School Readiness Research Articles

Developmental Losses of Preschool Children Three Years into the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting mitigation measures have led to increased vulnerabilities in early child development. However, research is scarce and there are no studies on the persistence of these losses three years into the pandemic among young children. To fill in this gap, we examined census-like evaluations of school readiness carried out among preschoolers in Uruguay. The assessments were carried out among 5 cohorts of 5-year-olds: who were assessed prior to the pandemic (2018, 2019); during the pandemic (2020, 2021); and after the health emergency declaration ended in Uruguay (2022). A total of 180,984 teacher evaluations were included covering cognitive, motor and socio-emotional development, as well as attitudes toward learning. Overall, we found that scores in most spheres of child development decreased from before to during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. In 2022, scores returned to pre-pandemic levels. Our findings suggest the recovery of developmental losses among cohorts of children in kindergarten took more than two years in a country that experienced a mild-to-moderate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Learners’ Essential Skills and Schools’ Readiness towards Limited Face-to-face Classes

This research assessed the learners’ essential skills and the schools’ readiness towards limited face-to-face classes at Naga Central Elementary School and Greenhills Elementary School in Cebu for the school year 2021-2022. It used a descriptive quantitative design and a universal sampling technique to select the respondents. An adapted questionnaire was administered to kindergarten parents and teachers. Data were gathered using frequency count, percentage, weighted mean, and T-test independent samples. The findings revealed that most parents were between the ages of 21 and 26, the majority were females, attained high school diplomas, had three to four primary school-aged children, and had a combined monthly income of Php 10,000 or less. Moreover, most of the teacher respondents were aged 29-34. Half had a bachelor's degree and had a length of service of less than 10 years. The results further indicate high confidence among parents and teachers regarding school readiness, with parents rating readiness as "very high" and teachers as "high." However, differences in perceptions led to rejecting the null hypothesis. Kindergarten learners' readiness was assessed based on essential skills in literacy, mathematics, and motor skills, with parents rating all skills as "very proficient" and teachers as "proficient." A significant difference was found in literacy skills, leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis, while mathematical and motor skills did not show significant differences. Overall, positive feedback suggests satisfactory readiness levels, with suggestions for improvement, including using interactive digital learning materials and worksheets to enhance the learning experience.

EFL Learners' Belief in English Only Instruction: A promising or ineffective approach at the tertiary level in Iraq

Learning English has increased its popularity exponentially thanks to global needs in numerous fields. Accordingly, various means of instruction have been adopted to master English. English-only instruction, the alternative to code-switching, is one of them that urges educators and learners to communicate through English. Although many studies have examined the effectiveness of English-only instruction, a gap has been observed in the literature regarding students’ opinions at a tertiary level in the Iraq context. To this aim, 50 students who studied at TISHK International University’s Language Preparatory School in the 2022–2023 Academic Year were chosen via snowball sampling. Participants evaluated English-only instruction in terms of the overall program, instructors, and administration. The primary instrument used to collect data was a survey. Collected data, analyzed by SPSS 26 and NVivo, respectively, unearthed that English-only instruction received favorable feedback in terms of holistic English mastery, creativity, motivation, and time management. However, some communication barriers, thereby having low learning rates were cited by a few students as weaknesses of chosen instruction. Likewise, the instructors’ efforts to teach English through Web 2.0 tools, practice exams, real-life examples, and principles of student centered approach were appreciated without leaving any room for hesitation. Similarly, the administrators’ initiatives to guide, form, monitor, examine and take appropriate action to promote the quality of education with an English-only policy received positive feedback. The findings of this study may have certain implications for stakeholders who are interested in the implementation of English-only instruction at their institutions on a global scale.

