Quality in Inclusive Preschool Classrooms

Research Findings: Quality of care for preschool children in inclusive and noninclusive classrooms was examined in two studies. In Study 1, comparisons across a large sample of classrooms (N = 1, 313) showed that inclusive classrooms were higher than noninclusive classrooms in global quality as well as on two dimensions of quality (Activities/Materials and Language/Interactions). In Study 2, a more diverse sample of 44 classrooms (20 inclusive and 24 noninclusive) did not reveal differences on the global measures of quality but did show a difference on a measure of teacher–child interactions. Teachers in inclusive classrooms had higher quality and more appropriate interactions with all children than did teachers from noninclusive classrooms. Ratings of perceived severity of children's disabilities were not related to any of the measures of classroom quality in either study. Practice or Policy: Both studies suggest that including children with disabilities in regular preschool classrooms does not result in lower quality programs or in less adequate teacher–child interactions, particularly for children with mild to moderate disabilities. Results illustrate the importance of continued education for early childhood professionals on high-quality teacher–child interactions. Faculty in personnel preparation programs as well as policymakers need to continue to promote high-quality interactions between teachers and children.     

Classroom Emotional Support predicts differences in preschool children's cortisol and alpha-amylase levels

Accumulating evidence suggests children enrolled in full-time child care often display afternoon elevations of the hormone cortisol, which is an indicator of stress. Recent advances in immunoassays allow for measurement of activity in the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and the autonomic sympathetic nervous system from saliva, and measurement of both systems provides a more complete understanding of activity in the stress response system. This study is the first to examine both cortisol and alpha-amylase in children attending child care and focuses on the influences of specific indicators of classroom process quality. A diverse sample of 63 preschool children nested in 14 classrooms of varying quality participated in this study; child salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase were collected at six times over 2 days. Results indicate that children in classrooms with higher Emotional Support displayed a greater decline in cortisol from morning to afternoon. Further, children in classrooms with higher Emotional Support exhibited lower total alpha-amylase output while attending child care. Implications for professional development for early childhood teachers and measurement of classroom quality are discussed.     

Revisiting the Two Faces of Child Care Quality: Structure and Process

While child care quality has been examined in numerous studies, the definition of quality and specifically, the concepts of structural and process quality, have not been adequately explored. In this qualitative analysis of the constructs of process and structural quality, a content analysis of the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R), a commonly used measure of process quality, was conducted to investigate its use as a measure of process quality. Through constant comparative analysis of the ECERS-R at the indicator level, definitions of structure and process were formulated. Results show that over half of the indicators of the ECERS-R are measuring structural quality rather than process quality. Further examination of quality as a dynamic exchange between individuals and context is needed to advance research in the area of early childhood program quality.     

Interpreting VASS Dimensions and Profiles for Physics Students

Student views about knowing and learning physics have been probed with the Views About Sciences Survey (VASS) along six conceptual dimensions, and classified into four distinct profiles: expert, high transitional, low transitional, and folk. As an aid to interpreting VASS results, this article provides a qualitative analysis of student responses to items within each of the six dimensions and a quantitative analysis of their relation to students' profiles. Students with an expert profile are chiefly scientific realists and critical learners. Students with a folk profile are primarily naive realists and passive learners. Students with transitional profiles hold mixtures of these views. Student profiles correlate significantly with physics achievement. Indeed, they may be major determinants of what students learn in physics courses.     

A Microanalysis of Teachers' Verbalizations in Inclusive Classrooms

The present study examined the verbalizations of 16 teachers from inclusive preschool classrooms. Two hours of audiotaped verbalizations for each teacher were analyzed for one-on-one interactions between teachers and children and also for interactions between teachers and small groups of children. Results showed that teachers did not modify their question-asking behavior depending on the ability level of the children or the composition of small groups of children. Teachers asked primarily low-level questions to all children. In their statements, teachers used more logical directives and directives, and fewer supportive responses to children with disabilities than they did to typically developing children. The focus of teachers' verbalizations differed depending on whether children had disabilities or were typically developing. These results suggest that teachers need to be provided with information that will help them challenge children by varying the demand level of questions and matching their verbalizations to the child's ability level. Future research should address the bi-directionality of interactions and the implications for teacher preparation programs.     

Preschool Children's Understanding of Disability: Experiences Leading to the Elaboration of the Concept of Hearing Loss

The impact of participation in a classroom with a peer with a severe hearing loss on preschool children's understanding of hearing and hearing loss was investigated. Subjects included children with and without a peer who had a hearing impairment. All children referred to their own experiences to explain hearing loss. Children who had a hearing-impaired classmate demonstrated a more complete understanding of sign language and the consequences of hearing loss than children without this experience. The implications of these results for children who are enrolled in inclusive preschool programs is discussed.     

Links Between Preschool Children’s Social Skills and Observed Pretend Play in Outdoor Childcare Environments

As one of the most advanced play forms in childhood, pretend play often demonstrates positive associations with children’s development. However, results from research that examines the association between social skills and pretend play are mixed, especially when the complexity of pretend play is taken into account. Moreover, few studies on pretend play are conducted in outdoor environments; a setting which affords many opportunities for engagement in pretend play and unstructured social interactions. By observing children’s outdoor pretend play, the primary purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between different types of pretend play and children’s social skills. Twenty-eight children from high quality childcare centers in a southeast suburban area were observed during outdoor free play time. Using a reliable time sampling protocol, each child’s play was observed and recorded for a total of 45 min to an hour over a 2-week time period. Lead teachers rated children’s social skills in the areas of cooperation, self-control, and assertiveness. Results showed high amounts of pretend play behavior overall, and differential relationships between the type of pretend play children engaged in and children’s social skills. Surprisingly, these relationships were not associated with gender. Findings are discussed in light of the value of pretend play to promote social skill development and the potential for outdoor contexts specifically to encourage these play behaviors.     

Engaging in Interactive Book Reading: Experiences of Refugee Mother–Child Dyads

Early Childhood Education Journal - Interactive book reading is an active practice that aims to stimulate children’s language and literacy development. The interactions that take place during...