School Readiness Research Articles

Using the Technique of Mind Maps to Enhance Preparatory School Students' EFL Vocabulary

Using the Technique of Mind Maps to Enhance Preparatory School Students' EFL Vocabulary

TECHNOLOGY-BASED SELF-REGULATED LEARNING STRATEGIES AND ENGLISH SELF-EFFICACY IN ONLINE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

Technology-enhanced learning environments (TELEs) have provided language learners with various opportunities to promote their self-sufficient learning outside the classroom lately. Thus, language learners are no longer passive recipients of language; in contrast, they are autonomous learners who apply self-regulated learning strategies through the medium of technology during their English learning process, which in turn can be associated with their English self-efficacy perceptions. Therefore, the current study aimed to present an investigation into the relationship between preparatory school students’ use of technology-based self-regulated English learning strategies and their perceived English self-efficacy as well as the predictability of employing the strategies on their self-efficacy beliefs. Applying a quantitative research design, the data were collected through the Technology-based Self-Regulated English Learning Strategies Questionnaire (TSRLSQ) developed by An et al. (2020) and the Questionnaire of English Self-Efficacy (QESE) developed by Wang (2004). A statistically significant positive relationship was found between students' use of technology-assisted English learning strategies and their perceived English self-efficacy beliefs. In addition, regression analysis results showed that goal setting and learner evaluation, motivational regulation, and technology-based song-movie learning strategies were strong predictors explaining the change in students’ self-efficacy in four language skills.

One British Archive: The Treasures of Stonyhurst College Libraries

AbstractThis essay inaugurates One British Archive, a new series in the Journal of British Studies. This short essay describes the little-known archive, libraries, and museum of Stonyhurst College in England. Stonyhurst represents a continuation of the College of St Omers, a Catholic institution started in continental Europe in the sixteenth century, when Catholics were routinely prosecuted in England. This transnational quality of British expatriate communities in Europe is reflected in the collections. The modern preparatory school contains not only the records of St Omers but also the papers and books of numerous local families and school children that passed through its doors. The current archive, libraries, and museum are thus a treasure trove for anyone pursuing studies into Catholicism, book history, British education, and more.

A Suggested Curriculum based on (NGSS) Dimensions to develop Explanatory Models of Scientific Phenomena For Preparatory School students

A Suggested Curriculum based on (NGSS) Dimensions to develop Explanatory Models of Scientific Phenomena For Preparatory School students

A COMPARISON OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY IN TWO DIFFERENT SETTINGS: ONLINE VS CLASSROOM

The purpose of the study was to examine and compare the foreign language anxiety (FLA) levels of English preparatory school students in two settings namely online and in person classroom lessons. An explanatory mixed-method research design was adopted to accomplish the aim. Two questionnaires were used in the first part to collect quantitative data, and the sample cohort consisted of 234 students from six Turkish state universities. The quantitative data were examined through descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings showed that moderate levels of FLA were present in both online and in person classroom instruction among participants. It was discovered that the FLA levels in two settings differed in a statistically significant way. In consonance with quantitative results, semi-structured interviews with 10 volunteers were done to collect further data. Thematic analysis was used to resolve the qualitative data from the interviews, and as a result, four key themes – interaction, anxiety, problems, and language points – emerged. Students preferred classroom settings for interaction since they could interact in person classroom lessons. Additionally, it was shown that technical issues such as disconnections and speech interruptions caused distress in language learners.

Content and language integrated learning (CLIL): Experiences and challenges of English preparatory school graduates in a Cambodian international university

This study aims to understand how English Preparatory Schools (EPS) students perceive CLIL and the challenges they encounter. Ten participants were selected through purposive-convenience sampling. Data were gathered via online surveys and semi-structured interviews conducted through Google Meet. The findings reveal that while students generally view CLIL positively, they face significant challenges, primarily due to limited vocabulary and unfamiliarity with the teaching environment. Despite these difficulties, CLIL was found to enhance language proficiency, especially in listening skills, and fostered self-confidence and cultural awareness. However, the dual demands of learning content and language simultaneously led to mental exhaustion and struggle with technical terminology among these students. The study suggests that CLIL can be effective in improving English proficiency, but it also highlights the need for tailored support, such as vocabulary-building strategies and teacher training, to address the challenges students face. These findings have implications for curriculum development and pedagogical practices in CLIL programs.

