Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Early childhood education|Educational psychology|Cognitive psychology'

The purpose of this self-study is to examine and analyze if and how an understanding of early childhood trauma informs my practice in my student-teaching placements in early childhood special education and a special day class (SDC) autism preschool. This study was informed by research in the field, as well as qualitative interviews on the subject. This study aims brings to light the need for more training and education on trauma-informed care in ECE. Data was collected through self-focused reflections and feedback from my colleagues on my work in my student-teaching placements at a center-based early intervention program in Oakland and an autism SDC preschool in San Leandro. Data was also collected through qualitative interviews with professionals working in the realms of early brain development and childhood trauma. This data was examined using an understanding of trauma’s impact on brain development, behavior, learning, and interactions with others, the role of early childhood educators as protective factors who provide supportive, responsive care that fosters resiliency, as well as literature on trauma sensitive care. This study makes an important contribution to the literature because, while there is a great deal of literature on early childhood trauma in the fields of psychology and neurobiology, there is a disconnect between this knowledge base and what training early childhood educators receive and a general lack of trauma-informed care in early childhood settings. This study discusses how trauma-informed care can be put into practice in ECE and advocates for more training and implementation in these settings.

The quality of early caregiving and educational environments has a significant effect on children’s later cognitive outcomes. Early childhood teachers are an important determining factor in the quality of these environments. Due to inconsistencies in practice across the early childhood field, there is a call for better prepared teachers. Teacher preparation itself is criticized for its lack of innovative and effective practices. While research finds that more effective teacher preparation programs are those that are steeped in clinical practice, these types of experiences are inconsistent and fragmented in the early childhood field. Part of the issue is the lack of knowledge on how to integrate highquality clinical experiences carefully into early childhood teacher preparation in order to prepare all preservice teachers successfully for the classroom.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to propose a middle-range, systematic theory for the types of practices and ideologies that the most successful early childhood teacher education programs use to prepare their preservice teachers for the education profession. A more focused purpose of this grounded theory study was to describe the ways in which early childhood preservice teachers learn about children’s cognitive development as well as how they describe their application of this knowledge to developmentally appropriate pedagogical practices. A secondary purpose of this study was to examine these various clinical models as described by experts in the field. Analysis was completed on semi-structured interviews with preservice teachers and faculty members, open-ended surveys completed by preservice teachers, and university documents. As a result of rigorous data analysis, a theory emerged to explain clinical practice at three model early childhood teacher preparation programs. Findings suggest that there are seven layers of strength that contribute to the model programs’ expertise in preparing their preservice teachers. This study is significant in that it reports researchbased elements that may contribute to policy regarding models for teacher preparation and meaningful clinical experiences.

Researchers have stressed the importance of addressing the social/emotional needs of early childhood (EC) children, including the development of resilience; however, some U.S. school personnel focus more on academics than on these needs. When young children possess these skills, they can handle social/emotional challenges later in life. The purpose of this qualitative bounded case study was to explore school social workers’ (SWs) perspectives about resilience in EC settings. Research questions focused on knowledge of existing programs, participants’ perceptions of the successes and challenges of working with EC students, and their recommendations to improve EC students’ education. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and O’Neill’s and Gopnik’s work on needs of young children informed this study. Five elementary school SWs with at least 6 years’ experience from 5 districts in the U.S. Midwest participated in 2 semistructured individual interviews. Interpretive phenomenological analysis, involving first-cycle, transition, and second cycle coding, was used to identify themes. SWs’ experiences indicated a need for a clear definition of resilience, and needs of young children, including EC programs that develop psychological resilience of children’s thoughts and an increase in adults to promote resilience. Additional research may expand and enhance educators’ and families’ understanding of resilience and help develop research-based preventive programs and strategies to foster psychological resilience in young children. These endeavors may enhance positive social change by adding components of psychological resilience to EC programs for school personnel and students and in parent/family workshops, which may result in sound mental health practices that enable them to become productive members of society.

