Many children enter formal schooling with a propensity toward literacy success while others lack foundational skills that adequately support literacy achievement. Researchers acknowledge if certain skills are not present upon entrance into formal schooling, literacy success can be affected. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine first-grade students' home literacy experiences prior to receiving formal reading instruction in a one suburban public school. Bruner's theory of scaffolding, which suggests that parents and teachers support children in the learning process, and Vygotsky's concept of zone of proximal development provided the conceptual framework for this study. The research questions focused on literacy events parents used at home with their preschool-age children. Twelve parents of first grade students were interviewed for their perspectives on literacy experiences with their children at home. Data were examined for common themes using a typological analysis to determine types of parent-child interactions that promote children's positive attitudes and academic success in reading. The data revealed that parents, who view themselves as their children's primary teachers and provide literacy instruction to their children prior to entering school, have children who are high achieving readers. A recommendation is that the target school district provides parent education programs to equip parents of preschool-age children with skills that promote success in literacy. Positive social change might occur when district teachers partner with parents to create home learning environments to improve children's literacy academic achievement.

Teachers know that many nonnative English language learners (ELLs) have problems with successful negotiation of academic English vocabulary. The purpose of this study, working from a behavioralist perspective as espoused by Thorndike, Skinner, and Bandura, was to determine if a vocabulary program influenced word acquisition in first grade ELLs. The research questions focused on the degree to which the program affected the learner's vocabulary and helped to alleviate word poverty from among the 34 participants in the study. In this quantitative pretest -- posttest design, ELL students were exposed to 9 weeks of intense instruction. The vocabulary acquisition of ELL students in first grade at a K-5 elementary school was measured. Data were assessed statistically using paired samples t-tests. Results indicated a statistically significant improvement in ELL vocabulary. Implications for social change include providing information that can assist teachers and school districts in selecting effective vocabulary strategies for those at risk for low school performance.

Statement of the Problem. The problem of this study was to determine if the frequency of home visits made to families enrolled in a home-based early childhood education program was related to changes in parental behavior and student achievement. Design of the Study. The procedural analysis for the study was the randomized three group pretest-posttest design. One hundred twenty low income families who had one or more children between three and five years of age, and who volunteered to participate in the home-based early childhood education program, were selected for the study. The early childhood program consisted of three basic components: (1) a half-hour television program ("Captain Kangaroo") broadcast five days per week, (2) a once per-week group experience for the children, and (3) paraprofessional home visitors who made weekly visits to homes in order to deliver to and instruct parents how they should teach their own children. Four measurement instruments were used to secure data on parent behavior and child achievement. Each instrument was administered at the beginning and end of the project year. The High/Scope Home Environment Scale and the Schaefer Behavior Inventory were administered to parents in an attempt to determine the degree of parental behavior change. Children who participated in the program were administered the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test and the Cooperative Preschool Inventory in an effort to determine their degree of cognitive growth. Records of parent participation in group meetings and child attendance at group sessions were also recorded in order to determine the amount of parent and child participation in the program. Summary and Conclusions. (1) A visit to parents once per week was no more effective in influencing parent behavior than a visit once every two weeks. However, a parent who received a visit once per week or once every two weeks was more likely to develop a positive change in parent behavior toward his/her children than a parent who received no visits; (2) a visit once per week was no more effective in influencing child achievement than a visit once every two weeks. The child who received a visit once per week or once every two weeks, however, was more likely to have a higher level of achievement than a child who received no visits; (3) parent behavior was not significantly related to parent and child participation in the program as measured by the number of group sessions attended by the children and the number of parent meetings attended by the parents during the program year; (4) the greater the degree of positive change in parent behavior, the greater the degree of child achievement; (5) the number of parent meetings attended by parents and the number of group sessions attended by the children were not significantly related to the level of achievement attained by the children.

Purpose of the Study: This study was designed to determine the relationship between creativity and the ability to do certain Piagetian classification tasks in kindergarten children. (Abstract shortened.)

The problem was to determine the extent a selected parent education program influenced the oognitive and affective development of educationally deprived Appalachian pre-school children and to determine to what extent the program influenced the prime caregivers' assessment of the child's behavior. Subjects included 40 Appalachian prime caregivers and their children who participated in four intact home-based classes. They were randomly assigned to treatment by the teacher, in order to equate the home visitor case load. In the Experimental Group, prime caregivers were provided with resources developed from the Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) program. Control Group prime caregivers participated in regularly prescribed home visits. Prime caregivers and children were pre- and posttested on the same instruments. The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test was used to test the cognitive variable and the Florida Key was the instrument used to test the affective variable. The Adlerian Parental Assessment of Child Behavior Scale was the instrument used to test the prime caregiver's perception of the child's behavior. The analysis of covariance indicated that no significant differences were found between the STEP Group and the Control Group on the cognitive, affective, or parental assessment variables. Treatment sessions, for prime careglvers who participated in nine STEP sessions, did not result in a more positive perception of their child's behavior, nor did it effect significantly the cognitive or affective performances of their children.

