Pre-kindergarten Classrooms Research Articles

Exploring inquiry‐based STEM in preschool: The treehouse project

AbstractIntegrating STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in authentic ways is often overlooked in early childhood spaces, despite young children having the ability to engage with the world around them through STEM practices. This piece showcases the work of children in a prekindergarten classroom as they explored an integrated STEM unit centering around the construction of a treehouse on their playground. Through the careful connection to content and standards in science, engineering, and mathematics, along with the integration of developmentally appropriate uses of technology, children learned about and constructed a treehouse on their school playground. Family and community partnerships also contributed to this work. We highlight the various phases of the project, associated standards, and tasks that children engaged with to help demonstrate the propensity of our youngest learners to authentically engage with STEM tasks.

Where has all the time gone? Describing time use in full- vs. half-day pre-Kindergarten

The current study examines the allocation of instructional time in half-day versus full-day pre-Kindergarten (pre-K) classrooms within a Colorado public school district that predominantly serves Hispanic and low-income students. Using 114 observations from 34 pre-K classes over two years, with up to 14 repeated observations per teacher, we analyze the distribution of time across various activities and content areas. We find substantial variation in time allocation between half- and full-day classes, especially regarding instructional and non-instructional activities, suggestive of potential differences in learning opportunities across the school year. Notably, full-day classes include a daily nap within their additional hours. Furthermore, we observe a considerable portion of classroom time dedicated to mixed-content activities, highlighting the multidimensional nature of time use in school-based pre-K. Our study's description of time allocation in this district also provides context for the previously published causal effects of the Full-Day Pre-K Study. Ultimately, the present study fills a gap in the body of research on time use in this early childhood education setting and informs stakeholders who are considering the expansion of pre-K programs to include a full-day option.

Adult Supports for Preschool Writers During Learning Centers

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to describe how experienced emergent writing teachers supported 4‐year‐olds in writing their own messages during the learning centers period of the preschool day. Data were drawn from two, year‐long qualitative studies of early writing instruction. Adult participants were three researcher‐teachers who worked in publicly funded prekindergarten classrooms 1 or 2 days per week across a school year. A sample of six open‐ended, researcher‐child writing events were selected and microanalyzed using the constant/comparative method and multimodal interaction analysis. Results showed that more than a fourth of adult message units were produced in conversations occurring “off the page” aimed at developing a shared, meaningful topic for writing. Drawing was used as a platform for developing ideas and as a launch for page‐based composing. Adults wrote their own texts alongside children as a means of engaging children as co‐authors and providing demonstrations of adult writing. Adults frequently invited children to write messages related to their play and activity, and then asked them to read their writing. They provided direct support for writing processes. Support for children's phonetic spelling was most frequent, followed by support for writing concepts. Handwriting support was provided infrequently. Adults praised all attempts at writing, regardless of the conventionality of the product. Findings provide an empirical description of how adults can support early writing in the context of informal learning center events.

Examining individual children's peer engagement in pre-kindergarten classrooms: Relations with classroom-level teacher-child interaction quality

This cross-sectional study examines associations between PreK classroom-level teacher-child interaction quality and individual children's peer engagement quantity and quality. The study utilizes a sample of 714 children from 214 classrooms collected as part of the National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education Professional Development (NCRECE) study. Multilevel regression models using a bifactor analytic approach to measuring teacher-child interaction quality (resulting in three unique and uncorrelated factors) indicate that in classrooms with higher levels of responsive teaching practices, individual children exhibit greater peer sociability and assertiveness, but not communication. In classrooms with higher levels of cognitive facilitation, individual children display higher peer engagement across all measured dimensions (Sociability, Assertiveness, Communication), and greater observed potential for peer communication, operationalized as children's highest observed peer engagement score. Finally, in classrooms with more effective management and routines, individual children display lower peer sociability and assertiveness, but not communication. Implications are suggested for supporting children's peer engagement within early childhood classrooms.

