Preparing young children for kindergarten is an important task. There are many skills that need to be learned. Simple everyday school and daily living tasks are kindergarten readiness skills that need to be taught. Many preschool students struggle to learn these skills unless taught directly. There are a sufficient number of interventions that have been used to teach various skills to students, but few have been identified as evidenced-based practices for teaching skills to at-risk preschool students in the classroom. Literacy based behavioral interventions (LBBI) (Bucholz, Brady, Duffy, Scott, & Kontosh, 2008) are a class of intervention that have been found to be effective to teach a variety of skills. This type of intervention consists of a combination of sequenced visuals and words to either teach a new skill and/or increase or decrease a behavior. Several studies have shown that a storybook LBBI is an effective intervention for teaching new skills including daily living skills, but to date only one study has looked at the effects of a storybook LBBI with preschool children who are at-risk (Hall, Brady, & Morris, 2017). This study expanded the storybook LBBI literature by exploring the effect of small group-delivered storybook LBBIs on preschool students who were at-risk and struggling to learn basic kindergarten readiness skills. Using a multiple baseline design across skills, this study examined the effectiveness of using LBBIs delivered in a small group to teach kindergarten readiness skills and the children’s ability to maintain and generalize these skills. Four preschool students were taught three skills including cutting with scissors, using liquid glue, and matching. Data were collected on the steps correct and independent on the task analysis for each skill. The results found an increase in skill acquisition with students learning the new skills and maintaining those skills after the removal of the LBBI. Students were also able to generalize these new skills to novel materials. Implications for research and practice are discussed. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2018. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

BakgrundI vår bakgrund beskriver vi utomhuslekens betydelse för barns utveckling och välbefinnande. Barn lär av egna konkreta upplevelser och naturmiljön inspirerar dem till skapande och experimenterande verksamhet. Genom att kontinuerligt återkomma till samma plats i naturmiljön skapar barnen känslomässiga band till den och känner sig trygga där.SyfteVårt syfte är att undersöka om barngruppers olika erfarenheter av utevistelse gör sig synliga i leken, då de introduceras i en outforskad naturmiljö, som inte tidigare är känd för dem.MetodVi har gjort ett kvalitativt experiment, där vi observerat barn från två förskolegrupper med skilda erfarenheter av vistelse i naturmiljö, för att se likheter respektive skillnader i leken. Två observationer per grupp har utförts, då vi med hjälp av löpande protokoll har noterat bland annat val av aktiviteter och lekmiljö på platsen, samt interaktion mellan barnen.ResultatVi uppfattar tydliga skillnader mellan de båda barngruppernas lek. Den grupp som har stor vana av naturvistelse använder sig i mycket större utsträckning av naturmaterialet, samt har rikligt med inslag av fantasi i leken jämfört med gruppen som sällan går till naturmiljö. / Program: Lärarutbildningen

