Early Childhood Education Commons^™

Educator Perspectives On A Kindergarten Entry Assessment: Implementation Experiences, Support, And Data Utilization, T. Scott Holcomb, Zhi Li, Richard Lambert, Angela Ferrara

Perspectives on Early Childhood Psychology and Education

This mixed methods study provides insight into practitioner attitudes and experiences with the North Carolina Kindergarten Entry Assessment (NC KEA) and helps determine what resources are needed to support intended use of the assessment. The survey and follow-up interviews allowed researchers to gather quantitative and qualitative data to gain a more in-depth understanding of each individual’s unique views. While most teachers felt prepared to implement the KEA, the majority did not find assessment data useful. Interviews highlighted the lack of understanding regarding the purpose of the assessment and the frustration that can follow this type of misunderstanding.

Authentic Assessment For Early Childhood Intervention: In-Vivo & Virtual Practices For Interdisciplinary Professionals, Stephen J. Bagnato, Marisa Macy, Carmen Dionne, Nora Smith, Jackie Robinson Brock, Tracy Larson, Maria Londono, Antonio Fevola, Mary Beth Bruder, Jamie Cranmer

Perspectives on Early Childhood Psychology and Education

Abstract

The pandemic has exposed the many glaring difficulties inherent in implementing effective assessment and intervention for young children with neurodevelopmental delays and disabilities in our respective countries, but, especially in the US. The urgency for innovative models of assessment linked to interdisciplinary services and supports in both remote and in-vivo settings became prominent. Yet, the commitment to developmentally-appropriate practice (DAP), assessment linked to intervention, is the hallmark of ECI, whether virtual or in-vivo.

However, interdisciplinary professionals have rallied during these challenging times by displaying creativity, compassion, and superb clinical judgment in providing responsive services via both virtual and in-vivo …

Link Virtual Forum On Authentic Assessment For Early Childhood Intervention: Interdisciplinary & International Consensus, Stefano J. Bagnato, Marisa Macy, Nora Smith, Carmen Dionne, Mary Beth Bruder, Maria Londono, Jackie Robinson Brock, Antonio Fevola, Tracy Larson

Perspectives on Early Childhood Psychology and Education

The LINK Virtual Forum on Authentic Assessment for Early Childhood Intervention: Interdisciplinary & International Consensus was orchestrated through a series of virtual focus-groups during the pandemic in 2021-2022. This new strategy for conducting a more robust national/international consumer social validity study gathered practice-based evidence from the field using national and international expert panel focus groups and an expert panel forum to survey Authentic Assessment experts and users. Uniquely, these deliberations relied upon the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) among participants to reach consensus decisions and Qualtrics survey results. The decision-making process addressed types of assessment measures that address early childhood …

The Storytelling Study: Understanding Ourselves And Others Through Storytelling, Georgia Moses

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Study on oral storytelling in early childhood education is ample. Study on oral storytelling in the elementary grades, however, is limited. This is likely due to the connection between storytelling and dramatic play, a creative and imaginative exercise that loses value in many classrooms as children grow. The emergent themes across the developmental stages of seven, eight, and nine year olds illustrate the need for and power of storytelling in second and third grade classrooms. The Storytelling Study is an interdisciplinary, multimodal curriculum in which children foster deeper understandings of themselves and others through the exploration of oral storytelling. The …

Monitoring Learning In The Early Years. A Review Of Early Childhood Assessments To Support Global Monitoring, Dan Cloney, David Jeffries, Stephanie Templeton, Ursula Schwantner, Juliette F. Mendelovits, Amy Berry, Syeda Kashfee Ahmed, Nicola Andrews, Bethany Davies

Global education monitoring

Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. In relation to Early Childhood Education (ECE), SDG Target 4.2 aims to “ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education”. To operationalise this goal, the primary Indicator 4.2.1 sets out to measure the “proportion of children aged 24–59 months who are developmentally on track in health, learning and psychosocial well-being, by sex". The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is the custodian of …

The Choice Of Pre-K: An Examination Into Black Caregivers’ Early Childhood Care Decisions And How Early Childhood Care Predicts Black Children’S Educational Outcomes, Anna Grace Rollins

Dissertations

Despite the national push for increased Pre-K enrollment, findings on the effects of attending Pre-K are contradictory and inconsistent. Due to conflicting research and viewpoints on traditional education outcomes, many families are choosing not to send their children to Pre-K. This study focused on the often overlooked thoughts and experiences of Black parents and guardians when making decisions about early childhood education for their children, as well as the academic and behavioral effects of attending Pre-K for Black children in subsequent years. Through surveys and interviews, this study explored factors that influence Black parents’ decisions about enrolling their children in …

