Impact of an Early Reading First program on the language and literacy achievement of children from diverse language backgrounds

This study used an age-cutoff regression discontinuity design to examine the impact of a well-resourced Early Reading First prekindergarten program designed to foster the language and literacy development of 4-year-old children from low-income homes. A special challenge for the application of the language-rich curriculum and professional development package implemented in this study was the presence of a large proportion of ELL children in essentially English-speaking classrooms. We, therefore, sought to determine whether the program was effective for improving English language and literacy outcomes for English-language learners as well as native English speakers. There were large and significant differences between treatment and control groups on literacy outcomes for all students. On the literacy tasks, ELL students in the treatment groups performed nearly as well or better than non-ELL students at the beginning of kindergarten, and reached national norms on standardized tests. There were also significant program impacts on some language outcomes for all students. ELL students who received the intervention significantly outperformed ELL students in the control groups on English receptive and expressive vocabulary. On the more complex oral comprehension skills, preschool did not have a significant impact for ELL students. Intervention effects on receptive vocabulary and oral comprehension for native speakers were found only for the third cohort and were not found for expressive vocabulary. These results provide evidence that, given material supports, coaching, professional development, and the use of a language and literacy-focused curriculum, prekindergarten classrooms can enable low-SES children from diverse language backgrounds to enter kindergarten with literacy skills at or near national norms and can significantly impact some language skills. While non-native speakers of English continued to score lower on language measures than their native-speaking peers, results show that 1 year of preschool can put all children on a positive trajectory for long-term success in school.     

Cultural and linguistic diversity in early childhood teacher preparation: The impact of contextual characteristics on coursework and practica

The population of children in early childhood settings is becoming increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse, and these changes in demographics have warranted teachers becoming more culturally responsive and better prepared to work with diverse young children and families. Teacher preparation programs across the nation have responded differently to this critical issue, in part because of the different contexts in which they exist. Analyses were conducted using data from the National Prekindergarten Center’s (NPC) National Study of Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Programs and the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) Integrated Post-Secondary Education Dataset (IPEDS). Geographical, program, and institutional characteristics were analyzed from a sample of 416 Bachelor’s degree programs to determine how these variables were associated with the amount of diversity content and experience required in teacher preparation programs. Results indicated that the presence of non-White full-time faculty was positively related to more required coursework focused on working with children and families from culturally diverse backgrounds, while degree of urbanization, governance of institutions, and National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education accreditation were associated with required coursework focused on working with bilingual children and English language learners. The percentage of the non-Hispanic White population in a state and geographic region were both associated with practica requirements focused on working with bilingual children and English language learners. Implications and recommendations for policy, future research, and early childhood teacher preparation are discussed.     

Starting school in Australia is ‘a bit safer,a lot easier and more relaxing’: issues for families and children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

The project described in this paper investigated the needs and concerns identified by parents from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds as their children started school in Sydney, Australia. Six groups of parents from Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Samoan, Turkish and Vietnamese language backgrounds were interviewed about what was important for them to know and/or do as their children started school. In particular, parents were asked to identify information which would have been helpful for them, and that should be available to parents with children starting school. The data obtained were compared with data derived from Australian parents whose first language is English. The results indicate that there are some issues which seem to be of concern to most parents, regardless of their cultural or language background, such as parents' desire for children to be happy and confident at school, as well as some more specific issues for some groups.     

The validity of the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment for culturally and linguistically diverse Head Start children

The Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) is a social-emotional assessment widely used by early childhood educational programs to inform early identification and intervention efforts. However, its construct validity is not well-established in independent samples of children from low-income backgrounds. We examined the construct validity of the teacher report of the DECA using a series of confirmatory factor analyses, exploratory factor analyses, and the Rasch partial credit model in a large sample of culturally and linguistically diverse Head Start children (N = 5,197). Findings provided some evidence for consistency in the factor structure of the three Protective Factors subscales (Initiative, Self-Control, and Attachment); however, the factor structure of the Behavioral Concerns subscale was not replicated in our sample and demonstrated poor fit to these data. Findings suggested that the 10 items of the published Behavioral Concerns subscale did not comprise a unidimensional construct, but rather, were better represented by two factors (externalizing and internalizing behavior). The use of the total Behavioral Concerns score as a screening tool to identify emotional and behavioral problems in diverse samples of preschool children from low-income backgrounds was not supported, especially for internalizing behavior. Implications for the consequential validity of the DECA for use as a screening tool in early childhood programs serving diverse populations of children and directions for future research are discussed.     

