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This study aims at identifying American and Turkish early childhood preservice teachers' perceptions of the purpose of art activities in early childhood education and the relationships between rankings of the participants made through a self-reported importance order survey. A total of 270 preservice teachers studying at the University of North Texas and Kilis 7 Aralık University participated in the study. "Art activities evaluation sheet" was used to collect data. The data were analyzed using median values, Man Whitney U Test, and Kruskal-Wallis H test. The obtained results showed that there are both some similarities and differences in the American and Turkish preservice teachers' perceptions of the purpose of art activities. Both American and Turkish early childhood preservice teachers gave the highest priority to the same item "Art activities improve creativity". However, some items were valued differently by American and Turkish preservice teachers. No gender-related differences were observed in the rank orders of both American and Turkish preservice teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of Education Technology & Scientific Researches is the property of Ayse Burcu Ulusoy and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Professional learning and development for early childhood educators are increasingly recognised as pivotal in supporting curricula that are socially and culturally relevant to children. The ubiquitous nature of technology creates the necessity for educators to increase their knowledge and understandings of how to support children's digital citizenship. The focus of this paper is on practitioner inquiry as a professional learning strategy to support technology integration in early learning centres in Australia. Collective case-studies were undertaken with educators at three early learning centres in New South Wales, Australia to gain insights into their beliefs and attitudes towards technology and to investigate ways to include technology as a complementary tool or resource in play-based learning. Rogoff's three planes of sociocultural analysis were adopted to better understand the interplay between various influencing factors. Framing the analysis through Rogoff's approach provided an innovative way to underscore contextually relevant professional learning support that was responsive to diversity in educator beliefs, knowledge and practices with digital technologies as well as specificities of each early learning centre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As emerging literature reflects,praxisis an important and useful concept for thinking about the many aspects of early childhood education (ECE) and early childhood research. In this article, I seek to contribute to discussions about praxis in ECE as a valuable concept for meeting the ethical challenges that arise in participatory research involving both infants and educators. I argue that research with infants necessitates particular ethical and transformational thinking and action. Research with infants and early childhood educators adds further complexity, and requires a balancing of ethical considerations for all those involved in the research. Using the theory of practice architectures as both a conceptual and analytical framework, I reflect on how particular cultural-discursive, material-economic, and social-political arrangements shaped (and were shaped by) my research practices while undertaking my doctoral study. I discuss how the practice architectures that prefigured the project enabled opportunities for praxis, and propose theoretical and practical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

THE FIELD OF EARLY CHILDHOOD education and care (ECEC) in Australia is a highly dynamic one. Increased government interest and funding during the years of the Labor Governments from 2008-2012 strengthened the sector in terms of increased funding, policy development, level of staff qualification and measures of quality. While this support resulted in increased numbers of children enrolled in ECEC settings and greater numbers of students enrolled in early childhood teacher education degrees, it also contributed to increased workforce pressures and a shortage of qualified early childhood teachers. In this paper we report on a quantitative study that investigated the nature of student experience in a combined Bachelor of Education Early Childhood and Primary degree, and student perceptions of value. The results of the study indicate positive responses to the inclusion of both early childhood and primary content and professional experience undertaken in both prior to school and school settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inclusion of young children with disabilities into general education classrooms is a common practice that has been implemented for many years in developed countries around the world and many developing countries have been creating and implementing laws and regulations to support inclusive education in early years. Although extant literature includes a commonly agreed definition for inclusion, the implementation of inclusive practices varies across countries. A critical factor for successful implementation of inclusive practices is teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion of children with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to compare Turkish and American pre-service preschool teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion of young children with disabilities and their willingness to work with children with severe behavioural, physical, and cognitive disabilities. A total of 123 pre-service teachers participated in the study. The results showed that pre-service teachers across two countries had similar attitudes towards inclusion and their attitudes were positive. Additionally, both groups of pre-service teachers reported more favourable attitudes towards working with children with severe physical disabilities than those who have severe cognitive and behavioural disabilities. Implications for future research and practices are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article reports on an action research project focussed on preparing culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) preservice early childhood teachers for field experience. A series of targeted workshops delivered over one semester was designed to support the students to develop intercultural competence in relation to knowledge, attitude, skills and behaviours that contribute to success on field placement. Findings indicate that short-term initiatives targeted specifically to students' identified needs and strengths can help to build intercultural competence for both students and teacher educators. For the participants, access to communication strategies, opportunities for rehearsal of teaching practice, and peer and academic support contributed to shifts in attitude, and the development of skills and new knowledge. New learnings for the teacher educators included challenging assumptions about CALD students' sense of community and belonging in the university context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

