Preschools Research Articles

Vocal analysis of kindergarten and nursery school teachers

What distinguishes humans from rest of the animal kingdom, is ability to convey ideas, emotions and complex deductive logic by the human faculty referred to as speech which in turn is fundamentally dependent on tones produced by voice box or the larynx .Communication ability is a must in the present day scenario and the inability to do so leads to a lot of unpleasentness in an individual. Abuse of the same leads to numerous problems ranging from fatigue or inability to speak for long to strain and sometimes severe dysphonia affecting the normal chores of day to day living and such an upset can lead to severe depression and inferiority complexes especially in people who need voice in their profession which includes teachers, call center employees, radio jockeys, trainers, motivational speakers. With all this in mind the following study was designed to exactly understand the problem and to come up with a solution if any to counter it.

Assessing Pre-primary Teachers’ Involvement in Decision Making in Tanzanian Public Pre-primary Schools: A Look of Implementation of Structured Play Activities in Longido and Monduli Districts

This study examines the extent to which school administrators involve pre-primary teachers in decision making related to implementation of structured play activities in Tanzanian government pre-primary schools where Longido and Monduli were used as study cases. Collegial Models of educational leadership and management developed by Tony Bush guided the study. The study adopted Convergent design of mixed methods approach. Sample of the study included 268 respondents where 34 were head teachers, 34 were academic teachers, 136 were internal school quality assurance team members, and 64 were pre-primary teachers who were obtained through stratification, purposive, and simple randomly respectively. Data were collected through structured questionnaire and semi-structured interview. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively and through inferential statistics while qualitative data were analysed thematically. Findings show that teachers’ involvement in school administrative decision making related to structured play activities is very low. Hypothesis testing shows existence of significant relationship between low level of teachers’ involvement in school administrative decision making and those teachers’ inadequate implementation of structured play activities in pre-primary classes. The study concludes that low level of implementing structured play activities by the pre-primary teachers is associated with low level of teachers’ involvement in school administrative decision making. The study recommends that administrators should involve pre-primary teachers in decision making so as to improve implementation of structured play activities.

La Casa della Cultura di Aquilonia (AV): usi specialistici e appropriatezza funzionale

The House of Culture is a public building for recreational events and multimedia productions designed by +tstudio for the small municipality of Aquilonia (AV) in the Campania hinterland. The project intervenes on an existing building used as a nursery school, later decommissioned due to deterioration and structural instability following the 1980 Irpinia earthquake and fire. The project, completed in 2015 and financed as part of the Campania Region’s public works for safe buildings, consisted in the seismic adaptation of the former nursery school and its reuse to meet the local community’s need for flexible spaces for collective use, capable of bringing citizens together around events and demonstrations all over the year, not just seasonally. The essay traces the design process that led to the construction of the House of Culture with a particular emphasis on the role of this building in relation to the community and the territory on which it stands.

DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AMONG TEACHERS OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF BAMENDA, NORTH WEST REGION OF CAMEROON

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between distributive justice and the psychological well-being of teachers in the Archdiocese of Bamenda North West Region of Cameroon. The main research question for the study was to find out the effect of distributive justice on the psychological well-being of teachers in the Archdiocese of Bamenda, North West Region of Cameroon. The study employed a cross sectional survey research design. The sample for the study comprised of 270 male and female teachers working in Catholic nursery, primary and secondary schools within the Mankon and Bambui Deaneries of the Archdiocese of Bamenda. Data was analysed using descrpive and inferential statistics. Quantitative data were analyzed using the linear regression technique. Findings revealed that 65% of teachers’ responses indicated dissatisfaction with distributive justice in the Catholic Education Agency of the Archdiocese of Bamenda and also that there was no relationship between distributive justice and the psychological well-being of teachers and thus no significant effect of distributive justice on the psychological well-being of teachers of the Archdiocese of Bamenda. Based on the findings, the study recommended that the government should effectively follow-up, monitor and audit the channels of paying subvention funds to beneficiary private sector teachers to ensure that the money reaches the intended beneficiaries uncompromised. The study further recommended that private sector education employers should uphold honesty, accountability and transparency in the management of subventions and payment of salaries to teachers and that they allow private sector education teachers to exercise their right to form trade union to defend their labour interests.