Researchers recognize that if certain academic skills are not present upon entrance into formal schooling, literacy achievement can be affected. The impact of a local early childhood program on student school readiness was unknown at the study elementary school. The purpose of this quantitative study was to compare the academic readiness between kindergarten students who participated in the Nonpublic School Early Childhood Development Program and those who did not. The theoretical framework was based on Bruner's constructivist theory of scaffolding, which highlights the importance of providing support to students in the initial stages of learning. Early achievement data from a sample of 42 students at a rural elementary school were examined to compare the Stanford Early School Achievement Test scores between students who attended the early childhood program (n = 20) and those who did not (n = 22). Analysis of variance indicated no statistically significant differences in scores between the groups. The current study was limited by a small sample size, and it is recommended that additional studies be conducted with larger samples in order to explore any impact early childhood education programs might have on kindergarten readiness. This study contributes to positive social change by informing school stakeholders on the impact of their early childhood program on school readiness. These findings may prompt additional study and discourse on the specific dimensions of early childhood programs that might improve school readiness.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the effects of participation in the Florida Voluntary Prekindergarten Program are sustained in kindergarten reading readiness for those who participated in the research school district VPK, those who participated in another provider VPK, and compared to those who did not participate in VPK. Select stakeholder perceptions were also gathered and analyzed, to include research school district parents of VPK participants, research school district VPK instructors, and research school district administrators. Academic effects were analyzed for VPK participants and non-VPK participants in 2012-2013 within their kindergarten 2013-2014 school year using the FAIR-K portion of the Florida Kindergarten Readiness Screener as well as the Discovery Education Early Skills Assessment for Kindergarten English/Language Arts Performance Measurement Assessment 1. Using a one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) it was determined that participation in VPK produces greater reading readiness in kindergarten. Statistically significant differences were found among the means of research school district VPK participants, another provider VPK participants, and non-VPK participants. On average, VPK participants, regardless of provider, exhibited significantly enhanced reading readiness skills than their non-VPK participant peers within both measurements. Stakeholder perceptions included the successful and challenging elements of leading and teaching VPK within the research school district as well as how parents come to the decision of selecting the research school district as their VPK provider of choice over other available providers.

Almost from birth, children are immersed in a technologically rich world yet they often enter preschools that offer little to no use of technology. Preschool learning is tied to more traditional forms of reading and writing; this may be inconsistent with the ways children are learning at home and will learn in elementary school. Despite growing interest in creating learning environments that better mirror the technological experiences of the home, there is a significant gap in current research about how learning is affected in preschool environments designed with multiple forms of technology. This qualitative single case study was designed to explore children's preferred uses of technology for learning in a Montessori preschool. The study was supported by the New London Group's theory of multiliteracies and the model of the Montessori method. Data were collected using pre and post teacher interviews, observations, and student generated video and audio recordings of learning activities. Data were coded to form preliminary categories, and open coding was used to generate themes. The findings revealed that children preferred to use technology to express ideas, to write stories, and to visually document and share their learning experiences with others. When technology was made readily available for learning, children became confident, independent, and responsible users. The inclusion of technology also increased learning and encouraged children to socially interact through new media. Implications for social change include the implementation of learning tools that are more closely aligned with those used in future schooling which may result in higher achievement.

Only one quarter of American students in Grades 4, 8, and 12 were considered at or above the proficient level in writing in 2002 and 2007. The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify the effect of the instructional strategy known as writer's workshop on students' writing achievement. Writer's workshop is an instructional strategy involving daily writing and systematic lessons. The research question guiding this study examined the writing achievement of students taught through writer's workshop versus students taught through the county's writing curriculum which utilizes journal writing on a regular basis but does not involve systematic lessons or daily writing. Writer's workshop was implemented in 3 Kindergarten classrooms, totaling 45 students, and scores from these students were compared to the scores of the students in the control group, totaling 45 students, none of whom had been exposed to writer's workshop. The participants were 90 Kindergarten students enrolled in a suburban elementary school in the southeastern United States. The students were randomly placed in experimental and control conditions. A pre- and posttest derived from a 10 stage developmental writing rubric was used to measure writing achievement. An independent-measures t test on posttest scores determined a significant difference in writing achievement when the writer's workshop strategies were integrated into the curriculum. Results from this study may contribute to positive social change by maximizing young learners' academic success, confidence, and self-image as their written communication abilities and skills improve.

Research indicates play contributes to children's learning and development. The passage of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) changed early care and education by limiting time for play in early childhood classrooms. There is a gap in the literature concerning early childhood teachers' current beliefs about play and how those beliefs are connected to their practices. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the connections between early childhood teachers' beliefs regarding play and their practices in the early childhood classroom. Lave's situated learning theory formed the conceptual framework for this study recognizing the early childhood classroom and the social aspect of learning as a community of practice. Data for the study were collected through structured interviews, observations, and documents from teachers in 6 early childhood classrooms. Coding was used to identify patterns and themes. Analysis revealed that teachers held strong positive beliefs in regard to play. Teachers believed the connection between their beliefs and practices regarding play was strong and the connection between them was clear. Evidence showed the connection was not as strong and clear as teachers perceived. A clearer understanding of the link between teachers' beliefs and practices could create positive social change and benefit teachers, parents, administrators, and children. Teachers may use the information in this study to reflect on and make changes to their practices. Program directors, principals and school districts may be guided to implement curriculum changes more inclusive of play, or to include play and play theory in preservice training. These changes could bring the United States more in line with top performing countries in terms of educational outcomes for children.