Children Of Primary Age Research Articles

Editorial - ICPE 2022 Part 5

This collection of papers represents the fifth part of the collection from the International Conference on Physics Education, which was held in December 2022. This collection addresses a range of topics in techniques for teaching physics and astronomy as well as how to measure student learning. Two of the papers included in this issue focus on developing teaching tools to support physics and astronomy learning in a range of contexts. Fernandes et al describe an international project to develop an innovative approach to teaching astronomy to primary-aged children. They show that having students engage in scaffolded observations of the night sky can support students’ learning and teachers’ confidence in astronomy and provide an exemplar of translating resources for multiple cultural contexts. Jangia and Haverlíková demonstrate that adapting the card game Dixit for classroom use can encourage students to make connections across physics concepts in a fun and engaging way. The other three papers in this collection focus on approaches to understanding student learning, including that of preservice teachers. Belíssimo and Nardi developed a longitudinal approach to understanding the impact of preservice teachers’ education on their epistemology of science and their teaching identities. Intakaew and Wattanakasiwich explore how to use RapidMiner, a data mining tool, to identify patterns in students’ answers to a concept inventory. Kota and colleagues detail their development of a survey tool to measure student engagement in science laboratories by examining motivations, emotions, and use of resources. Taken together, these papers offer new insights into approaches for teaching and research approaches in physics and astronomy. I offer my thanks to all authors and reviewers for their work.

Child-Directed Healing Play and student–teacher relationships. Evaluating a promising practice among primary-aged children in Zimbabwe

This mixed methods study evaluates the effectiveness of Child-Directed Healing Play (CDHP) in improving student–teacher relationships in 7 Private Primary Schools in Zimbabwe. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) questionnaires were administered to 31 trained teachers. Sixty-two children (22 girls and 40 boys) aged between 3 and 12, from ECD to Grade 7 were screened using the Youth Outcome Questionnaires (YOQ) completed by parents. Thirty-one children were assigned into intervention group (IG) and 31 in control group (CG). Quantitative data were gathered at two points in time: prior to the intervention (pre-test) and after the completion of the intervention (post-test) using the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS) Short Form. Qualitative data were collected using CDHP Session Evaluation Forms. Results showed that 32 % of teachers had 0 ACEs while 40 % had 1 to 2 and 28 % had 3–5 ACEs. The p-values for the “Closeness” and “Conflict” variables were 0.05355 and 0.1378 respectively, indicating the intervention may have improved the “Closeness” and reduced the “Conflict” in the relationships, although the results did not reach statistical significance. Qualitative findings reveal the effectiveness of CDHP in improving closeness through establishment of therapeutic relationships characterised by increased openness, trust, emotional regulation and mutual understanding. The improved closeness between the teacher and student is reflective of the intervention’s potential to be both curative and preventive (resilience-building).

Unlocking the forest: An ethnographic evaluation of Forest Schools on developmental outcomes for 3-year-olds unaccustomed to woodland spaces.

Early years experiences shape a child's physical, cognitive and emotional development. Spending time in greenspaces offers benefits for children's development, but access and use can be limited in urban settings. There is increasing interest in the health and developmental benefits of Forest Schools for primary-aged children, but little is known about the benefits for pre-school children. This study aims to identify these and explore the processes and activities associated with a Forest School intervention for early years children that may influence outcomes. This paper reports on an ethnographic approach involving 65 hours of observations with two cohorts of 10 3-year-olds attending 11 weekly Forest School sessions in an urban setting. The children attending had little or no previous experience of natural spaces. 14 in-depth interviews were conducted with parents, and nursery and Forest School staff. The data were analysed using thematic analysis, and outcomes were identified using the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework. Despite logistical challenges, the intervention benefitted age-specific health and development outcomes, particularly personal, socio- and emotional development, verbal communication, and mathematics. Unexpected benefits were observed among nursery staff and parents attending Forest School. Forest Schools are a promising and feasible method to improve nature connectedness and development in children aged 3 years and support school readiness. The maintenance and protection of urban woodland spaces are paramount to facilitate this.

