Education Commons^™

Early Sibling Play Interactions As A Source Of Developmental Support For Toddlers: Observation Of Young Children's Developmental Support During Play With Toddler Siblings, Tasha L. Olson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The sibling relationship is a unique and important context for infant and early child development. Despite the important role of siblings and the unique aspects of the sibling relationship, sibling interactions are largely overlooked by scholars as a resource of potential developmental support. Identifying and fostering developmentally supportive interaction (DSI) behaviors in sibling relationships may expand available supports for children’s early development and may also support family well-being.

This study used a sample of 15 child-toddler sibling pairs to identify DSI behaviors in interactions between young children and their toddler-aged siblings, determine if and how well DSI behaviors could be …

Preschool Children's Development In Number, Geometry, And Executive Function: A Cross-Lagged Examination, Brionne G. Neilson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Children develop rapidly during early childhood, and this includes their mathematics and executive function (EF) skills. Past research has focused on connections between early mathematics and EF, but more work was needed to fully understand these relations. In particular, past studies have generally used numeracy-based measures to assess early mathematics, although professional guidelines indicate a more comprehensive construct that includes geometry. The research herein addresses some of the gaps of previous work as it examines unique connections between early number, geometry, and EF. One hundred eighteen preschool children from urban and rural communities, being an average age of 53 months …

Validation Of A Brief Prosody Rating Scale For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sarai S. Holbrook

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Differences in the speech prosody, or "melody" of speech, of persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have long been noted by researchers. Yet, despite many studies, researchers have not identified a universal description of speech prosody in ASD. It may be flat or monotonous, not different from typical, or overly variable. However, atypical speech prosody can immediately set someone apart from their peers. This distinction could negatively social, academic, and vocational interactions. For those persons with ASD whose speech prosody is different from typical and interferes with daily functioning, valid, reliable, and efficient assessments of speech prosody are needed. Currently, …

Working Memory And Syntactic Processing In Bilingual And Monolingual Children, Carla I. Orellana

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between complex auditory working memory, syntactic knowledge, and complex sentence comprehension in bilingual and monolingual children using both offline (behavioral) and online (eye-tracking) measures. There were 19 children in the monolingual group and 19 children in the bilingual group with an average age of 11 years. The children listened to sentences, while looking at a screen with three images of the three nouns in the sentence. They were instructed to select the doer of the action (agent). Their eye movements were recorded as they completed this task. The four sentence …

Changing The World Through The Word: Developing Critical Consciousness Through Multicultural Children’S Literature With Critical Literacy In An Elementary Classroom, Hyekyoung Lee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to explore how fifth graders develop critical consciousness regarding the self and the world through critical literacy approaches using multicultural children’s literature. I employed Lewison, Flint, and Van Sluys’ four dimensions of critical literacy. I used a qualitative case study to design, frame and conduct this study in order to collect data and examine students’ cultural patterns including values, beliefs, behaviors, and language that they enacted in the critical literacy practices. I collected data through classroom observations, semi-structured students and teacher interviews, informal conversation, researcher’s reflective journal entries and field notes, and student-made artifacts. …

A Dynamic Measure Of Morphological Awareness In Young Children, Frances Elizabeth Gibson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Although sound awareness has been proven critical for skilled literacy development, further investigation is needed to examine additional factors that could also be critical. Awareness of meaning or morphological awareness is an additional factor that could impact literacy development. Although morphological awareness is mastered early in spoken language, little is known in regard to this skill in other language and literacy contexts. This study investigated the validity of a dynamic measure of morphological awareness (DMMA) in young children. Seventy-eight first-grade children completed a language and literacy battery. Morphological awareness was assessed using both a standardized and an experimental measure comprised …

An Analysis Of Variability Of Play Behavior With Preschool Children With Autism, Mary Katherine Endicott Harris

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Children with autism often display repetitive, stereotypical movements with toys in lieu of appropriate play skills. Unlike typically developing children, they do not vary their play with toys. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine whether three preschoolers with autism would vary their play actions when exposed to a lag schedule of reinforcement and physical prompting procedure. All three participants demonstrated varied play actions with the lag schedule and prompting procedure in place. These behaviors maintained when a probe was conducted two weeks later in the absence of the lag schedule. Although responding was high in the 2-week …

