Early Childhood Education Commons^™

The Use Of Speech-Generating Devices For Preschoolers With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jessica Miller

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The first of the following articles provides a review of the literature related to vocalizations among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems, with special attention paid to speech-generating devices (SGD). After providing an overview of ASD, evidence-based practices (EBP), and AAC types and a brief history, this review evaluates studies that collected data on vocalizations in SGD-users, including both those that targeted vocalizations as a dependent variable and those that measured vocalizations as a collateral effect without directly targeting it. The goal of this review is to evaluate whether SGD use may …

Movement To Enhance Learning And On-Task Behavior In Early Childhood Classrooms, Angela James

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this literature review was to examine the impact of movement on learning and behavior. The literature provides numerous studies that reveal effects of movement on student achievement and on-task behavior of young children. As educators strive to keep students engaged and on-task, research shows that movement opportunities are a strategy to be utilized. Physical activity can benefit self-regulation and academic performance. Strategies for using movement in the classroom are given to support teachers.

The Effects Of Teacher-Made Books On Preschoolers Choosing The Book Area, Vanessa Gilbert

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research study was to determine the effect of teacher-made books on preschoolers choosing the book area during free choice time. The research setting was an ECEAP classroom in a rural public school in Eastern Washington. The participants included 11 three and four-year-old students in an inclusive preschool program. Quantitative data compared student behaviors in the book area collected through video observation during pre- and post-intervention times. The study found adding teacher-made books, which included photographs of the students, to the book area had a positive impact on children choosing the book area during free choice …

Mccleary V. State And The Washington State Supreme Court's Retention Of Jurisdiction—A Success Story For Washington Public Schools?, Jessica R. Burns

Seattle University Law Review Online

No abstract provided.

How Can Play-Based Learning With Authentic Assessment Practices Support Healthy Development In Preschool Classrooms?, Megan Nelson

Graduate Teacher Education

Early childhood educators need to recognize the importance of implementing play-based learning as a developmentally appropriate practice to support young children’s development. Play provides children opportunities to demonstrate knowledge and understandings through materials in the environment, expand on prior experiences and learn alongside peers. Teachers can authentically gain valuable information from children’s play to plan appropriate lessons to foster development (NAEYC, 2009). Instead of using natural routines to assess and gather information about a child’s knowledge and behavior, educators use standardized methods to determine a child’s capabilities. This paper synthesized available research on qualitative and quantitative studies that analyzed the …

Does Expectation Influence Relationship? A Mixed Methods Investigation Of Parental Expectation And Parent-Child Relationship Among Chinese Family Groups 期望是否會影響關係？華裔家庭中父母的期望對親子關係的影響之研究, Sharon Chiang, Sharon Chiang, Sharon Chiang

Education Dissertations

Abstract

Parental expectation, particularly among Chinese family groups, is understood to be formative upon their children’s identity, behavior in family relationships, educational success and decisions in career choices. China's long history of traditionalism in its social values, heavily based on Confucian philosophy of the family, bears this out. Significant social changes have happened in recent years due to political shifts, modernization, capitalization, immigration, and government population control policies. However, expectation is an element on which both academic study and educational research are rather limited. Current study has touched on the topic of parental expectation and raised some awareness, but the …

Investigating Leadership Styles Of Childcare Directors, Michelle P. Grantham-Caston

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The aim of this study was to contribute to the literature on childcare director’s leadership styles and director’s self-perception. For leaders in childcare to be effective they must possess skills, characteristics, and traits of effective leadership which have been identified in the seminal literature of Bass (1995) and Burns (1979). This quantitative study examined early childhood leaders self-identification with the leadership styles in The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) (Bass & Avolio, 1995) as well as other demographic variables which could contribute to early childhood leaders’ self-perception of leadership styles. This study was to break apart the three overarching leadership styles …

The Significance Of Parental Involvement In The Development In Infancy, Yanhui Liu, Mona F. Sulaimani, John E. Henning

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The earliest years’ experiences of children can ensure their future success, and parenting is noted to be an influential factor (Bronfenbrenner, 1979; Lamb et al., 2002). Many researchers theorized that parental involvement could encourage children to actively engage and improve their academic achievement in schools (Epstein, 2018). However, less attention was paid to the significance of parental involvement in infants’ development. This paper explores the role of parental involvement in infants’ development by reviewing and discussing abundant relevant studies. This study recommends that parental involvement should be considered as an affluent resource and a useful tool because it could provide …

How Can Play-Based Learning In Primary Grades Be Used To Support Teaching Of State Standards?, Laura Smith

Graduate Teacher Education

Abstract

Although data supports the benefits of play and play-based learning as instructional tools for children birth to age eight, many teachers of children in grades kindergarten-second grade succumb to a narrow selection of tools chosen for academic teaching and learning. Lack of common play definitions, the pressure of accountability standards, high stakes testing, lack of training in play theory, and conflicted feelings about how to implement play-based learning all contribute to this. The research focus question for this paper was: How can play-based learning in the primary grades be used to support the teaching of state standards? This document, …

School-Family Partnerships And Teachers, Parents And Children, Anna L. H. Wieser

Graduate Teacher Education

Early childhood educators are bound by ethical duty and guided by developmentally appropriate practice to foster opportunities for meaningful parent involvement that contributes to building partnerships with families. However, misalignment of state standards and national expectations send mixed messages about how early childhood educators can effectively engage parents and families and cultivate school-family partnerships. This paper synthesized a collection of quantitative, qualitative, mixed method, meta-synthesis, and meta-analysis studies concerning the relationship between parent involvement, children’s learning and development, and school-family partnerships. The studies examined support the idea that parent involvement was a significant contributor to young children’s learning and development …

Identity Practice Guide, Jen Jackson, Kate Noble, Pru Mitchell, Dan Cloney

Early Childhood Education

The first sections of this Practice Guide summarise the theory that underpins day-to-day practice, drawing on the Assessment of children as having a strong sense of identity in Early Childhood Education and Care: Literature review and suggesting strategies for supporting a strong sense of identity in everyday pedagogical decision-making. The Reflective scenarios describe scenarios to prompt professional reflection and illustrate ways in which early childhood professionals can improve their practice in relation to the VEYLDF Learning and Development Outcome Children have a strong sense of identity.

