Preschool Classes Research Articles

Library and school partnership on the move - a study of second language learners’ early literacy development

Abstract A study of eight multicultural suburban Swedish classes forms the backdrop of an analysis of the role of the library in students’ development towards becoming skilled readers. In-depth interviews with five teachers and one librarian involved in the classes provide empirical data, even though background information was collected with mixed research methods. The librarian’s narrative is the primary source of data in this article. The children′s educational trajectory from the preschool class to third grade is in focus. The present meta-analysis highlights the role of the library and the librarian, with respect to linkages made to the children’s overall literacy development. As a tool for analysis critical literacy theory was used, thus extending the influence of the librarian′s participation beyond the actual literacy practice, to the surrounding society. The results indicate that the library played a vital role in several ways, for teachers and students as well as for the parents. The collaboration between the librarian and the teachers started with the librarian having book talks with the children. However, she became a participant in the team’s planning and follow-up activities, linking the worlds in and out of school.

Evaluating the impact of a school-based health intervention using a randomized field experiment

We conduct an econometric evaluation of a health-promoting programme in primary and lower secondary schools in Denmark. The programme includes health-related measurements of the students, communication of knowledge about health, and support of health-promoting projects for students. Half of the schools in the fourth largest municipality in Denmark were randomly selected into a treatment group implementing the programme, while the remainder served as a control group. We estimate both OLS models using only post-intervention observations and difference in differences (DID) models using also pre-intervention observations. We estimate effects of the initiative on BMI, waist/height ratio, overweight and obesity for the entire sample and by gender and grade. We find no consistent effect of the programme. When we use the entire sample, no estimates are statistically significant at conventional levels, although the point estimates for the effect on BMI, indicating an average reduction in the range of 0.10–0.15kg/m2, are consistent with the results in a recent Cochrane review evaluating 55 studies of diet and exercise interventions targeting children; and DID estimates which are marginally significant (at the 10% level) indicate that the intervention reduces the risk of obesity by 1% point. Running separate estimations by gender and grade we find a few statistically significant estimates: OLS estimates indicate that the intervention reduces BMI in females in grade 5 by 0.39kg/m2 and reduces the risk of obesity in females in grade 9 by 2.6% points; DID estimates indicate an increase in waist for females in preschool class by 1.2cm and an increase in the risk of obesity in grade 9 males by 4% points. However, if we corrected for multiple hypotheses testing these estimates would be insignificant. There is no statistically significant correlation between participation in the programme and the number of other health-promoting projects at the schools.

Teknik i de tidiga skolåren – om vad det innebär att kunna konstruera en länkmekanism<br>Technical knowing in the early school years – A learning study of the meaning of knowing how to construct a linkage mechanism

This study within primary technology education aims at exploring the capability to construct a specific linkage mechanism. The study reported was integrated in a Learning study, a kind of design experiment inspired by the Japanese Lesson Study, and was carried out in collaboration with two primary school teachers and their two classes, a preschool class and a grade one class. The study reports on the analysis of the video-recorded pre- and post-test. The tests were analysed phenomenographically resulting in four categories describing qualitatively different ways of experiencing the object of learning. The categories were then analysed in terms of critical aspects, describing aspects necessary to discern for this group of students in order to learn how to construct a linkage mechanism. The result indicates the importance of discerning the two joints and their different characteristics in terms of a fixed and a moving joint as well as the placement of the moving joint in relation to the resulting movement.

Transition Between Swedish Preschool and Preschool Class: A Question About Interweaving Care and Knowledge

This study highlights teachers’ experiences with transition from Swedish preschool to preschool class, i. e. from the daycare centre to the formal school. One assumption was that transition activit ...

Effectiveness of a universal parental support programme to promote healthy dietary habits and physical activity and to prevent overweight and obesity in 6-year-old children: the Healthy School Start Study, a cluster-randomised controlled trial.