The British Council Standards as a Tool for Evaluating Iraqi EFL Teachers

Different ways to evaluate EFL teachers include the British Council Standards criteria. The contentious issue in the questions of the British Council Standards revolves around applying the three domains (Knowledge, Skills, Values, and attitudes) of evaluation for EFL teachers and scrutinizing the British Council Standards to ascertain their suitability for evaluating EFL teachers in Iraq. Typically, evaluation can be done by considering students' achievements or from students' perspectives. Evaluation is a significant challenge due to the large student population in urban and rural schools. The population comprises Baghdad, Wasit, Dhi Qar, Misan, Ninevah, and Kirkuk. The sample is drawn from students attending nine general directorates during the academic year 2023-2024. The total number of participants in the study was 2014 male and female students. This study employs a combination of qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The statistical methods employed to assess the internal consistency of the questionnaires are specifically targeted towards students in EFL preparatory schools. The instrument's reliability is tested using Cronbach's alpha F-test, ANOVA, Two-Sample t-test, and One-Sample t-test. The study found that Iraqi EFL preparatory schoolteachers have successfully implemented and met British Council standards. At the same time, some teachers have applied these requirements to various degrees.

Utilizing the Summer Treatment Program Model to Promote School Readiness in Young Children Living in Urban Poverty: An Initial Effectiveness Open Trial

ABSTRACT Access to, and engagement in, quality mental health care for young children with externalizing behavior problems (EBPs) who are living in urban poverty is limited. Innovative efforts to engage families in early intervention are needed to ensure school success. The goals of the current study were to transport the Summer Treatment Program for Prekindergartners (STP-PreK, an adaptation of the Children’s Summer Treatment Program and evaluate the implementation and initial program promise for children living in urban poverty via an open trial. Participants were 115 preschool children (68.7% male; 84.3% Black) with EBPs and their caregivers. Nearly all the participating families were living with low to extremely low incomes. Participants received a 7-week STP-PreK, including a daily school readiness program and weekly behavioral parenting training. Implementation outcomes were measured via attendance records, satisfaction ratings, and fidelity measures. Program promise was measured via caregiver ratings and child assessments, collected pre-, post-, and at 6 months following the intervention. On average, results demonstrate strong feasibility and acceptability with high child attendance (90.56%) and caregiver satisfaction with services. Intervention effects across domains of child functioning reveal medium-to-large effects on academics (d’s = 0.46–1.95), overall impairment (d = 0.79), behavioral functioning (d’s = 0.38 – 0.84), and executive functioning (d = 0.58). Effects were largely maintained at 6-month follow-up (d’s = 0.13–1.86). Overall, the results support the promise of the STP-PreK model in enhancing school readiness outcomes for young children at-risk. Directions for continued adaptation and future research are discussed.

Impact of Intensive Upper Limb Therapy on School Readiness Skills in Preschool Children With Unilateral Cerebral Palsy

Abstract Date Presented 03/23/24 Engagement in high-intensity, motor-based therapeutic activity is associated with improvements in school readiness for preschool-age children with unilateral cerebral palsy with or without the inclusion of cognitive development skill training. Primary Author and Speaker: Angela Shierk Additional Authors and Speakers: Heather Roberts Contributing Authors: Fabiola Reyes, Nancy Clegg, Mauricio R. Delgado, Emily Kirby, Lindsay Miles, Rebecca Dharamraj, Ariel Alexander, Joe De La Torre

The Criticality of Organisational Readiness of Business Schools for AI: The Time is Now

The Criticality of Organisational Readiness of Business Schools for AI: The Time is Now

A comprehensive School Readiness Assessment Tool (SRAT) for preschool children

This study was designed to determine the psychometric properties of the School Readiness Assessment Tool (SRAT), a new measurement tool for assessing school readiness. The measure aims to assess preschool children’s school readiness by estimating their academic, motor, social, emotional, and self-regulation skills. Both academic and motor skills are assessed through direct child observation while teacher ratings evaluate social-emotional and self-regulation skills. 228 children attending preschool participated in the study's first phase and 185 children in the second phase. The results show that the items of the new measurement tool had sufficient internal consistency. Both study phases also showed strong evidence of face (content) and construct validity (i.e., convergent and concurrent validity). Overall, the results show that SRAT is a promising new measure for school readiness among preschoolers in Türkiye. In addition to the evidence from randomized control trials, studies should be conducted to determine its psychometric properties with diverse samples, such as rural children and children not enrolled in preschool education.