As defined by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL, 2012), social-emotional learning (SEL) involves the acquisition of skills necessary to: identify and manage one’s emotions, relate to and establish relationships with others, and make positive and healthy decisions. With only 40% of kindergarten students demonstrating the social-emotional skills needed to be both academically and socially successful upon school entrance (Yates et al., 2008), explicit instruction targeting SEL is needed. As this instruction requires systems-level implementation and decision-making practices, members of these decision-making bodies can include several different school personnel, who may have varying levels of familiarity and previous use of SEL programs. Because the school principal is responsible for overseeing the implementation of school-wide programs (NYS Education Department, 2014), obtaining information regarding their familiarity and use of SEL programs, as well as their decision-making practices is needed. Consequently, the present study examined the extent to which principals participate in SEL decision-making practices; the selection procedures and decision making methods they use to select SEL programs; and their levels of familiarity, past use, and current use of CASEL approved SEL programs. The relationship between principal demographic characteristics and familiarity and use of SEL programs was also evaluated using survey methods. Analysis of descriptive statistics, frequency data, and three multiple regression analyses indicated that most NYS elementary school principals participate in SEL program decision-making. Additionally, they use a variety of methods for learning about programs and deciding upon programs. Overall, however, NYS elementary school principals have little familiarity, past use, or current use with CASEL-approved programs, suggesting a need for increased dissemination and professional development regarding these programs and resources.

This study examines the professional identities of early educators with master's degrees in the United States. While other democratic nations have begun to move toward fully funded early care and education that offers qualified teachers a living wage, early education in the U.S. continues to be vastly underfunded and inconsistently regulated. Through semi-structured interviews with five teachers I identified specific ways in which highly qualified early educators have constructed professional identities within a marginalized profession. Results indicate that the attainment of a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education [ECE] positively influences teachers' abilities to take a leadership role, reflect critically on the field, and participate within the broader public sphere to enact change. Implications of this study highlight the pivotal role that early educators with master's degrees play in shaping the future of ECE in the U.S.

Keywords: Early Care and Education, professional identity, professional status, reflection, leadership

Family poverty is associated with children’s health, achievement, and behavior (Brooks-Gunn & Duncan, 1997). Less than half, 48%, of children from low income homes are considered school ready by the age of five compared with 75% of their peers from middle to high income homes (Isaacs, 2012). Researchers have linked school readiness to long-term outcomes like success in grade school, lower drop-out rates in high school, and higher earned income as adults (Duncan et al., 2007). Although children in poverty experience greater deficits in areas of school readiness, participation in a quality childhood education can serve as a protective buffer and has been shown to be associated with improved academic, social and health outcomes (Caughy, DiPietro, & Strobino, 1994; Love et al., 2003; Karoly, Kilburn, & Cannon, 2005). School readiness has been an aim of Head Start since its conception (Raver & Zigler, 1997).

More research has been dedicated to aspects of early childhood education programming to ascertain which aspects are most beneficial to children and thus there is a growing body of literature for which researchers have assessed the impact of early entry into Head Start, which in turn provides children with two years versus one year of Head Start programming (Moiduddin, Aikens, Tarullo, & West, 2010; Tarullo, Aikens, Moiduddin, & West, 2010). Due to the limited program capacity, children who enter Head Start at three instead of four-years-old, tend to have more extreme risk factors that afford them priority for enrollment. While randomization of a treatment such as early entry into Head Start is not often feasible nor ethical, a quasi- experimental design like propensity score analysis can help mitigate the effects of selection bias by controlling for confounding variables (Rosenbaum & Rubin, 1983).

Researchers who have applied this methodology to learn more about the impact of early entry into Head Start, have found that the additional year of Head Start programming tends to lead to gains in social competence and literacy outcomes. This study sought to replicate these findings with a new sample and extend this work by assessing possible differentiated treatment effects by propensity score strata. Further, this study sought to assess the nature of the relationship between social competence and literacy.

