本研究旨在建構國內適用之幼兒就學準備度評量「五歲幼兒就學準備度評量表（長題本）」，供幼兒園確保教育品質之用。研究者首先廣泛蒐集幼兒就學準備度相關文獻，包含：幼兒就學準備度內涵、幼兒學習標準與表現指標、幼兒就學準備度評量等部分，接著選取具有代表性、符合我國文化特性，以及出版日期較新之六篇重點文獻進行統整與比較，藉由文獻分析後所建立的國內外幼兒就學準備度內涵對照表，與了解幼兒學習標準與表現指標、幼兒就學準備度評量現況後的啟示，作為建構五歲幼兒就學準備度評量表（長題本）之參考。六篇重要文獻包含美國Head Start辦公室所發展的「幼兒學習成果架構」（Child Outcomes Framework）、High Scope基金會所發展的兒童行為觀察記錄表Child Observation Record (COR)、盧美貴（2003)「我國五歲幼兒基本能力與學力指標建構研究」、林秀錦與王天苗(2004)「幼兒入學準備能力之研究」、香港教育局（2003）的「兒童發展表現指標」、香港教育學院的「兒童發展評量表」（2007）。研究者以盧美貴（2003）「我國五歲幼兒基本能力與學力指標」與香港教育學院「兒童發展評量表」為藍本建構出評量表（長題本）之雛形，並透過問卷調查法與訪談調查法，進行五歲幼兒就學準備度評量表（長題本）的適用性檢視與修訂，最後完成我國適用之五歲幼兒就學準備度評量表（長題本）之建構。在調查研究的部分，為確立「長題本」的適用性，研究者以立意取樣，選取公私立幼兒園各2所，各1班，共計4班，每班2位教師，共8位老師，請教師評量班上的大班幼兒，求兩位教師評分結果的相關，建立評量表之信度，並根據訪談的意見與回饋進行評量表內容之修正。 我國適用之五歲幼兒就學準備度評量表（長題本）不僅可以在教學上使用亦可作為研究用。為進一步了解評量表（長題本）在相關研究之應用性，研究者透過預試及專家小組的討論篩選題目，建構五歲幼兒就學準備度評量表（短題本），探討教師與家長對幼兒就學準備度期望與現況之情形。研究者以便利取樣，抽取台北市公私立幼兒園的教師與家長，實施調查研究，共寄出525份問卷，回收425份，有效份數為400份，有效回收比例為76％，有效回收份數中，家長有178份，教師有222份。研究者將問卷所得之量化資料以SPSS 12.0中文版統計套裝軟體進行分析；綜合文獻分析、問卷調查與訪談調查，本研究之結論如下： 一、我國適用之五歲幼兒就學準備度評量表（長題本）具有良好的適用性。 二、我國適用之五歲幼兒就學準備度評量表（長題本）建構結果：包含「領域」、「重點」、「項目」與「行為指標」四個層次，分為健康與身體、情緒與社會、語言與溝通、認知及學習取向五個領域，共有24個重點、62個項目、177個行為指標。每個行為指標又分為三個水平，代表該能力發展的程度，由不熟悉至精熟。評量表以檢核表形式呈現，由熟悉幼兒的教師勾選，備註欄提供教師紀錄與該行為指標相關的軼事記錄、例證、評語、作品等，做為評量的依據與輔助說明。 三、家長與教師對幼兒就學準備度的期望有顯著差異，家長的期望高於教師的期望。 四、公私立幼兒園的家長背景變項在教育程度、職業類別、家庭每月總收入、與幼兒就讀幼兒園年數有顯著差異；公私立教師的背景變項在教師年齡、教學年資、大班教學年資、最高學歷、任教年級有顯著差異。五、公私立幼兒園家長背景變項、教師背景變項與幼兒就學準備度期望間部分有差異。 六、教師背景的最高學歷與語言與溝通領域的期望達顯著差異，教師年齡與情緒與社會領域、學習取向領域的期望達到顯著差異；家長背景的家長教育程度與健康與身體領域、情緒與社會領域、認知領域、學習取向領域、認知數理邏輯領域的期望達顯著差異，且事後比較發現學歷為研究所以上的家長期望較低。 七、家長對幼兒就學準備度期望與幼兒就學準備度表現現況有顯著差異，家長對幼兒就學準備度的期望顯著高於幼兒就學準備度表現的現況。 最後，研究者根據文獻分析、問卷調查及訪談調查的結果提出建議，期許對未來幼教的發展有所裨益。 / The main purpose of this study is to construct a reliable and valid five-year-old children school readiness assessment (long version) in order to ensure the quality of education in kindergartens. Through extensively collecting several relevant literatures as to Child Outcomes Framework (Head Start), Child Observation Record (COR), Readiness Skills Preparing for Better Earning and Adjustment in Elementary school (Shiu-Chin Lin & Tien-Miau Wang, 2004), Key Competency and Performance Indicators in Early Childhood Education (Mei-kuei Lu, 2003), Hong Kong Children's Development Performance Indicators (Hong Kong Government's Bureau, 2003), Hong Kong Child Development Scale (2007), the five-year-old children school readiness assessment (long version) is formed and revised after literature analysis, questionnaire survey and personal interview. This can not only be used for teaching but also for researching. The five-year-old children school readiness assessment (short version) is for understanding the expectation of kindergarten teachers and parents of school readiness. The results are analyzed by means, standard deviations, t-test and one-way ANOVA. Here are the results of this study: A. The five-year-old children school readiness assessment (long version) has good reliability and validity. B. The five-year-old children school readiness assessment (long version) is related to five domains (physical health and development domain, social and emotional domain, language and communicate domain, cognitive domain and approaches to learning domain), 24 points, 62 items and 177 indicators. Every indicator has three