Early identification practices in assessment are crucial to preventing academic failure as well as identifying students at-risk for later learning disabilities. The PAM Early Numeracy Screening is a set of subscales designed to measure early numeracy in kindergarten students in a group setting. Given that the existing early numeracy measures are individually administered, the purpose of the current study was to explore the psychometric properties of the PAM Early Numeracy Screening. Correlational analysis was the primary research design used to investigate the evidence of reliability, criterion-related validity, and construct validity of the PAM Early Numeracy Screening. Criterion measures included the KeyMath-3 Diagnostic Assessment, Metropolitan Achievement Tests, Eighth Edition, Early Math Measures Study Teacher Rating of Students’ Math Proficiency, and the Early Numeracy Indicators. The sample consisted of 97 kindergarten students from a school district in the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan Area. Results support the PAM Early Numeracy Screening as a promising group administered measure of early numeracy in kindergarten. Implications for future research include investigating the internal structure of the subscales and exploring evidence of predictive validity of the subscales, specifically the Quantity Discrimination subscale to independently predict later math achievement.

The purpose of the study was to compare the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) in an effort to establish an estimate of the similarity between the two measures. The sample included 194 nine, ten, and eleven year old children referred to the University’s Psychological Clinic. There were 100 males and 94 females with a mean age of 10 years and six months. Out of the 194 children, 106 were white, 46 black and 42 of unknown race. Pearson Product Moment Correlations were performed between the PPVT IQ and the WISC-R variables. As a result of frequent clinical comparisons, t tests of the mean z scores between the WISC-R Verbal, Full Scale and Vocabulary measures and PPVT measures were also done. Correlations between the PPVT and WISC-R variables yielded validity coefficients significant at or beyond the .001 level. Generally the Verbal Scale variables correlated more highly with the PPVT than the Performance Scale variables. The analysis of the differences between the mean z scores indicated a significant difference between the PPVT and the Verbal, Full Scale and the Vocabulary variables. These differences were significant at or beyond the .01 level of confidence. Even though a significant was obtained between the mean scores, for practical use a direct interpretation would appear possible between the two tests in that the mean scores were within two IQ points of each other.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether kindergarten children possess the ability to recognize, match, and discuss lines and line qualities. Using graphics and art reproductions, three matching tasks were constructed which examined young children's awareness of the line qualities of length, width, straightness, direction, movement, and uniformity. Graphics and art reproductions were also used to construct two tracing tasks employed to examine young children's awareness of actual and implied lines. The tasks were administered to 69 kindergarten students from four elementary schools in a public school district in the north central Texas area.

O Ballet Clássico é muito oferecido como atividade extracurricular em escolas de educação infantil. Os tipos de intervenções pedagógicas que permeiam o ensino dessa atividade estão voltados, na maioria das vezes, para o desempenho de suas habilidades específicas. No entanto, muitos estudos com diferentes modalidades esportivas vêm sendo desenvolvidos com o objetivo de verificar os tipos de intervenções pedagógicas existentes para o ensino e aprendizagem das mesmas. Os resultados mostram que dois tipos divergentes são possíveis: um tipo de intervenção pedagógica voltado para a tarefa e outro voltado para o desempenho. Além disso, muitas pesquisas estão estudando a relação desses diferentes tipos de intervenção nas dimensões físicas, cognitivas, sociais e emocionais dos indivíduos. Um aspecto bastante estudado é a relação do tipo de intervenção com a percepção de competência. O objetivo desse estudo foi verificar, após um programa de aulas de Ballet Clássico com um tipo de intervenção pedagógica voltada para a tarefa, a execução de habilidades específicas pré-determinadas do Ballet e o nível de percepção de competência física, em crianças de quatro (4) e cinco (5) anos. Os resultados encontrados mostraram que no final do programa a maioria das crianças alcançou um nível avançado na execução das habilidades específicas e que todos os participantes aumentaram sua percepção de competência física. Sendo assim, pode-se concluir que as intervenções pedagógicas voltadas para a tarefa, mostram-se como uma maneira eficiente no ensino do Ballet Clássico para crianças; além de aprenderem suas habilidades específicas, vivenciam experiências de sucesso, adaptadas a seus níveis de desenvolvimento físico, cognitivo e afetivo-social. São necessários mais estudos sobre os benefícios desse tipo de intervenção para crianças dentro da faixa etária proposta, nas diferentes atividades das quais participam. Contribuir, de forma positiva, no crescimento e desenvolvimento das crianças, em suas diferentes dimensões, não é uma tarefa fácil, porém deve ser considerada fundamental, uma vez que nós, educadores, somos co-responsáveis pela formação da nossa futura sociedade / The Classical Ballet is offen offered as extracurricular activities at kindergarten. The types of pedagogic interventions permeating the teaching of this activity is focused on the performance of their specific skills. However, many studies with differents sports modalities are being developed with the objective of verifying the types of interventions in the learning of their skills. The results show that two divergents types are possible: a type of educational intervention oriented to the task and another oriented to the performance. Moreover, many researches are studying the relationship of these different types of intervention on the individuals physical, cognitive, social and emotional dimentions. One well studied topic is the relationship of the type of intervention with the perceived competence. The aim of this study was describe, after a classical ballet program oriented to the task, the performance of predetermined ballet skills and the level of physical perception competence in children with four and five years old. The results of this study showed that at the end of the program, most of the children reached an advanced level in the performance of the specific skills and that all participants increased their perception of physical competence. Therefore we can conclude that the interventions oriented to the task, showed to be an efficient manner in classical ballet teaching for children; in besides learning their specialized skills, children experiences succes adapted to their level of physical, cognitive and affective-socail development. Future research should examine the benefits of this type of intervention for children in the age group proposal in the various activities in wich thus participate. It is not easy to contribute in a positive way, to the children growth and development in its various dimensions, but it should be considered essential, since we, educators are coresponsible for the development of our future society