Promoting psychological well-being in preschool children: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of a mindfulness- and yoga-based socio-emotional learning intervention

BackgroundMental health issues in youths have cascading negative effects on school outcomes, professional life, and physical health. Psychological well-being (P-WB) is an important protective factor against mental illness. Preliminary research suggests that mindfulness- and yoga-based socio-emotional learning (SEL) interventions can each have a positive impact on preschoolers P-WB. The objective of this trial is to rigorously evaluate the effect of a 24-week combined mindfulness- and yoga- based SEL intervention in preschool children from a French socio-economically disadvantaged area.MethodsThe P-WB promotion intervention is compared to a wait-list control condition in a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT). Sixty-four pre-Kindergarten classrooms are randomized to the intervention or control group. Primary outcomes measure self-management capacity and core P-WB components: connection, insight, engagement, and positive relationship. Secondary outcomes include measures of mental health, executive functioning, and school performance. Primary and secondary outcomes are assessed through teacher questionnaires, standardized observations of children in school context, and experimental tasks and by collecting results of the national evaluation at first grade. All children-level outcomes are evaluated at pre-intervention, at the end of the intervention, and 1 year later (follow-up analysis), to the exception of school performance which is evaluated at follow-up only. Intention-to-treat analyses, accounting for clustering within classes, will adopt a random effects linear regression model to examine outcomes for the intervention versus control children.DiscussionThis is the first trial to rigorously evaluate a combined mindfulness- and yoga-based P-WB promotion intervention, and the first RCT evaluating a SEL curriculum in French schools. Results may have key implications for P-WB promotion in preschool children.Trial registrationhttps://www.drks.de/ DRKS00028623. Retrospectively registered on 30 May 2022

Executive Function Skills and Classroom Behaviors of U.S. Prekindergartners With Special Needs

This study explores the executive function (EF) skills in a sample of 4-year-old children enrolled in inclusive prekindergarten (pre-k) classrooms. We compare the EF skills and important classroom behaviors of children with and without identified special needs as well as a sample of English language learners (ELL) in the same classrooms. Identification of special needs and ELL status were each examined as these factors have previously been shown to be associated with young children’s EF skills. Compared to their classroom peers, children with identified special needs not only began the year with lower EF skills but made fewer gains over the school year, a similar pattern was observed for children identified as ELL. Compared to their peers, children with identified special needs were observed as engaging in lower levels of involvement, sequential behaviors, and social learning interactions and higher levels of unoccupied and disruptive behaviors, a pattern that was also found for children’s entering EF skills (e.g., lower entering EF scores associated with lower levels of involvement). Lastly, children’s classroom behaviors differed across teacher-directed and children-directed learning with level of involvement and social-learning interactions higher during child-directed learning, and sequential behaviors higher in teacher-directed learning, a pattern that held across all groups of children.

Effects of early mathematics intervention for low-SES pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students: a replication study

ABSTRACT A socioeconomic status (SES)-related achievement gap in mathematics emerges prior to school entry, and increases in elementary school. This gap makes implementation of demanding mathematics standards (e.g., the Common Core State Standards) an ongoing challenge. Early educational intervention is a strategy for addressing this challenge. A randomised controlled trial was conducted in public American preschools to (1) replicate the efficacy of an intervention, Pre-K Mathematics, for low-SES children, and (2) test the combined impact of this intervention and a Common-Core-aligned kindergarten intervention, Early Learning in Mathematics. Forty-one clusters of pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classrooms, containing a sample of 389 low-SES children from an agricultural region, were randomly assigned to treatment and control conditions. The original impact findings were replicated: Child mathematics outcomes in pre-kindergarten were positive and significant. Gains were maintained in kindergarten. Thus, the gap can be reduced and gains maintained by sustained early intervention.

Moving to The Beats: The Effect of Dance Education on Early Self-Regulation

Self-regulation in children is an important thing that needs to be prepared from an early age. Besides affecting children's school readiness, this also makes it easier for children to have good academic achievements. This study aims to determine the influence of moving to the beat of early childhood self-regulation. This research was conducted on kindergarten group B students in East Jakarta. The research method used is a quasi-experiment method with a sample of 20 students. The data collection technique uses observations by analysing paired t-test statistical data. The results of the study explained that there was a significant effect of moving to the beat of early childhood self-regulation. The significance level is 0.000 < 0.05, which means that H0 is rejected and H1 is accepted, this indicates a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test. For further research, it is recommended to look at the influence of other factors on early childhood self-regulation.
 Keywords: Beats, Early childhood, Moving, Self-Regulation

