多元化：幼儿教师科研素质培养的取径

科研素质是现代幼儿教师的必备素质。目前的幼儿教师科研素质培养单侧化倾向严重,为了提高培养的实效性,应以多元化作为幼儿教师科研素质培养的新取径。通过树立科学的教育科研观、树立以师为本的发展观、构建有利于幼儿教师多元化发展的机制、搭建幼儿园园本研究的＂立交桥＂、实施＂菜单式＂科研培训、对幼儿教师做好职业生涯的教育与引导等多样化的措施来全面提高幼儿教师的科研素养。     

Preschool teachers' beliefs about children's print literacy development

Beliefs have often been considered important because of their relation to practice. Little is known about the literacy beliefs of preschool teachers, particularly their print literacy beliefs, even though young children's experiences with print have implications for formal schooling. Therefore, this study explored the print literacy beliefs of preschool teachers in a large multicultural area of central Canada. Interviews were conducted with eight preschool teachers based on a previous study in Australia. There were five themes that emerged from this research: uncertainty and variation in beliefs about how and when children learn to read and to write; isolation from other preschools and limited access to professional literacy knowledge; the importance of parent involvement in children's literacy development and the need to inform; increased literacy knowledge required; and variation in practices for fostering print literacy development. This study has important implications for preschool teaching as well as for educators of preschool teachers.     

Portuguese preschool teachers' beliefs about early literacy development

This work describes a questionnaire survey conducted in a county in central Portugal. The intention was to ascertain preschool teachers’ opinions about early literacy development and its place in preschool education, and to investigate the skills and knowledge seen by teachers as important for early reading and writing development. The results show that, overall, teachers regard preschool education as important for future literacy acquisition, but the majority do not think that early literacy activities should always be part of the preschool curriculum. Concerning the skills that they perceive as important in terms of literacy development, greater emphasis was attributed to verbal, perceptual (auditory and visual) and fine motor skills. Letter/sound knowledge and phonological awareness were considered the least important. Various inferences are drawn, and recommendations for future policy decisions are offered.     

五年制幼师生的地理素养教育

国务院《关于当前发展学前教育的若干意见》的颁布,为我国现阶段学前教育提供了更大的发展空间,我国迫切需要尽快地培养出一大批高素质的幼儿教师,来适应社会发展需求。地理素养是幼师学生必备的职业素养之一,为加强五年制幼师生地理素养教育,提高五年制幼师生整体素质,应加强地理知识、地理技能、地理态度、地理人文等方面的素养教育。     

Implementation fidelity of MyTeachingPartner literacy and language activities: Association with preschoolers’ language and literacy growth

There is surprisingly little empirical research examining issues of fidelity of implementation within the early childhood education literature. In the MyTeachingPartner project, 154 teachers were provided with materials to implement a supplemental classroom curriculum addressing six aspects of literacy and language development. The present study examines the degree of variability in three aspects of implementation fidelity – dosage, adherence, and quality of delivery – and whether these components of fidelity were associated with children's growth in language and literacy skills across the preschool year. Findings indicate that teachers reported using the curriculum fairly often (dosage) and that they were observed to generally follow curricular lesson plans (adherence). In contrast, the quality of delivery, defined as the use of evidence-based teacher–child interactions for teaching literacy and language, was much lower. Children in classrooms in which activities were observed to last for longer (dosage) and in which teachers exhibited higher quality of delivery of literacy lessons made significantly greater gains in early literacy skills across the preschool year. Also, teachers’ use of higher quality language interactions was associated with gains for children who did not speak English at home. Results have implications for teacher professional development and the supports provided to ensure that curricula are delivered most effectively.     