THIS ARTICLE PROVIDES AN overview of the Education Meets Play study that will investigate early childhood educators' use of play-based learning, now mandatory under the National Quality Standard. By building on what can be gleaned about educators' approaches to play-based learning prior to the implementation of the Early Years Learning Framework, the study will contribute to the evidence base concerning the implementation and effects of Australia's early childhood education and care policy reform initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the author's views regarding method of inquiry for investigating early childhood education in three different countries including Japan, China and the U.S. He states the use of trick is to think method at the same time for ethnographic version of physics' unified field theory. He also emphasizes the video cued multivocal ethnography method to show reactions and reflections of educators at separate cultural contexts.

The paper presents the results of the implementation of a preschool school initiative in Chile known as Your Scientific Skills in Science (TCC) Explora Conicyt and analyzes the influence of cooperative relationships between directors, preschool teachers and preschool teaching assistants on the development of scientific skills in students bet-ween four and six years of age A mixed methodology was applied. Thirty-seven classroom observations were con-ducted and analyzed using the constant comparative method. Ten categories of coo-peration emerged and were used to construct a questionnaire for these three educa-tional players. The questionnaire was applied at ninety-seven municipal and private schools in the regions of Valparaíso, La Araucanía, Los Lagos, Rivers and Metropoli- tana. The results show a positive correlation between cooperation among educators and scientific learning on the part of students [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent calls for change in teacher preparation programs stress the importance of field experience and the need for preservice teachers to have ample opportunities for peer collaboration and feedback. The paired placement model, with two preservice teachers working with one cooperating teacher, has shown to provide many benefits. However, the strategies for developing successful partnerships in the context of a required course are not fully understood. This article presents a study of early childhood and elementary preservice teachers’ perspectives on the peer and faculty related factors that contribute to the success (and lack of success) of their partnerships. The article concludes with effective strategies for teacher educators to consider in creating and supporting field-based peer partnerships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this qualitative study is to determine early childhood pre-service teachers' concerns and solutions. One hundred early childhood pre-service teachers who were enrolled at Pamukkale University, Turkey, answered two open-ended questions by e-mail. In addition, six of these participants were interviewed for developing a deeper understanding of their concerns and solutions. Five main areas of concerns and solutions were identified as: (1) children, (2) parents, (3) school principals and colleagues, (4) environmental conditions, (5) self-orientation. This paper draws attention to the underlying reasons given by pre-service teachers about their concerns and elicits their ways of overcoming these concerns, in order to identify pre-service teachers' needs, in becoming effective teachers, and to integrate possible areas of concern in management and development of teacher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a process in which early childhood professionals, who were novice researchers, engaged in their own research projects in collaboration with academics through a practitioner inquiry group. The aim of the project was to introduce the concepts and practices of practitioner enquiry, and learn about, plan and implement a self-initiated change project in consultation with academics. The paper details how a group of teachers succeeded in sustaining a community of practice that promoted teacher professionalism and change. Research has previously called for a shift in professional habitus and raised concerns about the value of teacher learning groups, the dispositions of teachers to call on academic research, and by implication, the desire to work actively with academics. Here we draw upon empirical data to raise the hope that the enablement and dissemination of collaborative change-focused research projects, while challenging, may provide viable avenues for successful teacher change. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper examines the effectiveness of a professional development model (PDM) devised as part of a research project carried out to support early childhood professionals in Ireland in enhancing their pedagogy. The PDM was constructed on a socio-cultural theoretical framework whereby Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development was applied in the context of early years professional development. The study was qualitative in design and involved case-study interviews, use of reflective diaries and observations of the settings using the quality learning instrument to evaluate the quality of the learning experience before and after using the PDM. Overall the findings would suggest that implementation of the PDM had benefits at personal and professional development levels and also at early years setting level. However, benefits to the early years professional community were limited and the paper makes recommendations regarding the potential role of the PDM in the construction of a strong early years professional community of practice in Ireland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract on the difficult working conditions of Infant School Assistants (ISAs), and how these affect their health, is presented.

The article offers suggestions for parents and teachers to support young children as co-researchers by providing supportive and interactive learning environment through asking open-ended questions, participation of teachers in playful music and movement interactions with children.