Inclusion in practice: humanising pedagogy for immigrant children with and without disabilities

ABSTRACT Contemporary early childhood classrooms in the United States are becoming even more diverse with increasing cultural, linguistic, and developmental complexity. Given the movement toward implementing universal early education and care and the changes in educational policy toward inclusive education, early childhood classrooms have become important sites for inclusion of diverse young children with and without disabilities. However, it is not uncommon to witness exclusionary practices that marginalize young children, especially those with immigrant backgrounds. Situated in a prekindergarten classroom in New York City, this study aims to counter common narratives in exclusionary practices that dehumanizes young children on the margins and to build evidence of inclusive practice from teachers' lived experiences in the classroom. Grounded in Freire's notion of humanization and framed by Salazar's tenets of humanizing pedagogy, this study highlights one immigrant teacher's perspective and her inclusive practice of humanization for immigrant students with and without disabilities. Through qualitative research methods, this study presents an emic view of incidences in her classroom that illuminate the meaning of inclusion and the critical role of the teacher as a mediator, facilitator, and visionary worker. Implications for future research and teacher education are discussed.

“I Need You to Show Me:” Coaching Early Childhood Professionals

In most states, Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) with a Birth-Kindergarten teaching license serve as both the general education teacher and special education teacher for children and their families in inclusive early childhood education (ECE) settings. Prior research suggests that inclusive programming does not guarantee these ECE settings are high-quality. Although evidence-based practices (EBP) and the Division of Early Childhood (DEC) Recommended Practices (RPs) have been established, a research-to-practice gap still exists in the inclusive, ECE classroom. Additional research indicates that coaching teachers may influence their implementation of EBPs in classrooms. This study provided early childhood educators (ECEs) the opportunity to share their perceptions about the support they receive from mentors and evaluators, as well as report the specific aspects of coaching needed to be successful while working in inclusive pre-kindergarten (Pre-K) classrooms. Qualitative research methods using an ethnomethodological framework were used to examine ECEs’ responses to semi-structured questions. Findings from this study can inform a prospective coaching model that includes explicit modeling, a deeply reflective component, and an array of professional development (PD) opportunities.

Introducing augmented reality in early childhood literacy learning

Augmented reality (AR) as an emerging technology has gradually been incorporated into educational contexts; however, the cases that incorporate AR into early childhood contexts are underrepresented and especially scant in the literacy domain. Aiming to measure the impact of AR on early childhood learning and motivation in the literacy domain, this study brought an application into six pre-kindergarten classrooms by introducing three experimental classrooms to an AR centre while others engaged with a two-dimensional (2D) version of the same material. Bayesian analysis revealed that rapid letter naming rates grew for all children involved in the study. It increased by 6.28% among children in the experimental AR group and 3.35% in the control 2D group. Growth in rates of motivation was similar among experimental (11.5%) and control (10.9%) groups. These findings suggest that three-dimensional images of letters might help with rapid letter naming skills, and animations available in both versions may be the reason of increases in motivation. Teacher interviews presented positive views towards AR, and instructional implications were provided by teachers for incorporating the technology into early childhood classrooms.

Variations in Pre-Kindergarten Classroom Quality Ratings across the School Year: Observation Ratings from New York City’s Pre-K for All

ABSTRACT Many school districts face the empirical challenge of monitoring program quality to assure that all children experience pre-K environments that foster early learning and development. Factors that are exogenous to classrooms (such as evaluation timing) may play a role in estimates of program quality and yet are not fully understood. This paper examines the role of timing in pre-K classroom quality as it was observed in practice by one of the largest school districts in the United States. In the 2015–2016 school year, New York City (NYC) observed 648 of its Pre-K for All programs using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System Pre-K (CLASS), giving each program an overall average classroom quality rating at one time point. Research Findings: A series of OLS regressions indicated that CLASS scores were lower for programs observed in the fall semester in the domains of Emotional Support and Classroom Organization. Emotional Support also demonstrated a pattern of increasing scores by each month within the fall semester, providing evidence for a relationship-building period between teachers and students early in the school year. Practice or Policy: These findings may be informative for school districts and policymakers who consider using CLASS as an accountability tool.

