Preschool Settings Research Articles

Effects of Tier 1 Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) on On-task Group Behavior in a Preschool Classroom.

Disruptive behaviors such as elopement, calling-out, and aggression are often a major barrier to instruction in preschool classrooms. One widely used class-wide behavior management system is Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT). To date, we could only locate two studies on CW-FIT used in preschool settings which found a therapeutic change in on-task behavior as well rates of teacher praise, teacher reprimands, student socials skills, and student problem behaviors. The current study used a withdrawal design to also evaluate the effectiveness of Tier 1 CW-FIT on on-task student behavior and teacher praise and reprimand behavior in a preschool setting during both large and small group activities. Results suggested that the implementation of the Tier 1 components of CW-FIT increased on-task group behavior in both settings. Results for rates of teacher's praise and reprimand statements were variable.

Hispanic caregivers' preferences for content, delivery methods, and sources of nutrition education from their child's preschool: Qualitative research findings.

Background: With the obesity epidemic disproportionately affecting Hispanic children and preschool being a critical period when interventions may be effective to prevent it, nutrition education interventions in the preschool setting have the potential to stem obesity's spread. However, the nutrition education needs of low-income Hispanic populations and methods of delivery of that information require further exploration as culturally tailored approaches have seen limited reach to the target audience. Aim: To explore content, delivery methods, and sources of nutrition education that Hispanic caregivers prefer to receive from their child's preschool. Methods: Qualitative interviews with 25 self-identified Hispanic caregivers (≥18 years of age) of 3- to 5-year-old children at Head Start centers in the Washington, D.C., area. Caregivers were interviewed about preferred nutrition education topics, how nutrition education should be delivered, and by whom. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis in NVivo v12. Results: Caregivers wanted to know about healthy foods and appropriate portion sizes to feed their children, fruit and vegetable feeding strategies, and how to incorporate Hispanic foods in healthy meals. Preferred delivery methods included receiving nutrition education and recipes in print and digital formats and in-person nutrition classes. Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children educators were regarded as trusted nutrition education sources. Conclusion: Tailored nutrition education messages combined with multiple delivery methods could be an effective way to reach Hispanic caregivers of preschoolers to increase their nutrition knowledge.

THE INTEGRATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND VIDEO GAMES IN PRESCHOOL EDUCATION

Our society which constantly evolves technologically, in connection with the use and presence of technological means in almost every home, has given rise to the need for inclusion and use of new technological means even in preschool education. Children from a very young age come into contact with electronic means of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), resulting in them acquiring empirically numerous skills and knowledge, even before entering preschool settings. Inevitably education has followed this social progress and development because of the great relationship that exists between them. Thus, the inclusion of ICT in education is a very important subject that constantly is put into a new perspective with constantly evolving research fields. In the present study, reference is made to the inclusion and educational use of ICT in preschool education. Evidence is presented after a literature review, which mainly concerns the effects and learning outcomes of preschool children's engagement with modern electronic media and video games.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0433/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

THE APPLICATION OF ICT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION WITH AN EMPHASIS ON MUSIC EDUCATION

This study deals with the integration of ICT in preschool settings and the use of interactive applications with an emphasis on music education. Music in early childhood has been shown to enhance children's all-around development and helps them to cultivate basic skills. At the same time, the use of ICT is now so well established in everyday life that most preschool children become familiar with these tools, which are introduced by the public system, even in preschool education. A review of the theory and literature on this subject shows that there is indeed development in the creation of such curricula for pre-schoolers and their applications appear to have positive effects.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0209/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Maternal invalidation and child RSA reactivity to frustration interact to predict teacher-reported aggression among at-risk preschoolers.