Great success in the EAQUALS audit from the English Preparatory School

Great success in the EAQUALS audit from the English Preparatory School

Examining the effects of an infant-toddler school readiness intervention in center- and family-based programs: Are results generalizable?

Infants and toddlers frequently participate in either center- or family-based childcare programs. However, little is known about the efficacy of early learning interventions introduced in these two types of programs, in particular family-based programs. The present work builds upon findings of a recent experimental trial demonstrating that a 20-week infant-toddler intervention supporting center- and family-based teachers to be more explicit and intentional in their interactions had a significantly positive effect on targeted child outcomes. In this follow-up paper, we conducted secondary analyses exploring effects of the intervention across the two contexts, center- and family-based programs. Analyses showed that the social validity of the intervention was generally high in both settings, but even higher in family-based than center-based programs. Findings also showed that teachers in both types of programs implemented the intervention at a satisfactory level, but family-based teachers tended to implement more small-group activities and had more conversations with individual children. There were no differential impacts on child outcomes across the two contexts, except for an overall significant spill-over effect on the outcome of empathy within center-based care. Finally, we found that the intervention had positive effects on teachers’ use of counting and math activities in both types of programs.

Building Bridges! Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Transition from Kindergarten to School - A Scoping Review.

The goal of this study was to map the research on the transition from kindergarten to school for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Further, the goal was to identify the elements influencing the transition process as well as the variables that would promote a smooth and positive transition experience for the children in question. The study also aimed to identify knowledge gaps on the subject and the current practice in the field. The study is a scoping review that includes peer reviewed articles from the databases ERIC, Google scholar, PsycINFO and Web of Science and the search was restricted to articles in English from 2019 to 2024. The search terms used were autism spectrum disorder, autism, transition, preschool, ECEC, inclusion, education intervention, early childhood, early education and kindergarten. After identifying and screening current articles from the databases, the articles were ascertained for relevance in three stages. In phase one, the title was considered. Phase two consisted of reviewing the abstract, and the final stage was to review the full text. At each stage, articles that did not prove relevant to the goal of the study were excluded. This left us with thirteen articles for inclusion in this article. In the selected articles the following elements are necessary for children with autism to have a positive transition from kindergarten to school: 1) School readiness skills and school inclusiveness, 2) Comparable educational opportunities and psychological support, 3) Collaboration and professional competence, 4) A balance to ensure a better transition, and 5) Inclusion and support and 6) Children's perspectives. The research gaps identified were: 1) that few studies take the child's perspective into account and 2) that there is an overemphasis on subjective experiences of effectiveness, and a lack of focus on measurable effects within studies on transition and inclusive education.

Exploring School Readiness and Transition Dynamics: Enablers and Disablers in Early Childhood Education Programmes of Zambia

This qualitative study investigated the complex issues and dynamics associated with the transitions in early childhood education (ECE) within Kabwe, Kapiri, and Choma districts of Zambia. Utilising an exploratory methodology, the research thoroughly explored the various factors that impacted school preparedness and the progression from early childhood education to primary schools. Diverse perspectives from parents, educators, community leaders, and legislators were examined through in-depth interviews, focus groups, and participant observations. The results of this study shed light on several significant factors such as limited parental involvement arising from knowledge gaps and financial constraints, digital inequality affecting children’s adaptability, and the absence of well-structured transition programmes leading to mismatches in instructional approaches. Thematic analysis reveals nuanced insights, emphasising the crucial role of digital inclusion initiatives, programmes promoting parental engagement, and collaborative efforts between ECE institutions and primary schools.

Editorial Comment

This Special Issue of the University of Zambia Journal of Law and Social Sciences was prepared by the Department of Primary Education of the School of Education at University of Zambia. It was a product of the Knowledge Innovation Exchange (KIX) funded project, which ran under the title, “Scaling the School Readiness Initiative: Strengthening School and Community Capacities for Adoption of Play-based Learning in Uganda and Zambia”.

