Pre-Elementary, Early Childhood, Kindergarten Teacher Education Commons^™

Perspectives Of Mentor Teachers For Early Childhood Teacher Preparation, Shannon J. Rivera

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early childhood (EC) teacher education programs and public-school partnerships have broadened preparation of preservice teachers by providing more learning opportunities during preservice field experiences. These experiences require mentoring from highly qualified supervising teachers. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore mentors’ perspectives of their qualifications to mentor EC preservice teachers in a 4-year university laboratory school. Ambrosetti’s theory of mentor preparation guided this study. The research question addressed mentor teachers’ perspectives of their mentoring qualifications for EC preservice teachers. A snowball sample of 8 mentor teachers, with at least 4 years’ experience mentoring EC preservice teachers, volunteered …

The Perspectives Of Early Childhood College Faculty On The Role Of Play, Susan Paula Mckoy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractEarly Childhood and Care Education (ECCE) educators are expected to understand the role of play and implement play in their classrooms, but specific classes on the role of play at the college level are not offered. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine the perspectives of full-time ECCE faculty at a Southeastern state technical college teaching preservice teachers to determine their students’ understanding of the role of play, the inclusion of play in their lesson plans, and how play is being implemented in their classrooms. The conceptual framework guiding the study was Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development. …

Prekindergarten Educators' Perspectives On Professional Development About Transgender And Gender-Nonconforming Children, Danita Marie Norris Mccray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Young children start to develop an understanding of gender and gender identity in prekindergarten. Early childhood educators require professional development in creating safe, supportive learning environments for transgender and gender nonconforming children. Limited research has focused on prekindergarten educators' knowledge, skills, and dispositions about supporting transgender and gender nonconforming children in their classrooms. Framed by Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological systems theory and Derman-Sparks antibias early childhood concepts, the purpose of this basic qualitative study with interviews was to explore prekindergarten educators' perspectives on professional development about transgender and gender nonconforming children. Data were collected using semistructured, in-depth interviews with 12 prekindergarten educators …

Elementary-Level Instructional Coaches’ Perspectives On Roles And Teacher Effectiveness, Amanda Miliner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Instructional coaches help improve teacher effectiveness to ultimately help improve student performance. The roles of instructional coaches often vary depending on the leadership or recent trends of a school district. This inconsistency impedes the instructional coach’s ability to improve teacher effectiveness. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore elementary-level Title I instructional coaches’ perspectives on their roles and how these roles improved teacher effectiveness. Organizational role theory served as the conceptual framework for this study. This study consisted of a convenience sampling of 7 Title I instructional coaches in one school district in a Southern state. The …

First-Grade Teachers’ Perspectives On Children’S Oral Reading Fluency And Automaticity, Keshia Wood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reading fluency and automaticity are essential components of the first-grade reading curriculum, yet little is known about teachers’ perspectives on their role in assisting children in mastering these skills. The purpose of this basic qualitative research study was to explore teachers’ perspectives of the problem of low reading fluency and low automaticity among their first-grade students. The theory of automatic information processing in reading formed the conceptual framework, augmented by Rasinski’s techniques of repeated reading and readers theater to support development of reading fluency and automaticity. Research questions about teachers’ perspectives of oral reading fluency and automaticity, their understanding of …

Examining Predictors Of Birth Outcomes: Implications For Early Childhood Development And Policy, Cissy Lee Mattingly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While the infant mortality rate has improved significantly in the United States in recent years, a Black-White disparity persists. The problem is the high infant mortality rate in the state of Texas. The purpose of this quantitative multiple logistic regression study was to examine disparities in birth outcomes in the state of Texas by race, ethnicity, and other significant predictors related to socioeconomic status. The Mosley-Chen theoretical framework bridges the gap between social science and biomedicine to identify key predictors of infant mortality including socioeconomic factors for studies in child development. The 2 research questions examined if race and ethnicity …

Prekindergarten Practitioners’ Perspectives Of The Creative Curriculum For At-Risk Students, Navine Fortune

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Investigators have addressed elementary practitioners’ perspectives concerning the concept of curriculum development and children’s learning; however, much less information is available on prekindergarten practitioners’ perspectives of curriculum for at-risk prekindergarten students. This basic qualitative study explored prekindergarten practitioners’ perspectives of self-efficacy, competence, and motivation in the implementation of The Creative Curriculum for Preschool Program with at-risk students in a southeastern state. The theories of constructivism and self-efficacy guided the conceptual framework for this study. The research questions focused on prekindergarten practitioners’ perspectives of self-efficacy, competency, and motivation during implementation of the curriculum. Data were collected using in-depth semistructured interviews with …