Nursery school absenteeism surveillance system and infection control measures in nursery schools

IntroductionThe Nursery School Absenteeism Surveillance System (NSASSy), which includes 40% of all nursery schools in Japan, has a degree of effectiveness that is difficult to prove: nursery schools and areas without NSASSy cannot be evaluated for their incidence of infectious diseases as precisely as those with NSASSy. Instead, we examine nursery school countermeasures against infectious diseases by considering the endogeneity bias of NSASSy. MethodAfter sending questionnaires to 500 Tokyo metropolitan and nearby nursery schools in November 2022, we received their responses through the end of 2022. Questionnaires asked about infection control measures of nursery schools: (1) cooperation with public health centers; (2) cooperation with staff; (3) cooperation with children's parents; (4) precautions among children; (5) countermeasure systems; (6) precaution systems; (7) recording of health conditions of children; (8) usefulness of studying while students; and (9) usefulness of training at nursery schools. Ordered probit with inverse probability weighted adjustment was used as the estimation procedure. The explanatory variable was a dummy variable for using NSASSy. Probability in weight was estimated using the first-step probit for NSASSy. Explanatory variables were a dummy variable for publicly funded nursery schools and a dummy variable for local governments that had adopted NSASSy. ResultsWe analyzed 193 nursery schools. NSASSy was negative and associated significantly with (3) cooperation with children's parents and (7) recording of health conditions of children. These countermeasures were more likely to have been taken by NSASSy nursery schools.

Perancangan Meja-Kursi Belajar Ergonomis Siswa Sekolah Dasar Berbasis Pemetaan Perubahan Data Antropometri

The optimal growth and development rate of children starts from pre-primary school age, so it is suspected that there are real differences in anthropometric data of students' bodies when they are 1 year older. If so, then for each class of elementary school students, the dimensions of the learning table-chair must also be differentiated. Different anthropometric data from grades one to six, the dimensions of the chairs and tables used during the learning process, and the unusual and uncomfortable sitting positions of students indicate that the facilities at school are not ergonomic. Therefore, it is necessary to design ergonomic facilities. This research is expected to provide certainty about the ergonomics of the dimensions of learning tables and chairs for each class in educational institutions to redesign learning tables and chairs by statistically mapping anthropometric data on the bodies of elementary school students in grades one to six to determine the ergonomic dimensions of their learning tables and chairs. The method approach used is statistical testing (One-Way Anova and Duncan). The data collection process with a sample of 240 anthropometric data and 80 musculoskeletal complaint data, the data analysis uses data uniformity test, data adequacy test, data normality test, anova, duncan, percentile and wilcoxon test. The results of this study obtained three anthropometric data mapping groups, namely group A (classes 1 and 2), group B (classes 3 and 4) and group C (classes 5 and 6). The three mapping groups were used to redesign ergonomic tables and chairs with different dimensions. The material used is teak wood and brown in color, after which the results of the redesign were tested, a decrease in musculoskeletal complaints was obtained by 32.57%. Keyword: Anthropometry, Design, Ergonomic, Mapping

Carbon emission peak forecasting and scenario analysis: A case study of educational buildings in Shanghai city

Accurate measurement of carbon emission is the prerequisite for achieving ‘Dual Carbon’ goal in China. In this study, a bottom-up method is proposed to forecast the carbon emissions based on the long-range energy alternatives planning system model which takes pre-primary, primary, and secondary schools in Shanghai city as research subject. The drivers' effects on carbon emission of educational buildings are analyzed with Kaya-LMDI method and three typical scenarios are defined, including normal, energy saving and green scenario. In addition, the electricity carbon emission factor is modified for accurate measure. The results show that these three kinds of schools in Shanghai can achieve carbon peak by 2030 under the above three scenarios. Floor area plays an important role in carbon emission, the peak time would be advanced by two years as the floor area evolves from normal to green scenario. The adoption of dynamically changing electricity carbon emission factor is also essential for accurate measurement. In the end, three policy implications are put forward based on findings. This study enriches the practice of carbon emissions research in building sector from long-term perspective, and provides a new perspective for carbon emission peak forecasting of a segmented industry.

