Way For Young Children Research Articles

Guided Drawing with Preschool Dual Language Learners in Head Start: Building Science Vocabulary and Content Knowledge

Drawing offers a way for young children to demonstrate what they understand about the world. This study reports on the findings from an eight-week intervention program called guided drawing designed to build vocabulary and content knowledge for dual language learners in Head Start settings. Four researcher-designed assessment measures were used to assess thirteen preschoolers’ vocabulary and concept knowledge at the receptive, expressive, and definitional levels in a pre/post-intervention design. Analysis of researcher-designed measures reveals positive changes in all vocabulary and concept knowledge areas targeted by the intervention. Thematic analysis of researcher–child interactions and drawing products indicates the guided drawing intervention provided opportunities and context for every participating child to explore new content and concepts related to science learning; reveal what they know; grow knowledge and vocabulary; reveal misunderstandings; and overhear and adopt new language.

The Influence of Number Dice Games in Improving Early Childhood Mathematical Logic in Early Childhood Education

Purpose of the study: The aim of this research is to determine the effect of the number dice game in improving the mathematical logic intelligence of young children in Early Childhood Education.
 Methodology: The method used in this research is quantitative with an experimental research design, the sampling technique is purposive sampling, with post test and pre test research instruments, the data analysis used is inferential statistics.
 Main Findings: The results of this research show that Early Childhood Education Teachers use the number dice game media used in mathematics learning, which is a game that children like because it is very easy and interesting to play. In order to stimulate various areas of development such as cognitive, language and social. Social skills trained in this game include the willingness to follow and obey the rules of the game, playing in turns. Mathematical cognitive skills that are stimulated are stating the order of numbers, recognizing number symbols and number concepts.
 Novelty/Originality of this study: The use of a number dice game introduces a novel and engaging way for young children to interact with mathematical concepts. It offers an enjoyable learning experience that can potentially enhance children's motivation and interest in mathematics, establishing a positive foundation for learning.

Math Storytelling in PK–2 Classrooms

Mathematical storytelling is a way for young children to make connections between mathematics and their lives. The practices of using equations and materials are shared as sparks for mathematical storytelling.

Neurocomputational mechanisms of young children's observational learning of delayed gratification.

The ability to delay gratification is crucial for a successful and healthy life. An effective way for young children to learn this ability is to observe the action of adult models. However, the underlying neurocomputational mechanism remains unknown. Here, we tested the hypotheses that children employed either the simple imitation strategy or the goal-inference strategy when learning from adult models in a high-uncertainty context. Results of computational modeling indicated that children used the goal-inference strategy regardless of whether the adult model was their mother or a stranger. At the neural level, results showed that successful learning of delayed gratification was associated with enhanced interpersonal neural synchronization (INS) between children and the adult models in the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex but was not associated with children's own single-brain activity. Moreover, the discounting of future reward's value obtained from computational modeling of the goal-inference strategy was positively correlated with the strength of INS. These findings from our exploratory study suggest that, even for 3-year-olds, the goal-inference strategy is used to learn delayed gratification from adult models, and the learning strategy is associated with neural interaction between the brains of children and adult models.

Sand tray interviews:

This article presents the “sand tray interview” as a method developed to help researchers interview young children on sensitive topics. Earlier studies have often refrained from interviewing young children on sensitive matters due to their difficulties in such research. This article details how sand tray interviews can be a safe and engaging way for young children to explore painful topics, such as parental bereavement. Based on our application, we discuss the development of the method and debate the applications, strengths, and limitations.

"Intolerance of uncertainty" mediates the relationship between social profile and anxiety in both Williams syndrome and autism.

Anxiety is the most significant mental health concern for both Williams syndrome (WS) and autism. Whilst WS and autism are characterized by some syndrome-specific social differences, less is known about cross-syndrome profiles of anxiety symptoms. Previous research has shown that Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) is a core mechanism of anxiety maintenance for clinically anxious populations and for autistic children, adolescents, and adults. The only published study in this area for WS has shown some similar patterns-with an added emphasis on the role of sensory sensitivities-in a sample of older teens and adults (mean age=24), with the authors highlighting the need for younger samples to consider developmental influences. Here we report a cross-syndrome, cross-sectional mediation analyses of children diagnosed with WS or autism, including data from parent surveys of 90 children with WS (n=48) or autism (n=42). Group differences showed higher trait levels on all measures for the autism group. Importantly, the relationship between social profile and anxiety was fully mediated by IU level for both groups. This suggests possible similar core mechanisms underlying anxiety in these conditions, and the possibility of generalized intervention approaches especially related to managing distress related to uncertainty in multiple contexts. LAY SUMMARY: Autism and Williams Syndrome share some similarities in social profile and also in anxiety traits, but there are also some key differences as well. Comparing them side-by-side at the same time improved identification of ways to reduce feelings of anxiety. We found that the intolerance of uncertainty affected the relationship between social profile and anxiety in the same way for young children diagnosed with autism or Williams syndrome, meaning that intervention approaches could be similar for both.

An Ethnographic Study: The Role of “Play” in the Development of English Listening and Speaking Ability of Two Chinese Children in a Multilingual Setting

Much scholarship on “play” activities has focused on enhancing children’s learning processes and developing interest towards learning second language (Nair, Yusof, Arumugam, 2014). Many of these studies, however, adopt the survey to conduct their study. This study explored how “play with local kids” activities effect the development of English speaking and listening of two Chinese children in the Philippines, employing an ethnographically based approach to observe the two participants playing with local kids, which lasted about 4 months. The findings of the study revealed that “play” activities can not only help young children have a better understanding of their English conversations, and make them have more confidence to speak English, but also inspire them to speak English in such environment. In view of the results, it is obvious that “play with local kids” is a very good way for young children to acquire a second language in a multilingual setting. It is strongly recommended that language researchers and teachers should pay more attention and do more research on the relationship between “play” and second language acquisition.