Early Entry into Head Start was associated with significant gains in literacy throughout the four-year-old year for children in the treatment compared to those in the control. This treatment effect was consistent across all propensity score strata. There were no significant treatment effects of early entry on social competence, including social skills and problem behavior. Significant gains in social skills were observed throughout the academic year for both the treatment and control groups, but no changes were observed in problem behavior. The treatment effect on social competence was distinct for children with low propensity scores who were therefore least likely to be in the treatment group. Ad-hoc analyses of the low propensity score group identified some possible areas for future research. Finally, data here established a small positive correlation between social skills and literacy but found no correlation between problem behavior and literacy.

Collectively, the findings suggested that early entry into Head Start was significantly associated with improved early literacy outcomes that were sustained throughout the pre- Kindergarten year. Head Start, regardless of the age of entry, was associated with significant gains in literacy and social skills. Recommendations are made to improve program efficacy regarding problem behavior outcomes and assess program characteristics. Recommendations are made for future research to address the Head Start selection criteria and enrollment process to identify areas of opportunity for outreach and advocacy.

The decision regarding when to send their child to school can be difficult one for parents. Much attention has been paid to the relationship between age of entry into kindergarten and academic achievement. However, a child’s ability to maintain the behavioral standards of a classroom is an equally important aspect of readiness for school. In this study, a secondary analysis of 9,474 kindergarten students examined the relationship between the age at which a child enters kindergarten and teacher reports of externalizing behavior problems. Data on other child factors including child sex, attendance in a preschool program, socioeconomic status, race, and family structure were also obtained in the fall of the kindergarten year. There was a significant main effect of child age on externalizing behaviors, even after controlling for family structure and socioeconomic status (SES). In addition, there were significant relationships between race and externalizing behavior, child sex and externalizing behavior, and preschool attendance and externalizing behavior, even after controlling for family structure, and SES.

School readiness incorporates children’s academic abilities and their ability to self-regulate in the classroom. Prior research shows that sleep is related to children’s development of these skills, although the mechanisms through which sleep affects school readiness are not well understood. Research also indicates that economically disadvantaged children and children of color may have poorer academic and regulatory skills at school entry and may sleep less and sleep less well on a regular basis.

The current study explores the role of sleep quantity and quality in young children’s development of two skills critical for school success: self-regulation and academic abilities. This study intentionally focuses on a predominantly African-American, economically disadvantaged population, who may be at risk for greater sleep-related difficulties and lower school-related skills at kindergarten entry. It was hypothesized that a) young children with higher quantity and quality of sleep would show greater development of academic skills and self-regulation across one calendar year, b) the role of sleep in the development of these abilities would be relatively stronger among kindergarteners than among 1^st graders, and c) the role of sleep quality and quantity in young children’s development of academic abilities would be partially explained by the relation between sleep and self-regulation. Results provide mixed support for the hypotheses, indicating that sleep quality and quantity relate differentially to different school-related skills among kindergarteners and 1^st graders. This study contributes research to help explain how and why sleep affects young children and may offer insights for caregivers and educators working to help children develop school-related skills.

The current study was a replication and extension of our previous study (Kendrick et.al, 2011) which examined the play behaviors of preschool children (range: 2-5.5 yrs old) and how teachers' presence and engagement may impact children's play while on the playground. In the current study we also examine the influence of teachers' style on children's play while on the playground. Two sites were examined over a five week period; one served as the control group and the other as the experimental group. Within the five-week timeline, both groups participated in weekly teacher instruction consisting of being in close proximity (i.e. within 3 feet) of the children in the playground. Behaviors of the teachers and children were observed, recorded and coded at three time points (baseline, 3 weeks, and 5 weeks). The analyses revealed that initially having teachers in close proximity to children while on the playground reduced children's onlooker behavior and increased their parallel play. Over time children appeared to habituate to the teacher's proximity as they resumed play behaviors seen at baseline. Interestingly, teacher proximity also had an impact on teacher's engagement style. For example, both groups of teachers displayed more neutral, rule enforcer or director of play styles at baseline, but over time both groups moved toward more child directed styles. When examining more closely the impact of teacher training in the experimental group, which involved strategies to facilitate complex play and reduce aimless and onlooker behaviors, the experimental group compared to the control group (those who did not receive training), seemed to have a more negative impact on children's play behavior. That is, more aimless behavior and less simple social play was observed in the experimental group indicating that the teacher training was not helpful in facilitating children's social skill development. Methods for coding and analyzing data as well as implications of the teacher training are further discussed.