performance levels and a remarks column that can offer teachers to record related observations, reviews, children’s performances etc. C. The expectation of school readiness between kindergarten teachers’ and parents’ is significantly different. Parents’ expectation is higher than kindergarten teachers’ expectation. D. There are significantly different characters between public and private kindergartens. E. There are significantly different expectations of school readiness among the different background of families and kindergarten teachers. F. The parents’ expectation of school readiness and their children’s performance of school readiness is significant different. Parents’ expectation is higher than their children’s school readiness performance.

The purpose of this thesis was to identify the most common causes of school suspension within a regional survey in comparison with the views of parents, elementary and kindergarten teachers. In connection with this theme the author dealt with pre-school child characteristics focusing on school maturity diagnosis and school suspension problematics. The main reasearch was realised i Pedagogical-psychological advice centre in Kladno in 3 selected years ranging from 1999 to 2010. The method of analysis has been used to collect the data. A survey in a form of an anonymous questionnaire clearified opinions of selected respondents. On the basis of this observation a casuistry of a school suspended child with specific needs has been made. This casuistry demonstrates further development of a child after starting it's school attendence. Submitted results of the thesis confirmed the opinions of experts in this field as well as conclusions of researches focusing on school suspension issues. It has been found out, that the most common causes of school suspension in the examined lokality are the issues of speech, visual and hearing perception, graphmotorics and school work maturity. This finding was identical with the views of respondents of the survey. The respondents marked psychological area of school...

蒙特梭利教育推行逾百年，至今屹立不搖，主要有賴蒙特梭利以科學方法發現了幼兒成長的原理和法則，其以幼兒為中心，將教學法劃分為三個要素： (1)預備的環境，(2)教師，(3)教具，透過三者相輔相成，引導幼兒學習。不過，蒙特梭利教育目前仍被視為另類教學，人們擔心蒙氏幼兒教育缺乏情感、創造力與人際互動的學習，並對蒙氏幼兒教育是否能與小學教育接軌感到疑慮。對此，中華民國蒙特梭利教師協會在2007年慶祝蒙特梭利教育100周年紀念特刊中指出許多追蹤研究顯示，蒙特梭利孩子除了在課業成績表現優異外，在主動學習、人際關係、情緒管理上也優於一般小孩。由於近十餘年來，「幼兒就學準備度」的觀念日趨重視，教育部正積極編訂的「幼兒園教保活動及課程大綱」也特別重視幼小銜接，因此，研究者將從幼兒就學準備的觀點，探討蒙特梭利教育。本研究首先採用文獻分析法探討蒙特梭利教育與就學準備度的共同脈絡，並依據探討之結果，建構「蒙特梭利教育與五歲幼兒就學準備度評量對照表」，進而運用問卷調查進行專家效度之檢視，以做對照表的修訂。接續研究者使用調查研究的方式，評量接受蒙特梭利教育之幼兒的就學準備度，將蒐集的資料進行統計及分析。本研究所使用的統計方法包含描述性統計分析、交叉表（Crosstabs）與卡方檢定（Chi-square test）、皮爾森積差相關(Pearson’s product -moment correlation)、斯皮爾曼等級相關（Spearman's rank correlation）、t考驗（t- test）與單因子變異數分析(one way ANOVA)。研究結論如下： 壹、蒙特梭利教育與五歲幼兒就學準備度評量對照表的對應度高，顯示五歲幼兒就學準備度評量表中所關心的幼兒行為能力，與蒙特梭利幼兒教育的教學內容高度相符。初步反映蒙特梭利教育的內容符合我國幼兒教育對幼兒基本能力之要求與發展，有利我國幼兒發展入小學前的就學準備。 貳、本研究所取樣就讀蒙特梭利幼兒園之幼兒，具有良好的就學準備度。 參、就學準備度差異存在於幼兒就讀/非就讀蒙特梭利幼兒園之間，其中以幼兒就讀蒙特梭利幼兒園之就學準備度較高。 肆、蒙特梭利兒童背景變項中，蒙特梭利幼稚園與托兒所在「健康與身體領域」、「認知數理邏輯與科學領域」的就學準備度達顯著差異；幼兒就讀蒙特梭利幼兒園年數與就學準備度無顯著相關；不同性別的蒙特梭利幼兒就學準備度無顯著差異。 伍、蒙特梭利教師背景變項中，蒙特梭利教師大班(含混齡)教學年資與「健康與身體領域」、「語言與溝通領域」、「認知數理邏輯與科學領域」、「認知文化藝術領域」、及「整體」的就學準備度有顯著正相關；蒙特梭利教師最高學歷與幼兒就學準備度有顯著正相關；不同蒙特梭利教師證照別之幼兒就學準備度無顯著差異。 最後，根據上述研究結論針對實務面以及未來研究提出建議。 / Montessori education has developed for over a century, mainly due to Montessori found the early childhood development principles and rules by the scientific method. She advocates child-centered,and there are three elements of Montessori education：(1)prepared environment, (2) teachers, (3) teaching aids, through the three to guide children's learning. However, in Taiwan, people worried about that Montessori education is lack of emotional, creativity , interpersonal learning, and the transition with primary education, therefore Montessori education is still being considered as an alternative education. In this regard, Montessori Teachers Association of the R.O.C pointed many longitudinal study shows that Montessori children perform better than the traditional-education children in many ways of academic achievements, active learning, interpersonal relationships, and emotional management. Nowadays, the concept of " school readiness " becomes more important, and the Ministry of Education is actively compiling the "Guidelines of Nursery Education Activities and Security Curriculum " which is particularly imply the importance of transition program. Thus, this study proposes to investigate Montessori education from the perspective of school readiness. First , researcher explored the common context of Montessori education and school readiness by document analysis, then based on the results to construct "The corresponding table of Montessori education and five-year-old children school readiness assessment “, and corrected the table by expert validity. Finally, assess the Montessori children's school readiness in actually. Data were analyzed by descriptive analysis, Crosstabs, Chi-square test, Pearson’s product -moment correlation, Spearman's rank correlation, t- test, and one way ANOVA. The results were summarized as follow: A."The corresponding table of Montessori education and five-year-old children school readiness assessment “ is highly corresponded, show they concerned the same capacity of children. Initially reflected Montessori education conform the basic development requirements of Taiwan early child education, and could help children get ready into primary school. B. Montessori children in this study sample get good school readiness. C. There is significant difference towards the school readiness between children study /non-study Montessori kindergarten. D. There is significant difference towards school readiness of “physical health and development domain”、”mathematical logic and cognitive science domain” between Montessori kindergartens and Montessori child care；there is no significant correlation between children’s school year in Montessori kindergarten and children’s school readiness；there is no significant difference towards the school readiness between boys and girls. E. There is significant correlation in “physical health and development domain”、”language and communicate domain”、” mathematical logic and cognitive science domain”、” cultural and artistic domain” and ” overall average” between school readiness and the years of teaching five-year classes (ambiguous age)；there is significant correlation between school readiness and the highest degree of Montessori teachers；there is no significant difference towards the school readiness between the teachers with different Montessori teacher license.