PLS-SEM ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT'S IMPACT ON MATHEMATICS DIGITAL LITERACY

The rapid development of technology makes us have to be able to adapt well. Using the internet as a medium for activities is an unavoidable part. Therefore, it is necessary to learn about the ability to use the internet in activities called digital literacy. Digital literacy is a basic skill that students must have. It is no exception in the field of mathematics as one of the absolute sciences taught at every level of education. Therefore, researchers are interested in examining digital literacy in the field of mathematics. This research in general is still very rarely done, therefore it requires an in-depth understanding of theoretical studies to see the factors that influence digital literacy skills in the field of mathematics. The lack of sample size and the relativity of adequacy in fulfilling assumptions encourage the use of PLS-SEM as an alternative in analyzing the model formed. In this study, Explanatory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) are still used to build a framework and test the structural model to be formed. In addition, the method used gives researchers the freedom to express curiosity about the problem at hand. The results obtained show that the final model can be said to be good. Mathematics digital literacy skills are influenced by several main variables that are interrelated. These variables start from the carrying capacity of schools and families. These two variables will then have an impact on the readiness of teachers and students in the community to succeed or support mathematics digital literacy skills. School readiness and family support are the main keys in succeeding or improving digital math literacy skills.

The Readiness of the Private Elementary Schools on the Utilization of the Learning Delivery Modalities (LDM) in the New Normal Education in the Division of Iriga City

This study determined the readiness of private elementary schools to utilize the learning delivery modality in the new normal education in the Division of Iriga City. It also looked into the readiness of the utilization of the Learning Delivery Modalities, the test of significant agreement on the rank orders of the extent of the readiness of the utilization of the learning delivery modalities, the problems encountered by the teachers on the implementation of the teaching modality used; coping strategies offered to address the problems encountered; and the Policy Recommendations formulated based from the findings of the study. The Descriptive-Evaluative-Correlational method of research was employed in this study. The study’s respondents were private elementary teachers in the Division of Iriga City. The statistical tools used to treat the data were frequency count, percentage technique, and weighted mean rank. The study underscores the importance of adapting educational strategies to the evolving education landscape amidst the pandemic.

The Impact of Debating Strategy on Preparatory School Pupils' Performance in Writing Skill

This research tries to investigate the impact of debating strategy on the classroom pupils and how it allows pupils to exchange information between them through group work, ask questions, use role playing, group problem-solving activities, and have more interaction with each other. The problem of this study by applying a strategy in order to increase the pupils' competence in writing skill. Many of pupils do not place enough emphasis on developing their writing skills, which results in numerous errors being made in the writing projects they are given to do. The pupils do not have sufficient time to work on their writing skills. Therefore, the current study aims at finding the impact of debating strategy on Iraqi preparatory pupils in writing skill. For carrying out the aim of this study, and validating its hypothesis which is there is no statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the experimental group which is taught by debate strategy and the mean scores of the control group which is taught by the conventional method in the post-test, a sample of (60) pupils have been randomly chosen from the fourth class in AI-Salam secondary School for Boys at Salah Al-Den during the academic year 2023-2024. The two groups are equally divided into; group (A) represents the experimental group that consists of (30) pupils who have been taught the debating strategy and group (B) the control group who also includes (30) pupils who have been taught the prescribed method. The researcher herself has taught both groups. According to the results, debating strategy guides pupils in the experimental group to better achievement at the posttests. Finally, appropriate conclusions are presented.

The School Readiness of the Kindergarten Pupils in Wesleyan School in Ilagan as Basis for the Enhancement of Kindergarten Curriculum

The School Readiness of the Kindergarten Pupils in Wesleyan School in Ilagan as Basis for the Enhancement of Kindergarten Curriculum

The long-lasting benefits of pre-kindergarten education on autistic children's working memory development.

