Comparison of Phonological Training Procedures in Kindergarten Classrooms

Abstract

The authors compared the effect of 2 phonological training procedures—segmenting and blending, or first sound identification and rhyming—on the acquisition of reading and spelling skills among kindergarten children. Sixty-one low-skilled kindergartners were assigned randomly to 1 of 2 strategy groups. Children received 20–30 min of instruction in small groups that met twice a week for 10 weeks. Both groups improved significantly in the target skills and in reading and spelling. No significant differences were found between groups on skill acquisition, transfer to untaught skills, or generalization to reading and spelling. Children demonstrated weaker evidence for transfer and generalization than that reported earlier. The results are discussed in terms of treatment differences and support for stimulating generalization.     

Observed Classroom Quality Profiles of Kindergarten Classrooms in Finland

Research Findings: The aim of the present study was to examine classroom quality profiles of kindergarten classrooms using a person-centered approach and to analyze these patterns in regard to teacher and classroom characteristics. Observations of the domains of Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, and Instructional Support were conducted in 49 Finnish kindergarten classrooms utilizing the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (R. C. Pianta, K. M. LaParo, &; B. K. Hamre, 2008 Pianta , R. C. , &; Hadden , D. S. ( 2008 , June ). What we know about the quality of early education settings: Implications for research on teacher preparation and professional development . The State Education Standard , pp. 20–27 . [Google Scholar]). In addition, questionnaire data on classroom and teacher characteristics, as well as Early Childhood Classroom Observation Measure (D. Stipek &; P. Byler, 2004 LaParo , K. M. , Pianta , R. C. , &; Stuhlman , M. ( 2004 ). The Classroom Assessment Scoring System: Findings from the prekindergarten year . The Elementary School Journal , 104 , 409 – 426 .[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) observational ratings, were used in the analyses. Latent profiling analysis was utilized to identify different profiles of classroom quality. Four latent profiles of classroom quality were identified that differed from one another most clearly in the domain of Emotional Support. Profile 1 represented a generally high level and Profile 4 a generally low level of classroom quality compared to the other profiles, whereas the medium-quality Profiles 2 and 3 showed varying levels of support in the assessed dimensions of quality. Only a few differences emerged among the profiles in classroom and teacher characteristics: The teachers in Profile 4 provided the least literacy instruction and had the least amount of work experience of all of the teachers. The findings using the Early Childhood Classroom Observation Measure indicated that child-centered practices were predominant among the profiles of higher classroom quality. Practice or Policy: The results of this study can be used to recognize kindergarten teachers' professional strengths and weaknesses and to support teachers' professional development with the aid of pedagogical interventions.     

Kindergarten Teachers and Classrooms: A Transition Context

Demographic and structural features of kindergarten classrooms are described using data from the National Center for Early Development and Learning's (NCEDL) Transition Practices Survey, a nationally representative survey of kindergarten teachers (n=3595), as a first step in investigating the context of the transition to kindergarten. Findings indicate that kindergarten teachers have a lot of education and experience, but lack specific training on facilitating transitions to kindergarten. Kindergarten classrooms generally meet National Association for the Education-of Young Children (NAEYC) (Bredekamp & Copple, 1997) guidelines for class size, but are larger than some research indicates is optimal (Mosteller, 1995). All estimates are presented for the overall population and by metropolitan status, district poverty, and minority enrollment. Few differences were found between subgroups on teacher education, experience, transition training, or class size.     

Quality in Kindergarten Classrooms: Observational Evidence for the Need to Increase Children's Learning Opportunities in Early Education Classrooms

Research Findings: Using observational data gathered in 730 kindergarten classrooms in 6 states, the present study focuses on the quality of children's learning opportunities in kindergarten classrooms. Findings show that overall, children experience moderate to low levels of quality in the areas of classroom organization and instructional support in kindergarten. Results are also presented in comparison to children's experiences in the pre-kindergarten year. These comparisons indicate that kindergarten children spend a greater proportion of the school day in language arts, math, and whole-group instruction and less time in centers than they do in pre-kindergarten. An examination of predictors of kindergarten classroom quality indicated that program characteristics (i.e., adult–child ratio, length of school day) and teacher psychological variables (i.e., beliefs and depressive symptoms) were stronger predictors of classroom quality than were teacher experience and educational background. Practice or Policy: Findings are discussed in terms of implications for children's academic and social development in kindergarten as well as for kindergarten teacher preparation and development.     

Teacher-Mediated Versus Computer-Mediated Storybook Reading to Children in Native and Multicultural Kindergarten Classrooms

The study explored differences in story comprehension and vocabulary learning in children in native and multicultural kindergarten classrooms when listening to a story read to them by the computer or the teacher. The results showed that children (41 native and 30 immigrant) learned new words, both from listening to their teacher and from listening to the computer. However, immigrant children learned more words and had better story comprehension when the teacher read the story. The study does however show that the computer can provide learning gains for kindergartners working individually and without teacher support with a software program.     