Characteristics Of Teacher Language Exchange With Preschool Children, Patricia Plummer-Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has documented the influence of early home language experiences on children’s development and educational success, but as many children spend large portions of their days in childcare centers, preschool teachers have similar potential to have a profound and lasting influence on children’s language development. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the varying levels of quantity and quality of teacher language exchanges with preschool students in independently-funded childcare facilities. The work of Hart and Risley on parental language exchange formed the conceptual framework for this study. The research questions guiding this study focused on affirmative versus …

Experiences Of Parents Interacting In An Urban Preschool Outreach Program, Sonya Renee Baines-Corey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractParental engagement supports children academically. However, African American parents engage at lower levels than other parents. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to understand the experiences of urban preschool parents in a blended parental engagement program. A combination of critical race theory, experiential learning, social learning theory, and andragogy served as the conceptual framework. Data were collected through semi structured face-to-face interviews with eight African American parents, observational field notes, and an archival review of preschool documents in a Southeast U.S. state’s innovative parental engagement program that incorporates technology. Findings from inductive thematic analysis indicated three major themes. …

Parents And Educators Perspectives Of Chronic Absenteeism: Strategies To Improve Attendance, Gloria Genene Woullard-Wilder

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The research problem for this study was the chronic absenteeism for students in Grades 1–3 in a high-poverty, low-performing elementary school in a Southern state. Chronic absenteeism (CA) can result in poor reading skills and high dropout rates for students in low-income areas. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of 6 parents, 6 educators, and 4 school support staff regarding the causes of CA in Grades 1–3 and recommendations to increase and sustain attendance. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory served as the framework. The research questions were used to identify causes of CA and suggestions …

Prekindergarten Teachers' Perspectives Of Supporting The School Readiness Of English Language Learners, Shannon Rice

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem examined in this study was that English language learners (ELLs) are not meeting readiness proficiency, which contributes to the growing learning gap between ELLs and their native English-speaking peers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain an understanding of prekindergarten teachers' perspectives about what is needed to increase their effectiveness in teaching ELLs. The conceptual framework for the study was Vygotsky's sociocultural theory. Prekindergarten teachers' perspectives were examined to understand how they assess, create goals, and monitor the learning progress of ELLs as well as how they can be further supported by colleagues and administration. Data …

Effectiveness Of Response To Intervention In Third Grade Reading Outcomes, Amanda Wentz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reading continues to be a struggle for many students beyond primary ages. Response to Intervention (RTI) is a common approach in practice to improve reading outcomes, but it has not been researched with all populations. Studies on 3rd grade struggling readers are needed to ensure they receive appropriate support to become more successful readers. The theoretical foundations for this quantitative study included Vygotsky’s social constructivist theory and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The research questions examined whether participating in RTI had a significant influence on 3rd grade students’ reading outcomes from the beginning compared to the end of the school year. …

Factors That Affect Language And Literacy Development In International School Contexts, Jessica Cardoza

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Kindergarten students attending English-immersion, international school programs in Spanish-speaking countries may be at risk for learning difficulties. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the relationship and comparisons between factors of duration of program enrollment, home language spoken by parents and caregivers, and children’s gender (independent variables), and the English language proficiency (dependent variable) of dual language learners attending an international school where the instruction was primarily in English and the dominant language of the country was Spanish. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Dworin’s theory of bidirectionality in bilingual language development formed the theoretical foundation for this study. Research …

Culturally Sensitive Parenting Counseling, Corporal Punishment, And Early Childhood Development In Grenada, Lauren Elizabeth Anne Orlando

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many children under 5 years of age in developing countries and regions, including the Caribbean, will not fulfill their developmental potential due to being exposed to risks such as poverty, poor health, violence, and unstimulating home environments. Adverse childhood experiences, which include corporal punishment, may increase children’s risk for poor adult health and disease outcomes. The purpose of this quasi-experimental, quantitative study, grounded in the social ecological model, was to examine the use of corporal punishment and the impact of parental exposure to culturally sensitive parenting counseling (CSPC) provided to families with children aged 0 to 3 years old enrolled …

Early-Career Child Care Teachers' Perceptions Of Their Training Experiences, Teri M. Peasley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a Midwest state, child care teachers who enter the workforce with only a high school diploma or GED credential are not required to complete child development training before being placed in a classroom. Child care teachers need foundational knowledge to provide quality care and education to young children. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how early-career child care teachers with no advanced education in child development experience training upon entering the workforce. Personal narratives are scarce in existing research, and understanding the perspectives of child care teachers provided an opportunity to consider appropriate training and …

