This Diploma Thesis is designed as a case study based on qualitative research focusing on searching the options of support on pre-school children development in the environment of shelters for mothers or families with children. In the theoretical part starting points are presented regarding the issues of family, shelter, school maturity and readiness as well as an issue of constituent functions, possibilities of their diagnostics and development. The initial part of the empiric part describes methodological processes and a research plan is presented. Followed by research report regarding the study in twelve shelters in Prague. One of the research goals was to design a simple manual of development for children aged 3-6 which might have been used as a support for social workers in those shelters. The research tools included questionnaires and interviews among social workers. The questionnaires helped to map the size of shelters, length of stay and characteristic of their clients, approach of institutions to the development of pre-school and school age children as well as the attitudes of social workers towards such development of pre-school children. Interviews with social workers assisted with orientation in the issue of families in shelter, semi-structured interview allowed a feedback from the...

This investigation was undertaken to examine effects of motor skill intervention in children with motor difficulties consistent with developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD) diagnosed in child health care before school entrance, to analyse the parents' descriptions of their children, and to follow up the children's motor status in a short-term perspective. Thirteen studies on the effects of motor skill intervention were submitted to a meta-analysis (Study I). Thirty-seven children who at age 5 to 6 years were diagnosed as having motor difficulties consistent with DCD were enrolled in an experimental investigation of effects of group motor skill intervention on motor skills (Study II) and on self-perceived competence (Study III). The parents' descriptions of their children were obtained at an interview (Study IV). The children's motor status was re-examined when they were 7 to 8 years old (Study V). Motor skill intervention, using the Specific Skills approach, in a group setting or in a home programme, 3 to 5 times per week, was found beneficial for children with DCD who were older than 5 years of age. The non-specific group motor skill intervention influenced the number of children with borderline motor difficulties who changed to having no motor difficulties, and seemed to enhance awareness of motor competence. Parents whose children had definite motor difficulties were more inclined to support their children in physical activity, and reported worry and uncertainty. The children had not changed their motor status at the age of 7 to 8 years. The children with definite motor difficulties, in particular, continued to have these difficulties. Children who when 5 to 6 years old have motor difficulties and who score at the 5th percentile or below at the Movement ABC motor test, seem to need active support in joyful motor learning situations to reduce unwillingness and displeasure.

Darbo tikslas – įvertinti Tauragės miesto darželio vaikų mitybą ir jos sąsajas su tėvų socialine-ekonomine padėtimi. Tyrimo metodika. Apytikslio registravimo metodu vaikų mitybos tyrimas atliktas 2012 m. liepos 9, 11 ir 14 dienomis lopšelyje-darželyje ,,Žvaigždutė“. Tyrime dalyvavo aštuonių grupių vaikai, iš viso 124 tiriamieji (44,4 proc. berniukų ir 55,6 proc. mergaičių), kurių amžius – 3 - 6 metai. Vaikų mityba darželyje stebėta dvi darbo dienas, o vieną dieną mityba tirta namuose neanoniminiu anketiniu būdu apklausiant vaikų tėvus apie suvartotus maisto produktus ir jų kiekius. Šiame darbe analizuojami tik tų vaikų duomenys, kurie dalyvavo tyrime visas tris dienas. Atsako dažnis – 67,4 proc. Statistinė duomenų analizė atlikta naudojantis SPSS 16.0 for Windows programa. Rezultatai. Išanalizavus trijų parų maisto davinio energinę vertę ir maisto medžiagų sudėtį, nustatyta, kad 1 - 3 metų amžiaus grupės vaikų vidutinė paros maisto davinio energinė vertė buvo 1587,4 kcal, o 4 - 6 metų – 1940,0 kcal. Abiejose amžiaus grupėse daugiausia energijos gauta iš angliavandenių (atitinkamai 50,1 ir 50,3 proc.). Tačiau tiriamųjų suvartota angliavandenių, skaidulinių maisto medžiagų dalis buvo nepakankama. Baltymų dalis ikimokyklinio amžiaus vaikų maisto davinyje – pakankama. Maisto davinyje buvo per daug riebalų, ypač sočiųjų riebalų rūgščių. 1 - 3 ir 4 - 6 metų amžiaus grupių vaikų maisto davinyje riebalai viršijo maksimalią rekomenduojamą normą atitinkamai 7,5 proc. ir 7 proc... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Aim of the study – to assess dietary intake of children in Taurage kindergarden and its links between parental socioeconomic status. Research methodology. An approximate recording method was used in July 9, 11, 14, 2012, to carry out dietary intake of children in a nursery-kindergarten “Žvaigždute”. Children from three groups, i. e. 124 respondents (44.4 percent of boys and 55.6 percent of girls), aged 3 - 6 years participated in the research. Dietary intake of children was observed for two days and one day it was observed at children’s homes – parents were provided with non-anonymous questionnaires which had to be filled with the data about food products and their quantities their children had that day. In this study it is analyzed the data of those children who participated in the research for all three days. Response rate – 67.4 percent. Statistical analysis of the data has been carried out using SPSS 16.0 Windows Programme. Results. Analysis of the three-day food intake energy value and nutrient composition determined that the energy value of the food ration of the group of 1 - 3 years old children was 1587,4 kcal and 1940,0 kcal of the group of 4 - 6 years old children. Both age groups got the most energy from carbohydrates (respectively 50.1 and 50.3 percent). However, part of investigated carbohydrates and fiber nutrients was insufficient. The part of proteins in pre-school children’s food ration was sufficient. Also, there was too much fat, especially saturated fatty... [to full text]