Working memory is an important skill for school success, and it involves holding information in our memory while using it to solve complex problems. However, autistic children often have difficulties with working memory tasks. Also, kindergarteners on the autism spectrum tend to be less school-ready compared with their peers. In addition, children from disadvantaged backgrounds tend to struggle more with working memory and school readiness skills. All preschool-age children on the autism spectrum in the United States are entitled to pre-kindergarten (pre-K) education. However, it is unclear whether attending pre-K helps with children's working memory development in the long run. This study tested whether attending pre-K benefits children's working memory development in the long run. It also tested whether pre-K is especially helpful for autistic children's working memory development. It was found that children who attended pre-K outperformed their peers who did not attend pre-K during the first 2 years of elementary school. However, after first grade, such benefits diminished. Importantly, autistic children who attended pre-K did not demonstrate advanced working memory immediately in kindergarten, but they started to outperform their autistic peers who did not attend pre-K during first grade to third grade. This finding highlights the importance of pre-K education for autistic children in particular. It is also important for educators and parents to understand autistic children's unique learning paths that may be different from non-autistic children. This article discusses specific ways for educators to take full advantage of the long-lasting benefits of pre-K education in autistic children's working memory development.

The relationships between teachers’ evaluation of children’s academic readiness and children’s later outcomes

Kindergarten is emphasized as a critical first entry into the education system, as politicians and pundits believe kindergartners’ success can lead to later academic achievement. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of kindergarten school readiness data should consider how it is measured and how that affects learning. Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Studies—Kindergarten (ECLS-K) cohort 2010–2011 data, the author examined the relationship between teacher reports about children’s academic readiness at kindergarten entrance and their later outcomes in reading, math, and science through fifth grade. This study used a latent basis growth model with time-invariant predictors to analyze the relationship's trajectory. Overall, findings determined that teachers’ perceptions of children’s Approaches to Learning, mathematical thinking, and science significantly impacted later achievements in math and science direct assessments throughout elementary education. This research discussed the practice and policy implications on teachers’ perceptions of school readiness and its impact on later academic outcomes.

The Effects of Creative Story Writing on EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Learning and Retention

This study aimed to determine the effect of creative story writing on prep school students' vocabulary recall and find the students' perceptions related to story writing tasks in terms of vocabulary learning and memorization. The study lasted 8 weeks with 34 intermediate prep school students, utilizing a mixed methods design. The analysis of independent-sample t-tests (for pre- and post-tests) and paired-sample t-tests (for the pre, post-, and delayed tests) indicated that creative story writing effectively improved students' vocabulary learning and recall. The written reflections of students also showed that the students reported the benefits of creative story writing in that it provides learning vocabulary in context, with a higher involvement load, with the act of writing that helps retention and also relates to pragmatics that caters to where, when and how to use that vocabulary. We offer implications for ELT, ESL learners, teachers, and course book writers.

Evidence-based meets community-centred: A new approach to creating informal learning opportunities for children.

Informal learning spaces present ripe opportunities to supplement formal learning experiences. In this paper, we offer a new approach to creating enriching learning activities for public spaces that reflects evidence-based practices rooted in developmental psychology and uses community-centring practices from participatory research approaches. We first argue that extant theory and research supports the use of guided play pedagogy to foster learning. Second, we argue that effective translation of research to practice should incorporate community voices at every stage of the design, implementation and evaluation process. We describe a new initiative called Playful Learning Landscapes that reflects tenets of core developmental theory including constructivism and social learning theories as well as guided play pedagogy. Playful Learning Landscapes also extends the scope and scale of these evidence-backed theories by collaborating with communities to design activities for local community spaces. Taken together, we offer a way of upholding core developmental theory with equitable, culturally inclusive research and intervention practices. Transforming community spaces into hubs for children's learning promises wide-reaching implications for equitable access, school readiness and early childhood education.

Menstrual hygiene management practice and associated factors among high school and preparatory school adolescent students in Debre Markos town, Northwest, Ethiopia: a mixed-method study