Relating early care and education quality to preschool outcomes: The same or different models for different outcomes?

Although high-quality early care and education (ECE) is widely accepted as one of the most effective means for promoting early learning and development, many ECE programs have limited impact perhaps because of issues with how ECE quality is defined and measured. This study seeks to expand definitions of ECE quality by asking which preschool ECE quality dimensions relate to gains in which developmental outcomes and contrasting measurements using classroom-level ratings and child-level behavior counts. The sample includes 366 children in 63 randomly selected prekindergarten (pre-k) classrooms in six rural counties in a Southeast state. In the fall and spring, children were administered tests of academic achievement, language skills, and executive functions, and teachers rated their social skills. In the winter, the quality of teacher-child interactions was rated at the classroom level and the frequency that the child experienced complex teacher talk, domain-specific instructional activities, and whole group settings were counted at the child level. Two sets of analyses related gains in outcomes to the classroom-level ratings in both analyses and to behavior counts summarized at the classroom level and at the child level in separate analyses. Results indicated that (1) different ECE dimensions related to gains in different outcomes; (2) ECE quality measures based on observing the selected experiences of individual children provide as strong or stronger associations with child outcomes than do ratings of teacher-child interactions; and (3) it may be necessary to measure experiences of individual children if those experiences are likely to vary markedly among children in the same classroom.

Observed peer competence moderates links between children’s self-regulation skills and academic performance

The current study focuses on the relations between observed measures of children’s self-regulation and academic achievement, as well as the extent to which observations of children’s peer competence in preschool moderates these links. Data were drawn from 102 students (male = 48; Mage = 4.82 years, SDage = 0.46 years) enrolled in pre-kindergarten classrooms. A series of linear path models was used to test study hypotheses, and the nature of significant interactions was elucidated by examining simple slopes and regions of significance. Children’s self-regulation, but not peer competence, significantly predicted both reading and math performance assessed using the Woodcock Johnson III, β = .43, p < .001 and β = .39, p < .001, respectively. Tests of moderation effects revealed that the association between children’s poor self-regulation and poor math performance, but not reading performance, β = −.28, p = .022 and β = −.11, p = .23, was negated for children with average to high peer competence. These results demonstrate the protective quality of peer competence for academic performance using observational methods collected in preschools.

Meeting a Physical Activity Guideline in Preschool and School Readiness: A Program Evaluation.

This study evaluates if the Kiddie Children and Teachers on the Move physical activity (PA) program improves the proportion of days meeting the Institute of Medicine (IOM) PA guideline, and whether meeting the guideline is correlated with improvement in school readiness. Thirteen Head Start-affiliated pre-kindergarten classrooms participated in this study. Minutes per hour of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and proportion of days meeting the IOM PA guideline were examined across three types of intervention days: days during a non-intervention period, non-program days during the intervention period, and program days during the intervention period. Children displayed increasingly more MVPA and a greater proportion of days meeting the IOM guideline from non-intervention days to non-program days, and from non-program days to program days. Proportion of days meeting the guideline significantly predicted improvement in school readiness in five of six domains. Examination of program fidelity indicated the program was run with high fidelity.

Mining the Gap: Analysis of Early Mathematics Instructional Quality in Pre-Kindergarten Classrooms

ABSTRACT Research Findings A total of 54 videotaped mathematics activity observations drawn from 27 different pre-kindergarten classrooms in an urban public schools system in the U.S. were coded using 2 observational measures: (a) a general measure, the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS); and (b) a math-specific measure, the High Impact Strategies in Early Mathematics (HIS-EM). Criterion validity analysis revealed varying levels of convergent and discriminant patterns between the two tools. Indications of these results are twofold: (1) to some extend both tools document the similar aspects of quality of instruction (e.g., instructional support), and (2) a math-specific measure can be more sensitive to document the various levels of mathematics specific instructional support provided during teaching episodes (e.g., math representations, establishment of math learning communities). Results also indicated that the quality of mathematics instruction observed was revealed to be low to medium levels. Practice or Policy: Even though the CLASS may be a useful tool in terms of understanding overall instructional quality, as a subject-specific tool, the HIS-EM might offer a benefit of the multidimensional measure of mathematics teaching quality, which enables the researcher to pinpoint the kinds of strengths that teachers exhibited in math instruction and areas in need of improvement and may assist the field to better identify potential instructional areas to target with professional development.