Aggression is a transdiagnostic indicator of risk and represents one of the most common reasons children are referred for mental health treatment. Theory and research highlight the impact of maternal invalidation on child aggression and suggest that its influence may vary based on differences in child physiological reactivity. Moreover, the interaction between these risk factors may be particularly pronounced among children of mothers with emotion regulation (ER) difficulties. The current study examined the independent and interactive effects of maternal invalidation and child physiological reactivity to frustration on teacher-reported aggression in an at-risk sample of preschool children. Participants included 77 mothers (Mage = 33.17 years, s.d. = 4.83; 35% racial/ethnic minority) and their children (Mage = 42.48 months; s.d. = 3.78; 56% female; 47% racial/ethnic minority). Groups of mothers with and without clinician-rated ER difficulties reported on maternal invalidation, and child respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) was assessed continuously during a frustration task as an indicator of physiological reactivity. Teachers or daycare providers reported on child aggression. Results demonstrated positive associations between maternal ER difficulties and both maternal invalidation and child RSA reactivity to frustration. As expected, the interaction between maternal invalidation and child RSA reactivity was significant, such that higher maternal invalidation and greater child RSA reactivity to frustration predicted more aggression in a daycare or preschool setting. Importantly, this effect was demonstrated while controlling for demographic covariates and baseline RSA. Findings are in line with diathesis-stress and biosocial models of risk and point to multiple targets for prevention and early intervention.

Introducing a program supporting social interactions and play in inclusive preschools in Sweden: reflections on a stepwise collaborative implementation process

ABSTRACT Studies have shown that children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) are less engaged in social interactions with peers. The study attempted to investigate how Swedish preschool teachers in inclusive preschool settings implemented an evidence-based program called Play Time/Social Time; how they interpreted children’s interaction; and how their professional experiences changed. The study was conducted in three preschools; four preschool teachers and one special educator participated. The play intervention included three children in need of special support. Data were collected through structured observations and group and individual interviews. The results show that the teachers acquired skills of implementing accrued play interventions in a preschool setting as well as increased interaction between children with special educational needs and other children. Play Time/ Social Time’s structured approach seems to be appreciated by the teachers in this study; its practice contributed to teachers’ professional development in supporting inclusion in their classroom and in joining a framework of collegial collaboration.

Yoga and Mindfulness for Social-Emotional Development and Resilience in 3-5 Year-Old Children: Non-Randomized, Controlled Intervention.

Early childhood is the key life course period for development of social-emotional skills, providing the foundation for school readiness and resilience in later life. Age-appropriate yoga and mindfulness programs may contribute to the development of critical skills in children. Young children from minoritized communities that face structural racism and health disparities may benefit from programs that support social-emotional development and contribute to future academic success. Systematic reviews of yoga interventions for young children have indicated the potential for effectiveness in supporting social-emotional development, executive function, and physical activity. However, studies of yoga and mindfulness with non-White children are sparse and, overall, the evidence base to date for such programs remains limited by non-controlled studies and the variable quality of studies evaluating programs in early childhood settings. The analysis of data from a non-randomized, controlled intervention aimed to assess the effect of exposure to a yoga and mindfulness program for early childhood development of social-emotional skills in a majority Black/African American urban preschool setting in southeastern US. Children in the intervention received group yoga and mindfulness led by a certified children's yoga teacher who also had training and experience as a school teacher. Intervention participants engaged in activities for 20 minutes once per week for 32 weeks, while the control group had no yoga. The final sample included 579 in the historical control group and 122 in the intervention group. Results indicated that children who participated in the yoga and mindfulness program had higher total protective factor (TPF) subscores on the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment over time than children who did not receive yoga and mindfulness programming, and that the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Participation in the intervention group significantly predicted increases in initiative score, self-control score, and TPF score, as well as a decrease in the behavioral concerns. School based yoga and mindfulness programming can support social-emotional skills and resilience in young children. Additional studies with larger sample sizes and randomization are needed on use of yoga and mindfulness in young children for social-emotional development, particularly for Black/African American children and others from minoritized communities.