幼儿园教师游戏素养的结构模型与培养路径——基于生态学的构想

游戏素养是幼儿园教师的核心专业素养之一,是教师关于游戏的态度、知识、能力相互联系与作用而形成的一种高级、复杂、综合的心理结构。其中,游戏态度作为内隐的价值与情感向度,主要包括游戏精神、儿童视角、伦理敏感等要素。游戏知识作为承上启下的基础养分,主要包括关于游戏的本体性知识与方法性知识及幼儿发展知识。游戏能力作为外化的行为与技巧,主要包括分析与解读幼儿的能力、创设游戏条件的能力、师幼互动的能力等要素。没有基本的游戏态度,游戏知识与能力便难以有生根的土壤。同时,游戏知识与能力又反作用于游戏态度的形成。在这样类似于生态系统的结构模型中,教师的游戏态度与其游戏知识和能力的水平通常具有一致性,决定了教师所处的游戏素养发展阶段,并呈现出多种样态。根据生态学的循环原理,在充分关注教师需求的基础上,可以通过设计从"问题思考"到"理论学习"再到"实践反思"的层层深入且循环往复的培训环节,组合不同的培训内容和方式,形成系列培训方案,系统帮助教师提升游戏素养。     

Putting parents in the picture: Maternal reports of preschoolers' literacy as a predictor of early reading

Emergent literacy research has demonstrated that children begin constructing notions of literacy during the preschool years and that early experiences support children's literacy growth. Given that parents may have valuable insight into their preschool children's literacy development, we examined the hypothesis that parental reports from the preschool years could be good predictors of early literacy development once their children enter school. Drawing on data from a longitudinal study of literacy development among low-income children, we correlate reports prepared by parents when their children were three and four years old with the children's subsequent performance on individually administered tests in kindergarten and grade one and grade one teachers' evaluations of children. Correlational analyses reveal significant correlations between parental reports and grade one teacher reports and assessments. Regression models reveal that parental reports account for about a quarter of the variance in kindergarten tests and grade one teacher assessments and over a third of the variance in a decoding assessment given near the end of first grade.     

学前教育数学教师的知识基础

目前许多幼儿园大班为幼儿开设了数学课,但是对幼儿数学教师需要具备的知识基础没有一个明确要求。对国外有关数学教师知识基础的研究成果梳理后,结合蒙台梭利幼儿教育观念和儿童数学认知发展理论,从综合教育学知识、学科知识与学科教学知识以及社会背景知识三方面对学前数学教师应具备的知识基础进行了探讨。     

Young learners: mapping the beliefs and practices of preschool teachers in relation to early literacy development

This paper introduces the Young Learners?? Project, which is a large scale longitudinal study that aims to identify a number of factors associated with positive outcomes in literacy in the first year of school: the role of the preschool teacher, home life and child characteristics. In particular, it presents the design of one sub-study within the larger project that is focusing on the beliefs, theoretical constructs and literacy practices of 25 preschool teachers. The paper deliberates the methodological choices of a group of researchers who set out to represent in diverse ways, and for diverse purposes, the layered meanings inherent in preschool teachers?? beliefs and practices in relation to early literacy development. In particular, through reference to illustrative extracts of a single case analysis, the paper explores the possibilities and complexities of adopting mixed methods and in doing so, responds to a call for researchers to make explicit the purposes and challenges of case study methodologies.     

Foundations of Science Literacy: Efficacy of a Preschool Professional Development Program in Science on Classroom Instruction,Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge,and Children’s Observations and Predictions

Young children are able to benefit from early science teaching but many preschool teachers have not had opportunities to deepen their own understanding of science or to develop their pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in relation to specific science topics and concepts. This study presents the results of efficacy research on Foundations of Science Literacy (FSL), a comprehensive professional development program designed to support teachers’ knowledge of early childhood science; their PCK around 2 physical science topics (water, and balls and ramps); and their abilities to plan, facilitate, and assess young children’s learning during inquiry-based science explorations. Research Findings: In a randomized trial with 142 preschool teachers and 1,004 4-year-old children, FSL teachers demonstrated significantly higher quality science teaching in general and greater PCK in the 2 physical science topics than did teachers in comparison classrooms. Furthermore, children in FSL classrooms performed significantly better than children in comparison classrooms on tasks involving floating and sinking, and an instrumental variable analysis suggests that the quality of classroom science instruction mediated the relationship between teacher participation in FSL and student outcomes. Practice or Policy: Findings support the use of comprehensive early science professional development programs designed to bolster teacher knowledge and PCK.     

