Preschool Context Research Articles

Children’s emotional expression in the preschool context

ABSTRACTThe present study analyses the emotional expression of children in the preschool context. Students of preschool education observed 70 children in preschool institutions from various Slovenian regions. The children expressed different emotions in terms of their valence and complexity, with joy being the most frequently expressed emotion (f = 96% or 92%), followed by anger (f = 48% or 49%). No significant differences in the frequency of emotion expression (for all emotions, and for joy and anger specifically) were confirmed between toddlerhood and early childhood or between boys and girls, nor were there significant differences with regard to either the valence or the complexity of the emotions. The children’s joy and anger were triggered in various situations, with joy being predominantly evident during the children’s involvement with activities such as play, and anger predominantly surfacing when something of the child’s was taken away by another person.

Are there any job resources capable of moderating the effect of physical demands on work ability? A study among kindergarten teachers

Background. It is recognized that teaching in a preschool context is physically demanding. Despite this, the consequences of physical demands on psychophysical health (including work ability) are significantly understudied among kindergarten teachers. Objectives. The aim of the present study is to examine (a) the association between physical demands and work ability and (b) whether psychosocial job resources buffer the negative impact of physical demands among kindergarten teachers. Method. A total of 426 kindergarten teachers employed in the municipal educational services of a city in northwest Italy filled out a self-reported questionnaire. Results. High association was found between physical demand and work ability. Moderated hierarchical regressions showed that decision authority, skill discretion, reward and meaning of work buffer the hampering effect of physical demands and work ability. No buffering effects were observed for support from superiors and colleagues. Conclusion. The present study has relevant, practical implications, highlighting the importance of investing in interventions encompassing a holistic perspective (e.g., psychosocial and ergonomic) in order to effectively combat the hampering effect of physical demands on work ability.

Family context as a part of preschool institutional context in Montenegro

Family and children's institution get the chance of becoming creators of pedagogical-educational environment in contemporary preschool context. Creating natural pedagogical continuity and unique fields of work between the two environments the child is focused is a unique need and assumption of malty aspect of a child's support. The aim of our research was observing thoughts and estimation of parents about the quality of realised cooperation with preschool teachers in Montenegrin preschool initiations. For this purpose, we have crated half-structural interview, which outcomes / dominant replies are going to be presented in the paper, condensing the given replies according to similarities into unique categories. We talked to parents within three focus groups (thirty parents altogether). Interviewed respondents/parents in focus groups, from our research, from three Montenegrin regions, mark dimensions of the actual pre-school context, finding advantages and real advancement in the domain of cooperation among all the actors in the unique 'preschool area', as well as weaker points, i.e. opportunities for development and creating new, efficient and pregnant ways of mutual support for the benefits of children. Our respondents point out: work of preschool teachers, which are of a better quality and efficiency, partially systematically taken pedagogical-educational process and/ or inadequate pedagogical-educational approach and insufficient didactically precise sequence of activities in the kindergarten. Individual contacts and general parents' meetings prevail as forms of cooperation. Parents / respondents are partially informed and involved into the programme activities, and as the reason of insufficiently efficient cooperation, they point out a large number of children in the groups, particularly in the central region. For improving quality of work in the preschool institution, parents suggest diversification of the programmed contents and active family participation in the kindergarten activities.

Challenges and Responses to the Vulnerability of Families in a Preschool Context

Problems in vulnerable families are multilayered and include the intersection of physical, psychosocial and other forms of distress. The multidimensional nature of the problems of these families is closely linked to the fact that there are many institutions in the field of education, social welfare, health care and others, in which treatment and support are not satisfactory or adapted to their needs. The article presents the partial results of a large-scale qualitative research study, results that refer to the position of vulnerable families in the context of preschool education. The study examined how vulnerability is experienced by parents of preschool children, how the expert workers in the preschools involved in the study responded to the parents’ vulnerability, and how they cooperated with experts from other services outside the preschool. A qualitative research method was used in the study. Data was collected partly through semi-structured interviews with various expert workers employed in two preschools, as well as with the parents of children in the preschools; the interviews were conducted individually and in focus groups. Using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006), we have identified four representative themes: amongst parents, the two recurring themes can be subsumed under the headings “from door to door” and “adaptation/flexibility”, and amongst experts, under the headings “powerlessness/incompetence/lack of information” and “power/innovation/sensitivity”. The study finds that the ability to effectively contend with vulnerability presumes a reconceptualisation of the attitude of institutional preschool education towards the family, including a change in the professional role of preschool teachers.