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie studie word die effek van ouerlike begunstiging op die leefwereld van die adolessent aangespreek. Uit die literatuurstudie blyk dit dat die kwaliteit van die ouerkindverhouding, asook die verskil in 'n ouer se houding teenoor en behandeling van sy kinders daartoe bydra dat 'n kind begunstiging in die gesin beleef. Oorsake van ouerlike begunstiging setel in projektiewe identifikasie deur die ouer(s), persoonlike behoeftes en verwagtinge van die ouer(s), geboorte-orde, en die grootte en sarnestelling van die gesin. In die empiriese ondersoek is die leefwereld van adolessente wat ouerlike begunstiging beleef, verken. Volgens die resultate blyk dit dat van hierdie adolessente angs en minderwaardigheid beleef, 'n lae selfbeeld het en dat hul relasies problernaties is. / This study addresses the effect of parental favoritism on the life world of the adolescent. From the literature study it is evident that the quality of the parent-child relationship as well as. the difference in the parent's attitude and treatment of his children contributes to the fact that a child experiences favoritism in the family. Causes of parental favoritism reside in projective identification by the parent ( s) , parental needs and expectations, the birth order, and size and set up of the family. The empirical study investigates the life world of adolescents who experience parental favoritism. According to the results it seems that some of these adolescents experience anxiety and a sense of inferiority, have a low self-image and experience problematic relationships. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)

Magister Artium - MA (Child and Family Studies) / The Management of children, younger than twelve years of age, who pose a risk to other children, remains complex and confusing. When their behaviour includes sexual aggression towards other children, ignorance about how to manage them becomes even more challenging. Society has an expectation that any sexual aggressor should be punished, however, when the aggressor is younger than ten years old, different responses are necessary. The aim of this current study was to explore the management of learners with sexual behaviour problems, within the primary school setting. The main question underpinning this study was: How are children, aged five-to-nine-years, with sexual behaviour problems, managed by social workers and educators? A qualitative methodology, with focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews were used to conduct this study. Educators from primary schools, as well as social workers from the Western Cape Education Department, were purposively selected to form the sample for this study. Focus group discussions were conducted with the educators, while semi-structured interviews were conducted with the social workers.