Limited research exists examining the social-emotional functioning of rural, at-risk children in addition to school characteristics that may impact behaviors. In the present study the social-emotional functioning of rural, at-risk Kindergarten students was observed in relation to various school characteristics including teacher perceptions of professional climate, opportunities for professional development and collaboration, teacher efficacy, and teacher-child relationships. The sample of students from low SES families residing within rural areas was derived from a nationally representative database (ECLS-K 2011), and yielded a sample size of 1,318. The results were analyzed using several path analyses. The analyses revealed that teacher perceptions of professional climate in addition to reported opportunities for professional development and collaboration were important to their feelings of effectiveness as a teacher (teacher efficacy). In addition, the conflict within a teacher-child relationship was significantly related to teacher ratings of internalizing and externalizing problems. Implications for the potential impact on social-emotional problems through interventions at the school and teacher level are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of K-12 Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) implementation in preschool classrooms. PBIS is a multi-tiered social-emotional and behavioral framework developed for the K-12 population and not for young children. Implementation of K-12 PBIS in preschool classrooms creates a contextual mismatch which may negatively affect outcomes such as teacher self-efficacy and student behavior. The Pyramid Model is a framework adapted from K-12 PBIS developed specifically for young children.

This study used a logic model to examine the relationships among implementation fidelity, teacher sense of efficacy and student behavior. Three research questions asked the degree to which teachers trained in K-12 PBIS implement Pyramid Model key practices and how this relates to teacher self-efficacy and student behavior. A convenience sample of 20 preschool teachers trained in K-12 PBIS participated in this quantitative research. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences was utilized to run descriptive, correlation and linear regression data analyses on data gathered through The Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool (TPOT), Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) and student behavior tallies. Results indicated that preschool teachers trained in K-12 PBIS implement 63% of Pyramid Model key practices. Implementation fidelity was not found to correlate with teacher self-efficacy, but was found to predict the frequency of inappropriate student behavior that occurs during child-directed activities. Implications of this study suggest that contextual fit matters when choosing an intervention model for young children. It is recommended that districts that implement K-12 PBIS with their K-12 population separately implement the Pyramid Model in their preschool classrooms. Teachers should be trained in the key practices developed to support young students’ social-emotional and behavioral growth. Future research could compare preschool programs that implement K-12 PBIS with those that implement the Pyramid Model. Direct comparison of teacher and student outcomes within these two contexts could reveal important findings for policy and practice.

Multiple-baseline across participants design was used to examine the effects of professional development (PD) and coaching on preschool teachers’ implementation of embedded-explicit literacy instruction to increase children’s opportunities to engage in meaningful, intentional, and contextualized literacy behaviors, as measured by Complete Learning Trials (CLTs). Three teachers were videotaped weekly during free-play and observations were coded for CLT accuracy. After professional development, coaching was provided weekly via email. An immediate effect of PD was observed, with considerable variability once remote feedback was provided. Students’ early literacy skills were measured prior to and at the end of the study to provide a snapshot of children’s literacy-related skills. Compared to pre-intervention scores, children’s picture naming, rhyming, sound identification and comprehension skills had significantly increased, however, due to the research design these changes cannot be attributed to teachers’ implementation or non-implementation of explicit-embedded activities alone.

