effects of high noise levels in the home on attentional skills in spite of apparent adaptation, i.e., lower distractibility, to these conditions.