Quality Assessment and Enhancement Strategies for Learning Environments in Top Classes of Kindergarten—A Reflection Based on the Perspective of School Readiness

Quality Assessment and Enhancement Strategies for Learning Environments in Top Classes of Kindergarten—A Reflection Based on the Perspective of School Readiness

Head Start Children’s Dual Enrollment in State Pre-K: Prevalence and Child Outcomes

The current study investigated the prevalence and outcomes related to Head Start (HS) children’s dual enrollment in state-funded prekindergarten (state Pre-K) using a secondary analysis of a statewide integrated administrative dataset (N = 2,986). It also explored whether a program partnership between HS and the local school district (within the same geographic service area) was associated with HS children’s higher enrollment in Pre-K. Findings showed that over half of the children attending HS additionally participated in Pre-K. Such dual enrollment, which reflects more daily hours of center-based early care and education, predicted higher teacher-reported school readiness skills, including cognitive, language, literacy, math, physical, and social-emotional skills. The rate of HS children’s dual enrollment was higher when their HS grantee had a stronger partnership with the local school district. Our findings highlight the importance of systematic efforts to maximize the utilization of ECE-allocated resources for low-income children.

Early Literacy Developmental Activities and Pre-Kindergarten Learning Skills in the Context of Childhood Adversity

ObjectiveSchool readiness (SR) encompasses a wide range of skills that affect children’s ability to succeed in school and later in life. Shared reading is an important strategy that assists children in gaining SR skills, whereas adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) negatively affect a child’s SR. This study assessed if early literacy developmental activities (shared reading, singing, or storytelling) were associated with improved SR among children with and without ACEs. Methods2020–2021 National Survey of Children’s Health data were used for analysis. We identified children aged 3–5 years to assess their exposure to ACEs, participation in reading/storytelling/singing, and overall SR. ResultsIn a sample of 17,545 children, 29% of children were exposed to one or more ACEs. Seventy-seven percent of children with no ACEs received daily early literacy developmental activities compared to 23% of children who experienced any ACE. On ordinal logistic regression, daily early literacy developmental activities were associated with 56% greater odds of higher SR among children not exposed to ACEs (OR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.29, 1.88; P < .01). Among children exposed to ACEs, daily early literacy developmental activities were also associated with higher SR (OR: 1.50; 95% CI: 1.06, 2.13; P = .02). ConclusionsShared reading, storytelling, and singing are associated with improved SR in both children who have and have not been exposed to ACEs. However, children exposed to ACEs had fewer experiences with early literacy developmental activities. Future efforts should address the barriers that limit shared reading, singing, or storytelling for children exposed to ACEs.

Investigating the Impact of a Motor Program on Preschoolers With Disabilities

A semistructured preschool motor program was developed in response to the paucity of evidence-based motor programs for preschoolers with disabilities in inclusive classrooms. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was undertaken to examine the impact of the CHildren in Action: Motor Program for PreschoolerS (CHAMPPS), a 21-week intervention that includes 42 Universal Design for Learning–embedded lessons with suggestions for supporting school readiness skills. Eight intervention and 8 control classrooms across 2 states participated in the RCT. Data on 51 children with disabilities provide initial evidence on how CHAMPPS positively impacted children's active engagement, motor, and social development. The promising results include gains in motor skills, sustained physical activity levels during motor play, increased on-task behavior, and high feasibility and usability ratings by teachers. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Mixed methods study supporting the piloting and scaling of a Gender-Responsive Play-Based Learning training package for pre-primary teachers in Rwanda and Mozambique

Despite significant investments to increase access to and improve the quality of primary school education, fewer than half of the world's primary-level pupils have gained grade-level literacy and numeracy skills. While the learning crisis is complex, high-quality early childhood education (ECE) can be a critical piece of this puzzle. Integrating the use of gender equitable, gender responsive and play-based pedagogies into ECE curricula can be an important step towards enhancing the quality of ECE and supporting the school readiness of girls and boys, also in low-income contexts. This study explored the effectiveness of a Gender-Responsive Play-Based Learning (GRPBL) training package for ECE teachers Rwanda and Mozambique on classroom environment and child early learning and development. The study was mixed methods and used Focus Group Discussions, in-depth interviews and standardized classroom and child assessments using the globally validated International Development Early Learning Assessment (IDELA) toolkit. The study showed that in Mozambique, the training had positive effects on classroom environment and consequently on child early learning outcomes, with the strongest effect found on emergent literacy. The training did not succeed at improving the same outcomes in Rwanda. Contextual factors such as high student to teacher ratios, lack of teaching experience and limited support by school leaders and parents, likely constrained teachers in Rwanda to make deep changes to their instructional practices while we did see evidence of such changes in Mozambique. A training on GRPBL, can thus have powerful effects on classroom and child outcomes, even in low resource settings. However, effects may vary depending on the implementation context. To support policymakers, local and international implementers in their journey to improve the quality of ECE, more time needs to go into understanding what type of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) aligns with the existing ECE context and systems so that teachers, children and parents can optimally benefit from CPD opportunities.