Educators’ Perspectives On Parent Engagement In Rural Title I Charter Schools, Patricia Ann Burns

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a rural Title I charter school serving K-3 students in the Southeastern United States, educators have noted low levels of parent engagement. A low level of parent engagement can lead to low levels in student achievement. Educators wish to understand the benefits of parent engagement, barriers to parent engagement, benefits of parent engagement, barriers to parent engagement, and ways to increase parent engagement. The purpose of this basic qualitative study with interviews was to address the local problem by exploring rural Title I charter school educators' perspectives on benefits of, barriers to, and strategies for increasing parent engagement. Epstein’s …

Best Approaches For English Acquisition With Primary English Language Learners, Roxanna Gario

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The education reform that took place in the emirate of Abu Dhabi set the standard that all students attending state-governed schools would be literate in their native language of Arabic as well as English, which was being taught in schools as a second language. However, school data documented achievement gaps in English reading among English language learners (ELLs) at a primary school in Abu Dhabi. The purpose of this study was to investigate the best approaches used by English medium teachers to teach reading to ELLs in order to provide recommendations for student improvement. Guided by Krashen’s monitor model, this …

Head Start Teachers’ Self-Efficacy And Experiences Teaching Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Leronda Phillips

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Autism spectrum disorders are pervasive developmental disorders in which a student’s inability to communicate, undeveloped social skills, and restricted interests require intervention from trained professionals. Autism spectrum disorder is an eligibility for special education where students can be affected by the presence of a lack of qualified teachers. Teachers who work with students with special needs experience more frustration and burnout than do teachers of typical students; research has suggested that teachers with higher self-efficacy have more success than do teachers with lower self-efficacy. The study’s theoretical basis was derived from Bandura’s self-efficacy theory. This phenomenological qualitative research study explored …

Teachers’ Perspectives About Strategies To Address The Influence Of Adverse Childhood Experiences, Marie C Walker Arroyo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Each year, the people of Puerto Rico prepare for hurricane season by attending to their properties and families’ needs, such as food, water, and supplies. Many educators on the island of Puerto Rico were not prepared for the adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) faced by children during and following Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017. This basic qualitative interview study explored preschool teachers’ perspectives about strategies they used to address the influences of ACEs during and following the hurricanes. Resilience theory and Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological systems theory provided the conceptual framework for the study. The study sought to identify educators’ capacities …

Exploring Early Childhood Teachers’ Perspectives Regarding How They Teach Vocabulary, Serena Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous studies have been done on the lack of quality and consistency of vocabulary instruction in low socioeconomic schools. The problem addressed in this study was that some students were performing well on vocabulary assessments in low income early childhood classrooms while other students were performing poorly. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perspectives of early childhood teachers in low socioeconomic schools of students with high vocabulary scores regarding how they teach students based on their zones of proximal development. The conceptual framework used in this study was Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural theory of cognitive development, …

An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Of Teachers' Perspectives Of Differentiated Instruction In K-3 Inclusion Classrooms, Julie Franklin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have addressed teachers' perspectives of differentiated instruction or teachers' perspectives on inclusion classrooms, but there was limited research on the combined topics of teachers' perspectives of differentiated instruction in inclusion classrooms. This interpretative phenomenological analysis used one to one interviews and reflective journals to explore nine teachers' perspectives of differentiated instruction in K-3 inclusion classrooms. The study's conceptual framework was comprised of Vygotsky's social constructivist theory and Piaget's theory of cognitive development. The research question and sub-questions asked about the challenges and successes teachers encountered in planning and implementing differentiated instruction in K-3 inclusion classrooms, and what teachers believed …

Reported Literacy Engagement Among Low-Income Parents And Their Children., Olugemi Ojo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Little is known about literacy engagement between low-income parents and their preschool children, although it may affect children's language development and later school achievement. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine shared reading interactions among low-income parents and their children. The research questions addressed the lexical diversity of books read and the shared book reading experience of preschool children as reported by their low-income parents. The conceptual framework was based on the work of Hart and Risley, who proposed that the extent and value of literacy environment and collaboration during shared book reading are linked to the socioeconomic …

Nigerian Early Childhood Educators' Perspectives On The Influence Of Divorce On Children's Academic Achievement, Monica Ufuoma Peremine Wosowei