ObjectiveTo develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a parental support programme to promote healthy dietary and physical activity habits and to prevent overweight and obesity in Swedish children.MethodsA cluster-randomised controlled trial was carried out in areas with low to medium socio-economic status. Participants were six-year-old children (n = 243) and their parents. Fourteen pre-school classes were randomly assigned to intervention (n = 7) and control groups (n = 7). The intervention lasted for 6 months and included: 1) Health information for parents, 2) Motivational Interviewing with parents and 3) Teacher-led classroom activities with children. Physical activity was measured by accelerometry, dietary and physical activity habits and parental self-efficacy through a questionnaire. Body weight and height were measured and BMI standard deviation score was calculated. Measurements were conducted at baseline, post-intervention and at 6-months follow-up. Group differences were examined using analysis of covariance and Poisson regression, adjusted for gender and baseline values.ResultsThere was no significant intervention effect in the primary outcome physical activity. Sub-group analyses showed a significant gender-group interaction in total physical activity (TPA), with girls in the intervention group demonstrating higher TPA during weekends (p = 0.04), as well as in sedentary time, with boys showing more sedentary time in the intervention group (p = 0.03). There was a significantly higher vegetable intake (0.26 servings) in the intervention group compared to the control group (p = 0.003). At follow-up, sub-group analyses showed a sustained effect for boys. The intervention did not affect the prevalence of overweight or obesity.ConclusionsIt is possible to influence vegetable intake in children and girls’ physical activity through a parental support programme. The programme needs to be intensified in order to increase effectiveness and sustain the effects long-term. These findings are an important contribution to the further development of evidence-based parental support programmes to prevent overweight and obesity in children.Trial RegistrationControlled-trials.com ISRCTN32750699

41. Application of eye tracking in neuroscience

Introduction Eye tracking is a technology using cameras to record and analyze eye movements and gaze patterns, therefore providing insight into both cognitive and physiological processing of visual information. Neurological problems frequently affect the way visual information is processed, which then reversely affect the eye movements. While the idea of eye tracking exists for a long time, recent technological advances enable more precise measurement, automated evaluation and make the technology broadly available. Applications Specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia are often first diagnosed late due to bad reading skills at school. The eye tracking can be used for screening in preschool age even with children who cannot yet read by easier tasks: e.g. the well known non-verbal Pavlidis task, the gravity effect or by simple smooth stimuli movement tracking. Similarly, schizophrenia is associated with wide spectrum of cognitive impairments. The eye tracking can be used with smooth stimuli movement tracking or also in conjunction with the Rorschach test where it can provide additional information channel for examining psychologist. Other applications of eye tracking include early detection of Alzheimer disease, Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Eye tracking is also applicable in the field of assistive technologies where the eye movements serve as output channel, and in other non-medical applications. Ongoing study We are currently evaluating a study on early dyslexia detection. Six special schools with preschool classes for children with learning and other disabilities participate in the study. Total of 384 children aging from 6 to 11 years were recorded, of which 33 were diagnosed specifically with dyslexia. Preliminary results suggest differences in the Pavlidis task. Conclusion The contribution presents possibilities eye tracking technologies offer for specialized medical examinations and objective evaluation of the measured data. It has been proven in several applications that eye tracking can be successively used both in diagnostic and therapeutical applications. The ongoing study is being made to develop practical application for early dyslexia detection, perform clinical evaluation, and certification of both the method and recording equipment.

GIÁO DỤC KĨ NĂNG HỌC ĐƯỜNG CHO TRẺ RỐI LOẠN PHỔ TỰ KỈ Ở LỚP TIỀN TIỂU HỌC - BƯỚC ĐỆM CHO GIÁO DỤC HÒA NHẬP CẤP TIỂU HỌC

GIÁO DỤC KĨ NĂNG HỌC ĐƯỜNG CHO TRẺ RỐI LOẠN PHỔ TỰ KỈ Ở LỚP TIỀN TIỂU HỌC - BƯỚC ĐỆM CHO GIÁO DỤC HÒA NHẬP CẤP TIỂU HỌC

The Self- Who Am I?: Children’s Identity and Development through Early Childhood Education

Children develop self-identity, who they believe themselves to be, and begin to form relationships through play and peer relations which contribute to their emotional, social and cognitive development. Theories of self generally agree that an early childhood program can foster children’s self- esteem and build the foundation for future relationships with others. From interviews and observations, 4 to 6 year olds portray their internal lives of self, construct their personal identity, and how these may affect the learning process. The sample was drawn from 3 pre-school classes in Kenya, consisting of 35 boys and 23 girls (N=58) Sampled expressions of self through children’s writings, drawings, dialogues and scaffolding tasks are discussed. The study makes reference to Vygotsky’s theoretical framework of social learning theory, highlighting the links between children’s learning, play, language, peer relationships and identity. The challenges for early childhood Education and Care are explored while trying to answer questions of identity facing young children such as, ‘Who am I?’ ‘What will I be when I grow up?’ Data from children’s expressions show that identity differs from one child to another, and that children’s self can be modified. The notion of ‘identities’ rather than an ‘identity’ emerged. The study indicates that children’s selves are shaped by local the environment, values, and each child’s unique development. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2015.v5n1p95