本研究以「幼兒就學準備度」的觀點，瞭解英國幼兒教育的學習與發展研究，包括幼兒基礎階段之背景（幼教政策與研究計畫）、幼兒基礎階段實施綱要、相關應用等。進而比較英國幼兒學習與發展評量表與我國五歲幼兒就學準備度評量表之內涵，同時採訪談法的方式，便利取樣選取公私立園所4所，共11位教師，使用「英國幼兒學習與發展評量表」及我國「五歲幼兒就學準備度評量表」評量班上1位幼兒，以瞭解現場教師對於兩評量表在使用上的差異，同時給予相關的回饋與建議。 研究結果如下： 壹、英國重要幼教政策及法案內容特色有三： 一、重視各項幼教政策間的連續性與穩定性。 二、政策制訂具有前瞻性。 三、明確規範各相關部門職責，保障並促進跨部門的協調合作。 貳、英國「幼兒基礎階段實施綱要」內容特色有四： 一、整合三份重要幼兒照顧方案。 二、具體明確的學習與發展架構。 三、配合「幼兒基礎階段教師實務指引」、「幼兒基礎階段評量表手冊」及「幼兒基礎階段之改變計畫」。 四、「英國幼兒學習與發展評量表」呼應幼兒就學準備度的觀點。 參、我國「五歲幼兒就學準備度評量表」與英國「幼兒學習與發展評量表」之行為指標比較。 一、 學習途徑：（一）英國評量表鼓勵幼兒運用各種表達方式與感官學習。（二）我國評量表鼓勵幼兒「說出」、「辨別」；英國評量表鼓勵「操作」。（三）我國評量表強調幼兒「嘗試」、「複述」；英國透過「閱讀故事」方式學習。 二、 行為指標敘述特色：（一）評量格式不同，英國評量表之幼兒發展層次 性較為明顯。（二）涵蓋廣度不同，英國評量表的涵蓋範圍較廣。（三）認知概念之應用性不同。 肆、現場教師對我國「五歲幼兒就學準備度評量表」與英國「幼兒學習與發展評量表」之評價。 一、「五歲幼兒就學準備度評量表」較有助於教師課程規劃。 二、「英國幼兒學習與發展評量表」較有利於親師溝通。 本研究並根據研究結果提出建議，以「他山之石，可以攻錯」的借鏡觀點，提供對未來台灣幼兒教育發展之建議及後續研究之參考。 / The main purpose of this study is to understand the concept of children’s school readiness, and the Learning and Development Requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage in the UK. Include early childhood education and care policy, the effective provision of pre-school education (EPPE) project, statutory framework for the early years foundation stage, and achievement of children in the early years foundation stage profile. This study received to 11 teacher’s interview to understand the difference between the five-year-old children school readiness assessment and the EYFS profile assessment scales. And share any observations on children. Here are the results of this study: A. Early childhood education and care policy characteristics: 1. Continuous and stable. 2. Proactive. 3. Accountability and integration- locally, regionally and nationally. B. “Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage”characteristics: 1. The EYFS is founded on existing standards already used in all types of childcare. 2. The Learning and Development Requirements are specific. 3. Use “Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage”, “Early Year Foundation Stage Profile Handbook”, “Making A Big Difference in the Early Years Foundation Stage”. 4. The EYFS profile assessment scales is related to the children’s school readiness. C. The learning way and characteristics are differences between the five-year-old children school readiness assessment and the EYFS profile assessment scales. D. There are differences meaning to teachers when they use the five-year-old children school readiness assessment and he EYFS profile assessment scales. 1. The five-year-old children school readiness assessment is good for teachers to plan an effective and appropriate curriculum that will meet all children’s needs. 2. The EYFS profile assessment scales can help teachers to communicate with parents.