Demokracja jako praktyka codziennego życia w przedszkolu. Z doświadczeń nauczycielek

The aim of this article is to explore the practical meaning of John Dewey’s claim that democracy has to be continuously recreated, by applying it to the preschool context. It takes its starting point in the notion of everyday democracy and, drawing on interviews with teachers who attempt to work democratically, points to the main challenges that arise in the course of this process. They include the need to constantly redefine the key concepts of freedom and equality, to confront and reconstruct the notions of the child and the teacher, and to avoid the risk of an instrumental use of seemingly democratic practice as classroom management technology.

Introduction of Digital Storytelling in Preschool Education : a Case Study from Croatia

Our case study from Croatia showed the benefits of digital storytelling in a preschool as a basis for the formal ICT education. The statistical analysis revealed significant differences between children aged 6 – 7 who learned mathematics by traditional storytelling compared to those learning through digital storytelling. The experimental group that used digital storytelling showed significant improvement in their abilities to solve computational and mathematical problems, which suggests that this method was age-appropriate and versatile. Also, the observations of educators from both the experimental and the control group showed that children were more motivated by digital storytelling, succeeding to complete all stories with an incredible amount of engagement and enthusiasm. These findings indicate that interactive multimedia storytelling, compared to the traditional one, can be used as an effective tool for improving child’s mathematical and computer literacy skills in the preschool context in which ICT is being introduced for the first time.

02. Emergent science in preschool: The case of floating and sinking

This article studies an activity in a Swedish preschool setting where children’s elaborations and understandings of floating and sinking are central. In a Swedish preschool context, it is advocated by the National Agency for Education (2016) that different forms of knowledge and ways of learning are used within the institutions to form a coherent whole. Based on a cultural-historical framework (Fleer, 2010; Hedegaard, 2012; Vygotsky, 1978, 1987), it is argued that if children are supported by a teacher, who mediates a cultural and historical, as well as institutional, perspective of knowledge, children may enhance their knowledge of science. Data was collected using a video-based technique called shadowing (Czarniawska 2007), and the overall study was framed within a case-study methodology. The analyzed activity show four children collaborating and exploring a range of aspects related to floating and sinking together with one teacher, acted out in a playful but focused manner. The results show that aspects such as the item, the fluid, and the way children handled the items to remove or add weight, were found important by the children. They used everyday language to talk about size, holes, weight, amount of water, and what changing preconditions would mean when different objects were placed in water. Their vocabularies were enhanced during the activity and seemed to foster emergent notions of density and Archimedes’ principle, indicating that the language used has the potential to mediate the progress of both spontaneous and scientific concepts, where scientific concepts are understood as emergent.International Research in Early Childhood Education, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 16–32

Affordances of outdoor settings for children in preschool: revisiting heft’s functional taxonomy

Heft’s functional taxonomy for children’s outdoor environment based on the concept of affordances was applied and investigated in a Danish preschool context. Affordances here refer to the meaningful action possibilities of the environment. Two groups of children (3–6 years) enrolled in preschool were observed during times for ‘free play’ in their usual outdoor settings: traditional playground and forest (12 visits, respectively). Modified classes of outdoor features are suggested along with new practical class names: open ground, sloping terrain, shielded places, rigid fixtures, moving fixtures, loose objects, loose material, water, creatures and fire. Each class is specified by distinctive and attractive key activities found by observation. Examining each class indicated that important characteristics apart from availability were variation, sizes and change. The concept of affordances emphasises the ongoing user–environment–activity relationship important for planning with children in mind, but clarification is needed when using the term.

Aggressive Behaviors of Sri Lankan Preschool Children: A Mixed Method Study

Very few studies have explored young children’s aggressive behaviors in collective cultures or in South Asian contexts. The present study reconnoitres in depth; the nature, types, prevalence and antecedents of aggressive behaviors displayed by Sri Lankan preschool children. The study was carried out in two phases using a mixed method; 1. Preschool teacher interviews (N = 23) with teachers from 14 varied preschool contexts in Sri Lanka, and 2. Observations of aggressive behaviors of 16 preschool children displaying prominent overt, and relational aggression from four varied preschool communities selected from a group of 135 children. Findings of this study make important contributions to aggressive behaviors within Sri Lankan preschool children and discuss them in the back drop of global research findings. Findings also provide new information regarding the manner in which aggression was expressed by the observed group of preschool children, labeled as ‘playful aggressive parodies’ by the author.