Copyright of Journal of Kirsehir Education Faculty is the property of Journal of Kirsehir Education Faculty and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article explores some of the issues around the agenda for workforce reform as it applies to professionals who work in early years classrooms (4-7 year olds), who work alongside class teachers in supporting learning. Their changing roles, responsibilities and professional identities are examined through a small scale case study of four women, two nursery nurses and two teaching assistants, from an infants school in a suburb of Bristol. Their close professional and personal relationships with the six female class teachers with whom they work are considered. Their stories are analysed for their significance as women whose levels of skill and dedication are undervalued in terms of career structure, salary and job security. Whilst contributing to the debates around the changing roles and the valuable work of teaching assistants, this research endorses the view that these professionals' voices are too often silenced in educational debates and in strategic decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports primary children's perceptions of the role of the Teaching Assistant (TA) in three state primary schools in South West England. Through the use of a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, an exploration was made of how children view TAs, who are commonly found delivering the curriculum alongside the teacher in the classroom. A simple questionnaire was completed by 419 junior children and 86 infant and junior pupils were interviewed, giving children a 'voice' about an environment which they inhabit for a substantial proportion of their lives. The results show that children between the ages of 5-11 perceive the role of the TA to be of value and their work to be useful and helpful. Their accounts of the TAs' work in general and in relation to themselves, in particular, were clear and insightful. They distinguish between teacher and TA in terms of training, vocation and responsibility. Most children consider themselves to be confident and willing to ask for help but a significant minority reported that they preferred not to ask for help. The implications of the findings for further research on children's views and for educational practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the role of drawing as a tool to teach children how to write. Drawing is said to be a way of children's expressions. It asserts that through drawing children can be motivated for story writing also. It explains that children understand the difference between drawing and scribbling with age. A clear understanding of difference between drawing and writing comes at the age of 3. Children aging between 1 and 2 years use writing aides to mark papers, self, shoes, walls or windows.

The effectiveness of a guided compliance procedure to reduce noncompliance among typically developing preschool children was evaluated. After baseline data on compliance to common demands were collected, a parent, instructional assistant, or graduate research assistant implemented the guided compliance procedure, which involved the delivery of progressively more intrusive prompts contingent upon noncompliance. The effects of the procedure were examined using a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design across participants. The results suggest that the procedure was effective for four of the six children who participated. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wong, an assistant infant teacher finds inspiration from Reggio documentation of infants and is encouraged to document in her own classroom. The author shares her documentation efforts, making visible her process in slowing down to listen and observe infants actions, in developing note-taking and photography skills, and in creating documentation panels. As the documenting skills develop and increase in sophistication, her documentation transforms from activity-based to sequence-based to analysis-based documenting, as demonstrated in Wong's documentation of Abby, a 16-month old, and her encounter with the Rainbow viewer. Through documentation, the author understands her role as teacher to be more than fulfilling infants' needs, but to appreciating infants' curiosity, wonder, and desire to discover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents tips for using the division for early childhood recommended (DEC) practices in the early childhood setting. Planning and organizational tasks that need to be addressed before actual implementation of practices include the gathering of support, creation of alignment with programs mission statement, establishment of guidelines for working teams and the familiarity with DEC practices.

If teaching assistants are to be successful in helping schools to address the Government’s standards agenda as well as meet the needs of the workforce reform it seems self‐evident that the employment, development and deployment of teaching assistants is of extreme importance. Following the publication of the Common core of skills and knowledge for the children’s workforce , ‘clarity of roles’ and knowledge of ‘how to reflect and improve’ are identified as core knowledge for the development of all staff working with children. The paper suggests that skills and performance are valued implicitly in the new arrangements in England, but there is a danger of the power of reflection not being recognised as a mechanism for the enhancement of such qualities. The issues raised in this paper are illustrated from evidence collected during a series of semi‐structured interviews with a group of eight bilingual teaching assistants who work in the same large multicultural primary school in the centre of England. The paper concludes by citing a number of specific questions for further empirical work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A list of materials for effective services to very young children and their families is presented. It includes the "Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing" site, "Beginning with Families: A Parent's Guide to Early Intervention" booklet and "California Department of Developmental Resources."