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parental divorce has profound negative effects on children's performance in school. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore Nigerian early childhood educators' perspectives on the effects of divorce on children's academic achievement and strategies or suggestions for working with these children. The conceptual framework of this study consisted of three theories: Bowen's family systems theory, Piaget's theory of cognitive development, and Vygotsky's theory of social constructivism. Two research questions focused on educators' perspectives on the effects of divorce on children's academic achievement. Data were collected from 12 educators who are the participants using the inclusion criteria and …

Teachers’ Perspectives Of Preschool Reading Fadeout And Strategies To Prevent It In Low-Performing Schools, Jacquelyn Blanton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Third-grade reading scores on some U.S. state tests revealed that children who attended a state-funded preschool program were not proficient readers. Reading gains made in preschool faded by the time the children reached third grade. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine teachers’ perspectives regarding the causes of preschool reading fadeout and the strategies they used to prevent preschool reading fadeout in low-performing schools. The conceptual framework included the dynamic skill-building theory and skill formation theory to examine the development of reading skills. Nine state-certified teachers who taught reading in preschool through third grade shared their perspectives …

Perspectives Of Teachers, Directors, And Parents Regarding Male Teachers In Early Childhood Education, Tabiyes Montrell Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was the focus of this study is the lack of male teachers in early childhood classrooms. This problem is important because it suggests failure of gender equity in early childhood hiring. The purpose of this qualitative study was to increase understanding of the perspectives of teachers, directors, and parents that may contribute to the lack of male teachers in early childhood classrooms. The conceptual framework of this study comprised work of Koch and Zeelenberg et al. on gender-based stereotyping and risky decision-making in hiring. Data were gathered from interviews with 20 participants, including childcare center directors, female …

Minority Child Care Providers' Perspectives Of Barriers To Timely Associate Degree Completion, Sonia G. Pruneda-Hernandez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem this basic qualitative study sought to address was the length of time it takes minority childcare providers (MCCPs) seeking an associate of applied science degree in early childhood (EC) education to graduate from a community college. For MCCPs to acquire a degree and meet educational requirements, they often work full time to complete the degree, which may result in loss of employment, closure of their family child care homes, demotion in positions, or decreased salaries. The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of MCCPs on the barriers to timely degree completion of an associate degree …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Toxic Stress And Classroom Practices They Use With Young Children, Pamela Joyce Waddell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractYoung children experiencing toxic stress has negative consequences on their development. The purpose of this case study was to explore teachers' perceptions of toxic stress in young children and the classroom practices used to assist students experiencing toxic stress from two rural early childhood centers in an eastern state in the United States. The conceptual framework for this qualitative research included Bronfenbrenner's ecological model of human development, social constructivist theory, and information from The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. The research questions explored teachers' perceptions of toxic stress in young children and classroom practices being used in …

Head Start Parent Perspectives Of Their Roles In Their Children’S Preschool Education, Fawn Thomas-Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Head Start expects parent involvement as part of parents’ in-kind contribution to the program, but data from a multi-center Head Start agency in the southeastern United States indicated many parents do not meet this expectation. Lack of parental involvement in Head Start children’s education was the problem of focus in this study. The purpose of this study was to increase understanding of the perspectives of Head Start parents regarding their roles in their preschool children’s education. The work of Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler formed the conceptual framework for this study. The research questions focused on how parents describe their responsibilities for …

Language-Supportive Strategies And Their Associations With Child Language Outcomes During Instructional Time, Erin S. Wallace

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I conducted a correlational study that examined the frequency of educator-delivered language-supportive strategies during instructional time in public Kindergarten classrooms. Additionally, I explored the association between educators’ use of language-supportive strategies and child language outcomes. To index child language, I assessed a sample of 96 children from 10 different classrooms on standardized measures of expressive and receptive language. I recruited 10 educators to participate in the present study and assessed their use of language-supportive strategies during instructional time in the classroom through transcription and coding of audio recordings. The educators completed demographic forms for themselves as well …

Influence Of Teachers’ Metacognitive Skills On Development Of Early-Childhood Students, Sunthorn Thienngam, Aree Promlek, Koranit Thongsaard

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The objectives were to study and develop metacognitive skills of 1,616 early childhood in-service teachers in Child Development Center, Thailand. The quasi-experimental design were implied. Research Tools were Metacognitive Self-Assessment Questionnaire and scoring rubrics for early childhood students’ assessment. Data were analyzed through fundamental statistics and inferential statistics. The research results were as follows:

The teachers who joined with the program had got higher metacognitive skills score for both knowledge of cognition and knowledge of regulation than the other one. The teachers who had different supportive factors, different attitude towards pedagogy and different self-efficacy, would have got statistically significant difference …