Play and school work in the kindergarten curriculum: Attitudes of parents and teachers in Thailand

The purpose of this study was to examine parents’ and teachers’ attitudes about play and work activities in early childhood programs in Thailand. Eighty-one parents and thirty-eight teachers in ten kindergartens in Bangkok completed two sets of questionnaires: a demographic background questionnaire and a two-choice play-academic activity attitude questionnaire #opJohnson, 1983#cp. It was found that #op1#cp teachers were more favourable toward play than parents; #op2#cp parents in public schools were more favourable toward play than parents in private schools; and #op3#cp educational backgrounds were positively related to attitudes toward play.     

Play and school work in the kindergarten curriculum: Attitudes of parents and teachers in Thailand

The purpose of this study was to examine parents' and teachers' attitudes about play and work activities in early childhood programs in Thailand. Eighty-one parents and thirty-eight teachers in ten kindergartens in Bangkok completed two sets of questionnaires: a demographic background questionnaire and a two-choice play-academic activity attitude questionnaire #opJohnson, 1983#cp. It was found that #op1#cp teachers were more favourable toward play than parents; #op2#cp parents in public schools were more favourable toward play than parents in private schools; and #op3#cp educational backgrounds were positively related to attitudes toward play.     

Communication -- Its effect on the self-concept of children. A South African perspective

The investigators aimed to replicate Altmann & Firnesz's #op1973#cp, and Calsyn et a#sh's #op1980#cp findings of children's self-esteem being increased by improved communication skills. Using a 2x2 nonequivalent control group design, fourth and fifth grade or standard students were asked to complete instruments on self-esteem and communication skills. Later classes from two schools received the treatment and classes from the third school served as the control group. A simple analysis of variance and mean and standard deviation scores demonstrated an increase between children's communication skills and enhanced curriculum. These findings support the previous studies. Research on the effectiveness of this type of curriculum on the self-esteem of students has not been as positive. Recommendations for future research are made.     

Caregiver behaviours and adaptive behavior development of very young children in home care and daycare

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of home#shmother care and daycare caregiver behaviors on the adaptive behavior development of children #op18 to 24 months#cp. Other variables under investigation included two indices of socioeconomic status #opSES#cp: occupation and education of parents. The sample consisted of 72 children: 36 in a group daycare situation and 36 at home with the mother. The investigator measured adaptive behavior development using the revised Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale by Sparrow, Balla, and Cicchetti #op1984#cp. The investigators administered The Family Daycare Rating Scale #opHarms & Clifford, 1984#cp to mothers and caregivers of children to measure growth-facilitating behaviors. A 3 X 2 ANOVA was used with two levels for mothers and with three levels of care -- child in home, child in daycare where caregivers show high frequency, and child in daycare where caregivers show low frequency of growth-facilitating behavior. Results revealed higher Adaptive Behavior Composite Scores for home care and daycare children of mothers with higher growth-facilitating behaviors. Home care children revealed higher means on Adaptive Behavior Composite Scores than daycare children. Results in the study also suggest that the higher the educational level of parents, the more growth-facilitating behaviors are exhibited.     

Social work practice with children in the United Kingdom: Trends and issues for the 1990s

This article examines the effects of major new legislation on services for children in the United Kingdom. The Education Reform Act #op1988 and 1993#cp and the Children Act #op1989#cp operate under different principles, creating tensions and difficulties for social work practice. The authors examine challenges facing social work practice in relation to educational social work issues and children in public care. The article argues that traditional social work services for children are threatened by the delivery of welfare designed under notions of a market economy, further adding to disadvantage for children.     

Universal and culturally specific criteria for evaluating early-childhood-education programs

An issue of international concern in early-childhood education is the question: To what extent should criteria or standards for evaluating the success of early-childhood education-programs be universal #opapplicable to programs any place at any time#cp and to what extent should criteria be culture specific #opsuitable for some societies but not for others#cp? This paper suggests an answer by means of a scheme for categorizing criteria on two tiers. Universal criteria form the upper tier. Then on the lower tier each universal criterion is altered in a manner that adapts it to particular cultural settings. The scheme is traced through the steps of: #op1#cp identifying universal standards and their supporting rationales #op2#cp proposing a process for generating culture-specific criteria under each universal standard, and #op3#cp suggesting aproaches to evaluation that utilize the criteria.     