幼儿园环境创设中交互式界面的设计

界面作为幼儿园环境空间的围合体与人们最敏感的视觉有着直接的关系,它既是幼儿园对外展示园所文化的主要介质,又是园内所有幼儿获得生活经验的重要语言。因此,交互式的界面设计在幼儿园环境创设中就显得尤为重要。塑造有连续性的故事情节体验、易识别的环境语言、有吸引力的场所感受是我们提升幼儿园环境的主要途径,更是打造幼儿园园所文化的主要手段。     

Child‐directed Dramatic Play as Identity Text in Northern Canadian Indigenous Kindergarten Classrooms

In this paper, an Anishnaabe educator and university researcher/former primary teacher make a case for viewing children's dramatic play as multimodal identity texts. Indigenous children in our research study take up an agentic role and construct positive identities in dramatic play, creating narratives that reflect Indigenous cultural practices, as well as some practices of mainstream Canadian society that may be imbued with colonising perspectives. We argue that the Indigenous Cultural classes and follow‐up dramatic play counter the marginalisation of Indigenous knowledge, culture and languages that has occurred with devastating effects on generations of Indigenous families. Our paper is based on video recordings of 4‐ and 5‐year‐old children's dramatic play that were analysed collectively by 12 Indigenous educators in terms of the Indigenous cultural meanings that children created in their play. We conclude with implications for non‐Indigenous teachers, arguing that a case can be made for including child‐led dramatic play in the literacy curriculum when dramatic play narratives are viewed as multimodal identity texts. These texts, which can involve multiple modes including print, draw from children's own cultural and linguistic knowledge and experience.     

课堂的困境

基础教育课堂的困境主要表现在两个方面:一是课堂上学生的精力与兴趣不能适应高难度、高速度的教学内容与单一乏味的教学方法。主要原因在于学生的家庭作业量大,作习时间晚,睡眠严重不足。二是教师的课堂教学方法单一陈旧,不能适应基础教育课程改革的需要,不能适应学生主体性发展的需要。主要原因在于教师在教学方法的变革与探索方面缺乏相应的引导与机制保障,教师仍以不变的方法应对变化着的学生与变化的内容。因为学生睡眠不足,因为教师教学方法单一,课堂就成了低效的课堂,而且还形成了恶性的循环。构建高效课堂必须双管齐下,不仅在减轻学生的课业负担上做文章,而且要在课堂教学方法变革中唱好戏。     

Integrating Multicultural Children's Math Books Into Kindergarten Through Sixth-Grade Classrooms: Preservice Teachers' Reflections

This case study of mathematics instruction using children's literature reports on the experiences 47 elementary preservice teachers had in their mathematics methods course while completing a microteaching assignment. As part of the microteaching assignment, preservice teachers were required to plan and teach mathematics lessons based on children's books that included both mathematics concepts and multicultural aspects. The preservice teachers audio-recorded their lessons, transcribed the audio, and wrote reflective essays to articulate their experiences. At the end of the assignment, the professor and two additional researchers interviewed the preservice teachers about their experiences. Themes that emerged were (a) teaching experiences, (b) teaching performance, and (c) learning purposes and tools for integrating multicultural children's math books. The Learning Purposes and Teaching Strategies for Integrating Multicultural Mathematics Picturebooks Framework was developed to demonstrate the intricate balance needed to ensure mathematics learning happens during instruction with multicultural mathematics picturebooks.     

The Usefulness of Dictation in ELT Classrooms

Dictation plays an important role in teaching, learning and testing. But different people have different views about its functions. This paper mainly talks about its advantages—improving students’all-r...     

The Usefulness of Dictation in ELT Classrooms

Dictation plays an important role in teaching, learning and testing. But different people have different views about its functions. This paper mainly talks about its advantages—improving students’ all-round ability, exerting positive feedback and practical effect on English teaching and learning, and cultivating students’ ability of English comprehension. Then the author puts forward a few suggestions for the training of dictation skills.     

智能手机构建“互联网+”课堂的探索与实践

本文旨在探索将智能手机引入课堂教学,构建新型"互联网+"课堂。以已有的教学实践为依据,详细阐述了基于智能手机的"互联网+"课堂的实施方式及学生反馈评价情况。在此基础上,分析了基于智能手机的"互联网+"课堂具有的自主性、交互性、高效性、便捷性4个特征。     

The Transition to Kindergarten

The transition to kindergarten is a significant event for young children and their families. The methods teacher use to orient children and families to formal schooling can have a long term effect on academic achievement. This study examined the transition activities of over 3000 kindergarten teachers that participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The results show that most schools do not provide a comprehensive transition plan that allows teachers and parents to exchange important information about child development and school expectations.     

The Role of Play in Secondary English Classrooms

Michael Young’s notion of powerful knowledge is attractive to many: to teachers wishing the best for disadvantaged students, to neoliberal governments that continually stress the need for teachers and students to improve their performance. This essay takes issue with this understanding of education. Firstly, it shows how classrooms are mediated by larger social and political contexts, arguing that the exchanges within classrooms are always inflected by the values and aspirations that students bring into class. No classroom can be treated as a neutral site, as though it exists apart from the conflicts and debates that occur within the larger society. Secondly, it shows how, through role-play, students are able to grapple with the social issues with which they and their communities are faced. Set in a classroom in Ramallah, the essay argues that through role-play and dialogue, students are able to activate their own prior knowledge in powerful ways that allow them to gain insight into their world.     

The Autistic Society and Its Classrooms

Autistic means a subject has limited affect or may be without affect altogether. Though traditionally individuals are described as autistic, the authors find it increasingly apparent that American society is becoming autistic as a whole, as citizens are desensitized to needs of neighbors near and far, losing the commensurate loyalty of being in community. This essay suggests that classrooms must be on the front line of challenging the effects of an increasingly autistic society.     

The Principles of Developing Speaking Skills in Classrooms

Introduction Speaking is intuitively the most important of all the four skills inforeign language learning.However,speaking is regarded as the mostdifficult micro-skill of the four.Classroom-based speaking practicenormally focuses on mechanically practisi…