School readiness gains made by ethnically diverse children in poverty attending center-based childcare and public school pre-kindergarten programs

Although intensive early childhood interventions and high quality preschool programs have been shown to foster children's school readiness, little is known about the school readiness gains made by ethnically and linguistically diverse children in poverty receiving subsidies to attend center-based childcare or those in public school pre-kindergarten programs. Within the context of a large-scale, university–community applied research and evaluation project, The Miami School Readiness Project, children receiving subsidies to attend center-based childcare (n = 1478), children attending free Title 1 public school pre-k programs (n = 1611), and children attending fee-supported public school pre-k programs (n = 749) were individually assessed at the beginning and end of their pre-kindergarten year in the areas of cognitive, language, and fine motor development. Parents and teachers reported on children's socio-emotional strengths and behavior concerns. Findings revealed that although children from all types of programs made considerable school readiness gains in most areas in terms of their national relative standing, children attending public school pre-k programs typically made somewhat greater gains in the areas of cognitive and language development. Results suggest that center-based childcare programs in the community may be beneficial for fostering school readiness within ethnically diverse children in poverty, and that public school pre-kindergarten programs may show even greater gains in some areas. Policy implications are discussed.     

Implementing a culturally attuned functional behavioural assessment to understand and address challenging behaviours demonstrated by students from diverse backgrounds

As the US student population continues to become increasingly diverse, educators have encountered difficulties in distinguishing between cultural differences and genuine disability indicators. This concern is clearly evident in assisting students from diverse backgrounds who demonstrate chronic challenging behaviours. Past practices (e.g. disciplinary office referrals, out-of-school suspensions, expulsion) have contributed to the likelihood of students from diverse backgrounds being misidentified as having an emotional or behavioural disorder. However, by tailoring the functional behavioural assessment (FBA), educators better differentiate cultural factors from disability characteristics and better understand the students’ needs. This paper will discuss the significance in meeting the needs of an increasingly diverse student population, provide an overview of the FBA process and present considerations in creating a culturally attuned FBA.     

Pedagogical and political encounters in linguistically and culturally diverse primary classrooms: examples from Quebec,Canada, and Gauteng,South Africa

Comparative research in multilingual urban primary schools indicates that the pedagogical and political goals of schooling may operate at cross-purposes. Classroom observations and teacher interview-discussions were conducted in classes for immigrant children in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the language of instruction is French, and in classes in Pretoria, Gauteng Province, South Africa, where children from many different language backgrounds are taught in English. Two main themes emerged: (1) pedagogically, effective teacher–learner communication can break down when teachers are unaware of the roles that language and culture play in second language classrooms; (2) politically, efforts to assimilate learners into new socio-cultural/political contexts sometimes take precedence over sound pedagogical practice, such as drawing on the linguistic and cultural repertoire that learners bring to the classroom. This ongoing qualitative research underlines the importance of preparing pre-service and in-service teachers for the linguistic and cultural diversity they are bound to encounter in their classrooms, and of deepening their understanding of the influence of such diversity on the teaching–learning process.     

