Play and gender in Ontario kindergarten classrooms: implications for literacy learning

Research has highlighted the importance of early literacy development. In light of this, there has been a growing concern around boys’ underachievement on language and literacy assessments. Given the recent mandate for play-based learning in Ontario kindergartens, this paper examines children's literacy integration during play from a gender perspective. An analysis of 380 minutes of children's play revealed that girls and boys often played separately across the 12 kindergarten classrooms in this study. Importantly, the centres at which girls and boys played offered different literacy support. Our findings showed that gender played a salient role in children's play choices affecting the types of academic skills children practiced in their play. In this paper, we shed light on the need for gender awareness and sensitivity in policy mandates and teacher practice.     

A Preliminary Evaluation of REACH: Training Early Childhood Teachers to Support Children’s Social and Emotional Development

This paper describes the development, implementation and preliminary evaluation of the Reaching Educators and Children (REACH) program, a training and coaching intervention designed to increase the capacity of early childhood teachers to support children’s social and emotional development. We evaluated REACH with 139 teachers of toddler and preschool classrooms. Teacher attendance and survey results suggest that teachers were highly satisfied with the training and materials. Data from classroom observation scales conducted pre- and post-REACH implementation suggest significant improvements in the sensitivity of teachers’ interactions with children in the classroom, and increased teacher use of targeted social and emotional supports (such as teaching children to resolve conflicts). Further, data from observations of children’s classroom behavior suggest increases in children’s prosocial behaviors and small but significant decreases in verbal aggression. These findings provide preliminary evidence that the REACH program may be effective in building teachers’ capacity to support social–emotional development of young children, and point to the need for additional research.     

The role of teacher instructional practices in student collaboration

Prior research on collaborative learning identifies student behaviors that significantly predict student achievement, such as giving explanations of one’s thinking. Less often studied is the role of teachers’ instructional practices in collaboration among students. This article investigates the extent to which teachers engage in practices that support students’ explanations of their thinking, and how these teacher practices might be related to the nature of explanations that students give when asked by the teacher to collaborate with each other. The teachers observed here, all of whom received specific instruction in eliciting the details of student thinking, varied significantly in the extent to which they asked students to elaborate on their suggestions. This variation corresponded to variation across classrooms in the nature and extent of student explanations during collaborative conversations and to differences in student achievement.     

Predicting Language Development in Children At Risk: The Effects of Quality and Frequency of Caregiver Reading

Reading to children has been advocated as a way to enhance language and literacy skills (A. G. Bus, M. H. van IJzendoorn, & A. D. Pellegrini, 1995). However, little is known about reading with children under age 3 (K. L. Fletcher & E. Reese, 2005), particularly in at-risk samples (A. van Kleeck, 2003). In the current study of 87 primary caregivers and their 24-month-old children enrolled in an early intervention program, we tested a theoretical model of the relations among 24-month-old children's language, caregivers' reported frequency of reading with children, and caregivers' reading strategies on children's language and attention using path models. Path models indicated that caregivers' use of expansions and questions with their 24-month-old children during reading was related to children's expressive language at 30 months. Caregivers' use of labeling, expansions, and questions was related to 24-month-old children's attention during reading. Although children's language skills at 24 months were associated with the reported frequency of caregiver reading in the home, only caregivers' use of questions had a relationship with frequency of reading. Reading practices that promote language development and engagement during reading observed in this at- risk sample have implications for reading intervention efforts with young children.     

History and Habit in the Mobilization of ICT Resources

Evidence demonstrates that the digital divide is deepening despite strategies mobilized worldwide to reduce it. In disadvantaged communities, beyond training and infrastructural issues, there often lies a range of cultural and historically formed relationships that affect people's adoption of ICTs. This article presents an analysis of local resident's engagement with their council's pilot project to develop a computer facility in their community center. We ask, to what extent can people in poor urban communities, once trained, be expected to volunteer to work on furthering community education and development in ICTs in their local area? Findings indicate four patterns of individual engagement with the computer project: reflexive, utilitarian, distributive, and nonparticipatory. It is argued that local people engaged with the intervention in historically patterned and locally distinctive ways that served immediate personal and pragmatic ends. They did not adopt the long-term strategic goals of the council or university.     