BackgroundDespite being a normal occurrence, menstruation requires hygienic care and is associated with a number of myths and wrongdoings. Menstrual hygiene issues have been linked to major health issues, such as urinary tract and reproductive tract infections. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the management of menstrual hygiene and related aspects among teenage students in Debre Markos town, North West, Ethiopia.MethodsFrom March 15 to April 15, 2019, teenage pupils in Debre Markos town participated in a cross-sectional mixed study. An in-depth interview and a self-administered structured questionnaire were used to gather data. Quantitative information was imported into Epi Data and then exported to SPSS for examination. A 95% Confidence Interval of p-value ≤ 0.05 was used to declare significance. The method of thematic content analysis was used to examine the qualitative data.ResultThis study comprised 531 individuals in total, with a 96.2% response rate. Approximately 260 adolescent females (49%, 95% CI: 39.2, 59.2) had good management practices for menstrual hygiene. Girls whose mothers were private employees (AOR: 0.3, 95% CI: 0.09, 0.99), self-employed (AOR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.28, 0.98) and housewives (AOR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.29, 0.98), and parent-adolescent discussions about menstruation (AOR: 1.62, 95% CI: 1.40, 3.34) were significantly associated with good menstrual hygiene management. Adolescence aged 17 years or older (AOR: 2.13, 95% CI: 1.32, 3.44) were found to have good knowledge regarding menstrual hygiene (AOR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.43, 2.94). The qualitative study found that ignorance, an unfavorable school climate, and cultural and economic factors were the main causes of teenagers’ poor menstrual hygiene.ConclusionNearly half of adolescent girls had good menstrual hygiene practice. Menstrual hygiene practice was associated with adolescent age, knowledge of menstruation, maternal occupational and discussion with parents. Girls had difficulty to manage menstrual hygiene due to poor knowledge, unsafe school environment, and cultural barriers. Thus, school-based programs aimed at improving knowledge towards menstrual hygiene management are needed.

Reading for life-long health.

There is a strong, positive relationship between childhood literacy and physical and mental health outcomes in adulthood. Through primary care-based literacy interventions, pediatricians reach children and their families long before they enter traditional education venues. In so doing, pediatricians play a key role in children's school readiness and in turn health outcomes. The current state of childhood literacy in United States defines an increasingly urgent platform for the healthcare profession generally, and pediatricians specifically, to embrace. Through reviewing the existing literature on the impact of childhood literacy on physical, mental, and social-emotional health outcomes, we hope to highlight the need for increased collaboration between the education and medical fields to further promote the literacy interventions in pediatric healthcare settings.

Examining the Academic Achievement of Latinx Students from an Early Lifespan and Intersectional Perspective

ABSTRACT The present study examined Latinx school readiness and 3rd grade student achievement, considering differences based on social categories of gender, race, ethnicity, and home language. The sample included 683 racially diverse children (Mage = 4.94; SD = .57) of Dominican- or Mexican-origin from Spanish-English or Spanish-only proficient homes. Baseline data included a test of school readiness and mother and teacher ratings of behavior. Follow-up data included the 3rd grade New York State test. Results show that 74% of Latinx children were not proficient in 3rd grade reading, with boys and children from Spanish-only homes less likely to be at grade level. School readiness predicted achievement for all groups. On the whole, Latinx students, and especially boys and non-English speakers, appear to be marginalized in U.S. public education systems.

Does Childcare Attendance Moderate the Associations Between Mother-Child Depressive Symptoms and Children’s Peer Victimization Experiences?

Peer victimization experiences is suggested to play a mediating role in the transmission of depression symptoms between mothers and children. Childcare attendance has been found to reduce the association between mother and child depressive symptoms. However, it is not clear whether this protective effect unfolds via a reduction of peer victimization experiences in middle childhood. The aims of this study were to test (1) whether peer victimization in middle childhood mediated the association between exposure to maternal depressive symptomatology in early childhood and child depressive symptoms in late childhood, (2) whether childcare attendance moderate the direct associations between maternal depressive symptoms and children’s peer victimization experiences in middle childhood as well as depressive symptoms in late childhood and (3) whether childcare attendance moderates this mediated association. Data come from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Children and Parents (N = 5526) where exposure to maternal depressive symptoms and intensity of childcare attendance were assessed repeatedly during early childhood. Children’s peer victimization and depressive symptoms were self-reported at eight and 10 years of age, respectively. We used weighted structural equation modeling and found that the association between mothers and children’s depression was partially mediated by peer victimization. Childcare attendance did not moderate the indirect effect of maternal depression on child depressive symptoms via peer victimization. However, we found that for children who attended childcare, maternal depression was no longer associated child depressive symptoms in late childhood. In conclusion, peer victimization experiences partly explain the intergenerational transmission of depressive symptoms, but this mechanism is not altered by children’s childcare attendance. Future research should examine potential socio-emotional and school readiness mechanisms that may break the cycle of depressive symptomatology from mothers to children.