Prekindergarten classroom language environments and children’s vocabulary skills

The number of adult words children hear and conversational turns they experience are key aspects of their language environments. The current study examined variability in language environments throughout 2 prekindergarten days and variability within and between classrooms for 44 children (Mage = 4.77 years) in 11 classrooms in the United States. In addition, the study examined to what extent prekindergarten language environments are associated with children’s vocabulary skills. Language environments varied considerably throughout the prekindergarten day and between classrooms, although children within the same prekindergarten classrooms had generally similar experiences. Conversational turns were more robustly associated with children’s vocabulary skills than were adult words heard even when only examining within-classroom variability. Implications for understanding prekindergarten classroom language experiences and their associations with vocabulary skills are discussed.

Impacts of an Early Childhood Mathematics and Science Intervention on Teaching Practices and Child Outcomes

abstractThis randomized controlled trial examined effects of the MyTeachingPartner-Math/Science intervention on the quality and quantity of teachers’ mathematics and science instruction, and children’s mathematics and science outcomes in 140 pre-kindergarten classrooms. Teachers participated in the intervention for two years with consecutive cohorts of children. Results from Year 1 are considered experimental, however due to high levels of attrition, results from Year 2 are considered quasi-experimental. Across both years, intervention teachers exhibited higher quality and quantity of instruction. In Year 1, there were no significant effects of the intervention on children’s outcomes. In Year 2, children in intervention classrooms made greater gains in teachers’ ratings of mathematics and science skills and performed better on a spring assessment of science skills. These results have implications for designing and evaluating professional development aimed at supporting children’s mathematics and science knowledge and skills.

Academic gains in kindergarten related to eight classroom practices

The present study investigated whether eight specific classroom practices previously shown to be significantly related to children’s achievement in prekindergarten (pre-k) classrooms were also important in kindergarten classrooms. Students were assessed in math, language, literacy, and self-regulation at the end of their pre-k year (pre-test) and again at the end of their kindergarten (K) year (post-test). Daylong classroom observations using an observation tool comprised primarily of behavioral counts were conducted in 98 classrooms in the fall and spring of students’ K year. Results provide evidence that many of the classroom practices associated with children’s success in pre-k are also predictive of children’s continued academic gains in kindergarten. The strongest of these predictors were students’ engagement in sequential activities, the amount of math students experienced, and students’ involvement in learning. In addition, there was evidence that K students benefited from receiving less behavior disapproving, and interacting with teachers who displayed a more positive tone, and listened to children more. Interestingly, teachers’ level of instruction was not predictive of students’ gains, perhaps due to the fact that teachers were rarely observed using a level of instruction higher than basic skills. These practices are concrete enough to lend themselves to coaching but future research should determine whether experimentally manipulating them would lead to more positive outcomes for children.

The little kids down the hall: Associations between school climate, pre-K classroom quality, and pre-K children’s gains in receptive vocabulary and executive function

In recent years, policymakers’ and practitioners’ interest in school climate as a contributor to K-12 student learning and classroom processes has increased, both in the US and internationally. However, researchers have not yet examined the influence of school climate on the youngest learners in these contexts — prekindergartners. Using data from the Boston Public Schools, where the public prekindergarten program is housed in elementary schools, we explored associations among dimensions of school climate as reported by teachers and older peers, observed measures of prekindergarten classroom quality, and gains in children’s receptive vocabulary and executive function across the prekindergarten year. Student participants included 299 children attending full-day prekindergarten programs across 35 elementary schools in 61 classrooms. Findings indicated that school emotional climate had small positive association with prekindergarten classroom emotional support. School-level measures of teacher effectiveness also had positive associations with prekindergarten classroom levels of emotional support and classroom organization. School climate dimensions were not associated with children’s receptive vocabulary and executive function gains across the prekindergarten year. Results are discussed in the context of current school climate research and state-wide accountability efforts to assess school quality.