PHYSICAL FACILITIES AVAILABILITY ON CHILDREN ATTENDANCE IN PUBLIC PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN MWATATE SUB-COUNTY, KENYA

The purpose of this study is to establish the influence of physical facilities availability on children attendance in public pre-primary schools in Mwatate Sub-County, Kenya. The study employed a descriptive survey research design. The target population for this study was 279 comprising of 184 Pre-Primary School teachers in 92 School Committee Chairpersons and 3 ECDE supervisors in three zones of Mwatate sub-county. The study employed a census method to determine the sample sizes of Pre-Primary School teachers (184) and ECDE supervisors (3); and a ten percent rule for School Committee Chairpersons (11). This gave a total sample size of 178 persons. Three instruments namely: the Pre-Primary School Teacher Questionnaire, School Committee Chairperson Interview and ECDE supervisors Interview Schedule was employed to collect data from the respondents. The instruments were validated by use of expert judgment while reliability of the tools was established through the use of test-retest procedures. Internal consistency of the tool was be established through the use of the Cronbach’s Alpha measures. The questionnaire was deemed to be reliable after attaining a reliability value of α = 0.88. Data was analyzed statistically using percentages and Chi-Square measures at 0.05 confidence levels. The study established that there is a statistically significant relationship between physical facilities availability and children attendance in public pre-primary schools in Mwatate Sub-County, Kenya. Overall, the study highlights the need for institutions and parents to work together to create a conducive learning environment for all children. This includes providing a variety of learning resources, maintaining clean and orderly classrooms and encouraging regular school attendance. By addressing these issues, institutions and parents can help ensure that all children have access to quality education and the opportunity to reach their full potential.

“At-Job” Exercise Program versus Ergonomic Brochure on Pain and Disability in Preprimary School Teachers with Low Back Pain

Context: The incidence and prevalence of work-related low back pain (LBP) in preprimary teachers are high due to job profile. Interventions that will address this multifaceted problem are strength training, mobility, and preventive measures. These interventions should be admissible during work. Hence, the objective of this study was to compare the effect of “At-Job” exercises and ergonomic brochures on pain and disability in preprimary school teachers suffering from LBP, since both can be administered at work. Subjects and Methods: An interventional study was conducted in schools of Pune on 120 preprimary school teachers with mechanical LBP. The participants were allocated randomly to the Group A “At-Job” exercise group and the Group B ergonomic brochure group. The intervention was given for 6 weeks. Outcome measures Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were recorded at the beginning and the end of the intervention. Results: Both “At-Job” exercises and ergonomic groups demonstrated statistically significant reductions in the VAS and ODI scores (P < 0.05). When a comparison was done between the groups, Group A (“At-Job” exercise) was significantly better than Group B in terms of the VAS as well as ODI (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Although both the “At-Job” exercise and ergonomic brochure groups were effective in reducing chronic LBP, the “At-Job” exercise group showed better improvement than the ergonomic brochure intervention.

Early childhood eye diseases and perinatal risk factors: potential of record linkage between current information flows.

