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This thesis examined the relationship between classroom quality, approaches-to-learning, and early academic skills among 384 Latino dual language learners (DLLs) enrolled in Florida Head Start programs. The children were living in low-income homes where Spanish was the primary language spoken by at least one parent. The study analyzed the extent to which approaches-to-learning behaviors moderate early literacy and numeracy skills in Head Start classrooms of varying quality. During the spring of their prek-4 year, the children were administered the English and Spanish Letter-Word Identification and Applied Problems subtests of the WJ-III (Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather, 2001) and the Batería III (Muñoz-Sandoval, Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather, 2005) Tests of Achievement. General features of classroom quality were measured using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS; Pianta, La Paro, & Hamre, 2008). Multilevel models indicated that there is a negative association between a classroom's level of emotional support and early English Literacy Skills, a positive association between Attention/Persistence Learning Behaviors and early English Literacy Skills, and a positive association between Competence Motivation Learning Behaviors and early English Numeracy Skills. Approaches-to-learning behaviors did not moderate the relationship between classroom quality and early academic skills. Results are consistent with previous research that has found that general measures of classroom quality may not capture the cultural and linguistic factors that influence a DLL's early academic skills. The current findings are consistent with previous literature on the positive influence of approaches-to-learning behaviors on early academic skills. Implications for practice include using culturally responsive teaching practices, creating a positive classroom environment, and supporting the development of Attention/Persistence and Competence Motivation Learning Behaviors. Implications for research include strengths-based research examining the promotive role of approaches-to-learning in DLL development and using culturally sensitive measures of classroom quality.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate Core5, a computer-assisted instruction (CAI) programme, on developing early literacy skills in struggling kindergartners and providing enrichment for high achieving kindergartners. Conducted through the positivist research paradigm, the research design of this study is a quantitative quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design using the probes AIMSweb Letter Name Fluency (LNF), AIMSweb Letter Sound Fluency (LSF), MAP K-2 Early Literacy, as well as a questionnaire regarding teacher perceptions of Core5 and its implementation in the classroom. This study used convenience sampling instead of probability sampling since many schools already use Core5. Fifteen schools in the Matanuska Susitna Borough School District was the target population. The sample group comprised of 751 kindergartners, aged five to six-year-olds divided into the treatment group, the partial treatment group, and the control group. Posttest analysis of LNF and LSF data confirmed all three groups made gains from the pretest, but an ANOVA indicated there was a significant difference between the three groups. A Bonferroni post hoc test determined the treatment group and the partial treatment group were significantly different from the control group. The posttest analysis of MAP K-2 Early Literacy data indicated that all three groups made gains from the pretest. An ANOVA suggested there was no significant difference between the three groups. Lastly, the end-of-year Core5 levels were correlated to the benchmark scores on LNF, LSF and MAP K-2 Early Literacy probes using Pearson’s r. The teacher questionnaire indicated that a majority of teachers have a favourable view of Core5, which is vital to the implementation of Core5 because their attitude is also a significant predictor of student use in the classroom. The findings indicate that Core5 is an effective CAI program to use as part of the kindergarten ELA curriculum. The findings also add to the volume of research on Core5, CAI programmes and blended learning. / English Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (English)