Clinician Recasts And Production Of Complex Syntax By Children With And Without Specific Language Impairment, Rebekah Wada

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined whether children with specific language impairment (SLI) respond differently than children who are typically developing in response to an intervention composed of the strategies of priming and recasting. Twenty-six children between the ages of 6 years, 10 months to 10 years, 11 months participated in the study (13 with SLI and 13 developing typically). The intervention was completed in one session. Findings revealed that both children with and without SLI were able to be primed to produce subject relative and object relative sentences with subject relative clauses being easier to produce than object relative clauses.

Comparison Of Neurological Activation Patterns Of Children With And Without Autism Spectrum Disorders When Verbally Responding To A Pragmatic Task, Daphne U. Hartzheim

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined the neurological activation of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) while performing a pragmatic judgment task. In this study, children between the ages of 9 and 15 years responded to questions regarding a social situation, taken from the Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language, while concurrently having their brain activity measured. We targeted four brain regions for analysis: dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), superior temporal gyrus (STG), and the inferior parietal lobule (IPL).

Ten children with ASD and 20 typically developing (TD) children participated. Matching occurred in a bracketing manner with each child in the ASD …

An Exploratory Study Of Attributes, Affordances, Abilities, And Distance In Children's Use Of Mathematics Virtual Manipulative Ipad Apps, Stephen I. Tucker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This exploratory qualitative study investigated the presence of and relationships among constructs that contribute to children's interactions with educational technology, leading to the development of the modification of attributes, affordances, abilities, and distance (MAAAD) for Learning framework. For this study, each of 10 fifth-grade children participated in one individual video-recorded semistructured interview session, during which they interacted with two mathematics virtual manipulative iPad apps and responded to follow-up questions. Video recordings and observation field notes were analyzed for evidence of attributes, affordance-ability relationships, distance, and relationships among these constructs.

Constant comparative data analysis using memoing and eclectic coding provided evidence …

A Multi-Component School-Based Intervention Aimed At Increasing Vegetable Preference And Intake Among Elementary-Aged Children, Elizabeth Strasser

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study aimed to implement and assess a school-based multi-component intervention aimed at increasing elementary school-aged children's knowledge of, preference for, and intake of vegetables. The multi-component intervention included lunchroom exposure, nutrition curriculum in the classroom, after school program vegetable curriculum, family friendly nutrition newsletter, vegetable fair and parent cooking class. Lunchtime vegetable consumption was assessed by direct observation. Changes in preference, attitude, and knowledge were assessed using a pre- and post-intervention survey.

The multi-component intervention was implemented at Canyon Elementary during the 2008-2009 school year. Classroom teachers provided 20 minutes of nutrition education to students in grades one through …

The Effects Of Mild Hearing Loss On Academic Performance Among Elementary School Age Children, Donna White Massine

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Research endeavoring to determine the effect of a mild sensorineural hearing-impairment on academic performance has resulted in conflicting conclusions. To date, there has been limited research on the educational implications of a mild hearing loss in the elementary grades but very few studies have utilized a normal-hearing control group to compare with the hearing-impaired and none have examined whether a relationship exists beyond sixth grade. This study measured the academic performance of mildly hearing-impaired children by comparing them with their normal-hearing counterparts. The achievement scores of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills from twelve pairs of children in the 5th …

The Relationship Between Revision Behaviors And Syntax In The Spoken Narratives Of Language-Impaired And Normally Developing School-Aged Children, Marilyn Cleckler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The relationship between spontaneous revision behaviors and quantitatively measured syntax skills for language-impaired and normally developing school-aged children was investigated. Differences in revision behaviors and syntactic behaviors between the two groups of children and across three age levels were also examined. Narratives were obtained from 39 language-impaired and 39 normal-language children, aged 8 through 10 years. Correlations between spontaneous revision behavior scores and syntax scores were low to moderate. The revision behavior mean scores were not significantly different between the two groups of children. Mean syntax scores were higher for the NL children and did discriminate between LI and NL …

