Research indicates that preschool experience significantly influences child development and this study examined the influence of preschool learning experiences on children’s school readiness, self-regulation and academic achievement. Participants were 190 children from an impoverished county in Southwest China and their teachers. Classroom observations were conducted and children were assessed in individual and group sessions. There were three different types of preschool programs (kindergartens, pre-primary classes; Grade 1) available in the county. A total of 18 teaching episodes provided in either the kindergarten or primary schools to 164 children were videotaped and analyzed. Results indicated marked variations in preschool quality and pedagogical practices to support children’s self-regulation across programs. Kindergartens had the best physical environments, the most resources and highly qualified teachers. The teachers provided children with meaningful learning opportunities, adequate instructions, clear structure and predictability, and diversified instructional formats. Pre-primary classes had limited resources and unqualified teachers who emphasized academic learning. Compared to kindergarten teachers, pre-primary class teachers prepared fewer activities and frequently required children to simply sit still and listen. Preschool age children who merely “sat in” Grade 1 classrooms were typically neglected by teachers and only received attention from the teacher when they were disruptive. Grade 1 children (89 girls) who had attended kindergarten (n = 60), separate pre-primary classes (n = 55), merely “sat in” Grade 1 classes before being formally enrolled in school (n = 54) or had no preschool experience (n = 21) were assessed at the beginning of Grade 1 (Wave 1), at the end of Grade 1 (Wave 2), and at the end of Grade 2 (Wave 3). Their school readiness was assessed in Wave 1. Their self-regulation skills were assessed using the modified Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders task in Waves 1 and 2, and seven cognitive regulation tests in Wave 3. Their literacy and mathematics achievement was evaluated using curriculum-based tests across the three waves. Results indicated that children with some form of preschool experience outperformed those with none in almost all the three outcomes across the three waves. Children from the kindergarten had better school readiness than the other three groups and better self-regulation than those attending separate pre-primary classes at the start of school. Children attending separate pre-primary classes had significantly better literacy and mathematics than those from the kindergarten at the start of school and literacy at the end of Grade 2. Children “sitting in” Grade 1 classes achieved lower scores than those from the kindergarten and pre-primary classes on almost all child outcome measures. The growth of self-regulation within the first primary school year was significant and Wave 1 behavioral regulation predicted Wave 3 cognitive regulation. School readiness and self-regulation significantly predicted academic achievement in all three waves and school readiness mediated the close relationship between self-regulation and academic achievement. Findings highlight the importance of (i) preschool experience for children from economically disadvantaged families in rural China; and (ii) self-regulation in school preparedness and early academic attainment. They also have implications for scaling up and enhancing the quality of preschool programs. / published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the Skillstreaming the Adolescent social skills training program on sixth grade students' social skills as reported by themselves, their teachers, and their parents. The study was conducted in two phases. Participants in Phase I were 24 sixth grade boys and 25 sixth grade girls selected from a Midwestern, small suburban elementary school. Experimental Group 1 consisted of 24 students and Control Group I consisted of 25 students. The mean age of the students was 11.7 years. Participants in Phase II were 28 sixth grade boys and 21 sixth grade girls. Experimental Group 2 (n=16) and Experimental Group 3 (n=16) were combined for the training intervention. Control Group 2 consisted of 17 students. The mean age of these students was 11.6 years. Pretest and posttest assessments of students' social skills were measured using the Social Skills Rating System-Parent, Teacher, and Student forms (Gresham & Elliot, 1990). Data were analyzed for both phases using repeated Measures of Multivariate Analysis of Variance. In Phase I no significant interaction between time of testing, raters, and group were found. However, differences were found between the experimental and control groups regardless of time, and between time (pre and post tests) regardless of group, primarily due to teacher ratings. In Phase II there was a significant interaction between time of testing, raters, and group. The control group scored higher than the experimental group on students' social skills ratings. Based on univariate tests, the control group's significantly higher ratings were the result of teacher ratings. This study did not find support for the overall efficacy of the Skillstreamins, the Adolescent training program on improving students' social skills as measured by the SSRS-parent, teacher, and student forms. Results and implications of these findings are discussed as they relate to previous research and future directions for study. It is suggested a follow-up measure when students transition to junior high school may provide evidence of long-term effects of social skills programs. An investigation of teachers' expectations may also provide a greater understanding of the impact of training programs. / Department of Educational Psychology

Learning to self-regulate one's behavior is a core developmental task in early childhood. Regulation of behavior is a challenge for young children largely due to cognitive constraints, specifically in the areas of attention and memory. As such, it has been theorized that both caregivers and a child's environment can support the development of behavioral self-regulation by providing cues as to what constitutes acceptable behavior in any given context. Although much research has been conducted on the role caregivers play in this regard, little is known about how a child's environment may also serve to support emerging self-regulation of behavior. The present study sought to identify differences among children's daily activities in terms of their degree of structure and routine and how they related to changes in patterns of self-regulated behavior over time. Twenty-one children ages 6 to 60 months in three age-graded classrooms at a constructivist child-care center were video-taped at three measurement points over a six-month period as they engaged in a variety of daily activities (i.e., free play, meals and clean-up). Trained observers coded for nine self-regulatory behaviors and the daily activities during which they occurred. It was hypothesized that structured and routine daily activities would scaffold the development of self-regulation and internalization such that these behaviors would occur more frequently during activities high in structure and routine. Over time, practice during activities that are high and low in structure and routine should support self-regulated behavior in the absence of structure and routine as well. Overall, results demonstrated that in the presence of environmental cues for expected behavior (i.e., structure and routine) children tend to engage in more self-regulated behavior than in the absence of such cues.