Recruiting and retaining girls in table tennis: Participant and club perspectives

Government and sport stakeholders, in the Australian context, are focused on increasing girls’ participation in sport. Sport organisations, particularly those who receive limited government funding and commercial revenue, experience challenges in recruiting and retaining adolescent girls. In this paper, a case study of table tennis delivery in one Australian state, is presented, with a focus on the issue of girls’ participation. Framed using Green’s (2005) normative theory of sport development, and drawing on physical activity participation literature, micro- and meso-level factors are examined. The focus is placed on girls’ experiences participating in the sport of table tennis and how delivery stakeholders find the process of recruiting and retaining girls in the sport. Interviews and focus groups reveal that a male-dominated culture, resource constraints, and a host of social influences, including peer and parental influences, and the absence of a social norm around girls’ participation, are hampering this sport’s capacity to recruit and retain adolescent females. Organisational commitment at state and national levels are necessary if table tennis is to target the issue of gender balance within its junior participation market.     

How acceptable do older adults find the concept of being physically active? A systematic review and meta-synthesis

Despite the significant health benefits of regular physical activity for older adults, only a minority achieve recommended levels. To develop effective interventions, the reasons for the low levels of physical activity in this population must be understood. The present review identifies and synthesizes qualitative studies concerning the acceptability of physical activity to community dwelling older adults. A systematic search of four electronic databases identified 10 studies meeting inclusion criteria. These were appraised, and findings were combined and compared using thematic synthesis. Older adults construed physical activity as a by-product of other activities, rather than as a purposeful activity within itself. This seemed to be linked to their self-perception as an ageing member of society, with physical activity considered irrelevant, and competing roles and responsibilities (e.g., family) taking precedence. Additionally, older adults appeared to experience conflict between maintaining their autonomy and accepting the physical and social vulnerabilities associated with ageing. As older adults do not see physical activity as purposeful within itself, interventions promoting moderate or vigorous physical activity are likely to have limited success. As even small increases in physical activity benefit older adults, future interventions may wish to target the reduction of sedentary behaviour in this population.     

Becoming Globally Competent Citizens: A Learning Journey of Two Classrooms in an Interconnected World

Globally competent people are aware of world issues, take perspective, are engaged and know how to communicate to different people. This article portraits a story of two kindergarten classrooms, one in the United States and the other in Greece, both working with culturally diverse children and, in the case of the American classroom, English Language learners. The teachers shared philosophical foundations reflected in their practice and discourse in the classroom as they took a learning journey through Harvard Project Zero’s Out of Eden Learn project. Out of Eden Learn serves as a platform to engage children from both settings in exploring their own neighborhoods, investigating contemporary global issues, and reflecting on how they as individuals fit into a broader geographical and historical context. Through meaningful hands-on experiences, the children in these two classrooms gained deep understandings of themselves and their surroundings, made personal connections and developed empathy as they heard stories of children around the world. In their learning journey, the two teachers used thinking routines to help the children slow down and observe the world around them. The experience not only helped the teachers comply with curriculum standards, but also allowed them to keep alive the children’s capacity to be curious and promote parental involvement. The children developed a sense of self-understanding and self-identity as a point of reference to develop perspective and understanding of other cultures.     

Exploring pedagogical content knowledge of biology graduate teaching assistants through their participation in lesson study

Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are responsible for teaching the majority of biology undergraduate laboratory sections, although many feel underprepared to do so. This study explored the impact of biology GTA participation in a professional development model known as lesson study. Using a case study methodology with multiple qualitative data sources, this study found that lesson study was beneficial for this group of GTAs in that it modified critical aspects of their beliefs about biology instruction. Each participant felt that lesson study helped revise their teaching and changes were seen in some aspects of the participants’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). Despite this, there was an observed disconnect between participants’ vocalized intent and classroom practice. This disconnect could be attributed to the difficulty of implementing new strategies, the short duration of the lesson study, and the instructional inexperience of the participants in the study.