What a cool classroom! Voices of 5-year-olds on the design of physical learning environments

Although early childhood physical learning environments are designed and organized almost entirely by adults, it is the children whose learning is affected. This exploratory study examined voices of 198 Israeli preschoolers regarding their physical learning environments (96 girls, middle socio-economic-status, mean-age 65.15 months, SD = 4.5; Israeli preschool settings encompass children aged 3–5). The study investigated preschoolers’ perceptions and preferences regarding the design and affordance of their physical learning environment and their ability to express and rationalize these preferences based on interviews conducted using the Photograph-Interview with Children (PIC) instrument, incorporating children's photography of their own preschools and examining photographs of other preschools. The findings from the interviews were analyzed using multilevel modeling analyses testing the effect of gender, non-verbal intelligence, and receptive language. Findings indicated that preschoolers have preferences regarding their physical learning environment and can verbally express, explain, and rationalize their opinions. The study mainly revealed gender-related differences in the participants' preferences: While girls significantly preferred the Home Themed Role-Play Center, boys expressed a significant preference for the Construction Center. Moreover, participants perceived their classroom design as contributing to social interaction more than to well-being and knowledge. Girls perceived their classroom design as contributing to knowledge and a sense of well-being significantly more than boys. The data analysis revealed those learning centers in which the children demonstrated a lack of interest—the Display Boards and the Science and Nature Center. These findings underscore the importance of preschoolers' voices and of the PIC instrument when designing learning environments.

Rhythm and movement delivered by teachers supports self-regulation skills of preschool-aged children in disadvantaged communities: A clustered RCT

Self-regulation skills are an important predictor of school readiness and early school achievement. Research identifies that experiences of early stress in disadvantaged households can affect young children's brain architecture, often manifested in poor self-regulatory functioning. While there are documented benefits of coordinated movement activities and music education to improve self-regulation, few interventions have focused exclusively on rhythmic movement activities within a universal preschool setting. This study investigated the effectiveness of a preschool intervention, delivered across eight weeks by generalist preschool teachers, which focused on coordinated rhythmic movement with music to improve self-regulation and executive function. The program is known as Rhythm and Movement for Self-Regulation (RAMSR). The study involved 213 children across eight preschools in disadvantaged communities. The intervention group received 16 to 20 sessions of a rhythm and movement program over eight weeks, while the control group undertook the usual preschool program. Primary outcome measures were executive function and self-regulation with secondary outcomes being school readiness and visual motor integration. Children across the study had baseline measures demonstrating substantial self-regulation and executive function challenges when compared to norms on these measures. Post intervention, significant intervention effects were found for self-regulation and importantly, fidelity and teacher report measures show that it is feasible for educators without any music background to deliver the program. These findings are important given that children from low socioeconomic backgrounds are both more likely to need support for self-regulation to support school transition and have inequitable access to quality music and movement programs. This study confirms that universal access to this beneficial approach can be created through building capacity in early childhood educators. This trial was registered pre-recruitment with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12619001342101.

The use of mathematical games in the early childhood settings in Palestine

ABSTRACT This study aims to examine how five-year-old children demonstrate their learning through mathematical games in preschool settings in Palestine. It also explored the perspectives of children and teachers of different stages of play. The sample consisted of 90 children and 6 teachers. Children were guided to a wide range of mathematical games. Children roamed freely and explored by themselves at first, and then teachers provided suitable environments and instructions to facilitate children’s experiences and learning afterward. Qualitative research methods were utilised using different research instruments, including observational notes, teacher interviews, children interviews, and reflective journals. The results show that mathematical games opened new horizons for children to investigate, discover and create mathematical concepts. It allowed children to use their creativity and develop their imagination, skilfulness, and other strengths. The children learned scientific concepts, and their problem-solving ability was enhanced and expanded. The results also indicate that teachers were able to broaden their perspectives regarding students’ learning abilities as they observed children invent their games and express their interests with limited support from their teachers. In light of these results, it is recommended that children’s learning through play should be promoted in Palestinian preschool settings.