Lessons learned from remote, early-literacy instruction

The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly shifted primary-grade literacy instruction which had rarely been implemented online before the pandemic. Remote early literacy instruction is thus an emerging field of research, and research is needed to understand the affordances and limitations of this crisis-driven instruction and how it may inform early literacy instruction moving forward, both in remote and traditional settings. This mixed methods case study examined how 106 novice primary-grade teachers in the United States implemented literacy instruction in the remote platform during the COVID-19 pandemic with a desire to understand both successful and challenging literacy practices. The main data sources entailed 106 teacher interviews conducted using a semi-structured interview protocol and teacher self-ratings of their implementation of evidence-based literacy practices. Qualitative analyses of teachers’ perspectives yielded findings that remote early literacy instruction increased the involvement of families, required teachers to navigate multiple boundaries to implement literacy instruction, remote instruction was most conducive to teacher-led literacy instruction, and resulted in teachers’ difficulty knowing and addressing children’s literacy needs. Quantitative data analysis of Likert-scale questions about teachers’ early literacy instructional practices revealed teachers reported their highest quality literacy instructional practices as read alouds, collaboration with children’s families, and building an effective learning community for remote literacy instruction. Teachers rated their remote implementation of writing instruction, literacy assessment processes, and differentiation of literacy instruction as lower quality. The findings add to the literature by providing an in-depth understanding of remote early literacy instruction, successes and challenges reported by teachers providing literacy instruction to primary-aged children, and implications for post-pandemic instruction.

Cost-utility analysis of Social Stories™ for children with autism spectrum disorder in mainstream primary schools: results from a randomised controlled trial.

One in 57 children are diagnosed with autism in the UK, and the estimated cost for supporting these children in education is substantial. Social Stories™ is a promising and widely used intervention for supporting children with autism in schools and families. It is believed that Social Stories™ can provide meaningful social information to children that can improve social understanding and may reduce anxiety. However, no economic evaluation of Social Stories has been conducted. To assess the cost-effectiveness of Social Stories through Autism Spectrum Social Stories in Schools Trial 2, a multi-site, pragmatic, cluster-randomised controlled trial. Children with autism who were aged 4-11 years were recruited and randomised (N = 249). Costs measured from the societal perspective and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) measured by the EQ-5D-Y-3L proxy were collected at baseline and at 6-month follow-up for primary analysis. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated, and the uncertainty around incremental cost-effectiveness ratios was captured by non-parametric bootstrapping. Sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the robustness of the primary findings. Social Stories is likely to result in a small cost savings (-£191 per child, 95% CI -767.7 to 337.7) and maintain similar QALY improvements compared with usual care. The probability of Social Stories being a preferred option is 75% if society is willing to pay £20 000 per QALY gained. The sensitivity analysis results aligned with the main study outcomes. Compared with usual care, Social Stories did not lead to an increase in costs and maintained similar QALY improvements for primary-aged children with autism.

PENGUATAN INTEGRITAS PANCASILA DAN TOLERANSI BERAGAMA PADA ANAK USIA PENDIDIKAN DASAR

ABSTRACT; Integrity is a concrete step in forming a positive personality, one of which is an attitude of honesty. Integrity is needed to strengthen character development based on the values, norms and philosophical meaning of Pancasila as the state ideology. The focus of this research is on steps to emphasize the integrity of Pancasila which is emphasized on children of primary education age who are in the school environment, family environment or community environment. Instilling Pancasila integrity is very important as a way to foster religious tolerance as early as possible in children's interactions with their friends. The formulation of the problem in this research is first, what are the steps to strengthen the integrity of Pancasila in elementary school age children?; secondly, how can the integrity of Pancasila contribute to attitudes of religious tolerance in elementary school age children? The research method uses descriptive qualitative, namely in the form of comprehensive information collection. The results of the research show that the manifestation of an attitude of Pancasila integrity in religious tolerance among children of elementary school age can be done by respecting friends of different religions, working together to maintain the cleanliness of the classroom and the surrounding environment, and helping each other and prioritizing common interests.

Distress, waitlists and unmet needs: parents’ reports of child psychological difficulties in Aotearoa New Zealand

ObjectiveDemand for children’s mental health services has increased in New Zealand, yet little is known of young children’s experience of psychological difficulties and treatment. This study investigated psychological symptoms and treatment experiences among primary-aged children. MethodAn online survey of parents assessed children’s anxiety, depression, attentional, emotional, conduct and peer problems, and experiences seeking psychological treatment. ResultsBased on 382 parental reports, between 24.9 and 34.6% of children experienced abnormal-range symptoms. Older children had higher distress, depression, and anxiety. Boys had more conduct, hyperactivity, and peer problems. Ethnicity was not associated with the incidence of symptoms, but parents of Pākeha/European children reported greater impact than Māori parents. One-third of children had been referred for assessment; more often older children, and those with higher hyperactivity, impact, and anxiety. Parents reported difficulties accessing assessment, common barriers included waitlists (53%), cost (43%), and not knowing who to contact (36%). Following intervention, only 51% of parents reported improvements. ConclusionNZ primary-aged children are experiencing more symptoms of psychological distress than previously reported and extensive difficulties accessing treatment. Implications for Public HealthThere is a need for further screening and increased access to treatment to prevent worsening mental health outcomes in children.