This project contends that the instructional time given to language arts is the appropriate time to teach discipline. Sample lesson plans incorporating the teaching of discipline into California's third grade curriculum are offered to inspire and inform educators to become teachers of self-discipline.

Abstract in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / The fostering of self-regulation is of great importance in the Early Childhood Development (ECD) phase, because it leads to future self-discipline. The aim of the study was to understand the participants’ ways of fostering self-regulation during free play in three primary schools in Zimbabwe. The theoretical frameworks of the study, namely positive psychology and Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory (SDT), as well as the Basic Psychological Needs Theory (BPNT), regarded the learners’ support for autonomy, competence and relatedness as key characteristics of positive discipline that support the development of self-regulation. Benner’s interpretive phenomenology method was used with the aim of describing and interpreting participants’ experiences of the phenomenon under study. The social constructivism paradigm underpinned the study and the approach was qualitative. Data collection and analysis were guided by Benner’s interpretive phenomenological method. A paradigm case, themes and exemplars were used in data presentation, discussion and interpretation. Findings showed that free-play activities consisted of, for instance, socio-dramatic play, indoor play in play corners and outdoor play. The common practices used by the participants to foster self-regulation through positive discipline were co-regulation, positive reinforcement, time-out and logical consequences. Teachers and learners often perceived the teachers’ use of time-out and logical consequences as punishment rather than positive discipline, because of the rigidity of its application without considering psychosocial needs. The findings, however, were consistent with an understanding of fostering self-regulation through positive discipline during free play by nurturing the learners’ psychological needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness, as well as mindfulness. Research proposed mindfulness as a possible fourth basic psychological need. In line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for achieving a better and sustainable future for all people by 2030, participants perceived the fostering of self-regulation through positive discipline as part of gender education for eradicating gender-based violence and to foster resilience. / Selfregulering moet in die vroeë kinderjare reeds by klein kinders gekweek word sodat hulle later in die lewe in staat sal wees om selfdissipline aan die dag te lê. Die doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stel hoe die deelnemers by drie laerskole in Zimbabwe gedurende vrye spel selfregulering by leerders gekweek het. Die drie teoretiese raamwerke waarop hierdie studie berus, is die positiewe sielkunde, Deci en Ryan se selfbeskikkingsteorie (SBT) en die teorie van basiese psigososiale behoeftes (TBSB). Hiervolgens is die bevrediging van kinders se behoefte aan outonomie, bedrewenheid (‘competence’) en verhoudings (‘relatedness’) voorvereistes vir die positiewe dissiplinering waarmee selfregulering by hulle gekweek word. Benner se metode van interpretatiewe fenomenologie is gevolg om deelnemers se belewing van die fenomeen te beskryf en te vertolk. Die sosiale konstruktivisme het die grondslag van hierdie studie gevorm, en die benadering was kwalitatief. Data is volgens Benner se metode van interpretatiewe fenomenologie ingewin en ontleed. ʼn Paradigmageval, temas en voorbeelde (‘exemplars’) is in die aanbieding, bespreking