Early Childhood Education Commons^™

Social And Literacy Development Of School-Based Pre-Kindergarten Students, Stewart Smirthwaite

Dissertations

In order to meet the demands of college and career ready standards, students are expected to enter kindergarten knowing more than ever before. A need exists to examine data that provides evidence of desired social and literacy outcomes for students in kindergarten. In order to address the need for further study of school prekindergarten opportunities for young children, two different sets of data were collected, examined, and discussed. Literacy proficiency was measured by using data from the Mississippi K-3 Assessment Support System’s (MKAS²) Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA). Social competence was measured using the Behavior Assessment System for Children, …

Mathematics Out Of Nothing: Talking About Powerful Mathematical Ideas With Children, Matthew Oldridge

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Parents and educators have powerful opportunities to introduce children to big mathematical ideas, when those ideas become necessary. Children are capable and curious. They don’t need to be sheltered from big mathematical ideas. Bring out mathematical ideas when kids are ready, or when they are needed. This article describes one such instance, when I helped my six-year-old son move beyond zero in the negative direction when subtracting.

Cracked Windows, Broken Mirrors, And Closed Doors: A Critical Content Analysis Of African American Children's Books, Tiffany World

Doctor of Education in Elementary and Early Childhood Education Dissertations

ABSTRACT

There is a current shortage of culturally responsive African American children’s books. Culturally responsive literature provides a positive influence on children of all races and researchers have indicated that picturebooks that are diverse and culturally responsive can affirm cultural and social identities (Crowley, Fountain, & Torres, 2012). The purpose of this study was to examine how the life experiences of African American families are currently being depicted in recently published children’s literature. This study employed a qualitative research design to explore the topic of African American families in children’s literature. The study examined how African American families are represented …

Influences Of Block Play On Academic Learning In Preschool, Kelsey Rasmuson

Graduate Teacher Education

Preschool classrooms often include free play time during the school day. Many studies have been conducted on the common sociodramatic play center, yet less research has observed the importance of block play. However, the block play center can be used to foster literacy and mathematics skills. Similar to other play centers, block play is a social phenomenon where students can develop language skills and vocabulary. Early math skills are supported as students count, sort, classify, and identify blocks. Students must also use spatial awareness and language to place blocks. Furthermore, preschoolers must problem solve and use logical and creative thinking …

The Experience Of Co-Teaching For Emergent Arabic-English Literacy, Anna M. Dillon, Kay Gallagher

The Qualitative Report

In this paper we explore teachers’ experiences of co-teaching within a new bilingual (Arabic/ English) model in public Kindergarten schools in the United Arab Emirates. The main objective was to understand teachers’ experiences with intercultural teaching for biliteracy in this context. We interviewed six pairs of co-teachers. These co-teachers represent six of the nationalities of teachers working in public Kindergartens in Abu Dhabi, thereby representing a cross-section of the cultural context of teaching in the reformed public schools. The data highlight teachers’ varied co-teaching practices and point to aspects such as classroom management and translanguaging as aspects of classroom practice …

Will Teaching Pecs To Vocal And Non-Vocal Students Increase Social Interactions?, Patricia Kathleen Infantino

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of PECS when taught to vocal and non- vocal students would increase communication and interactions during social situations. While using PECS both groups increased their social interactions during play time. Before this study the children in group one were not interacting at all. After being taught the use of PECS Group One interacted an average of five times per session. Before the study the children in Group two were not demonstrating any interactions, and after being taught the use of PECS they interacted an average of 10 times per …

Creating Positive Learning Environments In Early Childhood Using Teacher-Generated Prosocial Lessons, Callum B. Johnston, Teresa K. Herzog, Crystal R. Hill-Chapman, Caitlin Siney, Ashley Fergusson

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

A primary motivation for people to behave as they do is the need to belong socially to a group and to have relevance. A positive learning environment for young students is created when students are recognized and accepted by their peers and their teachers, and studies reveal that in such environments, students perform better academically and tend to have fewer behavioral issues. These environments may also act as a buffer against school dropout rates. This study examined whether teaching prosocial lessons to first-grade students in the southeastern United States would create positive learning environments for children who otherwise may not …

Participation Status In An Arkansas Better Chance Program On Early Literacy And Mathematics Readiness, Shanda R. Trotter-Coleman

Dissertations

The current study explored the effects of ABC prekindergarten program status by gender and ethnicity on early literacy and mathematics readiness for students entering kindergarten in a large urban school district in Central Arkansas. The study used scores for kindergarten students categorized by their prekindergarten participation in the school district’s ABC prekindergarten program (participated versus no participation), gender, and ethnicity (White and non-White). The NWEA MAP Growth assessment was used to measure literacy and mathematics achievement in all nine elementary schools in the Central Arkansas school district. In all four hypotheses, the main effect of ABC prekindergarten program participation was …

Maximizing Every Child's Potential In The First 1,000 Days Of Life: A Landscape Analysis, Emily Sharrock, Courtney Parkerson

Bank Street Education Center

This report features a series of findings, supporting evidence, and bright spots that build a case for developing a stronger approach to supporting the diverse infant/toddler workforce.