As the number of learning support assistants (also referred to as classroom assistants, teaching aides, auxiliary support and paraeducators) employed in the primary sector continues to increase, questions concerning the contribution they make to raising standards of attainment remain to be answered. This article reports evidence from a small-scale study undertaken to evaluate the impact learning support assistants have on the reading attainment of young children taught in schools using a whole class systematic phonics approach. A matched sample test/retest approach was employed to examine differences in the reading performance of pupils who did and did not receive additional reading support. Whilst overall, pupils exposed to the whole class systematic phonics approach showed a significant improvement in reading performance, no added value was noted for pupils receiving learning support assistance. On the contrary, the results suggest that learning support may have a detrimental impact on lower ability readers. Contradictions between the empirical findings and the views of teachers are discussed here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literacy has been studied extensively in the context of children's play, but few studies exist of numeracy development through play. The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency and type of numeracy exchanges that occurred spontaneously during parent-child play. Twenty-six 4-year-olds and their mothers played with a variety of toys, including a cash register and play money, for 15 minutes. Three types of numeracy interactions were examined, including cultural, procedural, and mathematical exchanges. Results indicated that approximately one-half of the numeracy interactions related to mathematical concepts, one-third to cultural exchanges, and one-sixth to procedural information. The majority of parents provided conceptual information through implicit teaching rather than direct, didactic teaching of number skills during play. Parents initiated significantly more numeracy interactions than children, but the 4-year-olds initiated about one-fifth of the exchanges. The present study has implications for preschool and kindergarten programs, parent education, and home-school partnerships. Connections between the home and literacy development are often studied, but numeracy connections and home environments have been ignored. Teachers can capitalize on the opportunity to reinforce numeracy concepts being taught more formally at school by including informal, home-based play activities as well as structured number activities with parental involvement. Parents and children in this study demonstrated that numeracy-related interactions occur naturally in discourse during play, and that play is an important social context for guidance of numeracy development [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes an investigation of medical facilities undertaken by 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old children in a dual-language prekindergarten program in Chicago, Illinois. The article describes the phases of the project and documents the children's involvement in the project through anecdotal reports, photographs, and samples of the children's work. The article also indicates the Illinois Early Learning Standards and Benchmarks for 3- to 4-year-olds that were addressed through project work. Teacher's reflections conclude the article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic inquiry has focused recently on how to create caring classrooms and school communities—that is, classrooms and school communities that encourage children to continue to develop caring feelings, thoughts, and behaviors, or to feel, think, and practice them anew. After reviewing research on caring and attachment, this article discusses how to structure a caring classroom and suggests that parents and teachers consider picture books as a means of helping young children learn to care for themselves, animals, and others. The article concludes with a discussion of criteria for assessing picture books and suggests some appropriate titles based on these criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early learning standards—documents that outline what children should know and be able to do before kindergarten entry—are increasingly common in the United States. Data from a national survey are presented to illustrate trends in how states have developed and implemented early learning standards within the past four years. Results indicate that almost all states have developed early learning standards for prekindergarten-age children, and the number of states that have developed infant-toddler early learning standards has increased markedly. States have used a variety of strategies to support teachers in their use of early learning standards, and a number of states have or are developing monitoring systems to gauge the extent to which programs are using the standards. The authors discuss the implications that trends related to the development and implementation of early learning standards have for early childhood policies and practices, and they discuss areas where further research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efforts to improve the educational achievement of children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, are at the heart of current government policies in the United Kingdom. The Peers Early Education Partnership (PEEP) is an intervention that, since 1995, has worked directly with parents and caregivers of children from infancy to 5 years of age in a deprived area of Oxford and, recently, in other areas. This paper explores the effects of the PEEP parental education program on children's development. A longitudinal quasi-experimental design, including pretest and posttest measures, was used to compare a group of children whose parents had access to PEEP with a group of children with similar demographic characteristics whose parents did not have such access. In order to assess the effects of PEEP on children's cognitive, language, and social-emotional development, standardized tests and educational tasks were administered to the children upon entry to the intervention (at age 3) and after one and two years (at ages 4 and 5). This paper discusses the effects of two years of parental participation in PEEP on children (at age 5). Gains were found in vocabulary, verbal comprehension, understanding about books and print, number concepts, and self-esteem related to both cognitive and physical competence. Thus, working directly through groups of parents was found to be an effective way of enhancing children's cognitive and social-emotional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the exercises given to the candidates for the position of assistants in the primary and grammar schools in Chicago, Illinois in 1884.