The Effect of Dictogloss Technique on EFL Students’ Critical Language Awareness

New techniques help teachers maximize students’ cooperation and inspiration. Dictogloss is one of many dominant techniques available to classroom teachers. When these techniques are used well, they can have a positive effect on the students’ increase their Critical Language Awareness.&#x0D; The current study aims at :Finding out the effect of dictogloss technique on EFL preparatory students’ critical language awareness.&#x0D; To achieve these aims, some hypotheses are proposed. To verify the hypotheses and achieve the aims of the study, the following procedures are carried out:&#x0D; In the present study, quasi- experimental design is required, namely the design of a "Non-Randomized Control Group Pretest- Posttest Design”. The sample consists of 70 students from the fifth scientific stage at Al-Aqeeda preparatory school for girls, distributed in two groups, experimental and control with 35 students for each.&#x0D; Both groups have been equalized in some variables. The experiment lasted two months, and the researcher taught the two groups during the academic year 2021-2022 (Face and content validity have been attained). The data is gathered by using one tool: a questionnaire to measure students’ critical language awareness. The tool of the study has been validated, and different statistical means have been used to analyze the obtained data.&#x0D; Based on the results and the conclusions obtained in this study, appropriate recommendations and suggestions for further studies are put forward.

The Impact of Microselection and Cooperative Script Strategies on EFL Preparatory School Students' Achievement in Reading Comprehension

This study aims at finding out the impact of Microselection (MS) and Cooperative Script (CS) on EFL students' achievement in reading comprehension (RC). To achieve the aim of the study, a quasi-experimental nonrandomized control group, pretest-posttest design is employed. Three groups are randomly selected from the fifth preparatory stage in Asma Preparatory School for Girls for the academic year (2021-2022) to represent the sample of the study which is (90) students. The three groups (each group consists of 30 students) are submitted to the same pretest in RC to ensure equivalence among groups. Then the first group is taught according to MS strategy, whereas the second group is taught according to CS strategy and the third one is taught according to the conventional method. After achieving the validity of the test, a pilot study is conducted to (30) students of the fifth preparatory stage /Ali Alhadi Secondary School for Girls. Then the three groups are subjected to the same achievement post-test in RC. The data are analysed statistically by using ANOVA. The results show that there are statistically significant differences between the two experimental groups and the control group in achievement post-tests of RC, in favour of the two experimental groups. The results also show that the second group taught according to CS strategy is better than the first group taught according to MS strategy.

The Relationship among EFL Teachers' Efficacy, their Instructional Practices and Preparatory School Students' Performance in Receptive Skills

The Relationship among EFL Teachers' Efficacy, their Instructional Practices and Preparatory School Students' Performance in Receptive Skills

Üniversite Öğrencilerinin İngilizce Özyeterlik İnançlarının Öğrenci ve Öğretim Elemanı Görüşlerine Göre İncelenmesi

This study aimed to explore the English self-efficacy beliefs of EFL students based on their and their instructors’ opinions. The participants of the study, which was designed as a mixed method, included 456 EFL students studying at a preparatory school of a state university in Türkiye. In the qualitative part of the study, there were 32 EFL students and 9 EFL instructors. The personal information form, the “English Self-Efficacy Belief Scale”, semi-structured interview forms for the students and the instructors were used.to collect data. In the analysis of the quantitative data, descriptive statistics, independent sample T-test, ANOVA test were used, and for qualitative data content analysis technique was used. The findings indicated high level of self-efficacy in terms of English writing and speaking skills, and moderate level of English self-efficacy belief in terms of reading, ability to learn English and listening skills. Students stated that various factors such as individual factors, language skill-oriented factors, classroom environment-related factors, etc. affected their self-efficacy beliefs. The instructors stated that they implement student-centered teaching approach, try to increase student motivation, give feedback to students and enable them to learn from the mistakes to increase English self-efficacy belief levels of their students.