Community-Level Social Determinants and Children’s School Readiness

Prevention Science - The current study examined links between social determinants across communities and school readiness of children attending kindergarten in each community, in literacy, math,...     

Necessary school readiness skills for kindergarten success according to Jordanian teachers

The purpose of this study was to examine the necessity levels of children's school readiness skills held by Jordanian kindergarten teachers. The sample consisted of 347 teachers drawn from the public and private kindergarten education sectors. The school readiness data collection instrument included seven readiness domains with a total of 39 skills. Teachers evaluated the necessity level of each readiness skill for children to succeed in kindergarten. The results of this study indicated that teachers expected children to have average levels of readiness skills upon entering kindergarten. Among the domains, teachers expected the physical skills domain as the most necessary for kindergarten success, while the reading skills domain was perceived as the least necessary. Analysis also revealed significant differences between public and private kindergarten teachers in their level of expectations for school readiness skills.     

Promoting School Readiness in the Context of Socio-Economic Adversity: Associations with Parental Demoralization and Support for Learning

Background

Existing research suggests that parenting stress and demoralization, as well as provision of learning activities at home, significantly affect child school readiness. However, the degree to which these dimensions of parenting uniquely influence child school readiness remains unclear.

Objective

This study tested the hypothesis that parent demoralization and support for learning are distinct constructs that independently influence child school readiness. Direct and indirect (mediated) models of association were examined.

Methods

117 kindergarten children with low literacy and language skills and their parents were recruited from three Northeastern school districts serving primarily low-income families. Parents reported on their own depressive symptoms, parenting difficulties, attitudes and behaviors related to learning activities, and the frequency of parent–child conversation at home. Teachers rated child school readiness, as indicated by classroom behaviors, approaches to learning, and emergent language and literacy skills.

Results

In a factor analysis, parent demoralization and support for learning emerged as distinct constructs. Structural equation models revealed that parent demoralization was negatively associated with child school readiness, whereas parent support for learning was positively associated with child school readiness. Neither parenting construct mediated the effect of the other.

Conclusions

Among low-income families with children at high risk for school difficulties, parental demoralization and support of learning opportunities at home appear to independently influence child school readiness. Thus, parent-based interventions targeting child school readiness would likely benefit from enhancing both parental self-efficacy and provision of learning activities.     

Family engagement in literacy activities: revised factor structure for The Familia – an instrument examining family support for early literacy development

This study evaluated a data-set drawn using The Familia – a measure originally developed to evaluate shared-reading activities. A newly developed set of conceptual supports and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were applied to a new factor structure/model. Data were drawn from 219 young children and their families (mean age = 43 months) participating in a longitudinal intervention study of early childhood school readiness. The new factor model, using recent conceptual frameworks in early literacy, included the factors. Family engagement in learning, Family involvement in school activities and exposure to printed materials. The CFA indicated that the model demonstrated acceptable fit to the data and additional analyses demonstrated that the factors/scales produced acceptable reliability and validity statistics. The revised factors and scales present conceptually based, efficient, valid and reliable indices of family contributions to young children’s literacy development for use in early literacy or school readiness research and related applications.     

Preparing young dual language learners for school success: early childhood teacher beliefs regarding school readiness

The purpose of the study is to investigate what early childhood teachers in the United States of America believe are the essential characteristics young children and dual language learners (DLL) require to be ready for school. Participants identified the three top characteristics all young children and DLL need for school success. The findings illustrate that although the participants ranked social characteristics as essential over other areas of learning for all children, they equally rank social and physical characteristics as essential for DLL, followed by communication skills. Implications of these findings render new understandings in how we define school readiness and what should be the focus in preschool classrooms compared to the instructional practices of kindergarten.     

Full- and half-day kindergarten programmes: examining impacts on second language learners

This study investigated the effect of full- and half-day kindergarten programmes on English language learners (ELL) and English-only-speaking children's literacy and mathematics performance in a large urban school district. Considerations were given to how the length of the school day, children's language status (ELL and non-ELL), and children's attendance patterns influenced achievement. Results reveal that all children in full-day kindergarten settings performed significantly better on spring literacy assessments and mathematics when compared to children in half-day settings. Non-ELL children performed significantly higher on spring literacy assessments than ELL children. Children who missed fewer than 10 days of kindergarten had significantly higher spring literacy and mathematics scores than children with more than 10 absences. Findings from this study have significant policy and practice implications related to the overall quality, availability, and the effect of kindergarten programming in the USA.     