The aim of this study was to analyze the occurrence of specific maternal, obstetric or neonatal factors, by performing a comparison between children with refractive error, strabismus and/or amblyopia (cases) and unaffected children (controls) in the province of Trento (North-East Italy). In 2012-2014, 14,346 children attending the second year of nursery school were assessed through the preschool orthoptic screening scheme (covering 91% of the preschool population). Record linkage was performed between the orthoptic screening database and birth records (birth confirmation certificate database) for the corresponding birth cohorts (2008-2010), to examine specific maternal factors (age, smoking, nationality/race), obstetric factors (type of delivery) and neonatal factors (gestational age, weight at birth, Apgar Score, congenital birth defects, hospitalization at birth). The correlations were investigated using univariate and multivariate analysis in accordance with the logistic regression method. During orthoptic screening, 6.4% of children were found to have at least one refractive error, with astigmatism being the most common condition (5.1%). 1.9% of children were found to have strabismus and 1.8% amblyopia. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of developing a refractive error is associated with: maternal age ≥45 years, foreign nationality, vacuum-assisted delivery and neonatal weight <1500 grams. An excessive risk of strabismus was observed in children whose mother had smoked during pregnancy (adjusted OR=1.64). Preschool orthoptic screening is a well-consolidated practice in the province of Trento, with adhesion values consistently over 90%. Studies of this type show the potential of record linkage between current information flows.

Mindfulness training in early childhood education

This text presents the main characteristics of mindfulness practice and seeks to draw a parallel among some aspects of didactics for early childhood education. Research suggests that mindfulness practice has had a positive impact on the adult population. While surveys on the use of mindfulness with children are scarce at present, this type of research is increasing among educators and psychologists targeting primary school level and beyond. In this article, we present the methods by which mindfulness practice can be applied in the teaching of nursery and pre-primary school children. In some instances, there is evidence that activities present in the Montessori Method can be borrowed and developed in accordance with the principles of the Mindfulness training. This article outlines how typical activities, such as sensory-motor practice, selective attention exercises and the exercises of practical life can be applied in the mindfulness training. Teacher training is another aspect to consider when applying mindfulness practice in the nursery school classroom.

Engaging Private Nursery and Primary Schools to Facilitate Catch - up Vaccination in Kosofe Local Government Area Lagos State Nigeria

Vaccination is very important to improve population health throughout life – but despite strong evidence, it is misunderstood and undervalued. Catch-up vaccination aims to provide optimal protection against disease as quickly as possible by completing a person’s recommended vaccination schedule in the shortest but most effective time frame. This descriptive cross-sectional implementation Research was designed to solve problems for Covid–19 recoveries for routine immunization program in private Nursery and primary school in Kosofe Local Government Area Lagos (School-based intervention). The sample size of 135 was adopted with purposive sampling method from the target population. All data were coded, entered, cleaned, and then analyzed using the IBM PSPP. Children that missed vaccination were tracked out more (90) and vaccinated, demand generation with the help of vaccine demand pooling in school for secondary vaccines, the awareness of vaccine-preventable diseases were created more at different schools Parents Teachers Association's meetings. Implementation Research is one of the measures and a component in the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA 2030) designed to achieve the Life course immunization. Creating awareness and sensitization is very important in schools, especially using the power of storytelling for positive change in vaccination uptake. There are parents who can afford to pay for secondary vaccines but don't have the information and there are parents who have the information but can't afford to pay for secondary vaccines due to economic hardship in Nigeria. We recommend that vaccine demand pooling in schools is championed to enable parents to afford secondary vaccines for their children. Keywords: Catch-up immunization, demand generation, life course, vaccine-preventable diseases, zerodose children.

Stylistic Analysis of Selected Primary School Nursery Rhymes and Implications on Pupils’ Reading Comprehension

Stylistic Analysis of Selected Primary School Nursery Rhymes and Implications on Pupils’ Reading Comprehension

Gardening education in early childhood: Important factors supporting the success of implementing it