An emergent area of research pertains to early numeracy, or number sense. Early numeracy plays a significant role in the development of mathematics skills, and researchers have recognized its importance for overall academic achievement. This study surveyed practicing school psychologists to investigate current early numeracy training and practices. A nationwide sample of 279 school psychologists completed a Web-based survey modeled after the available early numeracy research. The majority of individuals reported receiving at least one professional development training for academic concerns per year. A larger number of participants had training for reading and early literacy compared to early numeracy. Related to early numeracy practices, more respondents reported being involved in screening and assessment in contrast to intervention and progress-monitoring. Typically, students were screened in kindergarten through fifth grade using measures such as AIMSweb: Computation and AIMSweb: Problem-Solving. The most often utilized early numeracy instrument was AIMSweb: Number Identification. Most frequently, group academic assessments used were comprised of state tests, and individual measures were often broadband or screener-type measures. Commonly used curricular interventions have demonstrated limited to moderate levels of evidence. Only Classwide Peer Tutoring had a strong level of intervention effectiveness. Intensive interventions that were noted as being regularly implemented (e.g., Board Games, Explicit Instruction, Peer Tutoring, Touch Math) were mainly instructional in nature. The results for consistently used progress-monitoring tools were similar to those for screening (computation, problem-solving, and number identification). Perceived facilitators of participants' early numeracy involvement entailed administrator support and the topic being a current need in schools. School psychologists noted lack of resources and time as two main hindrances for their involvement in early numeracy activities. The implications of this study include increased early numeracy training, involvement in intervention and progress-monitoring, screening practices, alignment with the Common Core Standards, and time allocation and resources. Limitations of the current research were: low response-rate, lengthy survey, and non-response for specific early numeracy components. Finally, potential future research includes investigating progress-monitoring instruments for students in earlier grades, interventions for students with mathematics disabilities (e.g., retention, generalization of skills), home-school partnerships for early numeracy skills, and validation of technological applications.

The purpose of the study is to evaluate if the effectiveness of a check-in, checkout (CICO) intervention varies based on the function maintaining students' target behaviors as determined by functional analyses prior to the implementation of the intervention. Participants in the study consisted of 6 children enrolled in general education Kindergarten classes across 6 teachers in the Southeastern United States. Upon completion of a functional analysis, participants were determined to fit into functional groups (i.e., combined attention and escape, attention, and escape), then a modified between groups design with a component of a multiple-baseline across participants design was completed. Overall, the current study found that the CICO intervention increased desired behavior as measured by points earned on the daily behavior report card ratings across baseline to intervention phases. All functional groups displayed an increase in average points earned from baseline phase across intervention phases. The results of the current study have implications within the educational systems for selecting interventions within the response to intervention framework, utilizing functional analysis for the CICO intervention, and acceptability of evidence based interventions. Limitations and recommendations for future research are presented.

2-Shapes (Stuebe, 2017), an art-based antecedent intervention, was introduced as an intervention to regulate disruptive behaviors in this study. The researcher was interested in discovering whether this art-based antecedent activity could help manage self-regulation in a K3 student during group time. The goal of this art-based antecedent study was to provide a meaningful intervention to a child that supports self-regulation, improves self-awareness, and supports intrapersonal and interpersonal thought processes to manage changing conditions. The results of the study revealed the importance of completing a thorough Functional Behavioral Assessment followed by a Functional Analysis to understand the function of a class of disruptive behaviors exhibited by a K3 child. The interview process prior to any assessments may answer many of the questions researchers have about the function of target behaviors and should be completed thoroughly with a great deal of thought and detail. This study demonstrated the need for addressing these steps in determining an appropriate intervention. Results from a Functional Analysis performed after the data collection process determined that the function of the disruptive behavior was attention and that this intervention, if proven effective, would have been addressing the function of attention and therefore would have been an effective treatment for the identified child.

This study positions itself in the field of international/global Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE). The early years of child development constitute what is often viewed as the most significant developmental period of the entire life-cycle. Studies have pointed to a range of benefits that ECCE programs can provide, leading to a greater interest in the field of ECCE globally. International/global ECCE is predominantly determined by Western derived theories and programs. Some Western derived ECCE programs assert their universal applicability, but there is criticism and opposition to the perceived ethnocentricity of these programs. Such resistance raises fundamental questions about what forms globally orientated ECCE programs should take.

