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Eric.ed.gov – Children’s Pre-K Outcomes and Classroom Quality in Georgia’s Pre-K Program: Findings from the 2013-2014 Evaluation Study. Executive Summary

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This the executive summary of the 2013-2014 study which provided the baseline year for the longitudinal study. The study included observations of teaching practices in a random sample of 199 Georgia’s Pre-K classrooms and assessments of the language, literacy, math, general knowledge, and behavior skills of a sample of 1,169 children attending these classrooms, including parallel assessments in English and Spanish of 139 dual-language learners (DLLs). Classroom/teacher characteristics were examined as predictors of the quality of classroom practices, while both classroom quality as well as child/family and classroom/teacher characteristics were examined as moderators of children’s growth in skills. [To view the full report, see ED593274.] Link til kilde

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Eric.ed.gov – Partnering with Parents: Using Cap Kits to Support Learning Activities at Home

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: The idea of using plastic bottle caps to enhance children’s literacy and math skills was introduced in a pre-kindergarten methods and field class at West Chester University. We wanted an essentially cost-free way to create fun, hands-on, educational games for young students to learn basic skills supporting the Common Core State Standards (adopted by 45 states, www.corestandards.org/in-the-states). University education students began bringing plastic bottle caps, packaging them into kits, and taking them into local schools to help children learn. We have now not only formalized the Cap Kits program, but we have also conducted dozens of teacher trainings and parent workshops and have given away thousands of Cap Kits. By placing these materials into the hands of children, we are giving them manipulatives that can be used… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Factor Structure and Validity of the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Third Edition (ECERS-3)

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: The Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Third Edition (ECERS-3) is the latest version of one of the most widely used observational tools for assessing the quality of classrooms serving preschool-aged children. This study was the first assessment of its factor structure and validity, an important step given its widespread use. An ECERS-3 observation was conducted in 1063 preschool classrooms in three states. In a subset of those classrooms (n = 119), Classroom Assessment Scoring System-Pre-K (CLASS Pre-K) and child assessment data were also collected. Analyses of the ECERS-3 suggested that a single factor does not adequately capture item variability. Of the solutions tested, the four-factor (Learning Opportunities, Gross Motor, Teacher Interactions, and Math Supports) provided the best combination of statistical support and theoretical utility. In general, the ECERS-3… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Kindergarten Impacts of the Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Program: A Statewide Evaluation

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts (PA PKC) is a state-funded prekindergarten program for 3- and 4- year-old children to help them gain school readiness skills. The goal of PA PKC is to help reduce educational disparities by providing high quality prekindergarten for children who lack opportunities or reside in environments that place them at risk of school failure. This Impact Study examined the effects of participation in PA PKC on children’s early academic, social, and executive function skills in kindergarten. In particular, the study focused on whether there were differences in performance for children with 1 or 2 years of enrollment in PA PKC compared to children with no early childhood education (ECE) experience in the 2 years prior to kindergarten. Two primary research questions (1 and 2) guided… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Your Child and Math: Getting Involved.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This is one in a series of publications designed for parents and teachers to help children acquire developmentally appropriate basic educational skills at home and in school. Topics included are: (1) “What is math?” explaining mathematical concepts such as number, measurement, space, and time; (2) “How do children learn about math?”; (3) “Why is an understanding of math important?”; (4) “How you can help your children learn math?”; and (5) “Points to keep in mind.” (YP) Link til kilde

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Eric.ed.gov – Using Learning Centers to Improve the Language and Academic Skills of Preschool Children

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: A mixed-methods research design was employed to investigate the impact of use of learning centers to support language and academic skills of children aged 61-72 months. The sample of quantitative data of the study consisted of 70 children (35 in the experimental group and 35 in the control group). In the quantitative dimension of the study, data were collected using the “Kaufman Survey of Early Academic and Language Skills,” “Progress in Maths 6 Test,” and the “Control List for the Evaluation of the Print Awareness of Pre-School Children” scales. In the qualitative dimension of the study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the teachers of the experimental group through the “Teacher Interview Form” developed by the researchers. During the implementation period, learning centers were established and organized in… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Illinois Early Learning Project Tip Sheets: Math and Science.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: The Illinois Early Learning Project (IEL) is funded by the Illinois State Board of Education to provide information resources on early learning and training related to implementing the Illinois Early Learning Standards for parents and for early childhood personnel in all settings. The IEL tip sheets offer suggestions to parents and early childhood personnel on a variety of topics related to children’s early experiences. This set of four tip sheets, in English- and Spanish-language versions, relates specifically to mathematics and science. Titles are as follows: (1)”CSI: Child Scientist Investigates!” which discusses ways to draw on preschoolers’ natural curiosity to teach them about science and scientific methods; (2) “Encouraging Scientific Thinking: Animal Study in the Classroom”; (3) “Things To Do while You’re Waiting: Math”; and (4) “Things To… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Early Childhood Turkish Children’s Attitudes toward Science

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: The purpose of the study was to examine and describe the attitudes of Turkish early childhood children in science. This study explored the causal factors that influence children’s attitudes toward science such as teachers’ years of teaching experiences, frequency of teaching science in a week, and teachers’ teaching style. Turkish children (N=44) who live in the United States and engage in early childhood classroom involved into the study. Preschool teachers who had Turkish children in their classroom completed a survey for giving information about their Turkish children experiences in their science teaching activities. The Child’s Attitude Toward Science (CATS) survey which was developed by researchers was used while collecting data. The results showed that Turkish children have positive attitudes towards science especially in Life Science Topics. The… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Teachers Nurturing Math-Talented Young Children.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This book is an outgrowth of a 2-year study of 284 children discovered during preschool or kindergarten to be advanced in mathematics. In addition to psychometric and cognitive testing conducted at the beginning, middle, and end of the study, half of the children attended biweekly interventions designed to enrich their experience with mathematics. Results found the children remained advanced in math over the 2-year period, their spatial reasoning related more closely to their math reasoning than did their verbal reasoning, and the math scores of the boys started and remained higher than those of the girls. The intervention proved effective in enhancing mathematical reasoning. The book discusses ways of identifying very young math-advanced children as well as a variety of educational strategies to meet their needs. Its… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Examining the Validity of Behavioral Self-Regulation Tools in Predicting Preschoolers’ Academic Achievement

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: The current study investigated the predictive utility among teacher-rated, observed, and directly assessed behavioral self-regulation skills to academic achievement in preschoolers. Specifically, this study compared how a teacher report, the Child Behavior Rating Scale, an observer report, the Observed Child Engagement Scale, and a direct assessment, the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders task, relate to early math and literacy skills. The sample consisted of 247 children from 31 preschool classrooms. Trained research assistants observed a subsample of 104 children. Results indicated significant, positive relationships for teacher-rated and directly assessed behavioral self-regulation for early math and literacy skills. Teacher ratings were the strongest predictors of literacy, and the direct assessment emerged as the strongest predictor of math. Observed behavioral self-regulation was not significantly related to either academic domain. Discussion focuses on domain… Continue Reading