Play can be seen as a very important component in the learning programme of pre-school children. The question arises whether the Gr R teacher has adequate play incorporated into the daily schedule? The research question was answered as follows. Although it was revealed in the study that the teachers who had pre-primary and Bed qualifications, possessed more (play) knowledge of all the teachers, the rest of the Gr R teachers indicated that they did have a need to gather more knowledge in childrens’ play, as well as implementing it into the day programme. The third part of the research question was also answered namely; that too much formal education were taking place in the Gr R classes in primary schools. The answer to the question; whether there is enough play in the Gr R class in a primary school is; “no”, 10 and whether there is enough play in the Gr R class in the pre-primary school is; “yes”. It was concluded that the Gr R education methods in the primary school is far more formal than that of the pre-primary school. The research question is thus fully answered and the study was completed successfully. / Spel kan gesien word as ’n baie belangrike komponent van die leerprogram vir voorskoolse kinders. Die vraag ontstaan of Gr R onderwyseresse genoegsame spel in die dagprogram implementeer? Die navorsingsvraag is as volg beantwoord. Alhoewel dit in die studie na vore gekom het, dat die onderwyseresse wat preprimêr en BEd gekwalifiseer is oor die meeste speelkennis beskik, het die meeste Gr R onderwyseresse aangedui dat hul wel ’n behoefte het om meer kennis rakende kinderspel en die implementering daarvan in die dagprogram te bekom. Die laaste vraag voortvloeiend uit die navorsing of daar genoegsame spel in die Gr R klasse plaasvind was die gevolgtrekking “nee” by primêre skole en “ja” by preprimêre skole. Daar is tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat Gr R onderwys by primêre skole se onderrigmetodes baie meer formeel is as Gr R by preprimêre skole. Die navorsings-vraag is dus in geheel beantwoord en die studie is suksesvol voltooi. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)

The Reception Year (Grade R) classroom is the educational setting for lifelong learning to take place. The Reception Year teacher is primarily involved in equipping the young child with care and education. Quality education calls for trained teachers with diverse, intense training; teachers who would use their knowledge, skills and attitudes to lead the child to ultimately reach his/her full potential in the classroom setting through the curriculum. This study investigates what constitutes and influences quality teaching in the Reception Year classroom. The investigation includes a literature review and empirical research using quantitative research approaches and expands on the role of the Reception Year teacher with regards to the child in totality, Grade R curriculum and outcomes-based education. Findings show that teachers with specialised qualifications in early childhood education bring to the Grade R classroom relevant skills, knowledge and attitudes that affect the young child’s developmental needs. / Teacher Education / M.Ed. (Didactics)

本研究目的在於瞭解幼兒就學準備度之內涵，並以實證方式進行幼兒學前教育經驗、幼兒園品質、家庭背景、家長參與的現況瞭解，以及與幼兒就學準備度之間的差異情形、相關情形、預測情形。依隨機抽樣方式，以問卷調查進行兩階段實施，第一階段，抽取632位文山及萬華區小ㄧ學童為研究對象，進行幼兒就學準備度的施測，可用率為75.5%，共477位學童；第二階段根據學童分布的141家公私立幼兒園(幼稚園或托兒所)，進行幼兒園品質調查，可用率為51.8%，共計73家幼兒園。本研究採用量化方法，以SPSS 14.0套裝軟體進行分析，包括獨立樣本t考驗、卡方分配、單因子變異數分析、Scheff’e事後比較、皮爾森基差相關、多元逐步回歸等方式做資料的處理。 研究結果顯示：1、幼兒園屬性及類型對就學準備度有顯著差異，就讀私立幼兒園者其就學準備度高於就讀公立幼兒園者；就讀不同幼兒園類型的孩子其就學準備度有顯著差異。2、幼兒就讀幼兒園年數與學準備度呈現正相關。3、幼兒園品質與就學準備度的無顯著相關。4、家庭背景中的「每月收入」、「父母教育程度」、「父母職業類型」、「父母社經地位」皆與幼兒就學準備度有顯著差異。5、幼兒園與小學時期家長參與呈正相關，兩時期的家長參與與就學準備度也呈現正相關。6、「家庭每月收入」、「幼兒園時期家長參與」、「就讀幼兒園年數」對就學準備度達顯著預測性。 另外其他研究發現部分：1、幼兒園及小學時期家長參與度中偏高。2、幼兒就讀幼兒園類型與家庭環境及區域分佈有關，且家庭背景會影響幼兒園類型選擇。3、幼兒進入小學後就學準備度「學業成績」方面表現不錯，「生活適應」方面表現中等。4、家長參與和家庭背景因素呈現正相關，父母教育程度、職業、社經地位、家庭每月收入月高的家庭，家長的參與程度會越高。5、各類型的幼兒園其幼兒園品質有顯著差異。 本研究並根據研究結果提出建議，以提供家長、學校、政府機關以及未來研究者之參考。 / The main purpose of this study is to understand the concept of school readiness, and examine the experience of early childhood education, the educational quality in ECE (early childhood education), the background of family, parents participate, and the relationships of these items. This study adopts literature analysis and questionnaire investigation to achieve the goal. This study are 2 steps, the first step, 632 first grade elementary school students in Wenshan district and Wanhua district of Taipei City, and 477 samples were received, making the return rate of 75.5%. The second step, basing on 141 early childhood education centers the children attended in last year, and 73 samples were received, making the return rate of 51.8%. The sample results were analyzed by means, standard deviations, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Person’s product-moment correlation and stepwise multiple regression analysis. Depending on the result, the conclusions are as fallows: 1. The children study in private center is better than in public. And the school readiness of children in different types childcare centers has obvious different. 