Incorporating Play-Based Learning In Early Childhood Education, Cari Klemme

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Play is identified as a developmentally appropriate practice that young learners can use to access academic content. Unfortunately, research data shows that play is often missing or minimal in many early childhood environments. The purpose of this school improvement plan is to assist teachers in understanding the importance of play and incorporating more play into the school day to improve student success in the content area of literacy. When teachers are educated on the different types of play and how to create a literacy-rich environment, student literacy development will improve. Play-based pedagogies increase student engagement and in turn increase student …

Enhancing Learning Through Play-Based Education, Tina Wilson-Cook

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This paper explores the importance and benefits of Play-Based Learning (PBL) in early childhood education, with a focus on West Elementary School. It highlights the current problems, like less playtime in kindergarten, which has caused behavior issues and missed growth opportunities. The study stresses the need for a balanced curriculum that includes PBL to help children grow cognitively, socially, emotionally, and physically. Key findings show that adding PBL can improve academic results, reduce behavior problems, and boost overall student development. The proposed plan includes strategies for increasing playtime, creating play-based activities, and providing teacher training. Involving parents and the community …

Improving Fine Motor And Handwriting Skills, Anne Weber

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Early childhood years are a crucial time for the development of fine motor and handwriting skills. Research links these skills to success in other academic content such as letter identification and counting skills. Gripping, pinching, and manipulating interventions have been shown to improve fine motor and handwriting skills. A school improvement plan was created to address the lack of time dedicated to these two skills in a rural Iowa public school. A plan to implement fine motor and handwriting curriculums in preschool through first grade is described in detail. With successful implementation, fine motor and handwriting skills will significantly improve.

Analysis Of Policy Implementation: Improving Reading Proficiency Outcomes For All Students, Mariela Magro-Malo

Education Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the implementation and impact of reading improvement initiatives mandated by Texas House Bill 3 (2019) within a Texas school district. By applying improvement science principles, the study employs a mixed-methods embedded research design to evaluate the alignment of district practices with the Science of Reading and assess the effectiveness of systemic approaches in enhancing student reading outcomes. The research identifies statistically significant improvements in reading achievement, particularly in kindergarten, following the adoption of a phonics curriculum and mandated reading assessment tools. However, the findings also reveal challenges, notably the disconnect between policy understanding and practical implementation among …

Teaching Practices To Prevent And Support Challenging Behaviors In Early Childhood Classrooms, Abigail Koster

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

search is finding that challenging behaviors are occurring in classrooms more and more. Challenging behaviors are one of the main reasons that teachers are leaving the profession along with large workloads, and lack of administration and community support. Research shows that teachers need to have a strong classroom management plan and high consistence expectations to diminish challenging behaviors from occurring in the classroom. With research in mind, a school improvement plan was created to provide professional development for teachers in the fall to support them in creating strong classroom management plans for the following school year. Teachers will using the …

The Concept Of An Independent Curriculum With An Agrarian Insight In Early Childhood: Perspectives Of Indonesian Teachers, M. Fadlillah, Eka Oktavianingsih, Nurmalisa Lisdayana

The Qualitative Report

The current condition of agriculture in Indonesia shows a decline in productivity. One reason for this decline is the low interest of children and young people in the agricultural sector. For this reason, the introduction and cultivation of a love of agriculture needs to be done from an early age. Schools must design curriculum and learning that is oriented towards agriculture. The independent curriculum implemented in Indonesia provides ample opportunities to develop agrarian insights in schools. This study aimed to discover teachers' views in Indonesia on the concept of an independent curriculum with an agrarian perspective as a medium for …

Understanding Sensory Processing Disorder In A Special Education Classroom: A Reflective Inquiry, Dion J. Barrett Ms.