Riishøj, Camilla och Lindoff, Josefin (2023). Ett, två, tre - alla ska mé. Effekten av den tillgängliga lärmiljön med koppling till den tidiga läsinlärningen. Speciallärarprogrammet, Institutionen för skolutveckling och ledarskap, Fakulteten för lärande och samhälle, Malmö universitet, 90 hp. Studien förväntas bidra med djupare kunskap och förståelse gällande att utveckla och organisera en tillgänglig lärmiljö utifrån varje individ samt hur den tillgängliga lärmiljön kan påverka den tidiga läsinlärningen på ett gynnsamt och positivt sätt. Vidare syftar studien till att skapa insikt och kunskap kring hur speciallärarens arbete kan organiseras och planeras på olika sätt, för att påverka och utveckla den tillgängliga lärmiljön och på så sätt den tidiga läsinlärningen. Syftet är att undersöka några lärare och speciallärares uppfattningar och definitioner kring vad en tillgänglig lärmiljö innebär, både ur ett specialpedagogiskt och ur ett lärarperspektiv. Vidare syftar studien till att relatera den tillgängliga lärmiljön med elevens tidiga läsinlärning. Häri kommer fokus ligga på hur specialläraren kan bidra till att utveckla samt påverka, den tillgängliga lärmiljön för eleven, med koppling till den tidiga läsinlärningen. I studien kommer den sociala, den pedagogiska och den fysiska lärmiljön att undersökas.  Följande frågeställningar har använts för att besvara studiens syfte: Hur definierar några lärare och speciallärare begreppet tillgänglig lärmiljö och hur kan den gestaltas?Vilka uppfattningar finns gällande, hur den tillgängliga lärmiljön påverkar elevers tidiga läsinlärning?Vilka uppfattningar framträder gällande, hur specialläraren kan bidra till att utveckla en tillgänglig lärmiljö med fokus på tidig läsinlärning? Studien utgår ifrån Vygotskijs (1999; 2001) sociokulturella teori, med fokus på den närmaste utvecklingszonen, även kallad den proximala utvecklingszonen. Vidare belyses det specialpedagogiska teoretiska perspektivet med hjälp av Nilholm (2020), Ahlberg (2017), Aspelin (2013) samt Rubin (2013). Slutligen tas specialpedagogiska modeller i beaktning. Studien är baserad på sex semistrukturerade intervjuer med fyra lärare och två speciallärare. Intervjuerna har utgått ifrån en intervjuguide med möjlighet till följdfrågor och djupare utveckling av svar. Intervjuerna genomfördes digitalt och har spelats in med digitala hjälpmedel. Samtliga intervjuer har transkriberats och därefter analyserats för att säkerställa största möjliga trovärdighet i resultatet. Studiens resultat visar att samtliga informanter har god kännedom kring vad en tillgänglig lärmiljö innebär samt hur den bör vara utformad och organiserad för att möta varje elevs enskilda behov och förutsättningar. Vidare visar resultatet ett tydligt samband mellan en välorganiserad och planerad lärmiljö som bedöms vara tillgänglig, kopplad till den tidiga läsinlärningen. Utifrån detta har speciallärarens påverkan på och utveckling av, den tillgängliga lärmiljön kopplat till den tidiga läsinlärningen undersökts. Resultatet visar att speciallärarens arbete har stor påverkan på den tillgängliga lärmiljön och således den tidiga läsinlärning, detta i samarbete med lärarna. Viktigt att lyfta fram är de resonemang vad gäller utveckling av speciallärarens roll och arbetsuppgifter för att kunna möta lärarens behov av stöd, handledning, samtal och diskussioner. I speciallärarrollen är det av stor vikt att tillgodose alla elevers behov utifrån deras individuella förutsättningar. En avgörande del i detta, är att specialläraren handleder lärare samt för samtal och diskussioner kring hur lärmiljön byggs upp på bästa sätt för att gynna den tidiga läsinlärningen. Specialläraren bör även vara delaktig och närvarande i klassrummet på olika sätt, samt vara flexibel och tillgänglig. Nyckelord: Anpassningar, förutsättning att komma till lärande, speciallärare, tidig läsinlärning, tillgänglig lärmiljö. / Riishøj, Camilla and Lindoff, Josefin (2023). One, two, three - everyone on board. The impact of an accessible learning environment in relation to early literacy development. Special Teacher Programme, Department of School Development and Leadership, Learning and Society, Malmö University, 90 credits. The study is expected to contribute with deeper knowledge and understanding regarding developing and organising an accessible learning environment based on each individual and how the accessible learning environment can influence early literacy in a beneficial and positive way. Furthermore, the study aims to create insight and knowledge about how the special education teacher’s work can be organised and planned in different ways, in order to influence and develop an accessible learning environment and thus early literacy. The aim is to examine some teachers' and special education teachers' perceptions and definitions of what an accessible learning environment means, both from a special education perspective and a teacher’s perspective. Additionally, the study aims to link the accessible learning environment with the pupil's early literacy. The focus will be on how the special education teacher can contribute to developing and influencing the accessible learning environment for the pupil, with a link to early reading acquisition. The study will examine the social, pedagogical, and physical learning environment.  