Em nossa espécie, entre as estratégias adaptativas relevantes, encontra-se a migração, que permitiu ao ser humano ocupar novos ambientes, em busca de condições de vida melhores que as possíveis ou acessíveis em seu local de origem. Atualmente, a migração se constitui, no sentido genético, no principal fator evolutivo da espécie humana. Condições de vida adversas tendem a se refletir na capacidade de obtenção de alimentos. As crianças de uma população são particularmente sensíveis, refletindo-se facilmente em seu desenvolvimento físico, deficiências ou privações alimentares. Em trabalho anterior, dessa Equipe, foi identificado em Piracicaba, SP, grande contingente de migrantes originados do município de Novo Cruzeiro, MG. No presente trabalho aprofundou-se o estudo desta migração rural, caracterizando indicadores de adaptação relativos a crianças que permaneceram no ambiente de origem (Novo Cruzeiro, MG), crianças filhas de migrantes, residentes no novo local (Piracicaba, SP, constituindo-se estratos populacionais com ambos os pais migrantes, apenas o pai e apenas mãe migrante) e de crianças com ambos os pais paulistas residentes em Piracicaba, SP. Desta forma, entre os indicadores da adaptabilidade humana estudados no presente trabalho, foi empregado o estado nutricional de crianças pré-escolares. Os indicadores do desenvolvimento físico (pelo qual foi identificado o estado nutricional) foram o peso e a estatura das crianças, como também o sexo e a idade década uma. Entre as demais variáveis que podem afetar o seu desenvolvimento, foram estudados aspectos genéticos tais como: cor da pele e origem étnica da criança de acordo com seu sobrenome e de acordo com o sobrenome da família da mãe. Também foram estudados aspectos do ambiente da criança que poderiam influenciar seu desenvolvimento, tais como escolaridade materna, número de habitantes por cômodo na residência, material de construção da habitação, serviços de água e esgoto, presença e tipo de uso de quintais. Constatou-se pelos indicadores estudados, que há melhor qualidade de vida entre os habitantes do município de Piracicaba no que se refere a melhores condições de infraestrutura habitacional (água encanada, rede de esgoto, eletricidade e habitações de alvenaria) como também melhor renda familiar e maior escolaridade materna. O índice utilizado para definir os pontos de corte na avaliação da situação nutricional dos préescolares foi obtido com base nas unidades de desvio padrão ou escores z. A curva de referência foi a do National Center for Health Statistic (NCHS). Foram constatados casos de desnutrição em ambas as regiões estudadas, acima do esperado numa população saudável. Por outro lado, evidenciou-se que a maioria das crianças (mais de 84,1%) encontraram-se na faixa de “eutróficas” o que de acordo com as teorias de Ecologia Humana revisada,s sugere que em ambos os locais as populações humanas estão sendo bem sucedidas quanto a suas estratégias adaptativas. Foram identificados casos de sobrepeso e obesidade, mas apenas nas crianças de famílias que residem em Piracicaba. O aumento dessas ocorrências é característico de um modo de vida moderno e é um fator de risco para as populações residentes em Piracicaba, ao qual passaram a se expor as populações migrantes. / In our species, among the more relevant adaptive strategies is the migration, which allows humans to occupy new environments searching for better life conditions than the ones possible or accessible in the original location. Nowadays, the migration is, in a genetic sense, the major evolutionary factor of mankind. Adverse life conditions tend to reflect in the capacity to obtain food. The children of a population are particularly susceptible, easily reflecting in their physical development, deficiency and food privations. In a previous work of our group, a large contingency of migrants from Novo Cruzeiro, MG, was identified in Piracicaba, SP. In the present work, the rural migration of this particular population was investigated in detail by characterizing relative adaptation indicators of children who remained in their original environment (Novo Cruzeiro, MG), migrants’ children residents at the new location (Piracicaba, SP, constituted of population strata with both parents migrants, only the father migrant and only the mother migrant) and children who both parents are São Paulo state natives and residents in Piracicaba, SP). Thus, among the indicators of human adaptation used in this work, the nutritional status of pre-school children was used. The physical development indicators used (from which the nutritional status was identified) were the weight and the height of the children, as well as the sex and the age of each one. Among the others variables that can affect the development, genetic aspects such as skin color and ethnical origin of the children in accordance with their own surnames and in accordance with their mother family, were studied. Moreover, it was also studied aspects of the children environment, which could influence their development, such as mother’s school level, number of inhabitants per room per house, material from which the house was made, water and sewer public services, backyard presence and its use. Based on the indicators used in this study, it was observed that there is better life quality among the inhabitants from Piracicaba when better condition of infra-structure (piped water, sewer and electric nets, and bricklaying houses), as well as better family income, and higher mother school level are concerned. The index used to define the cutting points in the nutritional evaluation of the pre-school children was obtained based on the units of standard error or score- z. The reference curve was that of the National Center for Health Statistic (NCHS). Under-nutrition cases in both studied regions above the expected for a healthy population were observed. On the other hand, the majority of the children (more than 84,1%) was within the “eutrophic” level, which according to the revised Human Ecological theories, suggests that in both places the human populations are being successful as for their adaptive strategies. It was identified cases of over-weight and obesity, but only in the children whose families are residents in Piracicaba. The increase of these occurrences is a characteristic of the modern way of life and is one risk factor to the populations living in Piracicaba, which the migrant populations have now been exposed.

