Early Childhood Education Commons^™

Social-Emotional Learning: Preschool Teachers’ Perspectives From Urban And Rural Contexts, Seema Lasi, Khushal Khan, Noreen Afzal

Human Development Programme

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is an integral part of holistic child development. The early years of life are the best window of opportunity when children acquire self-regulation which stays with them throughout their lives. A qualitative exploratory design with focus group discussions (FGDs) was used for preschool teachers’ perspectives on SEL from urban and rural areas of Pakistan. Five (5) FGDs were organized, each with 8 to 10 teachers. Insights were highlighted by teachers from urban and rural contexts. Urban schoolteachers demonstrated a better understanding of SEL as compared to rural schoolteachers. The main themes identified during the analysis were teachers' …

Application Of Multicultural Literature In The Early Childhood Classroom, Deborah Wheeler, Jennifer Hill

Journal of English Learner Education

Culture equates to identity; therefore, the implementation of multicultural literature in the early childhood curriculum is an essential method for securing children’s concept of self and cultural identity. This qualitative study explored the implementation of multicultural literature in early childhood classrooms, and the research included questions pertaining to multicultural literature training, instructional methods, and barriers encountered. The purpose of the study was to answer questions regarding teachers use of multicultural literature in the classroom, how often teachers read multicultural literature and how teachers integrated multicultural literature into instruction. An additional question inquired about what multicultural books titles were teachers reading …

Best Practices For English Learners With Disabilities In Us Schools – A Systematic Review, Samiratu Bashiru, Jennifer E. Smith

Journal of English Learner Education

This systematic review investigated best practices for enhancing academic achievement among English Learners with Disabilities (ELDs) in US schools. By examining 17 peer-reviewed articles and comparing them to the CEC 2014 Quality Indicators, the study identifies significant practices, including culturally responsive methods, technology integration, evidence-based strategies, addressing service delivery challenges, and improving assessment tools. This review has limitations related to inconsistent terminology and highlights the need for standardized language and continued research. It recommends integrating culturally responsive practices, leveraging technology, and refining inclusive assessment tools. This review provides educators, policymakers, and researchers insights, emphasizing ongoing teacher development and policy alignment …

Asset-Based Teaching; Uncover, Cultivate, And Empower Students’ Uniqueness, Stephanie K. Knight, Marjaneh Gilpatrick, Tracy Vasquez

Journal of English Learner Education

As instructors who are in tune with their learners learning and communication styles as well as their family and cultural backgrounds, it makes sense that they view their students’ skills and abilities from an asset-based lens. This article provides the readers with some tactics on how to develop and nurture that growth mindset.

When we consider the assets students bring to individual classrooms, the teaching becomes more personalized and relevant to their learning needs. By implementing these teaching practices, instructors are uncovering, cultivating, and empowering their students’ unique abilities. Ultimately students are able to apply their knowledge, skills, and abilities …

Triumph Through Tragedy, One Student At At Time, Chanel M. Schwenck

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

The EF-4 tornado that struck Mayfield, Kentucky on the evening of December 10, 2021 caused tremendous destruction to the entire community of Mayfield. Two education professors at a neighboring university sought to help students in the Mayfield Independent School District and were able to do so via funding from a KEEP mini-grant. 81 of their college students were trained in Response to Intervention (RtI) practices and provided individual and small group instruction to students in Mayfield for 2 hours a week for 17 weeks during the 2022-2023 school year. Altogether, struggling students in Mayfield received 1,377 hours of RtI instruction …

Effects Of Screen Time On Children's Brain Development: A Scoping Review, Niloofar Jannesar, Todd E. Davenport, Lindsay Gietzen

Pacific Journal of Health

In this scoping review, the effects of screen time on cognitive, linguistic, and social-emotional development in children were studied by examining peer-reviewed articles published between 2018 and 2023. A total of 17 peer-reviewed articles were used in the study. The research reported that screen media provide a learning avenue, though it could be detrimental when children spend their time watching more than appropriate screen media. Furthermore, the study indicated that excessive screen media use may harm children’s executive function, which affects academic performance and language development. Related studies have also shown a correlation between excess screen use and problems like …

An Autoethnography Journey: Social And Emotional Learning In A Post-Covid Classroom, April Edwards