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Preparing children to become the Rabbani, or godly, generation is the parents’ choice when educating their children. In Indonesia, children are seen as an investment in the nation, state and religion as they will become the generation to change civilisation for the better. Through gardening education in nursery school, it is hoped that children’s monotheism and cognitive, psychomotor and affective development will be achieved. This article offers a service-learning program, developed with the aid of agricultural science and early childhood university education, and partnered with a large social charity, Muhammadiyah. Methods used in this program are group discussion forums, gardening education for class teachers and class action by students in the class. The program involves 60 students aged six at a nursery school, Aisyiyah Bustanul Athfal, in East Java Province, Indonesia.&#x0D; This program is important as it involves measurable assessment of the educational model, learning tool requirements, methods of delivery and evaluation of activities. The program and results shared here demonstrate that gardening education can be accomplished at the nursery school level. Gardening tools are needed, but can be modified to suit this age group. Gardening education for these young children is conducted in accordance with pre-prepared lesson plans. Multilevel learning methods, ranging from reading books, telling stories and watching documentaries to practising and reflecting on gardening activities, are part of the success of this type of gardening education. School support for the implementation of this program markedly determined its success.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Association of influenza vaccination or influenza virus infection history with subsequent infection risk among children: The Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS)

We measured the association between history of influenza vaccination by age 2 years and influenza virus (IFV) infection at ages 3 and 4 years by relative risk reduction. We also examined the association between history of IFV infection by age 2 years and recurrent IFV infection at age 3 years. This study included 73,666 children from a large Japanese birth cohort. Among children vaccinated never, once or twice when aged under 2 years, 16.0%, 10.8% and 11.3%, respectively, had been infected with IFV by age 3 years, and 19.2%, 14.5% and 16.0%, respectively, by age 4 years. Compared with no history of influenza vaccination, vaccination at ages 1 and/or 2 years reduced the risk of IFV infection at age 3 by 30%–32% and at age 4 by 17%–24%. The relative risk of recurrent IFV infection at ages 3 and 4 years increased in proportion to the number of prior infections by age 2. One-season-prior influenza vaccination history reduced the IFV infection risk at age 3 years by 25%–42%. Influenza vaccination most effectively protected children at age 3 who lacked older sibling(s) and did not attend nursery school. One-season-prior IFV infection increased the relative risk of recurrent infection at age 3 years (1.72–3.33). In conclusion, influenza vaccination-induced protection may partly extend to the next season. Owing to the relative risk reduction by influenza vaccination and the increased relative risk of IFV infection from prior-season infection, annual influenza vaccination is recommended.

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

El efecto de la pandemia sobre el desarrollo del lenguaje en los dos primeros años de vida

Background and objectivesThe effects that the COVID-19 pandemic may have had on the language development of children are still poorly understood. In this study, we examine the effect of the pandemic on this development by analyzing the vocabulary and the morphosyntactic level in a sample of toddlers. Participants and methodOne hundred and fifty-three boys and girls between 18 and 31months of age participated in the study. Of these participants, 82 were born and evaluated before the pandemic (PRE group) and the other 71 were born during the pandemic and were evaluated at the end of the 2021/2022 academic year, the last academic year in which restrictive measures derived from the pandemic were maintained in the schools (POST group). Both groups were matched by age and mother's educational level and attended nursery schools with similar socioeconomic characteristics. ResultsWe found lower scores both in vocabulary and morphosyntactic development in the POST group than in the PRE group. These findings are consistent with the scarce previous studies on children's language development during the pandemic. ConclusionsThe measures adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic have had a negative impact on the language development of children under 3years of age. It is necessary to pay special attention to these children due to the needs they may require in the immediate future.

Early Childhood Care and Education in Botswana: Implications for access and quality