Early childhood teacher education in Australia

The nature and form of early childhood courses in Australia varies from State to State but certain characteristics prevail and assist in illustrating the present condition of early childhood teacher education in this country. However, recently proposed changes to teacher education #opK-12#cp, as set out by the Australian Education Council #op1990#cp, would bring about a new style of preparation for early childhood teachers in Australia. This new direction is being questioned by early childhood teacher educators and alternative plans for modification of course structures are being generated. The present study collated details of accredited undergraduate early childhood courses throughout Australia, highlighted State characteristics and proposed areas for change and issues for further debate, particularly in the face of a national movement of reform in teacher education in Australia.     

Social work practice with children in the United Kingdom: Trends and issues for the 1990s

This article examines the effects of major new legislation on services for children in the United Kingdom. The Education Reform Act #op1988 and 1993#cp and the Children Act #op1989#cp operate under different principles, creating tensions and difficulties for social work practice. The authors examine challenges facing social work practice in relation to educational social work issues and children in public care. The article argues that traditional social work services for children are threatened by the delivery of welfare designed under notions of a market economy, further adding to disadvantage for children.     

Enhancing creativity through play: A discussion of parental and environmental factors

Numerous writers have hypothesized a distinct relationship between creativity and play #opSlobin, 1964; Jackson & Messick, 1965; Wallach & Kogan, 1965; Lieberman, 1965; Sutton-Smith, 1966, 1967; Almy, I967; Klinger, 1969; Wallach, 1970; and Wenar, 1971#cp. Mansell #op1980#cp asserts that creative thought is based on play and that although not all play is creative, all creativity contains play. Iverson #op1982#cp concurs with this notion and adds that the ability to take a playful outlook is an important part of the creative process.

This paper endeavors to investigate play as it relates to the development and expression of creativity in preschool youngsters. Definitions of creativity and play will be established to lay the foundation for the discussion which follows. Specifically, this paper will examine the role of parents and the environment in the development and nurturance of creativity in young children. The writer will conclude with a discussion which focuses upon direct educational implications which may be logically derived from the findings uncovered within this paper.     

New perspectives on adoption revelation †

An issue of international concern in early-childhood education is the question: To what extent should criteria or standards for evaluating the success of early-childhood education-programs be universal #opapplicable to programs any place at any time#cp and to what extent should criteria be culture specific #opsuitable for some societies but not for others#cp? This paper suggests an answer by means of a scheme for categorizing criteria on two tiers. Universal criteria form the upper tier. Then on the lower tier each universal criterion is altered in a manner that adapts it to particular cultural settings. The scheme is traced through the steps of: #op1#cp identifying universal standards and their supporting rationales #op2#cp proposing a process for generating culture-specific criteria under each universal standard, and #op3#cp suggesting aproaches to evaluation that utilize the criteria.     

Enhancing creativity through play: A discussion of parental and environmental factors

Numerous writers have hypothesized a distinct relationship between creativity and play #opSlobin, 1964; Jackson & Messick, 1965; Wallach & Kogan, 1965; Lieberman, 1965; Sutton‐Smith, 1966, 1967; Almy, I967; Klinger, 1969; Wallach, 1970; and Wenar, 1971#cp. Mansell #op1980#cp asserts that creative thought is based on play and that although not all play is creative, all creativity contains play. Iverson #op1982#cp concurs with this notion and adds that the ability to take a playful outlook is an important part of the creative process.

This paper endeavors to investigate play as it relates to the development and expression of creativity in preschool youngsters. Definitions of creativity and play will be established to lay the foundation for the discussion which follows. Specifically, this paper will examine the role of parents and the environment in the development and nurturance of creativity in young children. The writer will conclude with a discussion which focuses upon direct educational implications which may be logically derived from the findings uncovered within this paper.     

A scale of student teaching concerns #opSSTC#cp

The reliability and validity of a Scale of Student Teaching Concerns #opSSTC#cp, developed to assess the progress of teacher development among early childhood teachers in training, based on Katz's #op1972#cp theoretical ideas, were tested using 107 student teachers enrolled at two different levels #opi.e., beginning and advanced#cp of similar teacher training programs in seven universities and community colleges across the western U.S.A. Application of factor analyses to subjects' responses to items in the SSTC led to the emergence of four major factors, including Survival, Consolidation, Renewal, and Maturity Concerns. Item-total score correlation and Cronbach alpha coefficients computed for each factor were relatively high, indicating the items within each factor to be relatively homogeneous. In addition, application of a one-way #opi.e., training levels#cp multivariate analysis of variance applied to the data revealed all four of the SSTC factors significantly discriminated between beginning and advanced level student teachers, with beginning students expressing more concerns than advanced level students. Results suggested that while the teaching concerns included in the SSTC were reminiscent of the content of Katz's #op1972#cp theoretical ideas, they did not provide clear support for her ideas about the developmental nature of teacher development associated with these concerns among early childhood student teachers.     