The early developmental competencies and school readiness of low-income,immigrant children: Influences of generation,race/ethnicity,and national origins

Though much valuable research has been conducted on the academic achievement of school-age immigrant youth, less is known about the early developmental competencies of immigrant children during the preschool years. This study describes the school readiness of 2194 low-income children receiving subsidies to attend child care with emphasis on how nativity status (generation), race/ethnicity, and national origins might be related to children's preparedness for kindergarten. The Learning Accomplishment Profile–Diagnostic (LAP-D) was used to measure cognitive and language skills, while teacher-report on the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) measured socio-emotional protective factors and behavior concerns. Results demonstrate that variation does exist in school readiness according to nativity-based factors. First- and second-generation immigrants lagged behind children in non-immigrant families in cognitive and language skills but excelled by comparison in socio-emotional skills and behavior. In many cases, first-generation immigrant children showed more advanced development than second-generation immigrant children, providing some evidence in the early years for an immigrant advantage. The present study raises awareness regarding some of the strengths immigrant children demonstrate from a very young age—strengths that can be built upon to encourage their later success and academic achievement.     

早期学习与发展标准的制订:又一份国家指导性文件的诞生

近年来，在联合国儿童基金会的大力支持与推动下，很多国家包括中国参与了其制订早期儿童学习与发展标准的项目，并取得了实质性进展。文章以文献综述的形式介绍了这些国家制订早期学习与发展标准的背景、进程、遇到的挑战及对后续工作的展望，以让幼教界N4=-对此标准的制订有一个整体了解。     

Maternal psychological functioning and children's school readiness: The mediating role of home environments for African American children

Decades of educational research has documented an achievement gap in kindergarten reading and math achievement between African American children and their European American counterparts. Research has also shown that specific parenting practices (e.g., home literacy involvement) have the potential to narrow school readiness gaps by at least half. The current study examined whether and how maternal depression and parenting stress may influence specific parenting practices, as well as whether maternal warmth, home learning stimulation and cultural socialization mediated the relation between maternal depression, parenting stress, and children's kindergarten reading and math achievement. Path analyses revealed a direct negative effect of maternal depression and parenting stress on maternal warmth, home learning stimulation, and cultural socialization. Home learning stimulation emerged as an important mediator between maternal parenting stress and math achievement. Further, maternal warmth mediated the relation between maternal depression and reading achievement. Implications for early childhood research, practice and policy are discussed.     

School readiness of maltreated children: Associations of timing,type, and chronicity of maltreatment

Children who have been maltreated during early childhood may experience a difficult transition into fulltime schooling, due to maladaptive development of the skills and abilities that are important for positive school adaptation. An understanding of how different dimensions of maltreatment relate to children’s school readiness is important for informing appropriate supports for maltreated children. In this study, the Australian Early Development Census scores of 19,203 children were linked to information on child maltreatment allegations (substantiated and unsubstantiated), including the type of alleged maltreatment, the timing of the allegation (infancy-toddlerhood or preschool), and the total number of allegations (chronicity). Children with a maltreatment allegation had increased odds of poor school readiness in cognitive and non-cognitive domains. Substantiated maltreatment was associated with poor social and emotional development in children, regardless of maltreatment type, timing, or chronicity. For children with unsubstantiated maltreatment allegations, developmental outcomes according to the type of alleged maltreatment were more heterogeneous; however, these children were also at risk of poor school readiness irrespective of the timing and/or chronicity of the alleged maltreatment. The findings suggest that all children with maltreatment allegations are at risk for poor school readiness; hence, these children may need additional support to increase the chance of a successful school transition. Interventions should commence prior to the start of school to mitigate early developmental difficulties that children with a history of maltreatment allegations may be experiencing, with the aim of reducing the incidence of continuing difficulties in the first year of school and beyond.     

Relative importance of early childhood development domains for schooling progression: Longitudinal Evidence from the Zambia Early Childhood Development Project

While the effects of early childhood development on later educational outcomes have been widely studied in western countries, rigorous evidence from sub-Saharan African countries is limited. This longitudinal study uses Zambian children’s developmental outcomes at age six as predictors of educational enrollment and attainment at age 15. Fine motor, receptive language, and early literacy skills were most strongly associated with on-track enrollment. Fine motor skills were most predictive of enrollment. Cognitive, socio-emotional, and executive functioning skills predicted grade repetition. Overall, the results suggest substantial heterogeneity in the associations between domains of early childhood development and adolescent schooling outcomes in Zambia.     