2. The correlation analysis found that there is moderate positive relationship between “How long are children in childcare centers” and “early childhood school readiness”. 3. The correlation analysis found that there is no moderate relationship between “the educational quality in ECE” and “early childhood school readiness”. 4. There were significantly different perceptions towards school readiness to different background family. 5. The correlation analysis found that there is moderate positive relationship between parents participate in early childhood time and elementary school time. “The parents participate in two step” and early childhood school readiness” also show positive relationship. 6. The income of the family per month, the participation of parents in early childhood time and how long children in childcare centers are were appropriate indicators in predicting early childhood school readiness. Otherwise, there are other researches results are discovered as follows: 1. The participation of parents in early childhood time and elementary school time are obviously high. 2. Family backgrounds can affect the choice of the type of the early childhood centers, and the type of the early childhood centers are concerned with family backgrounds and which areas they are in. 3. After children enter the elementary school, their school readiness in” study achievements “are good, and in “live hood adaption” show average. 4. There were moderate positive relationship between “the participation of parents” and “the factors of family backgrounds”, the higher level of education of their parents, their occupations, their position of social and economics and the income per month, the participation of parents show higher. 5. There were significantly different perceptions between types of early childhood centers and their qualities. According to previous conclusions, the researcher proposes some suggestions for parents, school, administration and researchers in the future.

Résumé La présente thèse doctorale vise à déterminer sous quelles conditions la garde non-maternelle est associée (positivement/négativement) au niveau de stress et au développement cognitif des enfants. Elle comporte une recension des écrits et trois articles empiriques. Le premier article présente une recension des écrits (de type méta-analytique) qui synthétise les études portant sur le stress des enfants en services de garde et ayant utilisé le niveau de cortisol comme indicateur. Les résultats montrent que la garde non-maternelle est associée au niveau de stress des enfants, se reflétant dans des concentrations de cortisol élevées. Les niveaux de stress élevés s’observent particulièrement chez les enfants qui au départ ont tendance à être retirés, anxieux ou qui sont gardés dans un milieu de faible qualité. Cependant, certains éléments indiquent que les élévations de cortisol à la garderie sont temporaires et qu’elles disparaissent au fur et à mesure que l’enfant s’adapte à son milieu. Le deuxième article de thèse, réalisé dans le contexte de l’Échantillon longitudinal national des enfants et des jeunes [ELNEJ] (n = 3093), vise à déterminer dans quelle mesure l’association entre la fréquentation des services de garde et l’acquisition du vocabulaire réceptif au préscolaire dépend du milieu familial de l’enfant. Les résultats indiquent qu’à l’intérieur du groupe d’enfants défavorisés, ceux ayant été gardés à temps plein dans la première année de vie obtiennent des scores supérieurs sur une mesure de vocabulaire réceptif administrée à 4 ½ ans, comparativement aux enfants restés à la maison avec la mère (d=0.58). Le troisième article, réalisé dans le contexte de l’Étude longitudinale des enfants du Québec [ELDEQ]; (n=2,120), vise à documenter les bénéfices à long terme de la fréquentation des services de garde par les enfants issus de milieux désavantagés sur la préparation scolaire et les compétences académiques. Les résultats révèlent que les enfants dont la mère n’a pas terminé ses études secondaires obtiennent de meilleurs résultats sur une mesure de préparation scolaire cognitive (d=0.56) et de vocabulaire réceptif (d=0.30) en maternelle, et de connaissance des nombres (d=0.43) en première année, s’ils ont fréquenté un service de garde sur une base régulière. Par ailleurs, la garde non-parentale n’est pas associée aux compétences cognitives des enfants de milieux sociaux favorisés. L’objectif du quatrième article est d’examiner les facteurs de sélection quant à l’utilisation des services de garde dans le contexte de l’ELDEQ. Les résultats montrent que l’absence d’emploi de la mère pendant la grossesse, le faible niveau d’éducation de la mère; le revenu insuffisant de la famille, avoir plus de 2 frères et sœurs, la surprotection maternelle, et le faible niveau de stimulation cognitive sont associés à une faible utilisation des services de garde (30.7% de l’échantillon québécois). En d’autres termes, les enfants qui sont les plus susceptibles de retirer des avantages des services de garde sur le plan du développement, en raison de la présence de facteurs de risque dans leur milieu familial, sont aussi ceux qui utilisent le moins les services de garde. / Abstract The present doctoral thesis aims at determining under which