DEVELOPING PEDAGOGICAL KNOWLEDGE THROUGH TEACHER‐WRITTEN CASE STORIES

Abstract

With more children spending the greater part of their waking hours in preschool settings today than they did years ago, teachers play an even more critical role in providing daily literacy experiences that many children of earlier generations received at home. The article focuses on the critical role that preschool teachers play in supporting children's early literacy development and presents an instructional framework to help guide early literacy teaching. The framework is based on Vygotsky's learning theory, which emphasizes the nature and importance of social interactions in instruction, particularly between adult and child. We present activity‐embedded assessments that preschool teachers can use to observe and document children's emerging literacy concepts and skills, and describe key teaching actions that scaffold learning of new concepts. In closing, we offer five principles to guide preschool teachers in planning and implementing appropriate activities to promote young children's literacy development. Sample documentation forms are included in the appendices.     

Integrating new knowledge into everyday practices: teacher pedagogy in early grade literacy in rural Mozambique

Improving literacy outcomes in sub‐Saharan Africa is a central focus of national governments, donors and non‐governmental organisations alike, as evidenced by the inclusion of literacy as a target in the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 4. Though significant international development funding has been devoted to teacher training in the region, little evidence is available on how teachers improve their literacy instruction in practice. This study profiles how 20 teachers in eight schools in rural Mozambique translated training in literacy instruction into classroom instruction. We used three domains of teacher knowledge – content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge – to analyse interview and observation data. While some aspects of training translated into classroom practices, including explicit literacy instruction and use of visual aids, teachers rarely used activities for oral language development or reading comprehension, which are critical to producing skilled readers. We discuss the research and policy implications of these findings.     

Examining the Use of Curriculum to Support Early Literacy Instruction: A Multiple Case Study of Head Start Teachers

Research Findings: This qualitative study examined how Head Start teachers thought about children’s early literacy and how they enacted their thinking in a year-long curriculum reform effort. Data collected included interviews, observations, questionnaires, concept maps, and teachers’ reflections on implementation. The results indicated that as teachers implemented the new curriculum, a number of factors influenced their instructional practice. Four cross-case themes emerged: Volunteering to Change, Teachers’ Perspectives About Early Literacy, The Relationships Within Teaching Teams, and The Head Start Context. Practice or Policy: Findings are discussed as they relate to improving early literacy instruction through the use of curriculum. Implications for practitioners and teacher educators are outlined, including the importance of addressing gaps in teacher knowledge, facilitating skill development, and influencing teachers’ motivation to engage in change. Equally important to consider are factors that may influence a teacher’s readiness to change his or her practice and emphasizing the need for supportive environments as teachers work to enhance children’s early literacy development.     

An Observational Study of Print Literacy in Canadian Preschool Classrooms

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of print literacy in preschool classrooms. There were seven preschool teachers working in central Canada who were observed over three sessions. The process of analytic induction was used to formulate categories based on interviews, classroom observations and documents. The following categories were identified from the data: book engagement and availability, writing engagement, and print displays and materials. There were some consistencies across centres in the availability of print materials; however, variation often existed in the types of interactions with print. For example, in some preschool classrooms, teachers had a more structured approach toward writing development while in others, they did not. Such differences in practice may be attributed to different beliefs and knowledge of early literacy development. The results of this study offer insight on the role of print literacy in preschool classrooms.     

Head Start teachers’ beliefs about language and literacy instruction

This study investigated the nature of Head Start teachers’ beliefs about early literacy and the teacher background factors that relate to these beliefs. Twenty-eight Head Start teachers were given the Preschool Teacher Literacy Beliefs Questionnaire (TBQ) and a background questionnaire. Reliable belief subscales reflecting code, oral language, book reading, and writing aspects of early literacy, as well as a reliable total literacy beliefs score, emerged from the TBQ. In general, teachers agreed with research-based practices related to oral language and book reading, but more variability was apparent around code-related and writing beliefs. Teacher experience was positively linked to agreement with evidence-based beliefs about oral language. The multidimensional nature of these beliefs, possible reasons for the absence of strong relations to background factors, and directions for future research on preschool teachers’ beliefs are discussed.     