The Effects Of Mild Hearing Loss On Academic Performance Among Young School Age Children, Miles Ellis Peterson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to measure the academic performance of children with mild hearing loss (20-45 dB) by comparing them with a normal control group. Twenty-four pairs of children in the first through fourth grades were compared. The achievement scores of the second and fourth grade student pairs were compared for the current academic year and for the previous academic year. A two-way analysis of Variance was used to compare the achievement scores from the Iowa Test of Basic Skills of the two groups. The results indicated statistical significance on some subtests of the first and fourth grade …

Nutritional Understanding Of Preschool Children Taught In The Home And Child Development Laboratory, Thomas R. Lee

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was devised to determine the readiness of preschool children to learn about basic concepts of nutrition. Sixty preschool children enrolled in the Utah State University Child Development Laboratory, comprised the sample. Twenty children were taught at home by parents, 20 were taught at the Laboratory, and 20 received no instruction. The curriculum was based on the concept of nutrient density and used the Index of Nutritional Quality (INQ) in developing instructional materials. INQ is an index for comparing the amount of nutrients to the amount of calories in a food. Food Profile Cards, visual representations of this information …

The Preschool Child's Knowledge Of Musical Pitch, Farol Ann Nelson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The objective of this study was to determine what kinds of musical instruments were most effective in developing pitch discrimination in preschool children. Five melody instruments were used in this study, including a wooden soprano recorder, a C flute, a commercially made xylophone, a melodica, and a set of cut conduit pipes played as a xylophone-type instrument. Children from the Child Development Labs at Utah State University, Logan, Utah comprised the sample.

It was found that children do identify high and low pitches more easily in some instruments than in others. They discriminated between high and low pitches of the …

The Indian Student Placement Program As A Means Of Increasing The Education Of Children Of Selected Indian Families, Geraldine T. Lindquist

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this paper was: (1) To compare the number of years of formal education of participants in the Latter-Day Saints Indian Student Placement Program with those that had not participated. (2) To see if the number of years a student participates in the Indian Student Placement Program had an effect on the amount of formal education he receives. (3) To compare the future educational and employment plans of the two groups. (4) To see how students evaluated their educational program.

The results showed no differences between the two groups in number of years of formal education, future educational …

Visual Perception In Pre-School Children, Howard Mark Bardwell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was undertaken to determine if sessions in discrimination tasks with the aid of instructional cues would influence the visual perceptual abilities of pre-school children. The research was conducted in the Child Development Laboratories at Utah State University. Twenty children were used--ten in the experimental group and ten in the control group. The ten children in the experimental group were given training in performing tasks that required ability in visual perception. The ten children in the control group received no such training.

It was found that the ten children who received the individualized instruction scored significantly higher on post-test …

Visual Perception In Pre-School Children, Candace Savage

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The efforts of practice sessions in discrimination tasks with the aid of instructional cues were studied to determine their influence on the visual perceptual abilities of pre-school children. The research was conducted at the Utah State University Child Development Laboratories with twenty children. Ten of these children were three years of age and ten were four years of age at the time of the study. Of the twenty children, five boys and five girls, were given training in performing tasks requiring ability in visual perception. The remaining ten children, five boys and five girls, were not given any visual perceptual …

The Ability Of Young Children To Recognize Words, Katherine K. Armstrong

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The young child's ability to learn to read (defined in this study "to recognize") words was studied in an attempt to determine the influence of age.

Fourteen, three-year-old children and 16, four and one-half year old children, 14 girls and 16 boys, were instructed to read eight words. Groups of three were taught in four, ten minute sessions and were then tested one at a time for word recognition. A retention test was given two weeks later.

The hypotheses, that three-year-old children will learn to read more readily than children nearer five years old and that girls will read better …

Serial Learning In Young Children, Charlene A. Keller

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The effects of sex and tutorial instruction were studied as they influenced the seriation ability of pre-school children. The research was conducted at the Utah State University Child Development Laboratories with 24 four year old children enrolled at that time. Twelve of the children, six girls and six boys, were given seriation tasks. The remaining 12 children, six girls and six boys, were not given any seriation training.