The Costly Consequences of not Being Socially and Behaviorally Ready to Learn by Kindergarten in Baltimore City

Social, emotional, and behavioral skills are foundational to learning and long-term success. However, poverty and exposure to adverse childhood experiences reduce the chances of children entering kindergarten socially-behaviorally ready to learn. This study examined the unique impact of 5-year-old children (N = 11,412) entering kindergarten not socially-behaviorally ready on three costly school outcomes by fourth grade in Baltimore City Public Schools: being retained in grade, receiving services and supports through an IEP or 504 plan, and being suspended/expelled. Controlling for all other types of school readiness, students not identified as socially-behaviorally ready for kindergarten were more likely to experience all three school outcomes. Findings underscore the importance of early prevention and intervention strategies targeting parents and social-behavioral readiness skills during the first 5 years of life.     

Closing the summer learning gap for vulnerable learners: an exploratory study of a summer literacy programme for kindergarten children at‐risk for reading difficulties

School summer vacation may create a significant gap in the learning cycle. Such a gap may be particularly detrimental for vulnerable children such as those with lower academic achievement due to learning and language disabilities, lower socio‐economic environments or learning in a language other than their native language. The current exploratory study investigated the efficacy of a summer family literacy programme on the reading achievement of 14 four‐year‐old children completing their pre‐kindergarten year. All participating children were identified by their classroom teacher and a subsequent reading assessment to be at‐risk for reading difficulties. Children and one of their primary caregivers participated in a five‐week summer literacy programme. The programme consisted of literacy‐based activities for both children and caregivers. The results of the study indicated that children demonstrated significant gains in all aspects of literacy, thus reversing the summer learning loss expectancy.     

The effects of summer school on early literacy skills of children from low-income families

The early childhood literature has documented the impact of early literacy experience on children's later language and literacy development. The research also showed the achievement gap between children from lower socio-economic status and their peers from more economically advantaged backgrounds. To address this gap, the existing literature has suggested the potential impact of summer intervention programmes on preschool-aged children's early language and literacy skills prior to their entry to kindergarten. The focus of this study was to expand the literature by examining the immediate and long-term effects of a summer intensive literacy programme on preschool-aged children's language and literacy skills. Pre- and post-tests and group comparison results suggested that the summer intensive programme was effective in improving participating children's name writing, upper-case recognition, and print and word awareness. The data collected during the summer and the fall semester further suggested the longitudinal effects of the summer intervention programme.     

Examining Pre-school Classroom Quality in a Statewide Quality Rating and Improvement System

Background

Research has documented the importance of high-quality early childhood experiences in preparing children for school. Quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS) have recently emerged in many states as a way to build quality of child care and to promote better child outcomes.

Objective

The goal of this study was to determine if preschool classrooms representing various levels of QRIS structure and status differ on classroom process quality as assessed by several observational tools (i.e., the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale-Revised, the Classroom Assessment Scoring System, and the Early Language and Literacy Observation Tool).

Methods

We randomly selected 103 teachers in 96 classrooms from 48 full-time child-care programs, and compared classroom quality in QRIS participating programs with classrooms in non-participating programs, and classroom quality across QRIS rating levels.

Results

From multilevel analyses, we found that teachers in QRIS participating programs scored higher on global quality of classrooms, emotional support, instructional support, and literacy environment than those who were in non-participating programs after controlling for center-level and classroom-level variables. Teachers in the highest rated QRIS programs exhibited better process quality, including emotional support, classroom organization, instructional support, literacy environment, general classroom environments, and language curriculum than those in lower level programs.

Conclusions

This study suggests that QRIS may be a promising investment for quality in early childhood education and care, which is a reasonable proxy for improving children’s school readiness.     

Who they are,what they think,and what they do: mothers’ school-related identities,academic socialization,and child academic readiness

This study adopts an intergenerational approach to explore whether mothers’ school experiences influence academic readiness through parenting beliefs and parenting quality. Forty-five mothers were categorised as either having a desired or feared school-related identity based on their narratives about past school experiences and the ways they prepare their children for school. Desired school-related identity was associated with higher literacy readiness but not math readiness. Our results also suggest that mothers with feared school-related identities reported feeling greater responsibility for socializing their children to school than did mothers with desired school-related identities. Examination of mediation pattern suggested that parenting quality is among the pathways from maternal school-related identity to child’s reading readiness, even when accounting for household income. Although preliminary, our findings point to intergenerational influences on academic readiness.     