TPACK in teacher education: are we preparing teachers to use technology for early literacy?

This study examines if and how five teacher education institutes are helping students to develop the technological pedagogical content knowledge needed to effectively use technology for early literacy. Focus group discussions were held with teacher educators in which their responses to expert recommendations were probed. Findings indicate that, currently, very little attention is specifically given to the knowledge that teachers need to foster early literacy through the use of technology. This is due to multiple factors, including the conviction that many new technologies (e.g. tablets) are not used much in schools. Additionally, teacher educators themselves struggle with effective use of technology in their own courses. And although technological and early literacy specialists are available in teacher training colleges, pre-service educators note a distinct lack of integrated expertise in their institutions. Based on these findings, recommendations are given for research, policy and practice.     

Teacher–Child Interactions in Free Choice and Teacher-Directed Activity Settings: Prediction to School Readiness

Research Findings: This article examines whether time spent in free choice and teacher-directed activity settings within preschool was associated with indicators of school readiness and the extent to which children’s learning was associated with the quality of teachers’ behavior within these settings. Participants were 325 preschool teachers and 1,407 children from low-income backgrounds. Teacher–child interactions were measured in multiple cycles across 1 day of classroom observation within teacher-organized free choice and teacher-directed activity settings. The overall proportion of class time spent in free choice was positively related to children’s average gains in inhibitory control, whereas class time spent in teacher-directed activities predicted gains in language development and early literacy skills. And more effective teacher–child interactions within the free choice setting were significantly related to children’s average gains in language development and early literacy skills. Practice or Policy: Findings confirm that both free choice and teacher-directed settings in early education classrooms can be assets for children’s learning; however, the value of time in child-managed activities is partially dependent on teachers’ behavior with children.     

近20年以来我国幼儿教师职业能力的研究及其展望

通过对文献的梳理发现,近20年以来我国学者主要从幼儿教师职业能力的结构、发展水平、培养策略、能力标准等几方面进行了研究,并取得了非常显著的成绩,但也存在不足之处。在对以往研究思考的基础上,提出未来我国幼儿教师职业能力的研究应丰富幼儿教师职业能力研究的主题、研制幼儿教师职业能力标准体系、深化幼儿教师职业能力的构成及研究方法和主体多元化。     

Using the Quality of Literacy Implementation Checklist to Improve Preschool Literacy Instruction

Despite much progress in improving the quality of preschool programs, there is still an uneven quality of instruction in early childhood settings. Providing support and professional development (PD) for teachers that is practical, systematic and sustainable is one potential avenue to increase classroom quality in preschool, including quality of literacy instruction. Preschool educators who want to focus on increasing the quality of literacy instruction need simple-to-use tools that can be implemented quickly and provide a means to assess progress towards the goal of improving literacy instruction. The Quality of Literacy Implementation checklist measures how well the teaching staff include intentional, instruction in literacy/oral language. Rather than focusing on a specific curriculum or intervention, quality of implementation focuses on the teacher’s delivery of key procedural features of evidence-based instruction. As is the case with fidelity of implementation, a quality of implementation checklist not only measures implementation but also provides a roadmap about how instruction might be modified to ensure that critical and essential skills are emphasized across the preschool day.     

Young learners: teachers' conceptualisation and practice of literacy in Australian preschool contexts

This paper examines how literacy is defined and enacted by teachers in early childhood programmes pointing to the differing ways views of early literacy impact practice. It is argued here that early literacy development during the years before school is dependent on children's experiences of having literacy activities modelled around them and the ways in which adults include them in their everyday literacy interactions. Early childhood teachers reveal differing understandings of early literacy during the years before formal school and this impacts their decisions concerning literacy activities and practice within their preschool rooms. Three early childhood teachers are presented here, through video clips and video-stimulated interviews around their literacy activities with preschool children. They demonstrate a range of practice which is shown to depend on their views of young children's literacy development. These vignettes have implications for further professional discussion and learning.