It was found that the 12 children who had received individualized instruction seriated significantly better on every task than the 12 children who had received no training. The children who were trained …

The Effect Of An Extended Music Curriculum On The Behavior Of Nursery School Children, Dorothy Ann Miller

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The free play behavior of two of the Utah State University nursery school groups was observed and recorded according to the time sampling instrument devised to assess the musical activity of children. Twelve group music experiences, in addition to those of the regular curriculum, were presented to the experimental group while the control group received two such experiences.

Sex was found not to be a significant factor in the amount of musical activity; however, girls were slightly more active rhythmically than the boys. The children between 3 years 10 months and 4 years 4 months were the most active musically …

A Comparison Of Intellectually Normal Children, Mentally Retarded Adolescents, And Mentally Retarded Adults On A Three Dimensional Concept Formation Sorting Task, James C. Kamprud

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purposes of this study were: (1) to compare nine groups of subjects composed of intellectually normal children, mentally retarded adolescents, and mentally retarded adults on a three dimensional concept formation task; (2) to determine the effects of discrimination training on the sortings of the nine groups on the experimental task.

The 207 subjects of this study were divided into nine groups. Seven of the groups, consisting of high average and low average grade 3, superior high average, and low average grade 6, and high and low adolescent retardates were chosen on the bases of school grade level (3, 6, …

The Content Of Preschool Children's Original Stories, Danae Elaine Dana

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The early years of childhood are characterized by new ideas; experimentation; the building of relationships; fears, both real and imagined; and play, through which the child tries to assemble these experiences into a meaningful whole. The early years are an exciting, complex and vibrant time of learning while the child grows in his understanding of himself and the world around him.

Children's Relationships With Peers, Carla Nelson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A child's family is the center of his world during infancy and extending into the preschool years. As a child nears school age and in succeeding years, he reaches out into the world beyond his home environment. He comes in contact with the world of other people who arc not included in his family circle. In this new world of peers, the child finds something he does not find at home. Here are other individuals like himself who have many things in common, such as age, appearance, interests, and desires. We find in this peer culture, children who can better …

Differences In Frustration Reactions Of Nursery School Children, Sharon Marshall

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The study of frustration has been of interest to various people including psychiatrists, psychologists, and educators for a number of years. These people have been interested in frustration because the complexity of our modern life has involved so many frustrating experiences. Frustration has been defined by Dollard (8, p. 7) as "an interference with the occurrence of an instigated goal response at its proper time." Ruch (21, p. 151) defined frustration as "the denial or thwarting by some obstacle which lies between a need and its goal." These two definitions are in essence identical. The average person has many obstacles …

An Analysis Of The Differential Responses Of A Group Of Nursery School Children To A Variety Of Musical Presentations, Eva Louise Godfrey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The problem of what kinds of music provide the most meaning for the young child has long been a concern of the author. It arises not only out of close experience with young children, but also out of a concern for the responsibility of providing them with meaningful aesthetic experiences. From this background of experience the problem is not purely an academic one. Its first and ultimate concern is an experiential one. Because it arises out of this particular background, the analysis of the problem and its study is less concerned with academic and scientific validity than might otherwise have …

Differential Responses Of Student Teachers To Children In Nursery School, Carroll Carman Lambert

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

For some time the writer has observed the keen, creative sensitivity with which children respond to their world. She has also observed, however, that many teachers and parents seem to be quite unaware of this sensitivity. An illustration of this lack of awareness is the following experience: One day a nursery school teacher had a painful headache; in fact, it was suggested that she go home for the remainder of the day. Instead of going home, however, she decided to stay, thinking that her headache would soon abate. The teacher was sitting on a chair observing the children, unaware that …

Differences In Frustration Reactions Of A Group Of Preschool Children, Lorraine Storey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In recent years, the concept of frustration has been central in both mental hygiene and social psychology. This is rightfully so. Frustration has been defined as any kind of thwarting or blocking of the motive (4, 7, 14). Any person involved in modern day living is confronted with many types of situations which do actually block or thwart his wishes or drives. A person may be blocked because of conditions existing in the environment, because of personal inadequacies, and because of conflicting drives. Since a person is forced to face so many sources of frustration, the method that he chooses …