Professionals in early intervention have little information about the levels of sibling involvement in intervention, factors that contribute to sibling involvement, or how sibling involvement is related to families’ perceptions of self-efficacy. Few studies have investigated siblings in early intervention, and none have focused on relationships between sibling involvement in early intervention and parent self-efficacy. Using quantitative survey research this study investigated factors related to sibling involvement in early intervention strategies. Respondents completing the survey consisted of 129 parents who had a child enrolled in Michigan’s early intervention program, and at least one sibling in the home. Results indicated a significant relationship between sibling use of early intervention strategies and 1) the region in which the family lives, and 2) the age difference between the siblings in each sibling dyad. Practical implications of the findings are discussed.

The purpose of this study is to answer the research question: What are the elements of the writing process and written texts of kindergarten/first grade students in a whole language classroom that constitute authenticity? The written texts of twenty-one children from a variety of ethnic, socioeconomic and linguistic backgrounds were collected over the course of the school year. The tests were categorized according to penpal letters, signs/labels/captions and dialogue journal entries. Each category was analyzed to describe the writer's place in the context of situation, the function that each text served and the interaction of the linguistic cueing systems. The data indicate that the physical elements in the Context of Situation as described by Michael Halliday that proved most important to authenticity are: (1) Availability (proximity) and accessibility of a wide variety of resources. (2) Experience of students in creating and identifying resources in the environment. (3) Many opportunities to interact with audiences. (4) Student ownership of the process. The social relationships within the classroom that proved most important to authenticity are: (1) having a "real" audience for writing. (2) The relationship between the writer and the audience. (3) The degree of invitation with choice of when and where to write. The features of written texts which proved most important to authenticity are: (1) The students' familiarity with the genre of text. (2) The function of the texts to fulfill the purposes of the students. Whole language classrooms such as the one in this study provide a rich source of data for the study of authenticity.

本研究旨在探討幼稚園教師對美術活動之教學態度，主要目的有三：一、編制「幼稚園教師美術活動教學態度問卷」；二、瞭解幼稚園教師對美術活動教學態度之實際情況；三、探討不同背景變項下幼稚園教師對美術活動教學態度之差異情形；四、根據研究結果提出具體建議，做為改善學前階段美術教育之參考。 本研究以調查研究法，調查與分析幼稚園教師對美術活動之教學態度，依據文獻探討的結果編製「幼稚園教師美術活動教學態度問卷」，並經專家效度檢驗以及問卷預試成立正式問卷及建立問卷的效度與信度(Cronbach’s α係數為 .886)。 本研究以台北縣公、私立幼稚園之教師為研究對象，並以「幼稚園教師美術活動教學態度問卷」為研究工具，共發放340份問卷，回收208份問卷，回收率為61%。調查所得資料以描述統計、卡方考驗、單因子變異數分析方法進行分析。 本研究之研究結果為：一、幼稚園教師對美術活動的教學態度分為四個主要取向，分別為「幼兒本位取向」、「美術本位取向」、「教師本位取向」，以及「較少干涉取向」。二、不同教學年資、年齡、專業領域、公私立園所之幼稚園教師在美術活動教學態度上有所差異。 最後，本研究依據研究結果，分別對幼稚園教師、相關教育單位，以及後續美術活動相關研究提出具體建議，以供參考。 / The purpose of research is to investigate the kindergarten teachers’ attitude of teaching art. Four aims of this research are: 1. To compile the “Kindergarten Teachers’ Attitude of Art Activity Questionnaire” as the research tool. 2. To inquire current kindergarten teachers’ attitude of teaching art. 3. To analysis differences among teachers’ attitudes of teaching art on four distinct dimensions: years of teaching, age, professional knowledge of individual teachers, and the types of kindergarten (public and private). 4. To make suggestions for a teacher teaching art in kindergarten, related associations or departments, and someone interesting this topic. Researcher designed the contents of “Kindergarten Teachers’ Attitude of Teaching Art Questionnaire” by following phrases: compile items of questionnaire from literature, evaluate items by five experts to build validity, and using statistical analysis to establish reliability (Cronbach’s α .886). Researcher randomly sampled 340 subjects from kindergartens in Taipei county and delivered the questionnaire and 208 samples were valid (61%). The data were analyzed using: descriptive statistics, χ2 test, one-way ANOVA, and LSD posterior comparisons. The result was: 1. The mainly approaches of teachers’ attitude of teaching art are children-oriented approach, art-oriented approach, teacher-oriented approach, and little-intervention-oriented approach. 2. Significant differences of teachers’ attitude were found between teachers in different years of teaching, age, professional knowledge of individual teachers, and the type of kindergarten. The researcher made recommendations to kindergarten teachers, education administrations, and further related research based on the conclusions.