Individuella smakupplevelser varierar stort och är delvis beroende av hur väl och intensivt individen kan urskilja grundsmaker. Jämfört med vuxna uppvisar barn en högre preferens för sött och starkare aversion mot bittert. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka 4-6-åriga förskolebarns förmåga att identifiera grundsmaker i livsmedel före och efter träning med grundsmaklösningar. Även barnens förmåga att verbalisera smakupplevelser innan grundsmakträning undersöktes. Studien genomfördes på en förskola, totalt elva barn deltog i studien som bestod av fyra moment. En gruppdiskussion om (grund)smaker, provsmakning av tio olika livsmedel med fortsatt samtal om vad dessa smakade. Tredje momentet var träning med grundsmaklösningar där barnen fick öva på att känna igen sött, surt, salt, bittert och umami. Sista momentet var ett grundsmaktest där barnen fick svara vilka grundsmaker de kunde identifiera i varje livsmedel. Resultaten visade på en signifikant skillnad förmåga att uppfatta salt jämfört med övriga grundsmaker, samt en markant ökad förmåga att både identifiera och verbalisera samtliga grundsmaker i livsmedel efter grundsmakträning. Från att ha benämnt ”gott” och ”äckligt” som smaker kunde barnen efter träning i större utsträckning sätta ord på och identifiera flera olika grundsmaker i livsmedlen de smakade. En kort grundsmakträning är en enkel metod som kan bidra till att få små barn att inta ett positivt, nyfiket förhållningssätt till nya smaker och mat i allmänhet. / Individual experiences of taste differs greatly and is partially due to both the ability to detect basic taste and the intensity at which it is interpreted. Compared to grown-ups, children tend to show a higher preference toward sweet and a greater aversion towards bitter. The purpose of this study was to examine 4-6-year old pre-school children’s ability to identify basic tastes in food before and after training with basic taste solutions. The children’s ability to articulate their taste experiences were also studied before basic taste training. The research were conducted at a single pre-school, eleven children participated in the study which involved four different parts. A group discussion about (basic) tastes, testing of ten different foods accompanied by continued conversations about what the food tasted like. The third part was training with basic taste solutions where the children got to practice recognizing sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami. The last part were a basic taste test in which the children were asked to answer what basic tastes they could identify in each food. The results showed a significant difference in the children’s ability to identify salty tastes compared to other basic tastes, also a notably improved ability to detect and articulate all basic tastes after basic taste training. The children went from naming “tasty” and “disgusting” as tastes, to being able to put words on, and identify, many of the basic tastes in each food. A short training session with basic tastes is a simple method which can benefit young children by contributing to a more positive and curious approach towards new flavours and food in general.

The purpose with this study is to increase the understanding of how the youngest pre-school children communicate during play. The research method chosen is observation since it is the most suitable for this study.  The result shows that the youngest pre-school children communicate in different ways during play. For example, they might use various bodily gestures only or speak single words while using their body language. / Syftet med studien är att öka förståelsen angående de yngsta förskolebarnens kommunikation med andra i leken. Jag har i denna studie valt att använda mig av observation som metod för att undersöka min forskningsfråga, denna metod har jag valt för att den passar sig väl när man vill undersöka barn i deras förskola.  Resultatet visar att de yngsta förskolebarnen kommunicerar på olika sätt i sin lek på förskolan. Detta gör de bland annat genom olika kroppsliga gester, men också genom enstaka ord i kombination med det kroppsliga.