Training early childhood educators in India

The National Policy on Education #op1986#cp has given a great deal of importance to early childhood care and education #opECCE#cp. It views ECCE as an important input in the strategy of human resource development, as a feeder and support programme for primary education and as a support service for working women of the disadvantaged sections of society. It has also taken into account the Holistic nature of ECCE and has pointed out the need for organising programmes for the all round development of the child. The significance of play and activity approach and the need for child-centredness in the programme of ECCE as well as in primary school education have been spelled out. The importance of community involvement has also been high-lighted. The need to establish a linkage between ICDS and ECCE programmes has been pointed out. Keeping in view the above mentioned necessities, all the teacher training programmes are reviewed and reconstructed. A strong component of field placement under supervision has been included. Media support is provided to convey the messages of ECCE to the parents and community; child care practice and play-way methods have taken the place of early introduction to basic skills.     

Black teenage pregnancy: an African perspective

Black teenage pregnancy in South Africa and the rest of Africa is discussed. Problems of family disorganization are examined. An increasing number of, female-headed single parent families; out-of-wedlock children; unwanted and abandoned babies; street children; adolescents with sexually transmitted disease and teenage pregnancies attest to this. Particular reference is made to a research study by Boult and Cunningham #op1991#cp of Black Teenage Pregnancy in Port Elizabeth.The study demonstrates that teenage pregnancy is associated with disorganized family structure; disregard of traditional cultural norms; low education; lack of knowledge and use of contraception and, a correlation between age at onset of menarche and onset of sexual activity. It is associated with a negative response to the pregnancy from the teenager, her sexual partner and her family. There is a lack of realistic planning on her and her child's behalf. Recommendations to prevent further deterioration of quality of life for “children having children” include gender-specific and age-related sex education, an upgrading of the socio-economic environment and support systems; and more appropriate development policies.     

Adoption in Nigeria — A review of the Lagos cases

Two hundred and thirty six adoptions were granted from inception to December 1990 in Lagos State of Nigeria. There were 119 males and 117 females aged 0-17 years, most #op41.6#pc#cp of them were aged 0-4 years. Most of the adopters were married #op80.5#pc#cp. Christians #op80.9#pc#cp, literates #op71.2#pc#cp and aged, 26-70 years.

Some women #op11.9#pc#cp who had had their children but wanted more were able to adopt to make up their desired number and 7.6#pc had more than one adoptee.

There is a dearth of information on adoption in Nigeria and nothing is known about the behavioural#shemotional development of these children, their academic acheivements and eventual integration into the society. It is therefore suggested that research on adoption and the development of the adoptees thereafter should be encouraged.     

Moving beyond conflict and confusion in literacy instruction

This paper focuses on four areas related to serving young gifted children: 1#cp the status of gifted education for the young, 2#cp rationale for early identification and programming, 3#cp barriers that inhibit our identifying and programming for young children, and 4#cp examples of exemplary gifted programs. The article concludes that a great deal more needs to be done for young gifted children.     

Associations between peer relations in childhood and adversity

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the sociometric status of rejection or popularity of children in the peer group and their family background and life events. The subjects were black South African children aged between 8 years and 12 years and 3 months, living in a semi-urban area in one of the former “homelands”. The children's peer status was assessed using the sociometric method developed by Newcomb and Bukowsky #op1983#cp. Out of six hundred and thirty-one children tested, 29 were nominated as popular and 29 as rejected. The families were interviewed regarding their background and the children's recent life events. Results showed that different family backgrounds were associated with the children's status popularity or rejection in the peer group. It was also shown that the experience of recent stressful life events is associated with peer rejection in childhood. The main findings of this study are that children encountering difficulties in the peer group came from families experiencing multiple chronic and acute stressors and that the effects of multiple adversities on children's peer relationships were cumulative.     

Using latent-class analysis to examine the influence of kindergarten children's perspectives of school on literacy and self-regulation outcomes

In this study, we explored the influence of kindergarten children's perspectives of school on their literacy and self-regulation outcomes. Children's early perspectives were captured in a three-question, finger-puppet interview. Responses to the interview questions were coded thematically as being academic and/or social in nature, and were analysed using latent-class analysis. Once children's responses were characterized into classes, further analyses were conducted to understand the application of these perspectives to direct assessments of early reading and writing and self-regulation abilities. Children with less clear perspectives, who mixed academic and social responses, had the lowest performance on all academic measures. Findings add to the existing literature while offering an innovative analytic strategy for examining relationships between children's perspectives and kindergarten outcomes.