Bilingual preschool children’s second-language vocabulary development: The role of first-language vocabulary skills and second-language talk input

Aims: In this study, we aimed to examine whether five-year-old children with varying first-language (L1) vocabulary skills benefitted differentially from second-language (L2) teacher-led group talk and peer-play talk when acquiring L2 vocabulary in preschool contexts. Design: The participants were 26 bilingual children, speaking Turkish (L1) and Norwegian (L2), who participated in a longitudinal study. At age five, they experienced variability in the amount and diversity of the L2 talk they were exposed to in interactions with teachers and peers. Data and analysis: Preschool L2 talk exposure was assessed by calculating the density of word tokens and word types in video-taped teacher-led group talk and in peer-play talk. The children’s vocabulary skills were assessed in L1 at age five and in L2 at ages four, five, six, seven and 10, using translated versions of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-III. To obtain a more reliable estimate of the children’s L2 vocabulary skills we used data from all time points to fit a longitudinal growth model. Findings: Children with more developed L1 vocabulary skills who were exposed to teacher-led talk and peer-play talk with a high density of tokens had more developed L2 vocabulary skills at age five. This interaction effect remained after controlling for maternal education. Originality: Few previous studies, if any, have analyzed whether the interaction effects between L1 vocabulary skills and L2 exposure may impact L2 vocabulary skills; that is, whether children with more developed L1 vocabulary skills are more prepared to make use of the L2 environment. Implications: Interdependency among languages may be mediated by classroom talk quality. Rather than limiting the discussion of L1–L2 relations to issues of direct transfer, future research should include children’s experiences with using socio-pragmatic skills when interpreting word meaning.

Construcción y análisis psicométrico de una escala de competencia de interacción social en el contexto preescolar

El objetivo de esta investigación es construir y validar psicométricamente una prueba para evaluar la competencia de interacción social de niños de 3 a 6 años, en contextos preescolares. La construcción de la escala se basa en la teoría de interacción social en la infancia de Kelly (1987). La muestra la conforman 400 niños preescolares de diversos niveles socioeconómicos de Lima metropolitana. El análisis factorial arroja tres factores: Iniciativa para la interacción social, Habilidades para interactuar socialmente con sus pares y Habilidad para interactuar socialmente con la maestra. La prueba cuenta con validez de construcción y de contenido; su confiabilidad, en términos de consistencia interna, es de 0.950. Se hallan diferencias por edad y se presenta el baremo correspondiente.

La muerte en educación infantil: algunas líneas básicas de actuación para centros escolares

In this paper we approach perception and construction of death within preschool context. Despite the importance of providing our children with coping strategies, this issue has not been attended since death has become a social and educational taboo. We address theoretically this topic and propose some action lines. The action protocol of loss and grief encompasses both preventive and palliative measures, for which a good death education is paramount.

Possibilities and challenges of early critical literacy practices: Bilingual preschoolers’ exploring multiple voices and gender roles

Despite the emphasis on the significance of critical literacy, there has been a startling paucity of studies examining how critical literacy pedagogies can be implemented to preschool bilingual settings. In order to address this gap in the research, this qualitative case study examines the possibilities and challenges of critical literacy in bilingual Korean preschool contexts. Based on Freire’s notion that literacy is inherently political, this study focused on six 4-year-old Korean bilingual children’s reading of picture books during a read-aloud session at the Korean Language School in a Midwestern state. The data were collected for 5 months using multiple collection sources such as audio/video recordings, observational field notes, interviews, children’s artifacts, and an informal notebook, including memos and field jottings. Findings suggest that critical literacy helps young bilingual children to explore multiple perspectives and challenge the dominant gender ideologies. For professionals in early childhood education, the study may contribute to our understanding of the significance of critical literacy conversations with bilingual preschool children.

It’s not all about the money: media responsibility and commercial preschool television in Israel

The establishment of local television networks for preschool children since the 1990s can be conceptualized as a response to the twin dynamics of commercialization and globalization. This paper examines this response through the case of the Israeli commercial preschool channel Hop!, using media responsibility and corporate social responsibility as analytical frameworks for the network’s off-screen operations. Ethnographic research revealed three types of off-screen activities: (1) activities geared at maintaining a relationship with the public; (2) ongoing, non-publicized activities; and (3) activities responding to national emergencies, enhancing the network’s “local” image and reinforcing ties with its viewers. Together, these activities reveal the conflict between the commercial imperative for a private channel to turn a profit, and the ethical responsibilities entailed in broadcasting to children, as well as some of the advantages of local over global networks in the preschool context.

Temperament in the classroom

Based on the emotion socialization and bioecological models, the present study examined the contributions of teacher emotion socialization (i.e., teacher reactions to child emotions) on children’s social–emotional behaviors, and the moderating effect of child temperamental surgency on these relations in the preschool context. A total of 337 children and 80 teachers from private and public preschools/childcares participated in the study. To account for the nested nature of our data, hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was utilized. The results indicated that several types of teacher reactions to children’s emotions significantly predicted children’s social–emotional behaviors, after adjusting for prior levels of the behaviors. In addition, significant interactions between child surgency and teacher emotion socialization behaviors on children’s social–emotional behaviors were found. These interactions indicated that children with low surgency were more sensitive to teachers’ positive and negative socialization, compared to children with high surgency. Our results highlight the importance of discrete emotion socialization behaviors by teachers to children’s social–emotional development.