Exploring Young Children's Literacy Development Through Play

An exploratory study was conducted to determine the effects of literacy-enriched play centers and the emergent literacy behaviors of five-year-old kindergarten children. This study focused on play activities that promote reading and writing that can be integrated in play centers in the early childhood curriculum. Qualitative analysis of the data indicated that a language or literacy component can be integrated in the play activities of kindergarten children. Play activities were used to promote the inventing symbols and messages in children's writing. The teachers in the kindergarten classrooms created a literate environment to promote the children's literacy development.     

Exploring Young Children's Literacy Development Through Play

An exploratory study was conducted to determine the effects of literacy‐enriched play centers and the emergent literacy behaviors of five‐year‐old kindergarten children. This study focused on play activities that promote reading and writing that can be integrated in play centers in the early childhood curriculum. Qualitative analysis of the data indicated that a language or literacy component can be integrated in the play activities of kindergarten children. Play activities were used to promote the inventing symbols and messages in children's writing. The teachers in the kindergarten classrooms created a literate environment to promote the children's literacy development.     

Educators’ perceptions of school readiness within the context of a kindergarten entry assessment in Alaska

ABSTRACT

This empirical study examined educators’ perceptions of kindergarten readiness, within the context of a larger study on the perceptions and use of the Alaska Developmental Profile, a mandated kindergarten entry assessment (KEA). The participants (n?=?17) were primarily kindergarten teachers with varying years of experience. Data were collected through the use of surveys and semi-structured interviews and analyzed utilizing a qualitative approach. The results of the study suggest that educators’ perceptions of kindergarten readiness reflect a ‘come as you are’ philosophy and that ideally, children will come to kindergarten with some preschool experiences and some academic and social-emotional skills. The results also indicate that educators’ perceptions are not impacted by the use or results of a KEA. These findings encourage readers to consider how KEAs impact educators, what roles educators play in considering kindergarten readiness, and how schools might be ready for kindergartners instead of children being ‘ready’ for kindergarten.     

家庭阅读环境在父母受教育程度与3~4岁儿童词汇水平间的中介作用

目的 探讨父母亲受教育程度、家庭阅读环境、儿童词汇水平之间的关系,为家庭做好入园语言准备和促进教育起点公平提供理论依据。方法 2021年11月—2022年1月从3所城市幼儿园和1所农村幼儿园随机抽取84名3~4岁儿童,采用皮博迪图片词汇测验(PPVT-R)和表达性词汇测验(EVT)调查儿童词汇水平,使用自编问卷调查家庭阅读环境状况,对所得数据进行单因素方差分析、相关分析和中介效应分析。结果 1)父母受教育程度不同,其家庭阅读环境和儿童词汇水平差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。2)父母受教育程度与家庭阅读环境、儿童词汇水平两两之间具有显著正相关(P<0.05),其中母亲受教育程度与后两者的相关性更强(r=0.663,P<0.001)。3)家庭阅读环境在父亲受教育程度与儿童词汇水平之间具有部分中介作用,中介效应占总效应的41.59%(χ²/df=1.181,RMSEA=0.047,GFI=0.971,AGFI=0.898,TLI=0.985,CFI=0.994);家庭阅读环境在母亲受教育程度与儿童词汇水平之间具有部分中介作用(χ²/df=1.252,RMSEA=0.055,GFI=0.963,AGFI=0.886,TLI=0.982,CFI=0.992),中介效应占总效应的19.51%。结论 家庭阅读环境在父母受教育程度儿童词汇水平之间具有部分中介作用,且中介效应值存在差异。应重视儿童早期词汇发展,优化家庭阅读环境质量;提高父亲参与度,低受教育程度父亲可通过改善家庭阅读环境以促进儿童词汇发展;鼓励低受教育程度母亲在做好家庭阅读环境创设的同时,也应提高自身语言质量。     

