A qualitative study of early childhood educators' beliefs and practices regarding children's socioemotional development

Existing research underscores the significance of early childhood experiences in the childcare context for the development of socioemotional skills and competencies. However, the practices adopted within childcare for the enhancement of children's socioemotional development and the factors mediating these practices are less adequately researched. The present study contributes to this understanding, through studying the perceptions of 34 educators working in childcare centres in Greece with regard to children's socioemotional development and its promotion. Results showed that although they acknowledged the significance of social and emotional competencies for children's adjustment, learning and well-being, they did not report consistent use of practices having as a goal the promotion of such skills. Explanations involve on the one hand the lack of formal policy and the existence of structural barriers and on the other hand a perception that socioemotional development is mostly affected by factors beyond their influence. Results are discussed in relation to prior research and in terms of their implications for designing interventions, curricula and staff training.     

儿童早期家庭养育环境与儿童心理发展

家庭养育环境对儿童早期心理发展作用是多方面的.多中心研究证明家长抚养行为、亲子互动、家庭环境质量对儿童早期智力发展具有显著影响.气质是先天的,但母亲情绪问题、家庭经济收入、家长教育程度、亲子互动、环境的多样性等对儿童气质维度有一定影响.人的性格主要是在后天环境中形成的,父母的态度和养育方式对儿童性格发展影响显著.儿童早期交往对象主要是父母,家庭养育方式在儿童社会化过程中作用显著;这个过程发展不好,就会出现这样那样的人际关系问题和行为问题.对儿童早期家庭养育环境的系统评价是家庭养育环境研究与促进的基础,国外<家庭环境观察评定量表(HOME)>具有开创性的贡献,国内自主编制的<儿童早期家庭养育环境量表>则是家庭养育环境评价量表本土化的一个有益尝试.     

重视儿童早期发展中运动能力的发展与习惯的培养

运动是儿童早期发展的重要组成部分,可促进儿童生理、心理和社会能力的发展。照护者将运动融入到日常的养育照护过程中,循序渐进发展儿童的运动能力,从小培养儿童的运动习惯,有助于促进儿童早期发展,提高儿童生命的远期健康,也是提高人口素质,强国强民的重要举措。     

Evaluation of the quality of early childhood classrooms in Turkey

The purpose of this study was to examine the quality of two types of Turkish early childhood education programs: private and public preschools. ¹ 1. The term preschool is used to address the educational settings visited, which are preparatory classes starting one year before primary schools. Three public and three private preschools in a district of Istanbul were randomly selected. The quality of preschools was assessed using the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale developed by Harms et al. The preschools were visited by the researcher and were observed for a nine‐hour school day. Observations indicate that activities such as daily routines, parent–teacher interactions, personal and professional needs are more appropriately handled by private preschool teachers than public preschool teachers. Shortcomings exist in both types of preschools in their physical class arrangements, authoritarian teacher child interactions, poor teacher–student ratio, and emphasis on structured and paper–pencil activities. Results suggest the need for Turkish preschool programs to be more child and family centered.     

Improving Latino children's early language and literacy development: key features of early childhood education within family literacy programmes

Noting the lack of research on how early childhood education (ECE) programmes within family literacy programmes influence Latino children's early language and literacy development, this study examined key features of ECE programmes, specifically teacher–child interactions and child engagement in language and literacy activities and how these features relate to Latino children's early language and literacy development. Participants were 181 Latino children (3–5 years old) from low-income families enrolled in 22 ECE programmes within family literacy programmes. Teacher–child interactions were of medium quality on socioemotional support and low quality on instructional quality. Latino children spent about 20% of their day engaged in language and literacy activities. Multilevel regression analysis results showed that the length of Latino children's engagement in language and literacy activities in ECE programmes was more strongly related to their English oral language skills and alphabet knowledge than the quality of teacher–child interactions.     

Development and evaluation of metacognition in early childhood education

The aim of the present study is to provide information and suggest ways to improve and evaluate metacognition in early childhood. Metacognition is important to learning and knowledge transfer and preparing students to become lifelong learners is a main aim of schooling. The engagement of young students in metacognitive thinking is considered necessary, as they seem capable of developing fundamental forms of metacognition after the age of three. The development of metacognitive skills helps young children to become thoughtful about their learning process. Specifically, the implementation of interesting activities in an enjoyable manner that develops young children's high-order thinking could help them to enhance metacognitive skills and become effective learners. Physical activities during reciprocal and self-check teaching styles are such activities that could guide young students to reflect on their own learning and realise what they are doing.     

Comparison of self-efficacy between male and female pre-service early childhood teachers

Teaching in early childhood classrooms is a female-dominated job all over the world. The aim of this study is to compare male and female pre-service early childhood teachers' sense of self-efficacy. The study sample of 451 pre-service teachers consisted of 231 female and 220 males. The Turkish-language version of the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale (TTSES) was used for data collection. The results indicate a significant difference between the male and female respondents' overall sense of self-efficacy, as well as their sense of self-efficacy relating to the specific area of classroom management. However, no significant differences were found in males' and females' sense of self-efficacy with regard to student engagement or instructional strategies.     