The Sensory Environment and Participation of Preschool Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Sensory processing is recognized as impacting participation for preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Little research exists to examine the impact of the sensory environment on the participation patterns of children with ASD, specifically from a contextual standpoint. The researchers in this study examined the viewpoint of teachers and occupational therapists on the sensory-related environmental barriers to participation within the preschool context. Qualitative descriptive methodology was used for data collection and analysis. Thirteen preschool teachers and occupational therapists were interviewed. Sensory aspects of the environment both inhibited and enhanced participation. Physical and temporal components of the environment are identified as being the most influential. Modifications of the environment are identified as increasing participation. It is important to consider the sensory aspects of the environment, in addition to the sensory processing patterns of the person in assessment and intervention planning within the preschool environment.

Digital Manipulatives as Scaffolds for Preschoolers’ Language Development

The study reported here aims at contributing to a deeper understanding of the educational possibilities offered by digital manipulatives in preschool contexts. It presents a study carried with a digital manipulative to enhance the development of lexical knowledge and language awareness, which are relevant language abilities for formal literacy learning. The study took place in a Portuguese preschool, with a class of 20 five-year-olds in collaboration with the teacher. The digital manipulative supported the construction of multiple fictional worlds, motivating children's verbal interactions, and the playing of words and sound games, thus contextualizing the learning of an extensive collection of vocabulary and language awareness abilities. The degree of engagement and involvement that the manipulative provided in supporting children's imaginative play as well as the imitation, in their own play, of the playful pedagogical interventions that the teacher had designed, shows the importance of well-designed materials that support a child-centered learning model. As such, it sustains a discussion on the potential of digital manipulatives to enhance fundamental language development in the preschool years. Furthermore, this paper highlights the importance of multidisciplinary teams in the creation of innovative pedagogical materials.

Moral Functioning: Navigating the Messy Landscape of Values in Finnish Preschools

ABSTRACTThis article employs a narrative approach to explore educators’ moral functioning in Finnish preschools. Our study is theoretically inspired by notions drawn from feminist and sociocultural studies, according to which education is understood as an entirely moral phenomenon. Within a holistic framework, moral functioning is understood as a concept that intertwines educators’ moral thinking, their actions, the situation, and the cultural context. The study aims to answer the question: What kind of moral functioning emerges from educators’ narratives in a Finnish preschool context? Research material was produced from four group interviews and interpreted through narrative analysis. Our findings reveal that four different moral layers evolved, overlapped, and intertwined in educators’ narratives: what works in a preschool context; what provides good for people; what the rules say; and what is possible to achieve in an educator’s position. We present these findings in detail and discuss their theoretical, methodological, and pedagogical implications.

Children’s beliefs concerning school transition

ABSTRACTThis study examines preschoolers’ beliefs concerning their transfer into primary education. Data from 1386 Finnish preschoolers were obtained using interviews with parents at the end of the children’s preschool year. The qualitative content analysis revealed categories, which encompassed peer relationships, relationship with teacher, learning, formal schoolwork, informal activities, comfortable school entry and no concerns. The results indicated that children’s beliefs concerning their prospective school entry centred on maintaining and making friendships, and that children possessed both negative and positive expectations about their relationship with their future teacher. Both girls and boys expressed concerns about managing school life. One-third of the children did not express any concerns. Children anticipated new learning experiences and were eager to meet more challenging tasks. The anticipation of positive learning encounters emphasizes the gradual, proactive construction of children’s self-conceptions as learners. Some differences were found between genders, as well as the type of preschool context.

Parents' and Professionals' Perceptions towards Support for Children with Communication Disorders in Preschool Settings in the North West Bank in Palestine: Preliminary data from the pilot study

According to the Palestinian Centre for Statistics (2013), children with communication disorders constitute the highest percentage of special educational needs in Palestine; however, there is a lack of services to support these children. The purpose of this quantitative study is to analyze how the preschools settings (private and public) in the Northern region of the West Bank, Palestine, which contains these cities and towns (Nablus, Jenin, Qalqilya, Qabatiya, Tulkarem, Salfeet, and Tubas), support children with communication disorders from the parents' and professionals' perceptions ( preschool teachers and specialists such as physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, psychologists, etc). To collect data, two questionnaires were developed, one for parents, and the other for professionals. The participants in this study were 40 parents and 44 professionals from all these regions. The researcher aimed to clarify the type of support provided for children with communication disorders in preschool contexts in Palestine, also to find out if there is a relationship between the variables of the study (gender, age, professional experience, etc) and the perceptions of parents and professionals towards the support provided in preschool settings. Preliminary data from this study will be provided.