Assessment Of Children As Having A Strong Sense Of Identity In Early Childhood Education And Care: Literature Review, Jen Jackson, Kate Noble, Danielle Anzai, Pru Mitchell, Dan Cloney

Early Childhood Education

This review focuses on the Outcome: Children have a strong sense of identity. Its purpose is to equip early childhood professionals with the knowledge to identify and assess children’s progress towards this Outcome in all early childhood settings. Central to the child’s development of a sense of identity is their personal identity. This includes awareness of self, summed up in the statement: ‘I know who I am’, and includes the constructs of self-expression and self-awareness. A strong sense of identity requires that a child also appreciates who they are, summed up in the statement: ‘I value who I am’. The …

Social And Emotional Development To Foster Academic Growth In English Language Learning Preschoolers, Donna Mangone

Graduate Teacher Education

The fastest growing population of students entering preschool classrooms are English language learners (Winsler et al., 2014). Not only is the population of English language learners growing (Winsler et al., 2014), but there is a steady increase in the academic achievement gap. Further, the growth of ELL students corresponds with the gap. Related to both is social and emotional development. Social and emotional skills provide the apparatus for all learning. The early childhood educator is well-versed in teaching these skills. Therefore, an early childhood educator teaching social and emotional development to English language learners provides opportunities to remedy the academic …

In What Ways Can Phonemic Awareness Skills Be Targeted Strategically In Early Childhood Classrooms To Support Healthy Developmental Growth?, Karen Groth

Graduate Teacher Education

Phonemic awareness is a skill that is learned prior to learning phonics and reading. Phonological and phonemic awareness activities are taught through games, books, and activities. Exposure to phonological and phonemic activities begin as soon as birth and will continue through kindergarten. As curriculum and teachers moved away from explicit instruction in phonemic awareness activities and toward other standards, it has been important to continue to teach these skills. Children with strong phonemic awareness skills are more advanced readers and more advanced writers. Synthesizing the current research and information available included qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method studies in phonemic awareness …

New York Early Care And Education Survey: Understanding The Impact Of Covid-19 On New York Early Childhood System, Kate Tarrant, Mark Nagasawa

Straus Institute for Thriving Children & Families

This is the first in a series of reports based upon a survey conducted with 3355 early childhood educators across New York City and New York State, which sought to understand how they were faring during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic (May 2020). Among the key findings were: (1) at that time the emotional stress of the pandemic was affecting respondents more than health and financial stressors; (2) Educators’ need for mental health supports exceed other areas of support requested; (3) approximately 70% were engaged in remote instruction in New York City and half were providing remote instruction …

Science In The Early Years. Paper 4: Educator Facilitation, Gayl O'Connor, Christine Rosicka

Early Childhood Education

This fourth paper in the Science in the Early Years series concludes the review of current research into science learning and monitoring in the early years. The aim of this series is to provide early years educators with an insight into current research; highlight how research findings relate to children’s science learning; look at the current understandings about early years science; and provide examples of how early years educators can incorporate this research into their practices. This series defines ‘early years’ as the two years prior to school and the first three years of primary school, which in Australia generally …

Science In The Early Years. Paper 3: Monitoring Children's Learning, Christine Rosicka, Gayl O'Connor

Early Childhood Education

This third paper in the Science in the Early Years series continues to review current research into science learning and monitoring in the early years. The aim of this series is to provide early years educators with an insight into current research; highlight how research findings relate to children’s science learning; look at the current understandings about monitoring early years science learning; and provide examples of how early years educators can incorporate this research into their practices. This series defines ‘early years’ as the two years prior to school and the first three years of primary school, which in Australia …

Science In The Early Years: Monitoring Science Understandings. Checklists For Eylf Outcomes, Australian Council For Educational Research

Early Childhood Education

This resource consists of templates of checklists for early years educators, tailored to Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) learning outcomes. They are to help record evidence of children’s science learning and to monitor this across time. The checklists have been populated with the EYLF outcomes identified for the four educator resources accompanying Paper 1: Early years science and integration: Plant treasure hunt; Floating and sinking; and Paper 2: Science inquiry skills: Light and shadows, Exploring mixtures.

Science In The Early Years: Exploring Mixtures. Educator Resource, Australian Council For Educational Research

Early Childhood Education

This activity is suitable for preschoolers to investigate the behaviour of two common household products (oil and water). The emphasis is on supporting children to develop their inquiry skills to describe what they observe when trying to mix these liquids. Preschoolers should be given the opportunity to communicate (describe and explain) their observations. The activity can be extended to Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2 students who should be encouraged to predict what will happen, communicate (explain) why some of the liquids used do not mix, as well as to describe the changes they observe when mixing materials. All children …

Science In The Early Years. Paper 1: Early Years Science And Integration, Christine Rosicka, Gayl O'Connor

Early Childhood Education

This is the first paper in the Science in the early years series that reviews current research into science learning and monitoring in the early years. The aim of this series is to provide early years educators with an insight into current research; highlight how research findings relate to children’s science learning; look at the current understandings about early years science monitoring; and provide examples of how early years educators can incorporate this research into their practices. This series defines ‘early years’ as the two years prior to school and the first three years of primary school, which in Australia …