conditions child-care experiences may be associated (positively or negatively) with children’s stress levels and cognitive development. It comprises one literature review and three empirical studies. The first study is a literature review (meta-analysis type) which summarizes the studies on child-care experiences and children’s stress (as indexed by cortisol) in order to identify individual and environmental conditions under which child-care is associated with elevated cortisol concentrations. Findings suggest that child-care may be more stressful, as reflected in higher salivary cortisol concentrations, for children who are less socially competent or who received low quality child-care services. However, some pieces of evidence suggest that cortisol elevations in child-care are transient and fade out as children grow older The second study uses data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth [NLSCY]; (n=3093). The goal is to determine whether the association between non-maternal care and receptive vocabulary skills depend upon children’s home environment. Results show that children from low socioeconomic status who received full-time (< 25 hours/week) child-care services in their first year of life obtain higher scores on a measure of receptive vocabulary at 4 ½ years than those who were cared for by their mothers (d=0.58). The goal of the third study is to document further the longer-term benefits of early child-care attendance on disadvantaged children’s school readiness and school achievement. This study uses data from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development [QLSCD]; (n=2120). Findings reveal that child-care services produce benefits over maternal care for children from low educated mothers on a measure of receptive vocabulary (d=0.30) and cognitive school readiness (d=0.56) in kindergarten, and number knowledge in first grade (d=0.43). Overall, child-care services produce no advantage or disadvantage for children who do not experience risks in their home. The objective of the fourth study is to identify key family factors associated with low child-care services utilization, using the QLSCD sample. Results show that maternal unemployment during pregnancy, low levels of maternal education; insufficient household income, having more than two siblings, high levels of maternal overprotection, and low levels of cognitive stimulation are associated with lower child-care services use (30.7% of the Quebec sample). In sum, children who are the most likely to benefit from child-care services in terms of their development are also those who are less likely to receive it.

Le niveau de préparation scolaire des enfants est un prédicteur important de la réussite scolaire ultérieure. Les études ont montré que la fréquentation d’un milieu de garde extra-familial avant l’entrée en maternelle influence le niveau de préparation scolaire des enfants. L’objectif de cette étude est d’examiner quels parcours de garde sont associés à une meilleure préparation scolaire autant sur le plan cognitif que socio-émotionnel. Le second objectif est d’examiner si les différents parcours de garde contribuent différemment à la préparation scolaire selon les caractéristiques socio-familiales de l’enfant. Cinq cent soixante-douze enfants ont été recrutés à partir du registre des naissances du Québec et ont été suivis de l’âge de 5 mois jusqu’à leur entrée en maternelle. Trois parcours de garde ont été considérés: la garde continue en milieu familial (F-F), la garde en milieu familial durant la petite enfance suivie de la garde en installation durant l’âge préscolaire (F-I) et la garde continue en installation (I-I). Le niveau de préparation scolaire des enfants ayant suivi un de ces parcours de garde a été comparé à celui des enfants n’ayant jamais fréquenté de façon régulière un service de garde. La dimension cognitive de la préparation scolaire a été évaluée à l’aide du test du Lollipop et la dimension socio-émotionnelle à l’aide du Questionnaire des comportements sociaux. Les résultats indiquent qu’un parcours de garde favorise la dimension cognitive de la préparation scolaire de tous les enfants, sans nuire à la dimension socio-émotionnelle : le parcours F-I. On observe en outre un effet modérateur de la scolarité maternelle : lorsque les mères ont fait des études universitaires, la préparation scolaire de leurs enfants sur les deux dimensions de la préparation scolaire est aussi élevée pour ceux qui n’ont jamais fréquenté de service de garde sur une base régulière que pour ceux qui ont suivi le parcours de garde F-I. La présente étude confirme la contribution positive des milieux de garde au développement cognitif des enfants de milieux défavorisés. De plus, les résultats de cette étude précisent quel parcours de garde est associé à la meilleure préparation scolaire des enfants. Le parcours de garde F-I pourrait contribuer à réduire l’écart entre ceux qui sont prêts à entrer à l’école et ceux qui ne le sont pas et favoriser le succès scolaire pour tous les enfants, réduisant du coup les inégalités sociales. / School readiness is an important predictor of future academic success. Studies have shown that childcare before kindergarten entry influences academic readiness of children. The objective of this study is to examine which sequences of childcare type are associated with better cognitive and socio-emotional school readiness. The second objective is to examine whether the different sequences of childcare type contribute differently to the school readiness as function of social and family characteristics. 