This exploratory comparative case-study explores the lived-experiences, perceptions and praxes of ECCE educators in Lebanon and Denmark, as well as the habitus from which these arise. These constructs were investigated through the use of a qualitative, comparative, embedded-design case-study. In-depth phenomenological interviews, structured and unstructured observations/participant-observations and document analysis were used to collect data. The data was analyzed thematically utilizing open/axial/selective coding and a priori themes.

The four participants’ perceptions converged with regards to the perception that child-educator ratios have implications for ECCE praxis. All the participants held that their approaches to ECCE were child-centered, although their interpretations of what constituted child-centered praxis differed. The participants believed that parents play an important role in ECCE, but the relationship between educator and parent is not always easy. Finally, all the participants felt a deep love for ECCE, and had done so ever since they first came into contact with the field. The Lebanese and Danish cases diverged on their perceptions of ECCE curriculum and whether or not they believed that ECCE praxis is an extension of motherhood.

The impact that preschool education has on children’s cognitive abilities as they prepare to enter kindergarten is a subject that is not widely researched. The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that are associated with cognitive development among preschool age children. This study was completed by conducting a quantitative study in which secondary data was obtained from an early education center Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) from the 2014–2015 preschool year. The results found that the participant’s age was positively associated with cognitive, language and literature, math and self and social development. The study also found that female participants had higher scores in the self and social developmental domain. Gender, ethnicity and home language were not significant to cognitive, English language and math development. Study findings have implications for social and behavioral sciences. The findings in the study were positively associated with the educational activities that preschool children receive as it relates to their cognitive developmental growth and readiness for kindergarten.

There is a distinct need to understand subjective well-being for neurodivergent students in early childhood. Review of previous literature suggests the positive influence of subjective well-being in mitigating psychological distress; however, young children have been excluded from these investigations. Therefore, this study employed an advanced mixed methods research design, through which a convergent core was embedded within an overarching quasi-experimental framework to analyze three key outcomes in early childhood education: (a) self-identified conceptualizations of student covitality, (b) self-evaluated levels of student covitality, and (c) teacher-rated levels of executive dysfunction.

All students actively enrolled in a local partner school serving pre-Kindergarten to 2nd grade (N = 45) participated in qualitative and quantitative evaluations of covitality. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured focus groups, and quantitative data were collected through student ratings on the Social-Emotional Health Survey-Primary (Furlong, You, Renshaw, O’Malley, & Rebelez, 2013). Qualitative findings suggested students conceptualize covitality as positive school experiences along a developmental trajectory across five themes—play activities, classroom instruction, school environmental factors, interpersonal relationships, and special programs. Quantitative results determined excellent internal reliability of the covitality scale for early elementary 1st- and 2nd-grade students (Cronbach's α = .908).

Two classrooms were randomly assigned to the waitlist control ( n = 14) or intervention (n = 10) condition—1st- and 2nd-grade, respectively. A novel positive psychology intervention was designed and tested to promote covitality. Implementation of strategically targeted practices supported the underlying factors of gratitude, zest, optimism, and persistence.

Additional quantitative data were collected through teacher ratings of cognition on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Second Edition (Gioia, Isquith, Guy, & Kenworthy, 2016). Intervention effects indicated a statistically significant interaction for improved executive functioning relative to the waitlist control group (p = .011). Integration of qualitative and quantitative results produced preliminary evidence of categorical advancement in a dual-factor clinical classification system and distinctions in varied and nuanced conceptualizations of well-being constructs over time. Synthesis of qualitative, quantitative, and integrated findings highlighted the value of design-based research generally, and the Student Strengths Safari^© program, specifically, to establish a dual-factor model of educational well-being (EdWB) for optimal student development.