Influence of course content on preschool teacher candidates’ classroom management strategies, professional beliefs and emotion regulation skills

It is strongly needed to enhance teacher training programs via extensive course content more specifically to improve classroom management skills of teacher candidates. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate effectiveness of an elective course grounded on various strategies and vital aspects of preventive interventions about classroom management competencies, professional beliefs, and emotion regulation skills of preschool teacher candidates. The research is a quasi-experimental field study with pretest–posttest, intervention-comparison groups design including combination of qualitative and quantitative datasets. The participant group consisted of 76 females and 4 males registered in a 4-year university degree preschool teacher training program. The intervention group received training including key aspects of social and emotional intervention programs widely used in preschool settings while the comparison group received training covering inclusive education principles and relevant practices. Findings showed a significant increase in proactive approaches and positive behavioral support rates in the intervention group, while the frequency of reactive approaches was lower than the comparison group. Contrary to expectations, we could not find any influence of the content on emotion regulation skills and teaching beliefs of the intervention group. Results show clear influence of elective course content on improved skills of preschool teacher candidates about classroom management approaches.

Dialogic Reading to Promote the Underprivileged Pre-School Children's Expressive Language Ability

Background: &#x0D; Children from low socioeconomic backgrounds in Indonesia have been facing challenges in terms of their literacy and language development. One of the possible reasons is that they are not used to receiving meaningful early reading interventions such as shared reading during their pre-school attendance. This phenomenon has brought to light the urgency of having an early intervention, which can accommodate the very diverse linguistic and cultural context of Indonesia- a multilingual and multicultural country.&#x0D; Methodology: &#x0D; This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-method research design. The first phase was conducted in a quantitative one-group pre-experiment with pre-and post-test design. The second phase of this research was carried out in a qualitative case study through classroom observation and informal interviews with the teacher and the children.&#x0D; Findings: &#x0D; The findings of MLU calculation showed that for the pre-test, the mean score was 2.35, the median was 2.20 and the standard deviation was 0.53. Meanwhile, for the post-test, the mean score was 3.72, the median was 3.18 and the standard deviation was 1.38. The qualitative phase explored two main aspects, namely the implementation of dialogic reading activity by the teacher and the teacher as well as children’s opinions regarding the dialogic reading activity.&#x0D; Conclusion: &#x0D; This current study has offered an insight that dialogic reading activity could be well implemented by the teacher in a typical Indonesian pre-school setting. The dialogic reading activity was also found to contribute significantly to the development of children’s expressive language ability.&#x0D; Originality: &#x0D; The findings of this study have indicated dialogic reading potentials in terms of promoting children’s language development and just as importantly, sparking children’s joy of reading since their early years of formal education. Therefore, it is suggested that early childhood educators and parents work hand in hand to incorporate dialogic reading activity into their daily literacy practices at schools as well as at home.

The Need for Performance Standards in Preschools: Stealing Shamelessly from Comprehensive School Mental Health Literature

Young children are at-risk for developing significant mental health difficulties just as their older, school-aged peers. Preschool settings have increasingly attempted to proactively address early childhood socioemotional needs by expanding their prevention and intervention activities. A number of emerging best practices in promoting early childhood mental health have been proposed. However, there are no comprehensive performance standards for preschool mental health and limited guidance on how preschools can align themselves with best practices. This expansion in service scope parallels the development of Comprehensive School Mental Health Systems in K-12 schools. Resources and tools developed for K-12 educational settings may serve as a useful example for preschool mental health systems interested in quality comprehensive mental health care. This conceptual article will describe the prevalence of mental health difficulties in young children, review the current guidance on supporting mental health in young children, and provide support for adapting widely used K-12 school mental health performance standards to establish comprehensive standards for organizing and implementing high quality care systems in preschool settings.