Young children’s approaches to learning: a sociocultural perspective

Recognising school readiness as a national priority, the National Education Goals Panel identified the development of young children’s approaches to learning as essential for achieving readiness. Approaches to learning include inclinations, attitudes, and learning styles. Despite wide agreement that learning approaches are critical for school success, our understanding of factors that influence children’s use of approaches in the classroom is limited. Based on the perspective of sociocultural theory, this study contributes to our understanding of approaches to learning in the classroom context by addressing two questions: Are children’s learning approaches affected by the activity they engage in? Do children’s learning approaches show evidence of development based on school socialisation as they advance in grade level? Sixty-one children from pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and second-grade classrooms participated in the study. For each child, five approaches to learning were measured through observation of their participation in six classroom activities. Results indicate that the approaches to learning children used varied in relation to activity and developed as children advanced in school. Discussion of results focuses on the variability in children’s learning approaches in different learning contexts. Implications for curriculum design and instructional strategies are integrated with the discussion.     

The Parents as Teachers Program and School Success: A Replication and Extension

This study is a replication and extension of an earlier study, using a larger sample, a better measure of poverty status, and new longitudinal data. The study used path analysis to test hypothesized models of how the Parents as Teachers (PAT) program affects children’s school readiness and subsequent third-grade achievement. Participants were 5,721 kindergarten children who were chosen to be representative of all children beginning public school in the state of Missouri in the fall of 1998–2000. These children were subsequently located in the state’s third-grade test database 4–5 years later (82% of the original kindergarten sample). The causal models, which postulated both direct and indirect effects of PAT, were strongly supported by the data. Editors’ Strategic Implications: The findings add to the evidence that the PAT home visiting program holds promise as a primary prevention program. The authors demonstrate how parenting practices (including reading to children and enrolling them in preschool) promote both school readiness and subsequent academic achievement, but they also remind us of the pervasive effects of poverty.     

Examining literacy development holistically using the Play and Learn through the Arts (PLA) programme: a case study

Literacy is one of the most important areas of development. Several pieces of research examine the positive impact of the arts on children’s literacy development. However, most of them focus on specific literacy skills and not in providing a holistic examination of literacy. Also, they adapt a structured methodology, with pre-decided lesson plans, which contradicts the liberal character of the arts. Having this in mind along with the importance of literacy as an area of learning, this research project was designed with the purpose of examining the effects of the arts on children’s holistic literacy development in the early years settings through a child-led approach. The ‘Play and Learn through the Arts’ (PLA) programme was used for a school year in a case study with 5–6-year-old children in Greece. The outcomes were measured using a mix-method approach and showed the positive contribution of PLA in children’s literacy development.     

Parenting practices focusing on literacy: a study of cultural capital of kindergarten and first-grade students from low-income families

The purpose of this study was to examine the relations between parents’ home literacy practices and the literacy skills of young children at risk for reading difficulties. Participants included 198 kindergarten and first-grade students and their parents. Children were enrolled in two Title I schools in an urban setting. Parents completed the Stonybrook Family Reading Survey, and children completed the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, 4th edition, Expressive Vocabulary Test, 2nd edition, and Woodcock Reading Mastery Test. Results revealed that children with greater social capital in the form of more frequent home literacy activities demonstrated higher expressive and receptive vocabulary skills. These findings have implications for researchers, educators, and parents including the suggestion that school-based interventions should assess home literacy environment at the baseline to inform the design of instructional activities and to inform teachers on ways to enhance the home–school connection.     

Social and emotional information processing in preschoolers: indicator of early school success?

To better connect emotional development and social cognition literatures, in this study, the intersection of preschoolers’ emotion and behaviour response choices to hypothetical peer conflicts was examined among 305 4½-year-olds in private childcare and Head Start. Latent class analyses identified five subgroups of children with connections between their emotion and behaviour response choices (happy/passive, sad/socially competent, angry/passive, angry/aggressive, and sad/passive). Subgroup membership differed across genders and economic risk statuses and was also a predictor of early school success (i.e. social competence, classroom adjustment, and academic readiness). Overall, even after accounting for the associations between known predictors of young children's behaviour and school success (i.e. gender and socioeconomic status), membership in the subgroups in preschool was uniquely predictive of both concurrent and later social competencies, classroom adjustment, and academic readiness. Furthermore, preschool social competence partially mediated contributions of subgroup membership in kindergarten classroom adjustment. These findings are discussed in relation to existing social information processing and emotional development literatures, including potential implications for understanding young children's early school success.