When considering closing the achievement gap, full-day kindergarten (FDK) is a viable contender. The implementation of specific teacher strategies enhances the FDK experience and elicits gains among the students. The literature clearly articulates a strong correlation between poverty and poor achievement and supports the notion that the relationship between the teacher and student is a positive factor in closing the achievement gap. However, the research is insufficient when it comes to digging deep into teacher perceptions regarding the importance of the relationship that exists between the teacher and the student. The foundation for which this study is built stems from John Bowlby’s attachment theory and emphasizes the importance of the relationship between the child and adult. This study provides profound insight into the perceptions of FDK teachers and the strategies, or concepts they believe have the greatest influence on student achievement among students of poverty. The qualitative phenomenological study revealed intimate and personal thoughts of nine FDK teachers discovered through the coding and analysis of 18 semi-structured interview transcripts. Substantial findings exposed four themes with great clarity and obvious patterns. The themes in order of the greatest number of responses to the least, are: classroom atmosphere, instructional strategies, student management, and the relationship between the teacher and the student.

A Multi-Tier System of Support (MTSS) for academic skills is widely recognized as the best practice framework for supporting all students. Additionally, the recent shift from constructivist pedagogy toward more intentional teaching of mathematics at the preschool level has encouraged more explicit mathematics instruction with younger children. In spite of these advances, there are no published best practice guidelines for implementing MTSS for mathematics at the prekindergarten level. The current study sought to investigate one possible way to implement effective instructional practices for preschool mathematics within a multi-tier system, including the use of validated screening and progress monitoring instruments. A centers-based mathematics curriculum was implemented at the universal level within an inclusive preschool classroom. Universal screening was conducted using curriculum-based measurement (CBM) in order to identify at-risk students in need of additional instruction. A supplemental prekindergarten program was implemented with small instructional groups at the secondary tier of support. Students receiving supplemental instruction were progress-monitored using growth-sensitive CBMs in a multiple baseline across dyads research design. Results and limitations of the study are discussed. Finally, topics for future exploration in preschool mathematics are suggested.

Verified improvement in the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in the past decade has involved both early interventionists and parents. It is widely acknowledged that the parent-child relationship is fundamental to the development of communication and social skills, especially for children with ASD, and accordingly that parent education is critical. However, lists of required skills and knowledge in professionally developed curricula designed for parents of children with ASD have not been prioritized by the consensus of large numbers of variously affiliated practitioners. The present research yielded wide professional agreement on the prioritization of such skills and knowledge. The instrument used was a self-evaluating, closed-ended survey administered to 483 behaviorists who treat autism. In particular, the survey identified whether a participant had a child with autism or not. The information gathered will assist in the development of a curriculum intended to guide parents in optimizing the help they can give their children with autism.

Precision teaching (PT) is a measurement system used in multiple settings for all types of behavior, from driving to mathematics. The ultimate goal of PT is to develop fluent, free operant behaviors through analyzing response frequencies on a standard celeration chart. Research has found PT to be effective at improving both the speed and accuracy of academic skills. There is little research, however, in the effects of learning channels, a component of PT, as they relate to the acquisition of academic skills. The present study examined the relationship between single and multiple learning channels on the acquisition of mathematics skills by five 1^st graders in a public school setting. Implications related to universal designs for learning (UDL) utilized in educational environments are also discussed.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of sleep schedule on the learning trajectories, acquisition, and consolidation for preschoolers participating in a training program targeting attention. This study expanded on current literature by examining the effect of training attention skills and focused on sleep in preschoolers using an experimental design. Explorations of how changes in bedtime play a role in training attention in preschoolers were made.

Sleep is important for daytime functioning and sleep loss has many implications, including risk for poorer academic performance and learning. Early intervention and preventive measures addressing executive functions can help children better manage their behaviors in work and play situations. Studies have shown that attention skills in children can be trained. This study expanded on current literature by assessing the generalization of attention training to other executive function skills, such as inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and working memory. Research has mainly focused on inhibition and working memory, and more recently, attention. To hopefully improve understanding of the attention skills in preschoolers, an additional variable of sleep restriction was evaluated.

Findings indicated, contrary to initial prediction, that children who were sleep restricted performed better during post-test assessment compared to children who followed their typical bedtime schedules. Sleep restricted preschoolers performed better in all executive function areas that were assessed in this study, which included inhibition, cognitive flexibility, working memory, and attention. Findings revealed that acute sleep restriction in preschoolers increased the effects of attention training. Differences in findings from this study and other studies are addressed.