新生儿营养与儿童早期发展

儿童早期发展是从受精卵到8岁儿童体格、心理和社会能力的生长和发育,其发展过程受到遗传、环境等多方面影响。其中,新生儿的优质营养是儿童早期发展的重要物质基础,新生儿期的母乳喂养、新生儿疾病的筛查、早产儿和低出生体重儿的合理喂养都是促进儿童早期发展的关键之一。本文将从新生儿营养的角度,全面总结其对儿童早期发展的作用,为更好地优化母婴营养,促进儿童早期发展提供新的方向与参考。     

Implementing student portfolios in an early childhood program

The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the effects of student portfolios as an assessment and communication tool and describe the portfolio procedure utilized in a childcare program. Using portfolios as a technique of children performance assessment can incorporate desirable characteristics of evaluation. Questions of how to effectively implement this new technique are identified and discussed.     

Confucianism and early childhood education: a study of young children's responses to traditional Chinese festival stories

The teaching of values has seen renewed interest, as educators, policymakers and parents seek ways of increasing peaceful coexistence for children in a conflict‐driven world. Education systems are again reviewing values as part of their core mission. Confucian values form the core of most Asian cultures, penetrating different levels of social life, and also set the standards for most families, communities and political behaviour. The research reported in this study set out to examine young children's expressed views of Confucian values represented in traditional stories of four Chinese festivals. Within this research, Confucian values were centred on five virtues: Ren (benevolence), Yi (righteousness), Li (courteousness), Xiao (filial piety), and Zhi (wisdom). The four selected Chinese festivals were: (1) Chinese New Year, (2) Dragon Boat festival, (3) Chung Yeung festival, and (4) Mid‐Autumn festival. Participants included 392 children aged four to five years from 29 kindergartens or nursery schools and 57 pre‐service early childhood teachers in Hong Kong. Results showed that the values of Ren (benevolence) and Yi (righteousness) were the most popular responses among local young children, while the value of Li (courteousness) tended to be the least popular category. Some implications for curriculum planning in early childhood education are discussed arising from the study findings.     

运动能力与儿童早期发展

儿童早期发展对个人成年时期,乃至老年阶段的全面发展和健康促进均具有重要意义,受到越来越多的社会关注。本文从早期教育中运动能力培养的角度,总结其对儿童早期体格生长、智力发展、神经心理发育的作用及对特殊儿童疾病干预的影响,为促进儿童健康成长寻找途径和方向。     

The impetus for family-centred early childhood intervention

In this article, the current climate of early intervention is considered, advocating the necessity for it to remain a cutting-edge service that attends to the changing needs profiles of children and their families. The article reviews the difficulties experienced by families in the UK, where, as the government acknowledges, life chances are still unequal. It emphasises that early interventions can increase the likelihood of the family being able to engage or re-engage with mainstream societal services, thus reducing the long-term costs to society. It discusses the past and present UK policy context from 2004, when Sohns reported that the UK was the only country without a national policy of infrastructure in relation to early childhood intervention, until the present when, a raft of legislation is in place acknowledging its importance and the need for priority. Central to many effective early intervention programmes is the goal of establishing shared communication in the infant-key carer dyad, using alternative communication and therapy-based interventions. The article discusses parent-inclusive programmes which meet the needs of both parents and children, and receive endorsement from parents. Finally, the article considers evaluation of early childhood services, and the necessity of increasing the centrality of the family in service delivery in order to provide services which are integrated, relevant and efficacious.     

Professionalism and the preparation of early childhood education practitioners

The call for reform in early childhood education has resulted in proposals for improving the level of professionalism among early childhood practitioners and the establishment of credentialling systems. A further result has been the modification of state early childhood teacher certification. This paper argues that the integration of new knowledge emerging from studies of practice and child development can help raise levels of professionalism.     

儿童早期单纯肥胖症的流行病学及危险因素研究进展

儿童早期肥胖率在发达国家居高不下并保持上升趋势,在发展中国家的城市地区日益蔓延,部分地区的增长失控,肥胖率已接近发达国家.在不同人群中,儿童早期肥胖率分布的差异较大.危险因素包括:父母肥胖,高或低的出生体重,出生追赶和体重增长过快,家长错误的喂养行为和观念等,与儿童早期营养相关的家庭因素,不合理饮食、运动和睡眠时间少,看电视和静坐时间长等儿童不良行为习惯.     

Participatory learning theories: a framework for early childhood pedagogy

This paper continues scholarly conversations about appropriate theories of development to underpin early childhood pedagogy. It focuses on sociocultural theoretical perspectives and proposes that participatory learning theories (PLTs) underpin pedagogy built on principles specified in three curricular documents. Further, the paper argues that the outcomes of participatory learning contest accepted understandings of knowledge outcomes and instead comprise notions such as funds of knowledge, dispositions and working theories. A ‘participation plus’ model of pedagogy is posited as emanating from PLTs and associated outcomes. Resulting challenges for research and pedagogy are discussed.     

家庭养育与儿童早期语言发展

语言学习是儿童学习能力与语言环境相互作用的产物,其发生在儿童积极参与的社会环境中。语言能力的差异在婴幼儿期开始出现,贯穿并影响人的一生。近年来,越来越多国内外学者开展针对家庭养育对儿童早期语言发展的研究。了解家庭养育对儿童早期语言发展的影响,为从家庭养育角度制定预防及干预策略、促进儿童早期语言最佳发展提供依据。