Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Special Education, Counseling, and Student Affairs / Judy Hughey / Successful transition practices are essential in moving students forward into new facets of learning and life. Noteworthy is the transition into kindergarten, as students experience a new environment, with new academic, social, and behavioral expectations. Research has reviewed teacher and student perceptions on this topic, but has traditionally overlooked the parent stakeholder. Specifically assessing kindergarten transition from parents’ vantage point provides a varied and necessary perspective that is often underutilized in effective school transitioning programs. Therefore, this study surveyed parents of children transitioning into kindergarten to identify their experiences and involvement in transition programming. Specifically to: (a) assess the concerns of parent stakeholders upon transitioning their children into formal schools (b) assess the perceptions of parent stakeholders in regards to their children’s transition into kindergarten, (c) assess the areas in which parent participants would like more information about the transition process, and (d) explore environmental variables and demographics that may impact student transitional success. The study utilized a retrospective pretest survey design to examine the experiences and perceptions of parents whose children were enrolled in full-day kindergarten in two school districts of comparable size in Northeast Kansas. A sample size of 91 participants was generated, as a parent or guardian of every student enrolled in kindergarten for the 2010-2011 school year in the surveyed schools was selected and solicited as participants for this retrospective pretest study. The final study population included 68 participants (n = 68) amongst the two respective schools, for an overall response rate of 74.7%. Survey mean results indicated that no particular item in academic, behavioral, or social domains were considered a great concern for parents transitioning their child into kindergarten. However, items that received the highest rating for concern prior to kindergarten were in the areas of academic success in comparison to peers, and adjusting to new routines and surroundings. Parents also rated adjusting to new routines and surroundings as the area with the least amount of transitional success. Seventy-three percent of participants agreed or strongly agreed to feeling engaged in the transitional process. Also, a significant difference in parents’ perceived need for both social and behavioral support emerged between first and second born children as they transition into formal schooling indicating parents of firstborn would like more information and support. Finally, results also showed that significance emerged between parents’ desire for counselor services and their concern as to the child’s level of behavioral success upon entering kindergarten.

Reading fluency—the ability to read accurately, with appropriate pacing, expression, and rhythm—is a fundamental skill for elementary school students to develop (Snow et al. 1998). Reading fluency is related to comprehension skills (Daane et al. 2005; Donahue et al. 1999; Pinnell et al. 1995) and to overall educational achievement (Silberglitt et al. 2006). However, many elementary school students do not reach grade-level reading fluency levels (Hemphill and Vanneman 2011; Pinnell et al. 1995), especially those from low-resource communities or from racial and ethnic minority groups (Donahue et al. 1999; Hemphill and Vanneman 2011). Research has suggested that children who do not develop the ability to read fluently early in the schooling process are likely to experience difficulty learning and comprehending important material from texts introduced in later grades (Chall et al. 1990; Lyon and Moats 1997; Rasinski et al. 2012). Interventions can be effective in improving reading fluency...

Thesis advisor: Mariela Páez / One third of young children in the United States are Dual Language Learners (DLLs), or children who are learning more than one language in their early years (Child Trends, 2014). An increase in the DLL population and a changing sociopolitical context in early childhood education, including an expansion of services for diverse families, has led to a critical need for early childhood educators to understand how to best serve DLL children and their families (McCabe et al., 2013). Previous research has identified promising practices for teaching young DLLs (e.g. Castro, Espinosa, & Páez, 2011; Tabors, 2008), but additional investigations are needed to better understand and elaborate culturally and linguistically responsive approaches. In particular, more information is needed about how teachers support DLL children in English-dominant classroom contexts, and how practices may vary across different types of preschool programs. The present study investigated specific teaching practices for DLLs in six community-nominated exemplary preschool classrooms across three program types (Head Start, public Pre-K, and private university-affiliated preschool programs) in an urban area of Massachusetts. Grounded in theoretical orientations of knowledge-of-practice (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1999) and a critical ecology of the early childhood profession (Miller, Dalli & Urban, 2012), the aim of this qualitative multiple-case study was to learn from community-nominated exemplary teachers about their beliefs and practices for teaching young DLL children. Data collection sources included: interviews with teachers, program directors, and parents; classroom observations and videos; and classroom artifacts. Findings from the study demonstrate that exemplary teachers hold asset-oriented beliefs about bilingualism and diversity, viewing DLL children and families as knowledgeable resources to the community. With these beliefs as a foundation, teachers enact a wide repertoire of practices tailored for DLL children, including: fostering relationships and belonging through embedding home languages and cultural practices in the classroom; emphasizing guided play, co-constructed curriculum, and ongoing observational assessment; and focusing on scaffolding and teaching the English language. Implications for teachers, teacher educators, and policymakers are also discussed.