Подготовка и использование расписаний в обучении детей младшего школьного возраста,

The work on preparedness for education of elementary school students with autism disorders can be greatly facilitated by the use of the methods that allow to structure child's knowledge about necessary changes. The use of schedules greatly facilitates the process of education, guiding and work on children's adaptation. The article describes stages of the work on inclusion and use of general and individual schedules in two groups of children with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorders in preschool classes. This work was conducted in the Center for Psychological, Medical and Social Support to Children and Adolescents of the Moscow State University of Psychology and Education. The article contains examples of the use schedules to increase independence and to reduce anxiety in children with autism spectrum disorders.

Teaching Play Skills to Visually Impaired Preschool Children: Its Effect on Social Interaction

The aim of this study is to assess the effects that teaching visually impaired (VI) preschool children play skills has on their abilities to initialize and respond to social interactions with their typically developing (TD) peers in a reverse mainstreaming preschool class. The subjects of the study were three female VI students regularly attending a preschool classroom. Based on their teacher’s comments, all children were limited in their ability to initiate and maintain social initiations and in their ability to respond to social interaction initialized by their peers. Play skills were taught to the target students using direct teaching methods through small group arrangements outside the class. The study was conducted using a multiple probe design using probe sessions across subjects in order to determine the impact of play skills taught through direct instruction on the social interactions of children in the class. Visual and non-parametric analyses showed that the play skills taught are effective in increasing the target VI students’ abilities to initiate interactions with their peers and in increasing their response behaviors. In addition, the target students not only generalized the interaction behaviors that they had learned to a girl of their own age, but they also retained what they had learned 2 and 3 weeks after the completion of the implementations.

Stuck in a vicious circle of stress. Parental concerns and barriers to changing children's dietary and physical activity habits

Introduction: Dietary habits and physical activity are often the focus of obesity prevention programmes and involving parents in such programmes has proven to be effective. The aims of this study were to describe parents' concerns about their children's diet and physical activity habits and to describe barriers to change. Results: The study used archival data gathered unobtrusively in the form of memos taken after sessions of Motivational Interviewing as part of the parental support programme, A Healthy School Start. The 74 MI-sessions were conducted from October 2010 to April 2011 with either a mother or father or both, all with children in pre-school class. Thematic analysis was applied. Three themes were identified regarding children's dietary habits: amount of food consumed influenced by behaviour in the family, eating situations influenced by stressful everyday life and family interplay, and food choices influenced by stressful everyday life and family interplay. One theme appeared regarding physical activity: physical activity influenced by stressful everyday life and family interplay. Conclusion: Family interplay appears to be an important link between the work–life stress perceived by parents and less healthy food and physical activity habits in the home. Both lack of parental cooperation and negative parent–child interactions may act as barriers to healthy eating and physical activity and should be addressed in future intervention studies on health-related behaviours of children.

PORTFÓLIO NA PROMOÇÃO DA AUTOAVALIAÇÃO DA APRENDIZAGEM: A EDUCAÇÃO INFANTIL SOB FOCO

O compromisso formativo e o interesse em envolver as crianças na gestão do próprio processo de aprendizagem ocasionaram a adoção de portfólio e suscitaram o problema: como o portfólio pode favorecer a autoavaliação para seus autores, crianças que integram uma turma de educação infantil. O objetivo estabelecido, consequentemente, foi: mapear e compreender os limites e possibilidades do portfólio favorecer a autoavaliação, por crianças que integram turma de educação infantil. A pesquisa, um estudo de caso de abordagem qualitativa, contou com as 20 crianças de turma de educação infantil de escola pública localizada em Londrina, Paraná. A coleta de dados deu-se por documentos produzidos pelas crianças, entrevistas e observação. A análise de conteúdo temática revelou que o portfólio configurou-se instrumento autoavaliativo, que facultou às crianças identificarem a presença de dificuldades, superações e aprendizagens no decorrer de sua construção e análise.http://dx.doi.org/10.14572/nuances.v25i3.3200

Computerized sociometric assessment for preschool children

In preschool classes, sociometric peer ratings are used to measure children’s peer relationships. The current study examined a computerized version of preschool sociometric ratings. The psychometric properties were compared of computerized sociometric ratings and traditional peer ratings for preschoolers. The distributions, inter-item correlations, and reliabilities of sociometric scores were comparable between the computerized assessment and traditional assessment. The computerized assessment provided additional data for further analysis of the peer evaluation process. Therefore, computerized peer ratings are a promising tool for sociometric measurement with preschool children.