Children’s and parents’ perspectives of their multiple and multi-dimensional international transitions: Longitudinal study across four time points

Existing literature presents a fragmented and negative account of international family transitions. This longitudinal study focuses on the contemporaneous experiences of internationally mobile families during their transitions to a new country and international school, drawing on Multiple and Multi-dimensional Transitions (MMT) Theory. The study adopted a small-scale, multiple case study design and focused on the experiences of primary aged children and their parents over the period of one year from July 2019 to July 2020. The findings, presented here as a cross-section, revealed that participants navigated multiple, complex transitions across several domains and contexts on a daily basis and that their transition experiences were largely positive. This study challenges previous chronological models of international transitions and demonstrates that through the application of MMT theory, international family transitions are best understood as ongoing, complex, and multi-dimensional processes.

Do children have a right to do nothing? Exploring the place of passive leisure in Australian school age care

In 2021, the Australian Government commissioned a review and update of My Time Our Place, its curriculum framework for School-Age Care services for primary-age children. One update trialled was the introduction of passive leisure. Whilst children’s passive use of leisure time is recognised as a right, it is often problematised and associated with negative health outcomes. This article explores a trial of passive leisure provision. It provides hopeful evidence that passive leisure spaces can be interactive, conversational and restful.

How useful is religious language for expressing children’s spiritual concepts?

ABSTRACT Previous studies noted that primary-aged children (5–11) were reluctant to use religious vocabulary for expressing spiritual concepts. This study explores if that was due to the difficulty of using religious words, or if religious language itself is less useful than other styles for expressing spiritual concepts. Children were presented with a story character who responds to life situations by praying in various styles. The children could choose which prayer they preferred, selecting from formal, poetic, natural or simple prayers. The first style employed religious language, the second had the cadences and literary metre of storybooks, the third mimics the speech of parents and the fourth seeks to emulate children’s own voices. Statistical analysis revealed that: children liked ‘special’ (but not necessarily religious) and ordinary language equally; their preferences were not dependent on comprehension; adult leaders mis-understood children’s preferences; formal language was strongly preferred for a particular situation; the children expressed complex attitudes towards God more than the adults. The paper concludes by suggesting practical applications of the findings and possible modifications of our theology of childhood.

Free School Meals Extension to all 4-11 year olds in primary education in Wales

Abstract There were 272,339 primary age students in Wales in April 2021, of whom 63,614 (23%) were entitled to free school meals. Free school meals (FSMs) are currently means tested in Wales. Estimates suggest around 40,000 children in primary education may be currently living in poverty but are not eligible for a free school meal .Free school meals have been available to all children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 in England since 2014. Wales does not currently have universal provision to children in any school year. However, Welsh Government committed to this for 2023/4. Steered by a Task and Finish Group, a comprehensive mixed-method HIA was conducted over a six month period in 2022-23. A comprehensive database search of peer-reviewed and grey literature published in the ten years to 2021 identified evidence relating to the impacts on health, educational attainment and household socioeconomic outcomes of making school meals free to all primary age children compared with no or means-tested provision. Routine data sources and school census data were analysed to contextualise evidence in relation to Wales. This evidence was supplemented with interviews and data provided by cross sector stakeholders. The HIA identified significant potential impacts across the determinants of health, including impacts across population groups such as children in working families on low incomes, mental well-being and food behaviours. School food policy and provision, length of lunchtimes and implementation were identified as key pathways for health impacts. For example, a strong theme was that current provision is often experienced as stressful, with requirements for rapid turnaround limiting opportunities to socialise and enjoy meals and wider opportunities to play during lunch hours constricted. The report was used to inform the Health and Education ministers who approved the extension and the implementation of the offer. The unique HIA has transferrable learning for others. Key messages • This work has demonstrated the value of evidence based HIA on government policy and has enhanced implementation plans. • Free school meals for children can promote better health and educational and mental wellbeing outcomes.

Spatial–temporal enactments of home-schooling among low-income families of primary-aged children

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on spatial–temporal enactments of home-schooling among low-income families of primary-aged children in England. COVID-19 re-set boundaries and spaces of formal education for children across the globe, bringing it directly into homes and shifting the involvement of parents/carers in their children’s education. In England, “home-school” engagement was brought into sharp focus as “home” became a more visible quasi-public space through which multiple government COVID-19 policies were enacted. Despite emerging literature on home-schooling during the pandemic, voices of parents and children from low-income families have been little heard. Here we take a critical family approach and draw on interviews with low-income families to understand how education was negotiated, enacted and reconfigured within the home during the pandemic. Drawing on literatures relating to policy enactment, carescapes and home-school engagement, we offer unique insight into spatial and temporal constraints of the everyday and the necessary reconstitution of wholescale policy enactment among low-income families.