O Ballet Clássico é muito oferecido como atividade extracurricular em escolas de educação infantil. Os tipos de intervenções pedagógicas que permeiam o ensino dessa atividade estão voltados, na maioria das vezes, para o desempenho de suas habilidades específicas. No entanto, muitos estudos com diferentes modalidades esportivas vêm sendo desenvolvidos com o objetivo de verificar os tipos de intervenções pedagógicas existentes para o ensino e aprendizagem das mesmas. Os resultados mostram que dois tipos divergentes são possíveis: um tipo de intervenção pedagógica voltado para a tarefa e outro voltado para o desempenho. Além disso, muitas pesquisas estão estudando a relação desses diferentes tipos de intervenção nas dimensões físicas, cognitivas, sociais e emocionais dos indivíduos. Um aspecto bastante estudado é a relação do tipo de intervenção com a percepção de competência. O objetivo desse estudo foi verificar, após um programa de aulas de Ballet Clássico com um tipo de intervenção pedagógica voltada para a tarefa, a execução de habilidades específicas pré-determinadas do Ballet e o nível de percepção de competência física, em crianças de quatro (4) e cinco (5) anos. Os resultados encontrados mostraram que no final do programa a maioria das crianças alcançou um nível avançado na execução das habilidades específicas e que todos os participantes aumentaram sua percepção de competência física. Sendo assim, pode-se concluir que as intervenções pedagógicas voltadas para a tarefa, mostram-se como uma maneira eficiente no ensino do Ballet Clássico para crianças; além de aprenderem suas habilidades específicas, vivenciam experiências de sucesso, adaptadas a seus níveis de desenvolvimento físico, cognitivo e afetivo-social. São necessários mais estudos sobre os benefícios desse tipo de intervenção para crianças dentro da faixa etária proposta, nas diferentes atividades das quais participam. Contribuir, de forma positiva, no crescimento e desenvolvimento das crianças, em suas diferentes dimensões, não é uma tarefa fácil, porém deve ser considerada fundamental, uma vez que nós, educadores, somos co-responsáveis pela formação da nossa futura sociedade / The Classical Ballet is offen offered as extracurricular activities at kindergarten. The types of pedagogic interventions permeating the teaching of this activity is focused on the performance of their specific skills. However, many studies with differents sports modalities are being developed with the objective of verifying the types of interventions in the learning of their skills. The results show that two divergents types are possible: a type of educational intervention oriented to the task and another oriented to the performance. Moreover, many researches are studying the relationship of these different types of intervention on the individuals physical, cognitive, social and emotional dimentions. One well studied topic is the relationship of the type of intervention with the perceived competence. The aim of this study was describe, after a classical ballet program oriented to the task, the performance of predetermined ballet skills and the level of physical perception competence in children with four and five years old. The results of this study showed that at the end of the program, most of the children reached an advanced level in the performance of the specific skills and that all participants increased their perception of physical competence. Therefore we can conclude that the interventions oriented to the task, showed to be an efficient manner in classical ballet teaching for children; in besides learning their specialized skills, children experiences succes adapted to their level of physical, cognitive and affective-socail development. Future research should examine the benefits of this type of intervention for children in the age group proposal in the various activities in wich thus participate. It is not easy to contribute in a positive way, to the children growth and development in its various dimensions, but it should be considered essential, since we, educators are coresponsible for the development of our future society