Masters Theses

In this autoethnography journey, we explore the question, "What resources are available for teachers to use to guide SEL instruction, and how effective are those resources post-pandemic?" Post-COVID-19 pandemic, we noticed that our students needed more social interaction time in the classroom. Student behaviors increased alongside teacher frustration. Districts immediately began to see this struggle in the school systems and the growing concern from parents and teachers. Our children were not taught how to respectfully express their social and emotional needs due to the lack of opportunity to practice with others. During this study, we found that teachers …

Inclusive Education For All: Identifying Teacher Beliefs About Working With Students With Disabilities, Chelsea Sharek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the beliefs K-12 teachers have when working with students with disabilities in a rural Pennsylvania school district. This study aimed to identify if teachers’ personal beliefs created biases about their students and school systems; thus, forming barriers and preventing an inclusive education when working with disabled students. Instrumentation for this quantitative study is the Multidimensional Attitudes Towards Inclusive Education Scale (MATIES) survey. Findings suggest that some teachers at Sunnyside School District (pseudonym) hold personal beliefs that could create biases about their students and school system that may form barriers when working with …

Decodable Readers Versus Leveled Text, Taylor Leitch

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

A student’s ability to read fluently is an extremely vital skill, necessary to allow them to succeed both in an academic setting and in everyday life. To guide those developing readers in increasing their independent reading fluency, abilities educators must have the correct instructional methods and tools that are developmentally appropriate to provide meaningful instruction. This quantitative action research project explores the use of decodable readers versus leveled text for students who are still developing the phonemic skills and recognition needed to read fluently. A decodable reader allows a student to explicitly practice one phonemic skill to mastery before adding …

Video Coaching For First-Year Special Education Teachers, Katherine Gadient

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Topic:

Video Coaching for First-Year Special Education Teachers

Abstract:

There is a shortage of special education teachers, especially in rural areas (Hopkins, 2023). School districts have attempted to address this shortage by hiring people on a variance and providing them with a specific timeline to obtain a special education teaching license (Tier Requirements, n.d.). Based on my school district and my experience, many of these teachers are hired without formal training in education and/or experience teaching in a special education setting. They may not have background information regarding due process and may need guidance on special education paperwork as well …

Standards Based Inclusive Preschool Curriculum, Bridgette Leigh

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to create an inclusive preschool curriculum geared toward all children ages 3-to-5 years-old. The curriculum demonstrated scripted and detailed instructions on how to conduct lessons in the developmental areas of cognitive and social-emotional. Those developmental areas were selected due to the research indicating the highest need areas for young children. In addition, the curriculum addressed: the Minnesota state educational standards for preschool age children, early childhood indicators of progress (ECIPs), and individual education plan (IEP) goals and objectives for young children who have special needs. The curriculum gives example case studies and ways …

Letter From The Editor In Chief, Jeffrey Lee

Transform

The TRANSFORM journal is a space for leaders, mentors, researchers, and practitioners of transformational leadership to be seen, heard, and valued; it is a place for making connections. Relationship-building is central to transformational leadership at all levels of an organization; this fundamental truth is a trending topic in literature. Otherwise, however, leadership can be an isolating experience.

As an ethnographer, I believe the best way to launch an academic, peer-reviewed journal is to do what I do best: storytelling. I want to share my thoughts on transformational leadership through a story in the form of a letter to my younger …

Teach Me How, Asmy Fayad

Capstones

In Teach Me How, director Asmy Fayad shows how the new generation are being educated on gender identity. Some parents believe that their kids should learn about gender identity at an early age either at school or at home. These parents take their kids to events such as the Drag Story Hour at the libraries or parks, for them to learn about gender identity and interact with Drag Queens. However, other parents are against this type of education because of their own beliefs that would be explored.

Early Childhood Field Experience Supervision: Negotiating Praxis, Amy L. Kelly

Journal of Educational Supervision

This case examines the complex partnership between the university teacher education program and the host school district. Many factors contribute to the expectations and requirements of both institutions, which can at times, conflict in fundamental ways. The theoretical and research-based methods of early childhood coursework are often different than the reality of those classrooms. Furthermore, the adoption of initiatives like, Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading standards by university teacher education programs must translate to the fieldwork. School and district-wide mandates often overrule best pedagogical and developmentally appropriate practices. With these opposing perspectives how can supervisors bridge the gap between the …