Children have the intrinsic drive to play and be outdoors, as well as the curiosity to explore the world around them (Louv, 2008). Connections and interactions with nature tend to be beneficial for children’s cognitive development, with outcomes ranging from improved cognitive functioning (Wells, 2000) to the development of important academic skills (Miller, 2007). Perhaps more significant though are the positive outcomes among nature, health, and wellbeing (e.g., Taylor & Kuo, 2009), along with the cultivation of environmental appreciation, empathy, and stewardship (e.g., Ewert et al., 2005). Many nature-based early years programs have been developed and adopted around the world, placing emphasis on fostering children’s experiences, interactions, and connections with the natural world. As this global early years phenomenon continues to build momentum, the need to investigate how children are experiencing these nature-based early years programs becomes more pertinent. The purpose of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of four children’s experiences at a nature-based early years program located in a small town on the outskirts of an Eastern Ontario urban centre. Data were collected using qualitative methodology (observations, photographs, semi-structured interviews, and photo elicitation) and took place over a five-week period in the winter term. Data were analyzed using conventional qualitative means, through open coding and identifying categories and overarching themes (McMillan & Schumacher, 2010). Using Place-Based Education as the theoretical guide, data were explored using three main themes: lived experience; connections to place and to community; and learning, growth, and development. The findings from this research not only illuminate the children’s experiences at a nature-based early years program, but also provide the fertile ground upon which further examination and discussion can grow—an examination and discussion of the significance of nature-based learning as it relates to contemporary education. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2013-08-30 10:33:49.614

Mass media such as television, video players, video games, compact disks, and the computers are commonplace in current American culture. For English as a Second Language children, television may be the only source of English in the home serving as models of grammar, syntax, story structure. An investigation was made using English as a Second Language (ESL) kindergarteners, the classroom writing center, participant-observation, teacher as researcher, and case study methodology to investigate the following questions: Do ESL kindergarten children use media in their writing? If so, how do they use media in their writing? Upon examination of the data, it was found that all these ESL children did use media in the writing process. The function and form of the media references varied from child to child. Media was a cultural context for the childrenÕs social interactions. Oral language (with and without media references) not only informed the writing for some, but also served: to initiate, participate in, and sustain social relationships with peers. Findings indicated that two case study subjects used social dialogue as a separate operation from the production of a written story. Language informed the writing but it also had a socialization function in addition to what the writing needs were. The social aspects of literacy beyond language used to inform the writing is a topic suggested for further research.

Studies indicate the educational needs of highly gifted students are best met through accelerated learning. It is difficult to recognize very young children that are suited for an accelerated curriculum because younger students frequently lack school records or portfolios used to identify gifted students. This study examined the accuracy of cognitive ability and achievement tests in predicting academic achievement by the end of second grade, correlating test results and final grade averages collected from sixteen children ages five to six who entered a public school program for high-ability learners in kindergarten. A multiple regression analysis indicated the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence produced the highest mean IQ score and a strong correlation with reading achievement. The Wechsler Individual Achievement Test contributed in small part to the prediction of academic achievement. The Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test and the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test-Second Edition had negative correlations with final grade averages, indicating they are not predictors of academic achievement for these students.

No description available.

The goal of this project was to develop a reading readiness program which could be implemented into a given kindergarten curriculum. The focus of the paper was to identify the basic, skills necessary for successful reading and to list activities that the classroom teacher could use to increase a child's level of ability in each area. The seven basic skills identified as necessary pre-reading skills were; language development, listening skills, visual discrimination, visual memory, auditory discrimination, auditory memory and perceptual motor development. Over all goals for the project were also developed. Each of the seven areas discussed included; objectives, activities and assessment inventories. Recommendations for the project were discussed In terms of possible other approaches toward reading readiness.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between prekindergarten classroom quality indicators and student achievement at the prekindergarten level. Pre-existing data on prekindergarten classroom quality measures and student achievement was utilized. Quality indicators were assessed using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) (Pianta, La Paro, & Hamre, 2008) and student achievement was measured by the end of year results on the Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS) (Invernizzi, Meier, Swank, & Juel, 2004) and the Bracken School Readiness Assessment end of year results (Bracken, 2007). A quantitative ex post facto correlational research design was employed to identify relationships between program quality and student achievement among the prekindergarten classrooms. An ex post facto design was chosen because the circumstances of conducting the research did not allow for an experiment. The classrooms in this study site were rated overall as high in quality. The findings indicate that quality in classrooms established by high scores in the Emotional Support and Classroom Organizational domains, paired with scores in the middle to high range in the Instructional Support domain have no statistical correlation between high achievement related to PALS and Bracken scores, with the exception of one subgroup. For students that receive Public Assistance, there was a statistical significance in their end results for PALS and Bracken, indicating a positive relationship between classroom quality and student achievement. It is vitally important to develop prekindergarten programs that can be easily replicated. Replicating successful programs would save time, money, and effort. Practitioners can increase and standardize structural quality factors such as length of day, credentialing requirements of staff, and the maintenance of an organized system of in-service training and systematic curriculum oversight, while ensuring the presence of process quality, This focus will create prekindergarten programs that offer the most at risk students the highest quality possible.