en interpretasie van data gebruik. Volgens die bevindings het vryespelaktiwiteite bestaan uit onder meer sosiaal-dramatiese spel, binnenshuise spel in speelhoekies, en buitelugspel. Die praktyke waarvolgens deelnemers selfregulering deur positiewe dissiplinering gekweek het, was onderlinge regulering, positiewe versterking, afkoeltyd en logiese gevolge. Onderwysers en leerders het afkoeltyd en logiese gevolge nie as positiewe dissiplinering nie, maar eerder as straf belewe aangesien dit streng toegepas word en nie met die kind se psigososiale behoeftes rekening hou nie. Die bevindings strook egter met ons siening van die kweek van selfregulering deur positiewe dissiplinering tydens vrye spel deur leerders se psigososiale behoefte aan outonomie, bedrewenheid (‘comptetence’), verhoudings (‘relatedness’) en bewustheid (‘mindfulness’) te bevredig. Navorsers stel bewustheid (‘mindfulness’) as ʼn vierde basiese psigososiale behoefte voor. In ooreenstemming met die Doelwitte vir Volhoubare Ontwikkeling (DVO’s) vir ʼn beter en volhoubare toekoms vir alle mense teen 2030, het deelnemers gevind dat die kweek van selfregulering deur positiewe dissiplinering deel uitmaak van genderopvoeding as teenvoeter vir geslagsgeweld, en vindingrykheid aanwakker. / Ukukhuthaza ukuzilawula kubaluleke kakhulu esigabeni sokuThuthukiswa Kwabantwana Abasebancane (i-ECD phase), ngoba kuholela ekuzikhalimeni esikhathini esizayo. Inhloso yalolu cwaningo bekuwukuqonda izindlela zababambiqhaza zokukhuthaza ukuzilawula ngesikhathi sokudlala ngokukhululeka ezikoleni ezintathu zamabanga aphansi eZimbabwe. Izinhlaka zombono wezinzululwazi zalolu cwaningo, ezaziwa ngokuthi okuhle kwengqondo kanye noMbono Wenzululwazi kaDeci noRyan Wokuzimisela (i-SDT), kanye noMbono Wenzululwazi Wezidingo Eziyisisekelo Zokuphathelene Nenggqondo (i-BPNT), zithathe ukwesekwa kwabafundi njengokuzimele, ikhono kanye nokuhlobana njengezimpawu ezisemqoka zokukwazi ukuzikhalima okuhle okusekela ukuthuthukiswa kokuzilawula. Kusetshenziswe indlela kaBenner yokuhumusha okwenzekile ngenhloso yokuchaza nokuhumusha okwenzeke kubabambiqhaza kulokho okufundwa ngako. Inqubo yokwakhiwa kwezenhlalakahle iyona esekele ucwaningo kanti futhi indlela yokwenza ibibheka amaqiniso. Ukuqoqwa kwemininingo nokuhlaziywa bekuncike endleleni kaBenner yokuhumusha okwenzekile. Kwasetshenziswa izimo semiqondo, izingqikithi kanye nezibonelo ukwethula imininingo, izingxoxo nokuhumusha. Okutholakele kukhombisile ukuthi ukudlala ngokukhululeka kubandakanya, ngokwesibonelo, ukudlala ngokulingisa ezenhlalo, ukudlala endlini emakhoneni okudlala kanye nokudlala ngaphandle. Imikhuba ejwayelekile esetshenziswa ngababambiqhaza ukukhuthaza ukuzilawula ngokusebenzisa ukukhalima okukahle kwakungukulawula ngokubambisana, ukukhuthaza okuhle, ukuqedwa komdlalo kanye nemiphumela eyenza umqondo. Othisha nabafundi babevame ukubona ukuqedwa komdlalo nemiphumela eyenza umqondo njengento esetshenziswa ngothisha njengesijeziso kunokukhalima okuhle, ngenxa yobukhuni bokusetshenziswa kwako ngaphandle kokubheka izidingo zomqondo. Okutholakele, nokho, bekuhambisana nokuqonda kokukhuthaza ukuzilawula ngokukhalima okukahle ngesikhathi sokudlala ngokukhululeka ngokunakekela izidingo zabafundi zokuphathelene nengqondo ekuzimeleni, ikhono kanye nokuhlobana, kanye nokuqaphela izinto. Ucwaningo luhlongoze ukuqaphela izinto njengesidingo sesine esiyisisekelo kokuphathelene nengqondo. Ngokuhambisanayo neziNjongo Zokuthuthukiswa Okusinokusimama (ama-SDG) ukuze kufezeke ikusasa elingcono nelinokusimama kubantu bonke ngonyaka ka- 2030, ababambiqhaza babona ukukhuthaza ukuzilawula ngokuzikhalima okukahle njengengxenye yemfundo yobulili ukuze kuncishiswe udlame oluncike ebulilini futhi kukhuthazwe ukuqina. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)