Comparative analysis of pre-primary education in the selected EU countries Magda Navrátilová The aim of this thesis is to identify differences between the legal rules governing pre-primary education (ISCED classification - 0) in selected European countries - England, France and Austria with legal rules governing pre-primary education in the Czech Republic. Furthermore, the aim of this thesis is to propose amendments to law based on the comparison. The thesis is composed of four parts. First part is introductory. Basics are explained there as well as used methodology. Second part is devoted to pre-primary education in selected European countries. Third part focuses on comparison of Czech legal rules to foreign legal rules. Conclusions are to be drawn in fourth part. KEYWORDS pre-primary education, law, notice, kindergarten

Although there has been research conducted in the area of information seeking behavior in children, the research focusing on young children, more specifically on pre-kindergarten students, is almost nonexistent. Children at this age are in the preoperational developmental stage. They tend to display curiosity about the world around them, and use other people as a means to gain the information they are seeking. Due to the insistence from President Obama to implement pre-kindergarten programs for all low and middle class children, the need to understand the cognitive, emotional, and physical needs of these children is becoming increasingly imperative. To researchers, the actions displayed by these young children on a daily basis remain vital in determining the methods by which they are categorized, studies, and even taught. This study employed Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory (SDT), Dervin's sense-making theory, Kuhlthau''s information search process model (ISP), and Shenton and Dixon's microcosmic model of information seeking via people to lay the theoretical foundational framework. This ethnographic study aimed to fill the age gap found in information seeking literature. By observing young children in the school setting, I gained insight into how these children seek information. The resulting information collected via field observations and semi-structured interviews were coded based on Shenton and Dixon's model of information seeking via people. The findings, in Chapter 5, revealed emerging codes and trends in the information seeking behaviors of pre-kindergarten students.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T16:32:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Maite Custodio Rios Aird.pdf: 2727375 bytes, checksum: e14deb6d6e6882749c1f901c07c50f2e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-27 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This research aims to analyze how demarcated gender differences, more precisely what type of education was given to boys and girls, mediated by the requirements of the teaching method in froebeliano First Kindergarten Public annex to the Normal School Square which represented the starting point in ranking of public services for children. The intention is to understand the different mechanisms that were the way boys and girls were educated, unraveling the plot that organized the masculinity and femininity that this school spread.Thinking of an administration of sex differences within the school curriculum is necessary to observe the curriculum of early childhood education in the interrelation between prescriptions, family and school. There is the analysis of the pedagogical proposal of the Kindergarten and gender relations assigned to an activity called "Toys", considered scenic representations for everyday simulations and knowledge of things. The investigation found that the records of the scenarios previously demarcated the boy and girl role. The time frame covers the opening period of the kindergarten in 1896 until 1926, when it stands the use of the ideas of Friedrich Froebel, founder of the Kindergarten, primary guide of the practices in question. The hypothesis is that in this first collective insertion space of boys and girls, gender meanings are translated in the material sphere, in relations, in pedagogical resources used by gardeners and relationships with children and their families, sometimes so veiled, naturalized. Thus, it was studied the relevant literature and documents found in the history Caetano de Campos School Collection, emphasizing the Education Magazine (1912), Journal of kindergarten (1896 and 1897), the Toys record book (1903), photo albums, registration book (1896-1908) and inventories (1896-1947) and then newspapers, among others / Esta pesquisa tem por objetivo analisar como se demarcavam as diferenças de gênero, mais precisamente, qual educação era dispensada aos meninos e meninas, mediados pelas prescrições do método froebeliano de ensino no Primeiro Jardim da Infância Público, anexo à Escola Normal da Praça, espaço que representava o marco inicial na seriação do serviço público para a infância. A intenção é compreender os diferentes mecanismos que constituíram o modo como os meninos e as meninas eram educados, desvendando a trama que organizava as masculinidades e feminilidades que tal escola propagou. Pensando em uma administração das diferenças sexuais dentro do currículo escolar, foi necessária a observação do currículo da educação infantil na inter-relação entre prescrições, família e escola. Destaca-se a análise da proposta pedagógica do Jardim e as relações de gênero conferidas a uma atividade chamada Brinquedos , tida como representações cênicas para simulações do cotidiano e o conhecimento de coisas. Pela investigação verificou-se que nos registros das encenações previamente se demarcavam o papel do menino e da menina. O recorte temporal abrange o período de inauguração do Jardim da Infância 1896 até 1926, quando se sobressai a utilização das ideias de Friedrich Froebel, idealizador do Kindergarten, principal orientador das práticas em questão. A hipótese é de que neste primeiro espaço de inserção coletiva de meninos e meninas, significados de gênero se traduziam na esfera material, no âmbito das relações, nos recursos pedagógicos utilizados pelas jardineiras e no relacionamento com as crianças e suas famílias, de forma velada, naturalizadas. Para tanto, foram estudados a bibliografia especializada e os documentos encontrados no Acervo Histórico da Escola Caetano de Campos, dando ênfase à Revista de Ensino (1912), Revista do Jardim da Infância (1896 e 1897), livro de registro dos Brinquedos (1903), álbuns de fotografias, livros de matrícula (1897-1908) e de inventários (1896-1947), bem como jornais de época, entre outros