The following research questions have been used to answer the objective of the study: ·       How do some teachers and special education teachers define the concept of an accessible learning environment and how can it be designed? ·       What are the perceptions of how the accessible learning environment affects pupils' early literacy? ·       What perceptions emerge regarding how the special education teacher can contribute to the development of an accessible learning environment with a focus on early literacy?  The study is based on Vygotsky's (1999, 2001) sociocultural theory, with a focus on the zone of proximal development. Furthermore, the special education theoretical perspective is highlighted with the help of Aspelin (2013), Rubin (2013), Ahlberg (2017), and Nilholm (2020). Finally, special education models are considered in this study.  The study is based on six semi-structured interviews with four teachers and two special education teachers. The interviews were based on an interview guide with the possibility of follow-up questions and deeper development of answers. The interviews were conducted digitally and recorded with digital aids. All interviews were transcribed and subsequently analysed to ensure maximum credibility of the results.  The results of the study show that all informants have a knowledge of what an accessible learning environment means and how it should be designed and organised to meet the individual needs and conditions of each student. Furthermore, the results show a clear relationship between a well-organised and planned learning environment that is deemed accessible and linked to early literacy. Based on this, the impact of the special education teacher on, and the development of, the accessible learning environment linked to early literacy learning has been investigated. The results show that the work of the special education teacher has a major impact on the accessible learning environment and thus on early literacy learning, in collaboration with the teachers. Important to highlight are the arguments regarding the development of the role and tasks of the special education teacher in order to meet the teacher's needs for support, guidance, conversation, and discussion. In the role of the special education teacher, it is essential to meet the needs of all pupils based on their individual circumstances. A crucial part of this is that the special education teacher supervises teachers and leads conversations and discussions on how best to structure the learning environment to promote early literacy learning. The special education teacher should also be involved and present within the classroom in various ways and be flexible and accessible.  Key words: adaptations, prerequisite for learning, special education teacher, early literacy, accessible learning environment.

Frühe literale Kompetenzen gelten als wichtige Lernvoraussetzungen, auf denen der schulische Schriftspracherwerb aufbaut. Mithilfe einer frühzeitigen Diagnostik kann Schwierigkeiten im Erwerbsprozess vorgebeugt werden. In diesem Beitrag werden die Gütekriterien eines neu entwickelten, digitalen Instruments zur Erfassung früher literaler Kompetenzen für das erste Schuljahr vorgestellt. Das Verfahren umfasst Aufgaben zu basalen Kompetenzen, phonologischer Bewusstheit, Buchstabenkenntnis und erstem Lesen. Es liegt für den Beginn und die Mitte des Schuljahres in Parallelformen vor und wurde an zwei großen Stichproben (N = 1.042 bzw. 809) im Land Brandenburg normiert. In Teilstichproben wurde die Konstruktvalidität anhand des IEL-1 und des CFT 1-R ermittelt. Die Itemkennwerte ebenso wie die Befunde zu den Hauptgütekriterien weisen darauf hin, dass sich das Verfahren zur Routinediagnostik von Schulbereitschaft bzgl. früher literaler Kompetenzen in der Jahrgangsstufe 1 eignet. Damit liegt ein Verfahren vor, welches aus psychometrischer Sicht einen Zugewinn für die pädagogische Praxis liefert und in der schulischen Anwendung eine hohe Akzeptanz erfährt. / Early literacy skills are crucial for later reading achievements. Therefore, classroom assessment is essential for promoting reading success. Low-threshold assessment by educational staff is presently not very common in German primary schools. This study examined the validity and reliability of a digital assessment tool designed to measure early literacy skills in grade 1 of German primary school (ILeA plus Deutsch A). Two cohorts of children (N = 1,042/809) completed the assessment for phonological awareness, alphabet, and reading skills using a PC / laptop. The tool exhibited satisfying item properties (item-total correlation range = .87 to .98) and good internal consistency (all > .90). Correlations between scores for the tool and paper-pencil control tests were high (IEL-1, r = .58 / .67). The psychometric properties suggest that digital assessment of early literacy skills has the potential to improve assessment practices for classroom use. In addition, the easy application and automated calculations of the children's results were well received by the teachers.

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