Assessing Young Children's Learning: Using Critical Discourse Analysis to Re-examine a Learning Story

THE CURRENT POLICY CONTEXTS of many countries demand that early childhood educators are able to articulate their practice in new ways. For example, the need to assess and report positive learning outcomes in multiple ways to policy-makers, families and educational systems is a feature of contemporary early childhood education and care. This theoretical paper introduces a multi-dimensional framework to support the assessment of young children's learning and then provides an example of how modified tools drawn from Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) can be used to effectively examine these dimensions of learning. CDA is a multidisciplinary methodology that integrates the study of language with a consideration of wider social practices. It offers a perspective from which to examine how ways of thinking, speaking, acting and being are drawn from, and also contribute to the particular discourses that are made available within social institutions (in this case, early childhood centres). CDA focuses on how language establishes and maintains social relationships and identities. This paper provides an example of how some of the tools made available in CDA can enhance assessment practices with young children. It is argued that CDA enables early childhood educators to re-examine young children's learning in new ways. The processes outlined in this paper have the potential to inspire early childhood educators to embrace assessment as an opportunity to articulate, celebrate and communicate young children's ways of knowing in new ways.

In My Shoes – Validation of a computer assisted approach for interviewing children

Interviewing young children presents a challenge because they tend to provide incomplete accounts and are easily misled. Therefore there is a need for techniques to improve young children's recall, while maintaining accuracy and increasing completeness.The computer-assisted interview In My Shoes (IMS) is an aid that potentially offers a way for young children to provide accounts of their experiences. This study examined the validity of IMS, by comparing it with a forensic best practice interview approach using a real-life clinical situation to ensure high ecological validity. Children were randomly assigned to either method and both accuracy and completeness of statements made by 4- and 5-year-olds (N=54) regarding a video-documented health check-up were assessed.The In My Shoes interviews were as good as best practice interviews on all accuracy measures for both age groups, except for object accuracy that was better in the forensic interview condition. Events description completeness was similar in both interview conditions; however, IMS interviews generated more complete statements about people present at the visit. The findings suggest that the IMS approach yields comparable results to a best practice interview, and it can be used as an alternative aid in child interviews.

SU-E-T-628: Dosimetric Evaluation of Proton Arc Therapy for Brain Stereotactic Radiotherapy

Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the dosimetric comparison of proton arc therapy based on dose‐volume histograms (DVH) analysis obtained by brainstereotactic radiotherapy plans. Methods: Treatment plans using dynamic conformal arc therapy and proton arc therapy were generated for 10 patients with brain metastases. Single‐dose radiosurgery(SRS) and fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) were used. The mean doses were 13.5 Gy for the SRS group and 36 Gy in 6 fractions for the FSRT group. The delivered prescription doses to 100% isodose line were chosen on the basis of tumor size and location. The normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) and equivalent uniform dose (EUD) were investigated for each treatment plans. Results: The normal braindose at V5 and V10 was significantly decreased using proton arc therapy compare to dynamic conformal arc therapy. The radiobiological parameters of NTCP and EUD showed a complete tumorcontrol limiting the organs at risk damage. Proton arc therapy shows good target coverage compare to dynamic conformal arc therapy. Conclusions: In this study, we present that proton arc therapy was superior to dynamic conformal arc therapy in stereotactic radiotherapy. The low doseradiotherapy could be the best way for young children.

Learning Through Play: Extending an Early Childhood Music Education Approach to Undergraduate and Graduate Music Education

Early childhood researchers have found that play is an ideal way for young children to learn. Yet few music teacher educators have applied this finding with adult learners, and in many music education programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, playful activities are generally few. This article presents a rationale for developing “playful” music education undergraduate and graduate programs and offer examples of engaging in play as part of coursework, socialization, and research. Observations, suggestions, and findings drawn from the fields of cognitive science, philosophy, psychology, music education, as well as early childhood research and practice are described as the authors open a discussion of how “lightening up” our curricula may actually have a weighty positive impact.

Musical madness!

We are all aware of the benefits of using music in settings as a way for young children to develop language and coordination skills and explore creativity. However, music is also a great teaching tool, offering children an accessible entry point for learning about other cultures, languages and traditions. Here we have included resources for older children as well as younger ones and for small and bigger group settings.

Making sense of words

The rhymes and rhythms of poetry, whether nonsense verse, nursery rhyme or more adult-oriented varieties, provide an excellent way for young children to access the often complex world of language.

Child Health PETS

Looking after pets is an excellent way for young children to learn to care for another being, but educators should be aware of the health risks involved, and able to spot the signs.

Discrimination of Pitch Direction by Preschool Children with Verbal and Nonverbal Tasks

This study investigated the abilities of 4- and 5-year-old children for discriminating pitch direction using one of three modes of response: verbal (spoken), gestural, and performance-based. The sample ( N = 107) included children from two different nursery school settings and was balanced with respect to age and gender. Three testing formats were constructed to correspond with the three response modes. They were designed to be as equivalent as possible. The results reinforced the notion that nonverbal, performance- based response modes are the most natural way for young children to react to pitch direction without substantive training. A large number of children (34%) responded at or below chance regardless of mode. The variables of gender, presentation order, number of pitches per item, item range, and item direction did not show significant effects on test results. Mean score tendencies, however, warrant further study.