‘Just let them have a say!’ Students’ perspective of student voice pedagogies in primary physical education

ABSTRACT While student voice pedagogies have been cited as a powerful educational tool in engaging children in the learning process, the perspectives of primary-aged children on using these pedagogies as part of everyday practice need to be considered. Within this research, student voice pedagogies were implemented as part of one teacher’s regular primary physical education (PE) practice and children’s perspectives of these pedagogies were explored. Qualitative data were collected from two consecutive cohorts of children (n = 39) over a 6-month and 9-month period respectively. Data sources included the children’s written entries in their PE scrapbooks, along with transcripts from focus group interviews (n = 4, with 16 total participants) and a teacher-led classroom discussion (n = 1). Findings show that providing children with space to share their input, along with the appropriate information to inform their voices is important to the children. Offering choices and opportunities for the children to direct their learning experiences greatly mattered to how they experienced PE. These findings illustrate the value of student voice pedagogies as everyday practice to the quality of children’s experiences in physical education. The merits of listening to student perspectives on student voice to ensure these pedagogies add value is highlighted.

Raising ‘True Believers’: Anti-Abortion ‘Education’ for Primary Children in the UK

In the UK, the vast majority of people accept abortion, whether or not they are religious. Holding an absolutist anti-abortion view is out of line with the general population. The overwhelming majority of anti-abortion activists are motivated by conservative Christian religious beliefs, not necessarily shared by others in their faith communities. Their minority position, and ageing population, poses issues for the continuance of the anti-abortion movement, creating a need for specific anti-abortion religious socialisation that is unavailable elsewhere. Drawing on data from a longitudinal ethnographic study of anti-abortion activism, this article highlights the ways in which anti-abortion activists seek to develop anti-abortion values among primary-aged children. It illustrates their conflict between the need to develop a strong anti-abortion identity and involving children in potentially controversial discussions on abortion. We use the framework of lived religion to argue that, while much attention has been given to the concerns about children in minority religions, this has resulted in a lack of attention to the diversity of practices within mainstream religious communities, and how controversial forms of socialisation are managed.

‘On the high street’ tuition for primary-aged children in London: Critiquing discourses of accessibility, attainment and assistance.

ABSTRACT Private tuition, often referred to as ‘shadow education’, is commercially provided, supplementary education which has been variously constructed to support children in their academic abilities. As growing numbers of children are engaging with tuition, it is receiving greater scrutiny and scholarly attention. This paper explores the growth and role of commercial tuition centres for primary-aged children. Such centres, which operate ‘on the high street’, are not a new phenomenon, but their expansion and assertive commercialisation is notable. With attention to managers’ and tutors’ perspectives, we interrogate the positioning of these services and critically analyse the discursive construction of three ‘As’ of their offer: accessibility of service, promise of enhanced attainment, and assistance with learning. In so doing, tuition centres lead the (re)positioning of private tuition as highly visible private businesses, located within and amongst other commercial enterprises, with an emerging focus on younger children, and are worthy of further research.

Индивидуальный подход при обучении в группе навыкам социального поведения дошкольников с РАС в структуре тяжелых множественных нарушений развития

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Objectives. </strong>The significant heterogeneity of mental disorders in children with severe multiple developmental dis­orders (SMDD) makes the development of the unified methods of psycho-educational support comprehensive issue. The goal of the article is to report the results of group social adaptation training in children of primary preschool age with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and SMDD. Training was aimed at the development of social behavior skills with individualization of approach and differentiation of tasks for each child.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Methods. </strong>Article presents the procedure of the development of the social behavior in children from 3 to 8 years old in groups of short-term stay at the Center for Curative Pedagogics of the Pskov Region. Group work is based on the principles of a child-centered approach and the use of Special Individual Development Programs (SIDP). Methods of observation, differentiation of tasks were used to identify the individual characteristics of the child. The subject-activity approach as a special method of the development of social behavior skills was also used.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Results. </strong>The individualization of the general tasks of the SIDP which showed by the cases allows to set up specific goals for each of the participants. As a result of the individualization of tasks, a pronounced positive rehabilitation and developmental effect was observed. The reported result became possible by the step-by-step development of social behavior skills in all types of interaction between the teacher and the child.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Conclusions. </strong>This work demonstrates the comprehensive character of providing an individual educational track for each child. Such characteristics as the interests of participants, their opportunities and abilities and developmental aspects, manifested in a group session are declared as the important for the SIPD individualization. The importance of setting of a small, achievable goals to increase individual dynamics in the development of social skills is emphasized</p>

