Validating the early childhood classroom observation measure in first and third grade classrooms

The present study reports on the psychometric properties of the Early Childhood Classroom Observation Measure (ECCOM) in Finnish and Estonian first and third grade classrooms. The observation data were collected from 91 first grade teachers and 70 third grade teachers. Teachers' curriculum goals, teaching experience and the classroom size were measured also. The results of confirmatory factor analysis provided evidence of the three-factor model (management, climate, and instruction) for each dimension—child-centred, teacher-directed, and child-dominated—in both grades. The reliability of the dimensions and sub-scales was good, and some evidence was also found for criterion validity. The findings imply that ECCOM is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring teaching practices in primary school.     

Kindergarten screening results as predictors of academic achievement,potential, and placement in second grade

The ability of a battery of kindergarten screening measures to predict educationally relevant criteria was investigated. Subtest scores on The Vane Test of Language and The Vane Kindergarten Test administered at the beginning of kindergarten were examined and compared to the Metropolitan Achievement Test scores in reading and math, The Otis-Lennon School Ability Test index, and placement into special education or high achievement programs at the end of second grade. A weighted combination of subtests accurately predicted 77% of the children classified as special education students. The same battery also predicted 73% of the children who were classified as high-achieving students.     

Growth in early reading skills from kindergarten to third grade

We examined models of individual change and correlates of change in the growth of reading skills in a sample of 40 children from kindergarten through third grade. A broad range of correlates was examined and included family literacy, oral language, emergent reading, intelligence, spelling, and demographic variables. Individual growth curve analysis was used to model change in Letter Word Identification (LWID), Word Attack (WA), and Passage Comprehension (PC) subtests of the Woodcock–Johnson Psychoeducational Battery – Revised. Third grade LWID was predicted uniquely by family literacy, phonological awareness, and emergent reading skills. Growth in LWID was predicted uniquely by emergent reading skills. Phonological awareness, spelling, and emergent reading were unique predictors of third grade WA, whereas family literacy and emergent reading skills uniquely predicted third grade PC. The general oral language factor defined by semantic and syntactic variables did not contribute significant unique variance in any of the models. Thus, the pattern of results extends the model of emergent-to-conventional literacy proposed by Whitehurst and Lonigan (1998) to third grade and suggests that early contextual understandings necessary for competent reading (family literacy and emergent reading) become more influential as reading skills develop.     

Metalinguistic contributions to reading and spelling in second and third grade students

Minimal research has been conducted on the simultaneous influence of multiple metalinguistic, linguistic, and processing skills that may impact literacy development in children who are in the process of learning to read and write. In this study, we assessed the phonemic awareness, morphological awareness, orthographic awareness, receptive vocabulary, and rapid naming abilities of second and third grade students (N?=?56) and determined how these abilities predicted the children??s reading and spelling skills. Regression analyses revealed that morphological awareness was the sole unique contributor to spelling and, together with orthographic awareness, uniquely contributed to word recognition. Morphological awareness also was significantly related to reading comprehension. The results add to a growing literature base providing evidence that early literacy development is influenced by morphological awareness, an ability that has received considerably less educational attention. Additionally, the findings point to the importance of tapping into multiple sources of metalinguistic knowledge when providing instruction in reading and spelling.     

Variables associated with disrupted placement in a select sample of abused and neglected children

The purpose of this study was to examine the placement history of 172 abused and/or neglected children who had been placed in a residential home for maltreated children. Data were collected on the child's placement history (i.e., number of placements, time in transition, and placement rate) and also on child and family characteristics. Pearson correlation coefficients were run between child and family variables and each of the three placement history variables. In addition, t-tests were also used as a method of analysis. Results indicated that children with the following characteristics or life circumstances experienced the more disruptive experience while in foster care: children having severe behavior problems; children who were very young when first removed from their natural home; and children having drug addicted and/or alcoholic parents. Implications of these findings indicate social workers and judges need to be alert to the potential for system abuse of children in foster placement, responsible long-term planning for any child in foster care is critical, and those involved in therapeutic treatment for abused/neglected children should be attentive to the child's placement history.     