Değerler Eğitimi Programının 6 Yaş Çocuklarının Sosyal ve Duygusal Gelişimlerine Etkisi

Bu arastirmada Degerler Egitimi Programinin anasinifina devam eden alti yas cocuklarinin sosyal duygusal gelisimlerine etkisi incelenmistir. Arastirmanin calisma grubunu, anasiniflarinda egitim gormekte olan, alti yas grubundaki 44 cocuk olusturmustur. Arastirmada veri toplama araci olarak Epstein & Synhorst (2009) tarafindan gelistirilen ve Ozturk Samur, Deniz, Durmusoglu Saltali & Ari (2009) tarafindan Turkce'ye uyarlanip alti yas cocuklari icin gecerlik ve guvenilirlik calismalari yapilan Okul Oncesi Davranissal ve Duygusal Dereceleme Olcegi (Preschool Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale-PreBERS) kullanilmistir. Arastirmada elde edilen verilerin analizleri sonucunda deney ve kontrol gruplarinin duygulari duzenleme, okul hazirbulunuslugu, sosyal guven, toplam sosyal duygusal gelisim son test puanlari arasinda deney grubu lehine anlamli bir farklilasma bulunmustur. Aileye aitlik puanlarinda anlamli bir farklilasma bulunmamistir. Deney grubu cocuklarin duygulari duzenleme, okul hazirbulunuslugu, sosyal guven, aileye aitlik, toplam sosyal ve duygusal gelisim on test/son test puanlari arasinda anlamli bir fark bulunurken, son testlerin on testlerden anlamli duzeyde yuksek oldugu sonucu ortaya cikmistir. Kontrol grubu cocuklarin ise yalnizca aileye aitlik alt boyutunda, son testlerin on testlerden anlamli duzeyde yuksek oldugu tespit edilmis, diger alt boyutlarda anlamli farklilasma tespit edilmemistir. Deney grubuna uygulanan kalicilik testi sonuclari da programin etkisinin kalici oldugunu gostermistir.

School Starts Too Early for Teens, Pediatricians Agree

School Starts Too Early for Teens, Pediatricians Agree

Gender, Order and Discipline in Early Childhood Education

In early childhood education, children’s daily practice revolves to a great extent around order and discipline. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork from a Swedish preschool class, the present study further explores how the task of being a teacher’s assistant can be critically understood in terms of how gender, discipline and order are expressed in different duties in daily practice. The children in the investigated preschool class are encouraged to conform to rules of order and discipline by assisting the teachers with different tasks; in the present study, children who play this role are called teacher’s assistants. The results show that both boys and girls conform in the role as a teacher’s assistant. Another way of establishing order and discipline is to place girls next to noisy boys. This duty, which is defined here as serving as a damper, is reserved for the girls’ only, in contrast to the teacher’s assistant task.

Supporting early oral language skills for preschool ELL in an EFL context, Mauritius: possibilities and challenges

In Mauritius, Kreol is the home language of the majority of school children, while English is the main language of literacy and the main written medium of instruction as from the first year of primary schooling. This has had a backwash effect on the preschool sector, where English is introduced. A cross-sectional study of local preschools revealed that while English number names are systematically taught, there is less planning in the teaching of general English vocabulary. This article reports on a comparative study of a ‘regular’ English preschool class and an Oral English Intervention Programme in two local preschools over 2005. The comparison between pre-test and post-test results showed that the children in both programmes improved significantly in receptive English vocabulary, with the experimental subjects unsurprisingly outperforming the ‘regular’ group. However, the implementation of the intervention programme revealed the many potential challenges of teaching English to pre-schoolers in an English-poor environment.