Essays in Education

Abstract This essay is comprised with reflective experiences with sensory processing disorder (SPD) in the classroom as a new teacher. Challenges that were experienced when navigating SPD and its characteristics. Initially unaware of SPD and its nuanced characteristics, significant hurdles were shared. SPD can be mishandled and mislabeled and can lead to learning barriers and emotional triggers. I describe ways to engaged in appropriate interventions and accommodations that work when applied correctly, timely, and specific. From this experience, I was able to create my own sensory solution that serves the needs of all my sensational learners in the classroom. A …

Early Childhood Teachers’ Perspectives Of Differentiating Social And Emotional Learning, Anya Kayne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers face challenges in differentiating social emotional learning (SEL) to meet the diverse needs of their students. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore early childhood teachers’ perspectives of strategies and challenges to differentiating SEL curricula to meet students’ diverse needs using the theory of social constructivism. The research questions focused on teachers’ perspectives of strategies they use and challenges they face when differentiating SEL curriculum. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 participants with 3 or more years of teaching experience in kindergarten through third grade in the United States. Interview transcripts were thematically analyzed, resulting in …

Early Childhood Teachers’ Perspectives Of Differentiating Social And Emotional Learning, Anya Kayne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers face challenges in differentiating social emotional learning (SEL) to meet the diverse needs of their students. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore early childhood teachers’ perspectives of strategies and challenges to differentiating SEL curricula to meet students’ diverse needs using the theory of social constructivism. The research questions focused on teachers’ perspectives of strategies they use and challenges they face when differentiating SEL curriculum. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 participants with 3 or more years of teaching experience in kindergarten through third grade in the United States. Interview transcripts were thematically analyzed, resulting in …

A Comparison Of Menstrual Health And Well-Being Among Adolescent Girls In Urban And Rural Areas Of The Belegavi District: A Crossectional Study, Arati Mahishale, Nagma Khan

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background: Due to their relationship with several health hazards, menstrual hygiene management (MHM) and awareness are major public health concerns in both urban and rural settings. This study examined the awareness of MHM among adolescent girls in Belagavi and assessed their knowledge and understanding of menstruation and related taboos.

Methods: In the Belagavi District of Karnataka, India, a cross-sectional, community-based observational study was carried out. About 380 (as 8 were excluded) menstruating adolescent girls between the ages of 12 and 18 who attended different convent and government schools were included in the study. IBM SPSS version 20 was used to …

Utilizing Funds Of Knowledge In An Early Childhood Classroom To Enhance And Create Read-Aloud Experiences, Grace Katharine O'Malley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate the read-aloud experiences in an early childhood classroom that embed students Funds of Knowledge (FoK). The specific aim is the explore what happens when I utilize my students' funds of knowledge when planning and implementing read-aloud experiences. what happens when I utilize my students' funds of knowledge when planning and implementing read-aloud experiences. The students demonstrated making connections to peers in response to text, engaging with text that highlights funds of knowledge and conversing about others culture through play. The implications for utilizing Funds of Knowledge in an early childhood classroom is …

The Applications And Implications Of A (Re)Humanizing Praxis For Early Childhood Educational Contexts, Kristopher M. Tetzlaff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dehumanizing preschool policies and practices and a lack of access to affordable, (re)humanizing early childhood educative experiences threatens to exacerbate the opportunity gap and deleterious preschool-to-prison pipeline. The purpose of this study was threefold; foremost, it aspired to elevate the role and power of critical resource pedagogies in individual and collective liberation. Second, it aimed to identify vital pedagogical and programmatic assets that advance the pursuit of mutual humanization in early childhood educational settings. Third, it sought to discern and address the pedagogical and programmatic limitations and systemic barriers that otherwise impede access to high quality early childhood programming. In …

A Critical Policy Analysis Of Universal Preschool In Colorado: Its Roots, Intentions, And Development, Jamita Horton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

High-quality preschool experiences are essential for preparing four-year-old children for a successful transition to kindergarten, benefiting them academically, emotionally, socially, and physically. However, access to such preschools remains limited, particularly for children from marginalized communities. This qualitative critical policy analysis examines transitioning from the targeted Colorado Preschool Program (CPP) to a universal preschool approach through the 2022 Colorado House Bill 1295: Department of Early Childhood and Universal Preschool Program. Drawing on Young and Diem's (2017) framework for critical policy analysis, this study explores the roots, development, and potential implications of the universal preschool policy.

This study analyzes documents and audio …

Closing The Knowledge Gap With Literacy-Infused And Rich Social Studies Content, Jeffrey Leffler, Ksenia Zhbanova

Journal of Research Initiatives

Social studies have been marginalized in early childhood education amid the prevalence of standardized testing and political issues. However, a comprehensive approach to early education, including social studies, is gaining attention. This article emphasizes the significance of incorporating social studies into early childhood curriculum, illuminating its potential to enhance children's cognitive and social-emotional development. The second important aspect of this article focuses on the role of social studies in literacy skill development through building background knowledge, critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills of young children.