外国学前教育引进与20世纪下半期中国学前教育变革

20世纪后半期,随着中华人民共和国的成立,中国学前教育制度及其思想发生了巨大转变。这一时期学前教育制度的变革和外国学前教育的引进与20世纪前半期有着不同的特点。今天,我国仍然需要借鉴国外先进科学的学前教育制度及其理论来改造我国相对落后的学前教育制度及其理论。如何引进并借鉴外国学前教育的先进经验和模式,推进我国学前教育制度及其理论的变革与创新,仍然是摆在国人面前的重要课题。     

外国学前教育引进与20世纪上半期中国学前教育变革

20世纪上半期,中国学前教育制度及其思想发生了巨大变革,每次变革都与当时外国学前教育的引进分不开。时值今日,我国学前教育现代化水平仍然处于相对落后地位。如何引进并借鉴外国学前教育的先进经验和模式,推进我国学前教育制度及其理论的变革与创新,仍然是摆在国人面前的重要课题。     

Investigating profiles of lexical quality in preschool and their contribution to first grade reading

This longitudinal study investigated profiles of lexical quality domains in preschool children and the extent to which profile membership predicted reading comprehension in first grade. A latent profile analysis was conducted to classify 420 preschool children on lexical quality domains, including orthography, phonology, morphosyntax, and vocabulary. Regression analysis was used to determine whether profile membership was associated with first grade outcomes across reading comprehension and its components (i.e., listening comprehension and word recognition). Results revealed five profiles of lexical quality which were predictive of all three outcomes in first grade. Children in low lexical quality profiles performed more poorly on the outcome measures than children in the higher lexical quality profiles. Additionally, profile membership did differentially predict later reading outcomes. These results suggest that lexical quality profiles are associated with reading and therefore may offer a means of early identification of children who are susceptible to future reading difficulties.     

The contribution of attentional processes to calculation skills in second and third grade in a typically developing sample

Attention is an important, multifaceted cognitive domain that includes many key cognitive processes involved in learning. This study aimed to identify the predictive links between different components of attentional skills and core calculation skills development, using two standardized measures assessing calculation (AC-MT 6–11) and attention skills (CAS) in a sample of 143 typically developing children of age range from 7.6 years to 9.4 years. The results showed that in 2nd grade, selective visuo-spatial attention emerged as an important predictor in the written calculation task, while the ability to inhibit distracting information seemed to better predict accuracy in oral calculation. In 3rd grade, visuo-spatial components of attention emerged as no longer predictive, whereas planning and active visuo-spatial attention abilities emerged as predictive of accuracy in the oral calculation task. These results confirm previous findings about the contribution that attentional skills may have in calculation skills development, supporting evidence for progressive automation attentional components over time.

     

Using a social justice framework to assess educational quality in Tanzanian schools

This paper uses a social justice framework to assess the educational quality of over 100 primary and secondary schools surveyed in northern Tanzania from 2009 to 2011. Significant shortages of teachers, infrastructure, and teaching resources were observed in all government schools. National test exam scores for secondary school students highlighted the growing inequities between private and public schools as a learning environment. Although Tanzania has made some progress, severely under-resourced schools and dismal exam scores raise questions about the quality of education offered. This paper calls for a radical transformation of the current curriculum, strategies, and accountability systems.     

To tell a story,to write it: developmental patterns of narrative skills from preschool to first grade

In this 1-year longitudinal study, the authors explored the development of narrative skills between the oral and written form. The authors aimed to assess the predictive power of textual narrative competence on early narrative text writing skills taking into account the impact of spelling ability. Eighty children (M age?=?5.3 years, age range?=?4.9–5.7 years; SD?=?0.29) were followed longitudinally until entering the first grade of primary school. During kindergarten, they were tested with an oral story production task and in first grade with a written story production task. Narratives were evaluated in terms of structure, cohesion and consistency. In the first grade, children were also submitted to a dictation task to evaluate their spelling competence. Repeated measures ANOVAs were performed in order to examine narrative competence development, also considering gender differences, and regression analyses were implemented to evaluate the predictive capability of textual abilities expressed by oral narratives on textual abilities expressed by writing. The results showed some significant differences when scores in kindergarten were compared to scores in primary school. Moreover, the ability to tell well-structured, cohesive and consistent stories predicts the ability to write stories with the same qualities in the sample of participants without spelling difficulty. Instead, the predictive link is not apparent considering those children with difficulties in orthographic ability. This research allows us to reflect about how the medium of writing might interfere, on the basis of the level of mastery, with the opportunity to express narrative skills in the transition from the oral to written code. The central role of writing instrument functionality opens the way to practical implications.     

