Many preschool students enter kindergarten without the oral language and phonetic awareness skills necessary for academic success. Qualitative research is also limited about the instructional practices preschool teachers use to improve the literacy skills of their students. The purpose of this study was to explore how teachers used developmentally appropriate instructional practices to improve the literacy skills of preschool students. The conceptual framework was based on the theories of Piaget and Vygotsky in relation to language development. A multiple case study research design was used. Participants included 6 teachers from 3 different preschool programs in an urban school district in the eastern United States. Data were collected from individual interviews with preschool teachers, observations of literacy instruction in classrooms, and related program documents. For the single case analysis, coding and category construction were used to analyze the interview data, and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the observation data. A content analysis was used to analyze the documents. For the cross case analysis, data were examined across all cases for emerging themes and discrepant data. A key finding was that preschool teachers used developmentally appropriate instruction to improve oral language, phonological awareness, and written expression and supported play through learning centers; however, limited teacher--child interaction was found in relation to quality of feedback and language modeling. This study contributes to positive social change by providing educators with a deeper understanding of the need to improve the literacy skills of young children.

Early childhood (EC) administrators could be the most important contributors to quality experiences in EC settings; they are also responsible for the caliber of experiences for children and staff. A quality EC program is licensed and accredited with administrators who have professional preparation and work experience and can lead and manage EC programs. There are the few direct educational paths to become an EC administrator. This lack of standardization influences the quality of leadership and organizational climate in EC settings. The purpose of this qualitative study as reflected in the research questions was to explore the experiences of EC administrators regarding their educational paths, their views of themselves as transformational leaders, and the influence of their leadership on their organizational climate. Prior research on the subject of leadership practices in EC suggests that Burns' transformational leadership is most beneficial, but this leadership style has not been explored in detail in EC settings. This phenomenological study included interviews of six EC administrators about their educational paths, their views as transformational leaders, and how their leadership influenced the organizational climate in their setting. Data were analyzed for themes that emerged. Findings suggested the need for streamlined undergraduate and graduate coursework. Implications for positive social change are the potential for improved quality of programs and for the support needed for early childhood leadership.

University of Macau / Faculty of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

The thesis focuses on a concept of communicative competences in the curricula at the stage of pre-school education and introduces the possibilities of development of these competences in kindergarten. The theoretical part outlines issues of curriculum, key competences and communicative competences in the context of pre-primary education. The research is a presentation of qualitative-quantitative research, which aimed to analyze the concept of communicative competences in the curricula of kindergartens and based on direct observation to find out, how kindergarten teachers meet the communicative competences at this stage of education, how to diagnose them and what opportunities provides kindergarten environment to develop pre-school children communication competences. Based on the analysis of curriculum documents of selected kindergartens we found that schools include communicative competences in their conceptual materials and attach great importance to them, even if these documents have different content and formal level. From our observations and interviews with respondents, we concluded that kindergartens and their teachers usually provide good conditions for children to develop their communicative competences (positive communication climate, proper teacher speech pattern, primary prevention,...

In my thesis I deal with the position of the Christian kindergarten in the system of pre-school education in the Czech Republic . I describe the historical development of the kindergarten as an institution. The development of pre-school children is assessed in terms of education, psychology and religion. Family and teacher are the basic partners in the lifelong patterns of shaping the personality of every child. The Christian kindergarten meets the same objectives as other pre-school facilities which are based on The Framework Education Programme. The difference between the Christian kindergarten and ordinary kindergarten is their founder and the Educational Programme which is oriented and adapted to the requirements of Christian education of pre-school children. The Christian kindergarten has a logical place and tradition in the system of pre-school education.

Limited information exists on early childhood first year teachers' training for accommodations for diverse student abilities in classrooms. This mixed methods sequential explanatory study examined the self-efficacy of 28 first year early childhood teachers from Midwest urban schools. Vygotsky's social learning theory and Gardner's multiple intelligences were used as the conceptual framework. Email survey data were collected and analyzed using a t-test to answer the quantitative questions on the relationship between perceived efficacy and type of and amount of special education training provided in preservice programs. Qualitative questions on self-efficacy to instruct diverse students within the regular classroom were examined using interviews with 28 first year teachers and analyzed for patterns and themes. Quantitative results indicated no relationship between perceived efficacy and amount of special education training provided in preservice programs. Qualitative analysis revealed that teachers with perceived high efficacy were more prepared through university preparation to work with diverse students in the classroom than those teachers who perceived themselves to have low efficacy with such students. This study contributes to social change by providing insight into requirements for effective preservice diversity training of early childhood teachers. The qualitative aspect of this study supports other research for more special education training that would be beneficial for preservice early childhood teachers along with better placements in field experiences that include inclusive classrooms. Higher education can improve teacher education programs by implementing such changes that will improve education for all children and make early childhood educators better able to attend to all students' needs.

The kindergarten program at the study site transitioned from half day to full day, yet the curriculum was not updated to accommodate the full day schedule, or to include best practices. In order to prepare learners for their future in education, activities were implemented to determine how problem based learning can promote acquisition of the 21st century learning skills. The purpose of this qualitative study was to create and implement an effective, full day curriculum that promotes 21st century learning skills for kindergarten students. This project, rooted in constructivism which allows for active and social learning, supplements the existing half day curriculum and encourages collaborating, experiential learning, and problem solving. The question that guided this project study involved understanding how 21st century learning skills of collaboration, problem solving, effective communication, and decision making can be integrated into a full day kindergarten curriculum. A qualitative participatory action research framework was used to gather data in the form of field notes during observations and interviews were coded and analyzed to find themes and categories that emerged. The findings revealed that 21st century skills can be acquired by kindergarten learners when the role of the teacher changes into a facilitator and models appropriate behaviors and skills. The final project includes a teacher's guide to support teachers as they transition into a new role as a facilitator as well as sample lessons with suggestions and hints for implementation. This project contributes to social change by presenting teachers with a data driven curriculum that offers an authentic, experiential way of teaching to help students develop skills necessary to become successful members of their classroom.

Studies indicate the importance of supporting children's creative and social skills during the early years of their development, in part because children can develop low self-esteem when these skills are left unattended in preschool environments. However, as of yet research has not identified strategies preschool instructors used to prepare preschool environments to nurture the development of these skills. This qualitative case study examined how preschool environments nurture the development of preschool children's creative skills and relationships. Grounded in Vygotsky's sociocultural theory and Torrance's theory of guiding creative talent, the study used a purposeful sample of 9 prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers from 5 private preschools. Data were collected from 3 sources: (a) interviews, (b) online websites and school documents, and (c) student artifacts. Data analysis identified related themes, categories, terms, and key phrases using an adapted rubric, and open, axial, and selective coding. Findings showed that preschool environments applied 18 strategies to nurture the development of relationships and creative skills in preschool children. These themes included participation, establishing trust, acceptance/self-awareness, dramatic play, collaborative play, organization, open-ended materials, observation, creativity enhancing curricula, children's transitional processes, encouraging social skills, language application, understanding children's culture, cooperative learning, children's self-concept, teachers' pedagogy, nurturing creativity and preparatory exercises. The study has a positive social impact by providing preschool teachers and administrators with a framework for preparing environments that not only promote academic achievement but also to use to nurture preschool children's creative and social-skills development.