Background: The value of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is recognised as beneficial to the child and society. Research evidence on pre-primary ECCE access and quality in Sub-Saharan Africa is scarce.Aim: The aim of this article is to examine Botswana’s pre-primary school programme in enhancing accessibility and quality of ECCE provision.Setting: The study was conducted in 12 of the 24 primary schools implementing the pre-primary programme in a Gaborone sub-region.Methods: Adaptations of the Levesque Access Framework and Woodhead Quality Framework were applied to this qualitative research study. Using semi-structured interviews, 11 pre-primary teachers, 5 school heads or Heads of Department, and 3 Principal Education Officers (PEO) were interviewed, and the data collected was analysed thematically.Results: The findings suggest that the main barriers to the effective pre-primary programme rollout are supply-side and systemic. These barriers represent the public institutional environment (e.g. funding, inter-governmental co-ordination), policy design (e.g. the physical infrastructure delivery model, administrative barriers, enrolment policy), and programme implementation (enrolment practices, teaching personnel, learning materials, and assessment of learners).Conclusion: Although over 600 public schools have implemented the pre-primary programme, meeting the objectives of universal access, equitability, inclusivity, and quality remains a challenge in Botswana, as in many other African countries.Contribution: The findings offer research frameworks and evidence for understanding pre-primary ECCE accessibility and quality. Further, the research has policy, programmatic, and practice-based implications for pre-primary educators and policymakers.

Challenges to the Quality of Early Childhood Education Delivery at Pre-Primary Level at Five Schools in the Zambezi Region (Namibia)

Objective. The primary purpose of this study was to document the nature of challenges faced by pre-primary teachers when delivering quality early childhood education at pre-primary schools in the Zambezi Region. The quality of delivery of early childhood education is crucial for the cognitive, emotional, physical and social wellbeing of children (Ministry of Education, Arts, and Culture [MEAC], 2016). The researcher envisaged that a high standard of delivery of early childhood education will potentially equip young children with skills and knowledge that will be important to their success during primary schooling. The study should prove essential for policy makers and other stakeholders to help them deliver early childhood education in pre-primary schools of a high standard in five schools that were purposefully selected for the study. &#x0D; Materials &amp; Methods. The case study collected qualitative data using face-to-face interviews with pre-primary teachers and junior primary heads of department. Observations were conducted in pre-primary classrooms during the lessons. In addition, the documents were reviewed, which included ministerial documents, journals and newspaper articles, to gather data that could be used to facilitate the improvement of early childhood education in pre-primary schools.&#x0D; Results. The central question of study was: What are the challenges of quality delivery in early childhood education at the selected pre-primary schools? In order to answer this primary question, the following supporting questions were formulated: What are the challenges faced by pre-primary teachers in order to implement a curriculum that will provide quality early childhood education at the five schools in the Zambezi Region of Namibia? How does the classroom environment influence the delivery of quality early childhood education at the five selected pre-primary schools? &#x0D; Conclusions. The findings of the research revealed that several challenges inhibit the quality of delivery of early childhood education at the five pre-primary schools selected for the study in the Zambezi Region. These challenges included: the use of SiLozi as a medium of instruction, a discrepancy between learning objectives as presented in teacher’s manual and in the curriculum, the lack of educational corners, the lack of teaching materials, the lack of recreational facilities and a deficiency in parental involvement in their children’s schooling.

Linguistic interactions at nursery school and language acquisition of toddlers from low-income bilingual immigrant families and monolingual families

ABSTRACT Toddlers from low-income and language-minority immigrant families are at risk for language difficulties due to early disparities in the quality of their home language environment. The present longitudinal study extends previous research by investigating nursery teachers’ communicative modalities and functions, and their relations with the conversational responsiveness and vocabulary of 42 (50% F) equivalent low-income monolingual and bilingual toddlers. Communicative modalities and functions were coded from videotaped interactions between teachers and small groups of toddlers at 18, 24, and 30 months at nursery school. Vocabulary in the majority or societal language (Italian) was assessed at 30 months using teachers’ reports. The results showed that teachers used bimodal utterances (gesture + speech) more with bilinguals than monolinguals from 18 to 30 months while the reverse was true for unimodal spoken utterances. Bimodal utterances and language scaffolding strategies promoted toddlers’ communicative initiatives in both groups and were longitudinally associated with children’s vocabulary at 30 months. These results show that the school context may act as a protective proximal environment for stimulating and favoring majority language acquisition from the earliest stages of development in children from low-income and language-minority families.