572 children from Quebec were randomly selected from the birth’s register and were followed from 5 months of age until they entered kindergarten. Three sequences of childcare type were considered: continuous home-based care (F-F), home-based care in infancy and center care during preschool period (F-I) and continuous center care (I-I). School readiness of children following one of these sequences of childcare type was compared to those of children who have never used a regular type of care. Cognitive school readiness was assessed with the Lollipop test and socio-emotional school readiness was assessed with the Social Behavior Questionnaire. The sequence of childcare type that promotes the best cognitive school readiness without compromising the socio-emotional dimension is the F-I sequence. Conversely, when the mother had a high level of education (university), children who have stayed at home are as well prepared to enter school as the ones that had followed the F-I sequence of care. Findings of this study confirm the positive contribution of childcare on cognitive development of disadvantaged children. In addition, results of this study specify which sequence of care promotes optimal child development. Attending F-I sequence could reduce the gap between those who are ready to enter school and those who are not and thus ensure that all children start school with the same chance of success. In this way, it would be possible to reduce social inequalities.

Ce mémoire porte sur la perception des acteurs multisectoriels de la petite enfance concernant le développement langagier des tout-petits et les interventions qu’ils proposent pour le soutenir. L’origine de cette question vient de l’Enquête sur la maturité scolaire des enfants montréalais. En route pour l'école! (DSPM, 2008a) qui révélait que les tout-petits montréalais étaient plus vulnérables dans les domaines du développement cognitif et langagier et des habiletés de communication et connaissances générales que ceux de l’échantillon normatif canadien, jumelée à la préoccupation des acteurs eux-mêmes relativement à cette problématique. Les objectifs sont de décrire le portrait qu’ont ces acteurs du développement langagier des enfants de leur milieu et analyser ces représentations sur le plan de leur articulation problème – solution. Pour y répondre, un cadre conceptuel écologique mettant en relation quatre niveaux d’influence (enfant, famille, voisinage, environnement général) et cinq axes d’intervention a été conçu. La méthodologie adoptée fut une étude de cas qualitative à base d’analyses documentaires et d’entrevues (n=10) auprès des six secteurs engagés dans l’intervention intersectorielle en petite enfance dans un CSSS montréalais. Les résultats montrent que ces acteurs connaissent les facteurs influençant le développement langagier des tout-petits. Les interventions actuelles ou souhaitées sont cohérentes avec les écrits scientifiques et partiellement stratégiques par rapport aux facteurs de risques identifiés. Des actions doivent toutefois être posées pour soutenir davantage les jeunes familles, dont celles visant à hausser la qualité du voisinage ou encore, l’accès à des services publics de qualité. / This thesis examines perceptions of intersectoral stakeholders in early childhood regarding language development in young children, and the initiatives they suggest to support such development. The question originates from a survey on the school readiness of Montréal children, Enquête sur la maturité scolaire des enfants montréalais. En route pour l'école! (DSP, 2008a), which revealed that, with regard to language development and communication skills, young Montréal children were more vulnerable than the Canadian normative sample. It also stems from stakeholders’ concerns regarding this issue. The goals are to describe the representation of language development held by these stakeholders and to analyse their conceptualisation of the problem and the solution to language development. An ecological conceptual framework was developed, comprising four levels of influence (child, family, neighbourhood, overall environment) and five areas of intervention. The methodology was a qualitative case study based on a literature synthesis and interviews (n=10) carried out in six sectors involved in early childhood intersectoral initiatives in a Montréal Health and Social Services Centre (CSSS). Results show that stakeholders are aware of the factors influencing language development in young children. Current or desired initiatives correspond with the literature and are mostly strategic with respect to identified risk factors. However, actions must be taken to provide more support to young families, including actions designed to improve neighbourhoods and enhance access to quality public services.