BAKGRUND: Sverige har gått igenom stora förändringar, från att ha varit ettindustrisamhälle till att nu vara ett informationssamhälle. Då samhället harförändrats har detta även påverkat förskolan som institution. Förskolan hargått från att ha varit en form av välgörenhet mot fattiga mödrar till att taemot barn ur alla samhällsklasser, detta för att kvinnor idag yrkesarbetarför att bidra till familjens försörjning. Förskollärarutbildningen harförändrats från att ha varit en seminarieutbildning utan statligt stöd till attnu vara en akademisk utbildning med statligt stöd.SYFTE: Vi vill ur ett genusteoretiskt - och historiskt perspektiv studera densamhälleliga förändring och utveckling som bidrog till barnkrubbans start iSverige år 1854 och dess utveckling, som har lett fram till dagens förskolaoch läroplan, Lpfö 98. För att kunna få fram ett svar har vi utgått frånföljande tre frågeställningar: Hur har förskolan som institution vuxit fram?Hur har förskolans pedagogiska förhållningssätt vuxit fram? Hur harförskolans framväxt skett utifrån ett genusperspektiv?METOD: Undersökningen är genomförd som en litteraturstudie. Vi har använt oss avett kvalitativt arbetssätt. Metoden är vald med syfte att kunna studera ettfenomen som sträcker sig över ett långt tidsperspektiv.RESULTAT: Förskolan som institution har utvecklats från en form av välgörenhet sombedrevs av kvinnor, till en pedagogisk institution med en egen läroplan, / Uppsatsnivå: C

This dissertation draws on data from a six-month study of the materiality of one Kindergarten classroom undergoing curriculum reform in an urban public elementary school. Informed by a network case study approach, whereby case study methods are uncased through an Actor Network Theory lens, I question what it means to say literacy curriculum is enacted, or reformed, by acknowledging the multiplicity of actors entangled within curriculum, both human and non-human, local and distant, invited and uninvited. Furthermore, I propose ways of uncasing studies of literacy curriculum, revealing how no site—a school, a classroom, or an instructional block—is a fixed case but rather is constructed through networks of mobility streaming from many places. Through ecological surveys, images, fieldnotes, recordings and document archives, I trace the materialities of one Kindergarten classroom outward to reveal multiple dynamic networks—shifting school zones, neighborhoods, and curricular trends—that mobilize various bodies and materials into one seemingly stable public-school classroom. Networked within one morning meeting, for instance, were rotting pumpkins, pocket charts and cheese sandwiches doing the work of environmental nonprofits, DOE officials, and cafeteria staff, all entangled with the teacher and students in solving the problem of food waste at lunch. However, I also confront ethical choices made in tracing literacy curriculum as material “network effects.” Set in the nation’s most segregated school system, I address how curriculum is not only affected by networks of circulating materials, but also networks circulating students’ bodies into unequal school spaces, leading to neighborhood gentrification and changing school funding and enrollment. I conclude with what responsibilities exist for researchers advocating for a material focus to address systemic issues of injustice in schools.