<p>Two studies explored the connections between physical activity, participation in structured open-skilled sports (e.g., soccer and basketball) and closed-skilled sports (e.g. running and swimming), and executive function (EF) among preschool-aged children. Study 1 included 197 preschool-aged children (mean age = 4.34 years, female = 48%, white = 83.5%). Study 2 included 1012 preschool-aged children (mean age = 51.59 months, white = 60.5%). Results from regression models indicated that parent-reported physical activity was not associated with direct assessments or parent reports of child EF (Studies 1 and 2). General sport participation was associated with one direct assessment (DCCS; Study 1), but was not associated with parent reports of child EF when controlling for physical activity (Studies 1 and 2); however, depending on the conceptualization of sport, some associations were significant. Future research is necessary to determine whether these associations exist when the constructs are conceptualized differently and when using different assessments. </p>

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. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

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.

Koo Wai-sze. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [163-172]). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Contents --- p.i / Abstract --- p.v / Acknowledgement --- p.vii / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Current Situation of Preschool Education and Services in Hong Kong --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Historical Review of Preschool Education and Services in Hong Kong --- p.5 / Table 1.1: Percentage of children aged 3 to 5 attending schools (1971-1996) --- p.10 / Table 1.2: Gross enrolment ratios of Pre-Primaty Education in Selected Countries (1995-1997) --- p.10 / Chapter 1.3 --- Research Inquiries --- p.12 / Chapter 1.4 --- Structure of the Thesis --- p.19 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Literature Review --- p.20 / Chapter 2.1 --- Functional School of Thought --- p.21 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Functional Perspectives on Preschool Education and Servicesin Hong Kong --- p.27 / Chapter 2.2 --- Conflict School of Thought --- p.29 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Conflict Perspectives on Preschool Education and Services in Hong Kong --- p.37 / Chapter 2.3 --- Institutionalist Perspectives and Organizational Analysis --- p.39 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Organizational Perspectives --- p.39 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Institution and Institutionalization --- p.42 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- The Problem of Isomorphism --- p.48 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- Institutionalist Perspectives on Preschool --- p.50 / Chapter 2.4 --- Theoretical Framework --- p.51 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- New Institutionalist Perspective on Institutionalization of Preschool Education and Services in Hong Kong --- p.51 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- New Institutionalist Perspectives on Preschool Education and Services --- p.52 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- The Child as Scientized Individual - Child-Centered Ideology --- p.56 / Chapter 2.4.4 --- The Form of Education Institution Embodied by Preschool Education --- p.61 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Methodology --- p.64 / Chapter 3.1 --- Government and Other Documents --- p.64 / Chapter 3.2 --- Content Analysis --- p.66 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Subject of Analysis and Method of Classification --- p.66 / Table 3.1 Analytical frameworks for content analysis of newspaper articles --- p.69 / Chapter 3.2.1.1 --- Formalization --- p.70 / Chapter 3.2.1.2 --- Modern Ideological Claims --- p.71 / Chapter 3.2.1.3 --- Conventional Conceptions on Preschool Education --- p.72 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Unit