The Effect of Teacher-Child Interaction Training (TCIT) on Children who are Exhibiting Disruptive Behaviors within the Classroom Setting

The current study examined the impact of Teacher- Child Interaction Training (TCIT) on child behavior, teacher-student relationships, and teacher satisfaction within a general preschool setting utilizing a three-tiered approach. Participants included three preschool children without clinical diagnoses. A single subject nonconcurrent multiple baseline design was utilized across participants. Results suggest that TCIT is effective in reducing disruptive behaviors within the classroom and successful in improving the teacher-student relationship. TCIT is also considered socially valid based on teacher responses, which indicate that the intervention is acceptable and feasible within the general preschool classroom setting.

Outside the Backdoor: Entrepreneurship, Field Experience and Preservice Teachers

This research is to share qualitative data of one preservice teacher, and one early childhood entrepreneur, who educated young children in an exclusive outdoor preschool.The study was conducted in a rural community where most preschools were held in the traditional venue-inside. The Coronavirus-19 pandemic presented many obstacles to the placement of preservice teachers in an appropriate early childhood setting. The university discouraged all direct contact with children. Instead, preservice teachers were expected to view videos of veteran teachers, who in former years, submitted teaching videos to obtain a “National Boards Certification.” The objective was that the preservice teachers would “reflect” and learn from the electronic source. This electronic substitution was unacceptable to the researcher. Practicum experiences allow for rich collaboration between preservice teacher and child. Electronic sources can never replicate the rich learning that happens during an authentic face-to face encounter with a child. Thus, the vision for the study was born.As an alternative to exclusive electronic learning, the preservice university supervisor initiated the opportunity for preservice teachers to participate with a local entrepreneur who was in the process of designing and implementing an exclusive outdoor school. Nature and environmental field experience opportunities for preservice teachers are promising alternatives to the traditional preschool setting. Venues that encourage nature and environmental studies enhance early childhood programs and create opportunities for preservice teachers, and the children they serve, to appreciate the nature around them enhancing their natural curiosity and investigative skills to seek, study, and share. This research article shares the reflections of both the preschool entrepreneur as well as the preservice teacher. It is a pragmatic description of how the exclusive outdoor environment is feasible and presents the challenges and assets that the environmental venue provides.

How young children’s play is shaped through common iPad applications: a study of 2 and 4–5 year-olds

ABSTRACT Digital devices such as iPads are prevalent in children’s play from an early age. How this shapes young children’s play is an area of considerable debate without any clear consensus on how different forms of play are brought into the iPad interaction. In this study, we examined 98 play activities of children in two preschool settings, featuring 2 and 4–5-year-olds, their play with iPads and non-digital artefacts. Three analytical approaches were used: an index built on a digital play framework [Bird, Jo, and Susan Edwards. 2015. “Children Learning to Use Technologies Through Play: A Digital Play Framework.” British Journal of Educational Technology 46 (6): 1149–1160. doi:10.1111/bjet.12191 ], a quantitative description of the index, and a qualitative interaction analysis of children’s play. Results show how play with iPads is characterised as less ludic than play with other artefacts, and diverges from the age-typical norms of play. We discuss what these results might mean for children’s play in contemporary early childhood settings and for children’s learning.

Encouraging and assessing preschool children’s musical creativity

ABSTRACT Although recognising multiple creativities as an interdisciplinary and contemporary approach to creativity represents the basic opportunity for future change, the assessment of children’s musical creativity is a problematic and insufficiently explored area. The paper discusses the problem of encouraging and assessing the creative musical potential of preschool children using the adopted Measures of Creativity in Sound and Music – MCSM. Considering the inappropriateness of assessing children’s creative musical potential with numerical indicators, the research was focused on the method of participatory observation of fluency and imagination in making sounds and music. The research included 25 children aged 5–6 years in a preschool setting within an ethnographic practice-based methodology. The reactions of children to activities were varied but each child reacted to some of the conducted activities. In addition to the confirmed giftedness of one girl, the musical potential and musical giftedness of one boy were discovered, which was further confirmed by the state of flow during the activities. It was concluded that well-designed and stimulating musical activities can encourage children’s musical creativity and contribute to the recognition of their musical potential and giftedness.