Assessing Generalization Of Behavioral Interventions In Teaching Independent Play Skills To Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review, David Anthony Defranco

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

A myriad of evidence-based practices has been effective in teaching independent play skills to individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). These interventions include video modeling, activity schedules, task correspondence training, task organization, individual work systems, and matrix training. This systematic review is aimed at examining the various behavioral interventions used to teach independent play skills to children and adolescents with ASD as the independent play literature will be evaluated to see if generalization was programmed for and assessed within the study. As one of the main dimensions of behavior analysis, generalization of skills, specifically independent play skills, is important to …

Teachers’, Administrators’, And Staff’S Perspectives On Their Role In Supporting Preschool Mental Health, Jennifer Ann Coggin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Social Emotional Learning Resources And Evaluations For Kindergarten Students, Jacquelyn Becker

Culminating Experience Projects

Kindergarten is looking very different these years because of the increase in requirements and standards. The push is affecting teachers and students. Teachers are having to use scripted lessons and focus on test preparation instead of teaching based on the students developmental needs. Students are being pushed and given less time to play and explore while they are in school. The lack of free play and the push academically, students are starting to show negative behavior and acting out while they are in class. This project focuses on the benefits of play and teaching social emotional learning (SEL) skills for …

Executive Functioning And Self-Regulation Learning In The Early Childhood Years, A Calming Safe Space To Support The Emotional Development Of Young Children., Amy Strunc

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Early childhood special education (ECSE) teachers often serve as a resource for classroom teachers, assistants, parents, paraprofessionals, and administration seeking behavioral guidance. Children need to be equipped with strategies to regulate their emotions before they reach the point of outbursts, elopement, shutdowns, or aggressive behavior. Classroom calm-down spaces are essential for all children to take a break and practice self-regulation, initially learning through co-regulation with teachers. This project aims to provide a framework for providing explicit instruction to children to manage their emotions at the earliest signs of dysregulation, enabling them to remain in the learning zone. The project also …

Assessment Of The Early Childhood Physical Environments Centers According To (Cpers5) Scale. تقدير خصائص البيئات الفيزيقية لمراكز رعاية الطفولة المبكرة باستخدام مقياس (Cpers5), Zain Douba

Association of Arab Universities Journal for Education and Psychology

The research aims to prepare an arabized version of the scale for assessing the characteristics of physical environments for children in its fifth edition, the children`s physical environments rating scale (cpers5), prepared by moore, shogiyama, and o`donnell (m00re, sug iyama&o`donnell, 2012). The scale was built with the aim of providing a tool for estimating the characteristics of early childhood care center environments that include ages from birth to 6 years of age, on a scientific, accurate, and comprehensive basis, and to cover the shortco mings of previous standards in the field of assessing the quality of early childhood environments. It …

Teachers’ Perspectives On Instructional Practices For English Language Learners Implemented During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Loubna El Bdaoui

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Problem Behavior In Early Childhood Special Education, Morgan N. Giola

Culminating Experience Projects

Research has revealed an increasing number of instances of problem behavior exhibited by students with special needs in early childhood classrooms. This project explores the problem of increased problem behavior in early childhood special education (ECSE) classrooms and how to decrease the prevalence of this challenge. Through an extensive literature review, this project concludes that providing ECSE educators with professional development and resources on research-based approaches and strategies to addressing problem behavior is the key to tackling this problem. The professional development included in this project informs the importance of solving this problem, including short- and long-term implications of students …

Parent Choice: Learning Pods Or Public Education During Covid-19 Pandemic, Shari Kinney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to examine the decision-making process of K-12 parents living in the Appalachian Highlands who chose to remove their children from traditional public schools to join learning pods (sometimes referred to as pandemic pods) during the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to answer this overarching question, the researcher focused her study on two areas: first, what were the possible push factors that influenced parents to remove their children from public schools, and secondly, what were the pull factors that lead parents to choose learning pods over other school choice options. Through the data collected …

Global Educational Ramifications Of Covid-19 On Minorities And Students Living In Poverty Or Extreme Poverty: A Literature Review, Jessie S. Thacker-King

Journal of Global Education and Research

Public education requires all stakeholders to collaborate as a community and focus on the essential factors that create a path for student progress, growth, and maturity. The result nurtures students from kindergarten to graduation and beyond and affords them opportunities to become efficacious members of their communities. Schools are a business operating on the premise of the service industry, working collectively with and for the communities they serve. Their operational parameters are to work with all stakeholders to successfully facilitate excellence in education for all students regardless of gender, race, or socioeconomic status. Recent COVID-19 school closures have opened dialogues …