美国个别化家庭服务计划概况及启示

个别化家庭服务计划是美国整个早期干预工作的基石。自1986年美国首次提出为0到3岁的特殊婴幼儿制定个别化家庭服务计划以来,个别化家庭服务计划在理论和实践方面都取得了巨大的发展,积累了丰富的经验和教训。文章通过回顾个别化家庭服务计划在美国法律中的发展历史,介绍个别化家庭服务计划的基本内涵、制定和实施过程以及在实践中存在的问题,以期在法律保障、干预团队建设以及服务提供方面为我国特殊儿童早期干预工作的开展提供借鉴。     

宋至清初广西饮食文化发展考析

宋至清初是广西饮食文化茁壮生长时期,农业、手工业、商业较为发达,丰富的食物原料、配料与调料为饮食内容与形式的繁荣发展提供了广袤空间;优良的金属炊器与多样的陶瓷餐具为烹饪全面发展提供了前提;发达的酿酒业、茶业及商业为宴席和食市发展准备了条件;加上这一时期不断进步的社会、文化作背景,广西食文化发展进入一个前所未有的崭新阶段。     

文化视域下马克思主义在中国的早期传播与发展

随着我国社会的进步与发展,马克思主义得到了迸一步完善与发展,为我国社会主义事业建设作出了突出贡献.目前,对马克思主义的研究日益增多,对我国社会主义事业建设具有重要的现实意义.马克思主义的传播与发展成为了研究中的重要课题,文中将从文化视域下对马克思主义在中国的早期传播与发展两个方面进行深入分析与探究.     

The Measuring Early Learning Quality & Outcomes initiative: purpose,process and results

ABSTRACT

Measuring Early Learning Quality & Outcomes (MELQO) was initiated to address needs for child development and quality of early childhood education (ECE) data, specifically for low- and middle-income countries. Drawing from existing tools, MELQO convened a consortium to create open-source tools to be adapted to national contexts, simultaneously informing global and national population-level monitoring. Beginning with the rationale and context for creating MELQO, we outline the process of creating the tools; highlight results from psychometric evaluation; and describe how the data have been used to reveal patterns of inequity and levels of learning and classroom quality. While psychometric analyses of MELQO indicate that scores should not be used to compare quality of child development between countries, country experiences suggest that data from MELQO tools within countries identify priorities for improvement of preprimary classrooms. MELQO also highlights the importance of local leadership to generate high-leverage data on ECE.     

胚胎注射谷氨酰胺对肉仔鸡早期生长发育的影响

孵化至18d的肉仔鸡活胚蛋240枚,随机分成4个处理组,每组6个重复,每个重复10枚蛋。处理组Ⅰ羊膜腔注射1mL0．75％生理盐水作为对照,处理组Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ分别向羊膜腔内注射质量浓度为0．5％、1．0％、1．5％的谷氨酰胺营养液1mL。继续孵化及出壳后分析表明：胚胎注射对胚蛋孵化率没有影响（P〉0。05％）;胚胎注射谷氨酰胺对肉仔鸡出壳重和出壳重／蛋重无显著影响（P〉O．05）;出壳后第3天,试验组体重较对照组有提高的趋势（P〉0．05）,出壳后第7天,1．0％注射组体重比对照组提高10．89％（P〈0．01）,1．5％注射组较对照组体重增加7．33％（P〈O．05）;3日龄肉仔鸡0．5％注射组血浆T4含量较对照组提高23．67％（P〈0．05）;7日龄肉仔鸡1．0％和1．5％注射组血浆T3含量比对照组分别提高了36．63％和26．16％（P〈0．05）。总之,鸡胚注射G1n可促进肉仔鸡早期生长发育,注射对胚蛋孵化率及出壳重无明显影响。     

我国国际经济贸易的发展趋势

我国进入世贸组织之后,我国国际经济贸易的发展出现了新的局面,在面对新局面的同时,我国国际经济贸易也面临着新的挑战,怎样针对国际经济贸易在新局面下对国际经济贸易进行改革,是目前我国国际经济贸易在发展的过程里一定要面对的问题.