Nebline, July 2019

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

CONTENTS

Nebraska’s Bad Buzz: What You Need to Know About Mosquitoes and West Nile Virus

Summertime Snacking With Salsa

Recipes of the Month

Weather Challenges Keep Coming

Block Play Encourages Children’s Development in Multiple Areas

Extension Offers “Block Party” for Childcare Programs

Upcoming Early Childhood Trainings

My Personal Experience With West Nile Virus

Check Landscape Plants for Bagworms

Garden Guides: Things to Do This Month

Greener Town Grant Applications Due Aug. 31

HEART OF 4-H VOLUNTEER AWARD: Kylee Yakel

SUPER FAIR 4-H/FFA ANIMAL ENTRIES MUST BE SUBMITTED ONLINE BY JULY 1

11 4-H Clubs Helped at Kiwanis Karniva

Many Ways …

Creating Children’S Literature Teac 854: Fall 2019 Tuesday 5 – 7:50 Pm, Judy Diamond

Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education: Department Information

Participate in the experience of becoming a published children’s book author. What are the elements to writing a successful children’s book? Class members will develop and evaluate original stories targeted to a particular young audience. The stories can be written for print or digital formats, and they can be text-based and/or illustrated, including comics. The class will access appropriate print and digital publishing venues, and stories will be submitted for publication by the end of the semester.

Instructor: Judy Diamond PhD, Professor and Curator, University of Nebraska State Museum

The Impact Student Behavior Has On Learning, Ashton J. Kirkpatrick

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This action research project was conducted to determine if a child’s behavior can affect their learning, especially in the area of early literacy. Information from FAST Bridge and the documentation from the “Check In/Check Out” process was used to determine if certain students using this process struggled in the area of literacy. After analyzing the data, it was determined that this certain student that was followed did struggle in the area of literacy and showed signs of emotional and social concerns alongside their behaviors. After the “Check In/Check Out process was implemented, the student showed academic growth according to the …

Impacts Of Parental Involvement On Early Literacy Skills, Sara Harlan

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This action research was conducted to identify a correlation in high literacy skills with parental involvement and support. Baseline data was gathered from kindergarten student's winter FAST screener scores. Parental involvement began by sending homework for my students to work on with an adult in their home. A spreadsheet was kept tracking which students returned their parent signature sheet weekly and which students did not. All students were progress monitored on letter sounds weekly. The spring FAST screener data was then used to gather ending data. Growth was compared from the winter to spring data with the amount of parental …

The Impact Of Play-Based Learning, Lauren Walther

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This action research study investigated if students can make appropriate academic growth in a play-based preschool classroom. This action research answered the question: can students make appropriate academic growth in a play-based classroom? Appropriate academic growth defined as, the amount of growth needed for each individual child to be progressing towards being at or above benchmark in certain areas by the end of the school year. The preschool students were engaging in a play-based learning classroom with learning experiences specifically planned out by the teacher based on the theme at the time or areas of development being assessed. This research …

Utilizing Ipad Applications To Increase Preschool Students’ Knowledge Of Rhyme, Trisha Whelan

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine if utilizing iPad applications (apps) in a preschool classroom can increase students’ phonemic awareness skills, specifically knowledge of rhyme. Research completed by Hornsby and Wilson tell us that rhyme is a great opportunity for students to practice phonics, which in turn enhances literacy skills. Rhyme allows them to play with the sounds within words and helps them to understand the sounds that letters make. A classroom of ten preschool students were allowed to utilize ABCmouse (2005) and Montessori-Rhyme Time learning games for kids (2013) applications on iPads during free choice times for …

Increasing Engagement During Circle Time Using Technology, Amanda Williams

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

All preschool teachers dream of a way to make all students engaged during circle time. This may seem like an impossible task but this study finds that adding technology during circle time can increase engagement. In this study the teacher and the students will be using a Smart Board as the technology. This is done by using interactive hands on activities allowing the students to be involved in their own learning rather than being lectured the information. In this study a rubric was used to assess the student’s engagement during circle time. Engagement without the use of technology scored a …

Social Stories And Student Behavior In A Kindergarten Classroom, Amy Smith

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research was to determine the impact of a whole group social story on the practice and development of self-regulatory skills of kindergarten students. The research setting was a small, rural public school in the Midwest. The participants were 16 five and six-year old students in a general education kindergarten classroom. Qualitative and quantitative data focusing on self-regulatory behaviors was collected through observation during pre and post-intervention times. Kindergarten students participated in four weeks of a whole group social story intervention that occurred between the data collection weeks. This social story focused on positive and appropriate …

The Impact Of Early Math And Numeracy Skills On Academic Achievement In Elementary School, Payton Guhl

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The following literature review explores the impact of learning early math and numeracy skills prior to formal schooling on later academic success. Much of the current focus in early childhood is based around literacy. However, as this literature review shows, early math skills are a more powerful predictor of academic success through elementary school. Several studies have been performed to show the significance of these skills on future math success and were consulted for this review. Within this review is what early math and numeracy skills are, how they develop in young children, the importance of these skills, how they …

Using Role Play To Teach Social Emotional Skills In The Early Childhood Classroom, Rebecca Havens

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research was to determine if using role play in the classroom would be an effective teaching strategy to improve the social emotional skills of kindergarten students. With the focus of kindergarten shifting towards more academics, it remains important to teach social and emotional skills with an effective, efficient approach. Participants included 19 kindergarten students in a small elementary school in the Midwest. The research included using children’s literature to prompt discussions and role playing activities around social emotional skills. The role play activities included practicing what to say to a peer when a problem arises in …

Social Emotional Development In Early Childhood, Dawn Askeland

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This literature review explores young children’s social emotional development and its importance. Social emotional development is crucial to a child’s success in school and in life. Social emotional development is defined and ideas are presented on how to promote it. Social emotional skills can be promoted in early childhood classrooms everyday. This can be done in a variety of lessons and activities. Social emotional development can be promoted by embedding it in all areas of the day. In recent years, other priorities have been seen in early childhood classrooms and at home. Some researchers believe this has resulted in a …