Studien har fokus på hur ett antal förskollärare tolkar sitt uppdrag när det gäller barns skriftspråkande i förskolan. De två problemformuleringen är följande; Hur tolkar ett antal förskollärare sitt uppdrag när det gäller barns lärande och villkor av skriftspråket? Hur ser ett antal förskollärare på sina förutsättningar att stödja barns skrivande med utgångspunkt i att barn är meningsskapande i sitt sätt att använda skriftspråket? Det teoretiska ramverket utgörs av tre förekommande perspektiv eller synsätt på barns skriftspråksutveckling. De är sociokulturellt perspektiv, kognitivt perspektiv och utvecklingspedagogiskt perspektiv. Begreppet livsvärld intar en övergripande ram för att ytterligare vägleda analysen av forskningsfrågorna utifrån att studiens studieobjekt är förskollärare. Metodansats är hermeneutisk eftersom det är förskollärarnas berättelser och deras tolkning av sitt uppdrag som är i fokus i studien och därmed används också intervjuer i form av samtalsguider. Förskollärarna tolkningar lyfts fram utifrån ett antal kategorier som framkom under arbetet med resultat och analys. I analysen av resultatet framkommer en splittrad bild men även till viss del en samstämmig bild av förskollärarnas tolkning av sitt uppdrag när det gäller skriftspråkande i förskolan. Den splittrade bilden handlar om hur barn lär om skriftspråket och vad som ska ingå i undervisningen om skriftspråket i förskolan. Samstämmigheten handlar om att utbildning behövs för att höja förskollärares kompetens. En slutsats blir att  det behövs tydliga direktiv om hur uppdraget ska tolkas gällande undervisning av skriftspråket i förskolan. I slutdiskussionen uppmärksammas också de möjligheter förskolebarn har att lära om skriftspråket utifrån förskolelärarnas tolkning av sitt uppdrag. / The study has a focus on the way that a number of preschool teachers interpret their assignment regarding children’s literacy in preschool. The two research questions are: how do these preschool teachers interpret their assignment regarding children’s literacy learning and opportunities? How do these preschool teachers regard their qualifications to support children’s writing with the starting point that children are using literacy meaningfully? The theoretical frameworks include three perspectives or approaches on children’s written language development. They are sociocultural perspective, cognitive perspective and developing educational perspective. The concept livsvärld or lifeworld provides an overall frame to further direct the analysis of the studies and research questions since the object of the study is the preschool teacher. The methodological approach is hermeneutic since it is the preschool teachers` narrative and interpretations of their assignment that are in focus, and therefore interviews have been used as a form of dialog guide. The preschool teachers’ interpretations highlight a number of categories that emerged from the analysis. In the analysis of the results, there emerged a fragmented picture but also some area of agreement and concordance amongst the views of the preschool teachers regarding their interpretations of their assignment regarding children’s literacy in preschool. The fragmented picture is about how preschool children learn about literacy and what should be included in teaching about literacy in preschool. The consistent picture is that there is a need for more training to increase their competence in relation to how preschool children learn about literacy. A conclusion is that there is a need for distinct guidance about how to interpret the assignment of beginning the teaching of literacy in preschool. In the final discussion, attention is also drawn to preschool children’s opportunity to learn about literacy based on the preschool teacher’s interpretation of their assignment.

This thesis defines social-emotional skills that need to be refined among pre-school children within the context of the beginning of schooling. The work also verifies the possibilities and limits of artefiletics in the development of social and emotional skills of pre-school children. The thesis is of a theoretical- empirical character and is divided into two parts - theoretical and practical. The chapters of the theoretical part deal with social and emotional development of pre-school children, the meaning of a play in social-emotional development and also with social-emotional constituent part of school maturity. The last chapter is devoted to artefiletics as an innovative approach towards the development of social- emotional skills of pre-school children. The practical part of this thesis consists of two parts - action research and questionnaire survey. The action research focuses on verifying the possibilities and limits of artefiletics when developing and refining social-emotional skills of pre-school children in kindergarten.The action research aimed at increasing the quality of complex maturity preparation for entering primary school, respectively adaptation to school environment. The second part of the practical part consists of questionnaire survey, the aim of which was above all to discover...