Use of Item Response Theory to develop a measure of first‐grade readiness

This paper describes the development of a measure of readiness for first grade. The Readiness Inventory (RI), consists of six items, uses a 4‐point rating scale, and has an alpha of 0.86. The RI was completed on 139 first‐grade children and analyzed using a polytomous rating scale model of Item Response Theory. The instrument shows a high level of item and case fit. Based on an item map which elucidates the latent trait of school readiness as perceived by first‐grade teachers, behaviors dealing with academic skills are less indicative of readiness than abilities dealing with role‐governed behaviors or strategic learning behaviors. The RI was then validated through the examination of two different groups of preschool children: those who underwent an intensive school readiness preparation training (the Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters or HIPPY) and those who did not participate in any such program. Scores on the RI were significantly higher for HIPPY graduates versus non‐HIPPY graduates, a breakdown by sex revealed that only HIPPY boys out‐performed their non‐HIPPY boy peers on the RI. This validation study suggests that the RI is able to discriminate between ready and not‐ready children. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Using food as a tool to teach science to 3 grade students in Appalachian Ohio

The Food, Math, and Science Teaching Enhancement Resource (FoodMASTER) Initiative is a compilation of programs aimed at using food as a tool to teach mathematics and science. In 2007-2008, a foods curriculum developed by professionals in nutrition and education was implemented in 10 3(rd)-grade classrooms in Appalachian Ohio; teachers in these classrooms implemented 45 hands-on foods activities that covered 10 food topics. Subjects included measurement; food safety; vegetables; fruits; milk and cheese; meat, poultry, and fish; eggs; fats; grains; and meal management. Students in four other classrooms served as the control group. Mainstream 3(rd)-grade students were targeted because of their receptiveness to the subject matter, science standards for upper elementary grades, and testing that the students would undergo in 4(th) grade. Teachers and students alike reported that the hands-on FoodMASTER curriculum experience was worthwhile and enjoyable. Our initial classroom observation indicated that the majority of students, girls and boys included, were very excited about the activities, became increasingly interested in the subject matter of food, and were able to conduct scientific observations.     

Effects of policy and educational interventions intended to reduce difficulties in literacy skills in grade 1

In two large-scale studies, the effects of policy and educational interventions on literacy skills were examined in children schooled in zones with specific educational needs. To calculate the potential effects of such interventions, treatment-effects estimators with nearest neighbor matching were used. In Study 1 with policy intervention (N = 1095), children in experimental group (Exp) were assigned to small classes (12 pupils) and others in control group (Cont) to normal-sized classes (20–25 pupils). At the end of Grade 1, the effect sizes in favor of Exp were .14 and .22 in word reading and spelling. In Study 2 with educational interventions (N = 2803), children in Exp benefit from an evidence-based practice, i.e. a code-focused intervention (phonology, letter knowledge, decoding and fluency) developed by the Association Agir pour l'Ecole (Act for School) and conducted by teachers in small groups for children with low performance at the beginning of Grade 1. The effect sizes of interventions in various literacy skills were from .12 to .32. This set of results obtained in France is in accordance with those described in other countries. To conclude, a double intervention with small classes and targeted educational approaches could be one of the best ways of reducing inequalities during learning to read.     

Indexing response to intervention: a longitudinal study of reading risk from kindergarten through third grade

In this study, response to intervention and stability of reading performance of 41 kindergarten children identified as at risk of reading difficulty were evaluated from kindergarten through third grade. All students were assessed in the fall of each academic year to evaluate need for intervention, and students who fell below the 30th percentile on criterion measures received small-group supplemental intervention. Measures included a combination of commercial normative referenced measures and specific skill and construct measures to assess growth or change in reading risk status relative to 30th percentile benchmarks. Results indicated that consistent with the findings of prior research involving students with comparable entry-level performance, the majority of children identified as at risk in the beginning of kindergarten responded early and positively to intervention. On average, absolute performance levels at the end of kindergarten positioned students for trajectories of later reading performance that exceeded the 50th percentile on the majority of measures. Moreover, changes in risk status that occurred early were generally sustained over time. Only oral reading fluency performance failed to exceed the 30th percentile for the majority of students.