I conducted 2 experiments in which I tested the effects of a reader immersion procedure on the technical reading comprehension responses to print stimuli for 4 kindergarten students and 3 first grade students. The participants selected for this study textually responded to words at a rate of 80 words correct per minute with 0 incorrect words per minute. They demonstrated early reader repertoires and speaker-as-own listener verbal capablities including incidental language learning (also referred to as Naming), self-talk, and say-do correspondence, all neccesary prerequisites for a child to acquire reader-as-own listener capabilities. However, they were not yet verbally governed by print to complete simple tasks as demonstrated by their performance on “read and build” and “read and draw” reading comprehension tasks. In the 1st experiment, the dependent variables were technical reading tasks that included 1) a 10-step “read and build” task and 2) a 10-step “read and draw” task. During pre-intervention and post-intervention probe assessments, each participant was given a list of 10 written directions and the corresponding materials required to complete the tasks. The independent variable was a reader immersion procedure in which the “need to read” was established by providing access to a preferred item after the emission of correct reading-governed (i.e., read and do) responses. Following the reader immersion procedure, responses to novel reading comprehension responses increased for the participants. The particpants’ behavior was controlled by print stimuli to complete simple reading tasks in which they had to build a structure or reproduce an image with a writing implement. In the 2nd experiment, 4 participants received the 10-step pre-intevention probe assessments used in Experiment 1 along with 2 additonal pre and post-intervention probes in which they completed a 1) 20-step “read and build” task and 2) a 20-step “read and draw task.” The independent variable was the reader immersion procedure used in Experiment 1. Following the reader immersion procedure, responses to novel reading comprehension tasks increased for all dependent variables. Findings suggest that untaught reading comprehension responses emerged as a function of the reader immersion procedure which included a motivating operation as well as repeated opportunities to mediate behavior in response to print stimuli. I describe technical reading as a verbally governed response to print that is a necessary prerequisite to the advanced reader and writer repertoires that will result in success in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields of study.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / A aprendizagem da leitura ─ principal funÃÃo da escola e conhecimento bÃsico para a progressÃo do aluno no aprendizado dos conteÃdos formais ─ tem se revelado um desafio aos profissionais que lidam com crianÃas nos anos iniciais do Ensino Fundamental, constituindo-se em uma das maiores fragilidades das instituiÃÃes educacionais. Nesse sentido, as prÃticas pedagÃgicas com a leitura desenvolvidas pelos professores tÃm crucial relevÃncia nesse aprendizado, em especial, as que lidam com a leitura literÃria, uma vez que a literatura encanta e atrai as crianÃas, promovendo o desejo de ler. No entanto, o que se tem observado à uma preocupaÃÃo exacerbada com o aprender a ler, evidenciando a decodificaÃÃo, desconsiderando a concepÃÃo interacional da leitura orientada pelos documentos oficiais, sustentada por autores como Koch e Elias (2011), Ferreiro e Teberosky (1991), Solà (1998), Soares (2001, 2005). Em detrimento do ler por fruiÃÃo e prazer, essa aÃÃo condiciona o aluno a uma visÃo da leitura enfadonha e mecÃnica. Partindo dessa problemÃtica, a hipÃtese desta pesquisa considerou que tais prÃticas poderiam estar diretamente relacionadas à cultura dos resultados das avaliaÃÃes externas, polÃtica instituÃda no estado do Cearà pelo Programa AlfabetizaÃÃo na Idade Certa (PAIC), por meio das aÃÃes do Sistema Permanente de AvaliaÃÃo da EducaÃÃo BÃsica do Cearà (SPAECE-Alfa). Diante desse fato, o estudo teve como objetivo analisar a influÃncia da cultura dos resultados das avaliaÃÃes no trabalho pedagÃgico com a leitura na transiÃÃo da EducaÃÃo Infantil para o Ensino Fundamental. Como objetivos especÃficos, pretendeu-se identificar as concepÃÃes de leitura e de avaliaÃÃo que orientam o trabalho dos professores; analisar as estratÃgias e os recursos utilizados para desenvolver a competÃncia leitora das crianÃas; analisar como as crianÃas compreendem a leitura e identificar os instrumentos de avaliaÃÃo da competÃncia leitora aplicados Ãs crianÃas das turmas investigadas. Trata-se de uma pesquisa explicativa de cunho qualitativo, envolvendo um trabalho de campo. O lÃcus da pesquisa foi uma escola municipal de Fortaleza. Os sujeitos envolvidos foram as professoras e os alunos das turmas do Infantil V e do 1 ano do Ensino Fundamental, os quais foram observados e entrevistados. Complementou o estudo uma pesquisa documental. A metodologia de anÃlise foi efetuada por meio da anÃlise de conteÃdo (BARDIN, 2011). Os achados da pesquisa revelaram que as docentes utilizaram recursos diversificados, bem como estratÃgias variadas para desenvolver a competÃncia leitora das crianÃas. Ficou claro que concebem a leitura como um conhecimento de grande valor, necessÃrio à vida em uma cultura letrada; um ato interacional, que se desenvolve por meio de experiÃncias com a leitura. A compreensÃo das crianÃas sobre a leitura variou: enquanto a maioria dos alunos do Infantil V mostrou compreender a leitura como algo muito associado aos livros, especialmente os literÃrios, os estudantes do 1 ano revelaram uma visÃo ligada à aprendizagem e à funcionalidade desse ato, sem, no entanto, deixar de considerar a leitura fruitiva, para deleite e prazer. Sobre as avaliaÃÃes externas, foi revelada grande influÃncia causada por essa modalidade avaliativa nas prÃticas docentes. De acordo com as professoras, hà um intenso trabalho de preparaÃÃo para as avaliaÃÃes que prejudica os conteÃdos previstos em seus planejamentos. Ademais, a frequÃncia dos testes e a pressÃo que sofrem para obterem bons resultados foram aspectos pontuados como prejudiciais ao trabalho pedagÃgico, embora tenham reconhecido o valor e a necessidade das avaliaÃÃes. Dos achados, portanto, pode-se inferir que hà um caminho longo a ser trilhado para estabelecer uma maior sintonia entre o ensino, a aprendizagem e a avaliaÃÃo da leitura nos anos iniciais do Ensino Fundamental.