Parental Feeding Practices in Relation to Low Diet Quality and Obesity among LSES Children

Objective: To examine the relationships between parental feeding practices, diet quality, overweight, and obesity among low-socioeconomic status (LSES) preschoolers.Research Methods and Procedures: A cohort of preschool children (aged 5–6) and their mothers was recruited from November 2009 to December 2009. To overcome seasonal and personal variation in dietary intake, 3 replications of the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and a parental Feeding Practices Questionnaire (CFPQ) were obtained in person at baseline, 3 months from baseline, and 6 months from baseline. Anthropometric measurements were attained at preschool class on the same dates. Scores of the 12 factors of the CFPQ were calculated and related to dietary intake. Correlation coefficients between the mean energy and fat intake and CFPQ factors’ scores were calculated. One-way analysis of variance with post hoc analyses was used to compare nutrient intake and anthropometric measures across CFPQ tertiles.Results: Preschoolers (n = 63), aged 64.4 ± 5.0 months (47% boys), were recruited. Unhealthy feeding practices including food as a reward for good behavior and food restriction for promoting health were associated with increased consumption of junk food, sweets, and snacks. Among healthy feeding practices, encouraging balance and food variety and healthy eating modeled by parents were associated with increased vegetable consumption and smaller waist circumference. Weight was negatively associated with factors that reflect parental pressure and food restriction for weight control.Conclusions: Our data showed that certain feeding practices relate to a higher diet quality and lower weight and waist circumference. These practices may be encouraged in order to improve diet quality and prevent overweight and obesity.

Promoting healthy eating, active play and sustainability consciousness in early childhood curricula, addressing the Ben10™ problem: a randomised control trial.

BackgroundThis paper details the research protocol for a study funded by the Australian Research Council. An integrated approach towards helping young children respond to the significant pressures of ‘360 degree marketing’ on their food choices, levels of active play, and sustainability consciousness via the early childhood curriculum is lacking. The overall goal of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of curriculum interventions that educators design when using a pedagogical communication strategy on children’s knowledge about healthy eating, active play and the sustainability consequences of their toy food and toy selections.Methods/DesignThis cluster-randomised trial will be conducted with 300, 4 to 5 year-old children attending pre-school. Early childhood educators will develop a curriculum intervention using a pedagogical communication strategy that integrates content knowledge about healthy eating, active play and sustainability consciousness and deliver this to their pre-school class. Children will be interviewed about their knowledge of healthy eating, active play and the sustainability consequences of their food and toy selections. Parents will complete an Eating and Physical Activity Questionnaire rating their children’s food preferences, digital media viewing and physical activity habits. All measures will be administered at baseline, the end of the intervention and 6 months post intervention. Informed consent will be obtained from all parents and the pre-school classes will be allocated randomly to the intervention or wait-list control group.DiscussionThis study is the first to utilise an integrated pedagogical communication strategy developed specifically for early childhood educators focusing on children’s healthy eating, active play, and sustainability consciousness. The significance of the early childhood period, for young children’s learning about healthy eating, active play and sustainability, is now unquestioned. The specific teaching and learning practices used by early childhood educators, as part of the intervention program, will incorporate a sociocultural perspective on learning; this perspective emphasises building on the play interests of children, that are experienced within the family and home context, as a basis for curriculum provision.Trial RegistrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12614000363684: Date registered: 07/04/2014

Diabetes management in Swedish schools: a national survey of attitudes of parents, children, and diabetes teams

Parents of children with type 1 diabetes often raise complaints about self-care support during school time. The aim of this study was to investigate attitudes to diabetes care in school reported by children with type 1 diabetes, their parents, and their diabetes teams. Children who had completed preschool class or at least one grade in the 9-yr compulsory school system were invited to participate. Data were collected using separate questionnaires for the children and their parents. In addition, the members of the diabetes team answered a separate questionnaire. All pediatric diabetes centers in Sweden were invited to participate in the study. All Swedish children and adolescents with diabetes are treated at pediatric diabetes centers. Out of 44 eligible centers, 41 were able to participate. The questionnaires were completed by 317 children and adolescents and 323 parents. The mean age was 11.4 ± 2.7 yr and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was 61.8 ± 12.4 mmol/mol (7.8 ± 1.1%). For 57% of the children, there was no member of staff at the school with principal responsibility to support diabetes self-care. A written action plan for hypoglycemia existed for 60% of the children. Twenty-one percent of the parents regularly gave less insulin than they calculated would be needed at breakfast because of fear of hypoglycemia during school time. Although Sweden has legislation underlining the specific need for diabetes care in school, this nationwide study demonstrates deficiencies in the support of self-care management.