Developmental kindergarten is an extra year readiness program for students age eligible for kindergarten, but deemed developmentally unready for formal instruction in kindergarten. It follows the maturational "gift of time" perspective that with regard to readiness, older is better. Despite a theoretical shift away from a maturational perspective of child development, limited research to support the program, and an awareness of factors other than relative age that affect readiness, there has been an increase in the implementation of developmental kindergarten programs. This thesis considers the perspectives of 19 teachers and administrators from four districts in a large southern California county, directly involved with programs in their districts. Although all participants are supportive of the program, researchers call for empirically validated interventions, not delaying school entry or admission into extra year readiness programs, to support at-risk students; access to high quality preschool seems to be the most promising solution.

Play is an important part of a child’s development. Play is often defined as an activity done for its own sake, characterized by means rather than end. Pretend play receives a huge focus at the pre-school and kindergarten levels, especially socio-dramatic play. Socio-dramatic play, common from around 3 years of age to six years of age, is a type of pretend play. Socio-dramatic play incorporates sustained role taking and a narrative line. This study intends to examine pretend play in greater detail and to determine if the structuring of pretend play by the teacher can positively affect student social and behavior skills. The two students under study, a 5-year old female with limited social skills and a 6-year old boy who exhibits poor behavior skills. The two students under study were placed in an unstructured and structured dramatic play area center through the course of the study. The researcher used a duration recording form, a partial recording form, and field notes to measure behavior. The results of the study showed that the children improved their behaviors during the structured dramatic play area center time.

This teacher research study examined the pedagogical practices and conditions for learning that supported the literacy learning of the children in my kindergarten classroom during the 2006-2007 school year. An additional focus was to determine the meaning-making strategies employed by effective young beginning readers in this classroom.

The participants were 21 children, 12 girls and nine boys, who were students in my kindergarten. They were also representative of the primarily Caucasian population within a school district on eastern Long Island that included a small percentage (less than 5%) of other ethnic groups.

Data collection included ethnographic observations (kidwatching), along with still and video, digital photography. These data were examined within the literacy events in the classroom that included reading to children, reading with children, and children reading by themselves or to others. Portions of the video collection included the children reading the morning message with me. Video of children reading to me was also transcribed and examined using miscue analysis to determine the meaning-making strategies used by five effective young beginning readers.

Findings indicate that the tenants of whole language, along with Cambourne's (1988) conditions for learning, were in place and supported the pedagogical practice during the literacy events studied. Miscue analysis of the readings done by the children indicated that the children avoided any reliance on the surface features of text (phonics) and employed complex, meaning-making miscues to produce a reader's text that also maintained a high syntactic and semantic relationship with the author's text.

The implications are that similar literacy development could be realize for children within other classrooms where this pedagogy and conditions for learning are in place.

The focus of this comparative study was to examine the connection between attendance in preschool and kindergarten students' literacy success as measured by the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA2+). Historical data were obtained from the DRA2+ scores of 1,080 kindergarten students in one Missouri school district for the 2010-2011, 2011-2012, 2012-2013 school years. The study was also used to determine the perceptions of kindergarten educators of the impact of preschool on their students. The following overarching question was: What difference exists when comparing the DRA2+ scores of kindergarten students who had a preschool experience and those who did not? Additionally, the perceptions of teachers working with students who had received an early learning experience and students who had not received an early learning experience were gathered. Using a t-test to examine the difference between the mean scores of participating and non-participating students, there was a statistically significant difference in scores of students who participated in preschool and those who did not for 2010-2011; however, there were not statistically significant differences in the sets of data for 2011-2012 and 2012-2013. Educators surveyed in this research perceived that students who had not received an early learning experience seemed to have more difficulty learning the basics of school life; attending for longer periods of time; taking direction; using manipulatives, such as scissors, pencils, and crayons; and getting along with peers.