Every year, millions of preschool-age children make the transition into kindergarten. This transition from preschool to kindergarten can be difficult for children who have not mastered the basic school readiness skills involved in a successful transition. Although school readiness is broadly defined and involves several basic skills, the present study focuses on the specific contribution of cognitive self-regulation and early literacy skills. The present study examined the effects of preschool progress in cognitive self-regulation and early literacy skills on kindergarten readiness using descriptives, Pearson correlations, analysis of variance, and multilevel growth modeling. Three research questions are described and utilized. Research question 1 examined the growth in early literacy and cognitive self-regulation skills across the preschool year, research question 2 examined the relationship between early literacy and cognitive self-regulation skills, and research question 3 examined differences in student skills across three sites. Participants included preschool students, ages 4 to 5, from three different school districts. Early literacy and cognitive self-regulation data were collected at the beginning, middle and end of the preschool year. Overall, results yield a better understanding of the relationship between early literacy and cognitive self-regulation skills in preschool students and how community-level factors affect these skills in order to better support early intervention in preschools. More specifically, results of the first research question indicated that students made growth in both early literacy skills and cognitive self-regulation skills across the preschool year, and scores in the beginning of the preschool year were significantly correlated with scores at the end of the preschool year. Results of the second research question indicated a strong relationship between early literacy skills and cognitive self-regulation across the preschool year, and results of the third research question highlighted differences in growth rates across sites. Possible mediating variables are described in the discussion. Limitations of the study and future research directions are discussed.

The increase in the number of parents who decide not to enroll their children into a formal kindergarten once they become of age has triggered questions of what impacts readiness. The act of redshirting has doubled since 1980. Redshirting is simply delaying a child’s entry into kindergarten by 1 year after they become age eligible to enroll. Parents want to make sure that with high stakes testing, a more demanding curriculum, and an increase in rigorous standards that their children are ready to start kindergarten with the best opportunity for success. The purpose of this study was to examine how preschool and kindergarten teachers perceive age, gender, prior preschool experience, and socioeconomic status impact a child’s readiness for kindergarten upon school entry. The study was also an examination of perceptions of preschool and kindergarten teachers as to whether or not readiness can be determined by a readiness test. The design method chosen for this study was nonexperimental quantitative. Teachers responded to an online survey. The survey was distributed via email to preschool and kindergarten teachers who were employed in 2 rural east Tennessee counties. This study included the responses of 46 participants who chose to respond to the survey.