Neighborhood matters: Neighborhood violence, collective efficacy, and social emotional development in early childhood

Exposure to community violence has been associated with a range of negative behavioral outcomes among school-age children and adolescents; yet there is limited evidence in the preschool setting. In the current study we examined the association between objective and parent-perceived neighborhood safety, and perceived collective efficacy, on behavioral concerns of children aged 3–5 enrolled at an early childhood school in New Orleans, Louisiana, from 2014 to 19 (n = 165). Teachers collected data on outcome measures of child social emotional well-being in the classroom setting. A parent survey included data on residential address, how safe they felt in their neighborhood, and perceived collective efficacy. Addresses were geocoded and linked by Census tract number to data on violent crime rates (per 1,000 tract residents). Associations between neighborhood violent crime, perceived safety, perceived collective efficacy, and child social emotional development were assessed with generalized estimating equations. After mutually adjusting for perceived neighborhood safety and violent crime rate, children of parents with the lowest perceived neighborhood collective efficacy had similar findings: children of parents that perceive the neighborhood as unsafe had a lower attachment (β = −6.55, 95 % CI 1.44, 11.66) and protective score (β = −4.51, 95 % CI 0.89–8.13) and a 10-unit increase in violent crime was associated with a decrease in attachment score (β = −2.77, 95 % CI −4.22, −1.32). Overall, child attachment and protective scores were significantly associated with perceived unsafe neighborhoods and violent crime, and the relationship was moderated by perceived neighborhood efficacy. These findings suggest a negative impact of perceived neighborhood safety and protective impact of collective efficacy on early childhood social emotional development.

How Does the Amount of a Physical Education Intervention Affect Gross Motor Coordination in Early Childhood?

Little is known about the dose-response of physical education interventions on motor coordination in preschoolers. Our aim was to investigate whether the development of motor skills changed depending on different amounts of a physical education program (PEP) in children aged 3-5 years. One hundred forty-five children were recruited from kindergartens and randomly divided into a control group (CG, n = 28), which did not perform any PEP, and two intervention groups, which performed 4 h/week (I1, n = 78) and 10 h/week (I2, n = 39) of a PEP for 16 weeks. Each lesson was set in the form of a programmed game in order to produce fun, thus increasing enthusiasm for participation. Before and after the intervention, locomotor and object control skills and the gross motor development quotient were assessed with the Italian version of the gross motor development test. Both intervention groups showed a significant increase in the motor skills compared with the control group. Moreover, the level of performance was significantly higher after 10 h/week compared to 4 h/week. These findings can be useful for standardizing PEPs in preschool settings so that they can be applied by teachers for planning effective programs for developing motor skills in early childhood.

Perspectives Relating to Multicultural Training With Speech-Language Pathologists

Purpose: The goal of this project was to assess whether speech-language pathologists (SLPs) feel adequately prepared and comfortable interacting with multicultural clients. To determine whether an SLP feels prepared to interact with, to assess, to teach, or to treat a multicultural client, a 25-question survey was developed and administered. Method: The survey included questions pertaining to the SLPs' experiences with other cultures, both professional and personal, if the SLP speaks more than one language, and if the SLP has received any formal training on how to interact with multicultural clients. The survey was sent out via e-mail to 814 licensed SLPs practicing in preschool, elementary, and secondary school settings in Mississippi and Alabama. A total of 38 surveys were returned, and 36 complete responses were obtained. Results: Preliminary results indicated that many SLPs received minimal multicultural training and felt prepared to work with multicultural clients based on personal and professional experiences; however, they also believed that they could benefit from additional formal multicultural training. Conclusions: Surveyed SLPs do not report receiving adequate training for serving multicultural clients. Many reported that they would benefit from additional formal training in multiculturalism to better serve clients. Further research is indicated to determine the effectiveness of graduate-level training in multiculturalism.