Родительская компетентность: влияние родительского отношения к ребенку на протекание кризиса трех лет

<p>The formation of the pedagogical competence of parents will be successful if the families of the pupils of the preschool educational institution are working to meet the needs of parents in obtaining pedagogical knowledge and skills related to the upbringing of children in the family. However, a differentiated approach will be used in the identification of needs. This article is aimed at confirming this hypothesis. The authors used theoretical (study of pedagogical, psychological and methodological literature) and empirical (selection of diagnostic tools, diagnostic examination, survey of parents and teachers of preschool educational institutions, quantitative and qualitative data processing) methods. As a result of the work carried out, the program “Parental Competence: the impact of parental attitude towards the child on the course of the crisis of three years” was drawn up, which includes: a plan of work with teachers on a differentiated approach in communicating with the parents of pupils; a plan of work with parents to improve the level of pedagogical competence of parents raising children of primary preschool age - based on a differentiated approach. The paper presents the results of an empirical study in which 24 people participated (parents of pupils from the second junior group of the preschool educational institution).</p>

THE PROBLEM OF ADAPTATION OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN FOR A PRESCHOOL INSTITUTION

The problem of adaptation of the child in kindergarten is still rather relevant. Despite the fact that the issue was raised by the classics of preschool pedagogy and psychology (Rubinshtein, 1957; Aksarina, 1977; Bure, 2014; Bozhovich, 1967), there are currently no answers to several important questions related to adaptation in general and to the adaptation of children. This is due to the complexity and diversity of the adaptation mechanism inherent in all living beings. The process of adaptation studied by different sciences affects different levels of adaptation to changing environmental conditions: from cells to society.In relation to a preschool child, it is important to determine the structure of the adaptation process, including such diverse phenomena as the nature of sleep, nutrition, health indicators, emotional state, as well as attitudes towards relatives and alien adults and children, the ability to actively act in a new social environment. The idea of this study grew out of the need to hierarchize the child's individual ways of responding to a new environment and to determine the sequence and timing of normative adaptation. Currently, there are very different assessments of the ability of a preschool child to be included in a social environment that is conditionally unfamiliar to him.Firstly, most authors consider the adaptation period to be extremely painful and difficult for a child, in which he is able to receive a load of difficult experiences and health disorders. The severity of the process is often estimated by the level of morbidity in children during the period of adaptation. Secondly, the course of the adaptation process itself is determined from 2 weeks to six months. Also, the specifics of children of different ages getting used to kindergarten, as well as the time when the beginning of his attending is the most favorable, has not been studied.The aim of the study is to determine the structure of the process of adaptation of children of primary preschool age in a kindergarten.

‘I am not a teacher!’ The challenges of enacting home schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic among low-income families of primary-aged children

ABSTRACT This paper examines the policy enactments of education and care during the COVID-19 pandemic to understand the unique challenges facing low-income families in England as they sought to navigate this exceptional period of time. The global pandemic was a challenging time for all families as all but key worker parents/carers of primary school age children (5–11) were forced to become their child’s educator. But the effects were experienced very differently by diverse socio-economic groups. Taking an interpretive approach based on the auto-biographical reflections of six low-income families located in the Greater London area, we carried out online family interviews using zoom to examine the problems created by government policy guidance in England during 2020–2021. The interviews were semi-structured to ensure space and coverage for the participants to share their unique experiences. Using policy-enactment theory, we add to existing knowledge of the impact of COVID-19 on low-income families by analysing the effects of enacting care and education on daily life, rhythms and routines. The intersections between gender and social class are also explored to show the disproportionate impact on women.

Internalization of Religious Values for Elementary-Age Children in Integrated Islamic Elementary School

Elementary-age children are the "reflection of Indonesia" of the future. This age phase is the generation of Indonesian human resources (HR) at the golden age of 1 century of independence. Not only intellectually, but children of primary age are also expected to have skills and character, including religious values. This paper aims to analyze the internalization of religious values for elementary-age children with a research background at Islamic elementary school at Biak Muli Kutacane, Aceh Tenggara. This research uses a qualitative approach with a case study method. The data were collected by using interviews, observation and documentation techniques. Furthermore, data analysis was carried out using data reduction techniques, data display and drawing conclusions. The data validity test used the triangulation technique. The results of this study indicate that the internalization of religious values for elementary-age children at Islamic elementary school is classified into 3 (three) parts, namely Tahfiz Alquran, Clothing, and Religious.