This study was conducted to see if a difference exists in the mean Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills: Oral Reading Fluency scores of students who entered kindergarten as 4 year olds, 5 year olds, and 6 year olds inclusively. Specifically, this dissertation considered the possibility that holding children out of kindergarten an extra year increased their reading level, while sending children to school too young delayed their ability to read and comprehend. A quantitative study was used to find differences between the mean reading levels at the end of 3rd grade for students who entered kindergarten on or after the age of 4 but before 5, those who entered between the ages of 5 and 6 and those who entered kindergarten after turning 6 years old. A quasi-experimental design was selected because preexisting data were collected on 1,384 third grade students in an East Tennessee school system. The scores from the Dynamic Indicator of Basic Early Literacy Skills assessment (DIBELS) were collected for each of the students in the study. The population included students who were enrolled in 3rd grade beginning with the 2003 school year and ending with students enrolled in the 3rd grade during the 2009 school year. This study found a significant difference in the means of the DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) scores for students who entered kindergarten on or after turning 5 years old and those that entered kindergarten on or after their 6th birthday. No differences were found between males and females of any entry age. Students who started kindergarten on or after the age of 5 but before 6 years read more words in 1 minute than students who started kindergarten on or after the age of 6 years. There were no significant differences for the Oral Reading Fluency scores among the students who entered kindergarten on or after their 4th birthday but before their 5th birthday and the other age groups.

Statement of the Problem. The problem of this study was to determine if the frequency of home visits made to families enrolled in a home-based early childhood education program was related to changes in parental behavior and student achievement. Design of the Study. The procedural analysis for the study was the randomized three group pretest-posttest design. One hundred twenty low income families who had one or more children between three and five years of age, and who volunteered to participate in the home-based early childhood education program, were selected for the study. The early childhood program consisted of three basic components: (1) a half-hour television program ("Captain Kangaroo") broadcast five days per week, (2) a once per-week group experience for the children, and (3) paraprofessional home visitors who made weekly visits to homes in order to deliver to and instruct parents how they should teach their own children. Four measurement instruments were used to secure data on parent behavior and child achievement. Each instrument was administered at the beginning and end of the project year. The High/Scope Home Environment Scale and the Schaefer Behavior Inventory were administered to parents in an attempt to determine the degree of parental behavior change. Children who participated in the program were administered the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test and the Cooperative Preschool Inventory in an effort to determine their degree of cognitive growth. Records of parent participation in group meetings and child attendance at group sessions were also recorded in order to determine the amount of parent and child participation in the program. Summary and Conclusions. (1) A visit to parents once per week was no more effective in influencing parent behavior than a visit once every two weeks. However, a parent who received a visit once per week or once every two weeks was more likely to develop a positive change in parent behavior toward his/her children than a parent who received no visits; (2) a visit once per week was no more effective in influencing child achievement than a visit once every two weeks. The child who received a visit once per week or once every two weeks, however, was more likely to have a higher level of achievement than a child who received no visits; (3) parent behavior was not significantly related to parent and child participation in the program as measured by the number of group sessions attended by the children and the number of parent meetings attended by the parents during the program year; (4) the greater the degree of positive change in parent behavior, the greater the degree of child achievement; (5) the number of parent meetings attended by parents and the number of group sessions attended by the children were not significantly related to the level of achievement attained by the children.

Purpose of the Study: This study was designed to determine the relationship between creativity and the ability to do certain Piagetian classification tasks in kindergarten children. (Abstract shortened.)

The problem was to determine the extent a selected parent education program influenced the oognitive and affective development of educationally deprived Appalachian pre-school children and to determine to what extent the program influenced the prime caregivers' assessment of the child's behavior. Subjects included 40 Appalachian prime caregivers and their children who participated in four intact home-based classes. They were randomly assigned to treatment by the teacher, in order to equate the home visitor case load. In the Experimental Group, prime caregivers were provided with resources developed from the Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) program. Control Group prime caregivers participated in regularly prescribed home visits. Prime caregivers and children were pre- and posttested on the same instruments. The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test was used to test the cognitive variable and the Florida Key was the instrument used to test the affective variable. The Adlerian Parental Assessment of Child Behavior Scale was the instrument used to test the prime caregiver's perception of the child's behavior. The analysis of covariance indicated that no significant differences were found between the STEP Group and the Control Group on the cognitive, affective, or parental assessment variables. Treatment sessions, for prime careglvers who participated in nine STEP sessions, did not result in a more positive perception of their child's behavior, nor did it effect significantly the cognitive or affective performances of their children.