of Analysis --- p.73 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Limitations --- p.74 / Chapter 3.3 --- Interviews --- p.74 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- An Alternative Institutionalization 一 From Modern Education to Modern Early Childhood Education --- p.77 / Chapter 4.1 --- Preschool Education and Services under the Hong Kong Government --- p.80 / Chapter 4.2 --- The Changing Discourses of the Government 一 From Pragmatic Discourse to Child-centered Ideology --- p.84 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Phase I: Pragmatic Discourse (from the fifties to the end of the seventies): Peripheral Status of Preschool in the Educational Sector --- p.86 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Phase II (since the beginning of the eighties): Child-centered Ideology Discourse as Justification for Modern Early Childhood Education --- p.90 / Chapter 4.3 --- Child-centered Ideology as Source of Legitimacy --- p.94 / Table 4.1 Summary of recommendations on formalization of preschool education and services in government documents (1980-2000) --- p.98 / Chapter 4.4 --- The Redefinition of Preschool Education as Modern Early Childhood Education --- p.104 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Other Forces in The Institutionalization of Preschool Education And Services --- p.107 / Chapter 5.1 --- "Child-centered ideology in the discourses of professionals, pressure groups and the media/ public" --- p.107 / Chapter 5.2 --- From newspaper ´ؤ an overview --- p.109 / "Table 5.1 Percentage of different types of discourses by actors (1960, 65,70,75,80- June, 2000)" --- p.111 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Overall trend from 1960 to June2000 --- p.111 / "Figure 5.1 Number of News Items Concerning Preschool Education and Services in Ming Pao and Singtao Daily (1960,65,70,75,80-Jun, 2000)" --- p.113 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Classification by discourse --- p.113 / Chapter 5.2.3.1 --- On formalization --- p.114 / "Table 5.2 a Percentage of form of discourses by Government (1960,65,70,75,80-Jun, 2000)" --- p.114 / "Table 5.2b Percentage of form of discourses by Professionals (1960,65,70,75,80-Jun, 2000)" --- p.115 / "Table 5.2 c Percentage of form of discourses by Pressure Groups (1960,65,70,75,80-Jun, 2000)" --- p.115 / "Table 5.2d Percentage of form of discourses by Media/ Public Opinion (1960,65,70,75,80-Jun, 2000)" --- p.116 / Table 5.3 The implementation of measures recommended in the White Paper (1982/83-84/85) --- p.117 / "Table 5.4 Percentage of discourses on formalization by actors (1960，65,70,75,80-Jun, 2000)" --- p.118 / Chapter 5.2.3.2 --- On modern ideological claims --- p.119 / "Table 5.5 Frequencies and percentage of modern ideological claims by actors (1960- June, 2000) (%)" --- p.122 / Chapter 5.2.3.3 --- On conventional conceptions on preschool education --- p.125 / Chapter 5.3 --- From other sources of data --- p.126 / Table 5.6 Comparison of news items by professionals and pressure groupsin selected years --- p.127 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- The Professionals --- p.130 / Chapter 5.3.1.1 --- Professional groups and individual professionals --- p.130 / Chapter 5.3.1.2 --- The practitioners --- p.136 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Pressure groups --- p.139 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- Media and the Public --- p.140 / Chapter 5.4 --- Dynamics of different actors --- p.141 / Chapter Chapter 6： --- Conclusion --- p.145 / Chapter 6.1 --- The Institutionalization of Preschool Education and Services in Hong Kong with Child-centered Ideology as Cultural Model --- p.145 / Chapter 6.1.1 --- Dynamic Forces of the Actors --- p.150 / Table 6.1 Summary of the official reports from 1980 to2000 --- p.150 / Chapter 6.2 --- The Significance of Institutional Culture in Legitimating an Institution --- p.158 / Chapter 6.3 --- Limitations and Further Studies --- p.160 / Reference / Appendix

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