The Power Of Play: The Role Of Children’S Museums In Kindergarten Readiness, Catie Davis

All Dissertations

This study explores the transformative potential of play in preparing young children for Kindergarten, focusing on the intersection of children's museums, caregiver interactions, and school readiness. The study, conducted over an eight-week Pop-Up Classroom program at The Flowerfield Children's Museum, included 52 participants, primarily from low-income backgrounds. Through a mixed-methods approach, including participant observations and caregiver surveys, the research aimed to answer the fundamental question: What is the role of play in preparing children for Kindergarten?

Two significant findings emerged. Firstly, the study illuminated the pivotal role of play in nurturing social-emotional development and communication skills among children. Structured observations …

Professional Development, Digital Platforms, And Middle School Education During Covid-19, Cynthia Susan Castro

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 outbreak shifted towards online learning, requiring educators and administrators to adapt to new digital platforms and technologies quickly. The purpose of this quantitative study is to examine whether there is a significant difference in the frequency of use of digital platforms among middle schools. Secondly, it explores the relationship between teachers' attendance at professional development sessions and their integration of Nearpod lessons during the pandemic. Lastly, it investigates the relationship between the time campus principals invested in technology-related professional development and teachers' adoption of digital platforms at their respective campuses. Surveys and administrative records were …

Emergent Literacy And Early Reading Skills In Chinese-Mandarin: Evidence From Kindergarten And First-Grade Children, Yingshan Huang

<strong> Theses and Dissertations </strong>

The development of emergent literacy, a precursor to formal reading, has been linked to subsequent conventional literacy skills in Chinese children. The factors important for acquiring Chinese reading skills, such as phonological and morphological awareness, have primarily been studied in primary school children rather than preschoolers. The complete picture of factors contributing to early reading skills in Mandarin-speaking Chinese preschool children remains unclear. Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore emergent literacy and early reading skills in preschool and early school-aged children and investigate the connections between them to address gaps in existing literature. Methodology: A cross-sectional design …

Mentor Teacher Positioning During Pedagogical Documentation With Early Childhood Preservice Teachers, Melissa Renee Westfall

Doctoral Dissertations

Teacher education research shows that partnerships among mentor teachers and preservice teachers facilitate meaningful professional development when both are afforded the opportunity to assume dynamic positions of teacher and learner. The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive case study was to explore mentor positioning and pedagogical documentation at a university-based early childhood center with five mentor teachers (MTs) and five undergraduate preservice teachers (PTs). It explored the efficacy of pedagogical documentation review as a tool to facilitate moments of reciprocal mentoring. Through the framework of cultural-historical activity theory and subject positioning theory, I investigated how mentors positioned themselves during pedagogical documentation …

Benefits Of Primary Grade Dual Language Immersion Programs, Karen Green Mesa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Characteristics Of Award-Winning Children’S Books About Agriculture: An Analysis Of Content, And The Perspectives Of Authors, Illustrators, And Publishers, Addison L. Beckham

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this two-article qualitative study was to characterize children's literature about agriculture and to describe the perceptions of authors and illustrators who are responsible for writing and designing these successful publications. This will result in the ability of organizations like Feeding Minds Press to provide writers, illustrators, and publishers with effective strategies and techniques to improve the accuracy and overall quality of children’s literature about agriculture. Few parameters exist for authors of children’s books about agriculture (Biser, 2007). These parameters are necessary to ensure the quality and accuracy of these educational efforts (Serafini, 2012). Though Feeding Minds Press …

Development Of S.T.E.A.M. Daises In Formal And Informal Environments For Educating Primary I Learners, Frances Neville

Masters Theses

The federal government has made education a competition among ourselves. Learning is not a rivalry to be imposed on our physical and cognitive development as humans. Escalating beliefs recognize education is more encompassing than CCSS, assessments and the grade level time frames in which standards are to be taught. On the precipice of anti-intellect, low expectations, and what has been termed “The Dumbing of America” an investigation into what it would take to close the achievement gap and increase student learning is overdue.

The goal for my Michigan based project, S.T.E.A.M. Daises, was to develop a program focusing on the …