Showing papers in "Early Childhood Education Journal in 2005"
TL;DR: The authors examine recent research findings on how comprehension skills develop in young children and discuss the implications of those findings for comprehension assessment and interventions for reading assessment and intervention, and conclude that although a balanced reading program would include the development of basic language and comprehension skills, comprehension has often been overlooked in early reading instruction.
Abstract: Developing the ability to read is a complex process involving a variety of skills, including both basic language skills and language comprehension skills. Although a balanced reading program would include the development of basic language and comprehension skills, comprehension has often been overlooked in early reading instruction. In this article, we examine recent research findings on how comprehension skills develop in young children and discuss the implications of those findings for comprehension assessment and interventions.
154 citations
TL;DR: The authors examined the differential salience of family and community demands and resources in relation to family-to-work conflict and facilitation and found that family demands show relatively strong positive relationships to family to work conflict, whereas family resources are relatively impor- tant for family to-work facilitation.
Abstract: This paper examines the differential salience of family and community demands and resources in relation to family-to-work conflict and facilitation. The study used interviews with 1567 employed, married, parents from the 1995 National Survey of Midlife Development (MIDUS). Family demands show relatively strong positive relationships to family-to-work conflict, whereas family resources are relatively impor- tant for family-to-work facilitation. Two community demands are positively related to family-to-work conflict and one community resource is positively associated with facili- tation. Community demands and resources generally do not moderate relationships between family demands and resources and family-to-work conflict and facilitation. The study suggests that processes associated with demands are relatively important for family-to-work conflict, whereas processes embedded in resources are relatively salient for family-to-work facilitation. Research over the past few decades has revealed that work and family are inter-connected domains. When the boundaries between the work and family domains are sufficiently permeable and flexible, processes occur through which characteristics associated with one domain influence the other domain. Work-family conflict and facili- tation are linking mechanisms in the processes through which work and family characteristics are related to individual, work, and family outcomes (Voydanoff, 2002). They are cognitive appraisals of the effects of one domain on the other domain. Lazarus and Folkman (1984) state that cognitive appraisal is the process of deciding whether an experience is positive, stressful, or irrelevant with regard to well- being. Stressful appraisals occur when individuals perceive that the demands of their environment exceed their resources and endanger
122 citations
TL;DR: The authors explored factors affecting bank account ownership, with a special emphasis on the effects that changes over time may have had in bringing low-to-moderate income families into the financial mainstream, and found that holding socioeconomic characteristics as well as households' need for an account, abilities to manage the account, access to accounts, and previous experiences constant, account ownership increased over time, with the biggest gains between 1995 and 1998.
Abstract: The decade of the 1990s was a time of substantial economic and public policy changes. We explore factors affecting bank account ownership, with a special emphasis on the effects that changes over time may have had in bringing low-to-moderate income families into the financial mainstream. Data are from the 1989, 1992, 1995, 1998, and 2001 Surveys of Consumer Finances. Results indicate that holding socioeconomic characteristics as well as households’ need for an account, abilities to manage the account, access to accounts, and previous experiences constant, account ownership increased over time, with the biggest gains between 1995 and 1998. Increases over time were experienced across the spectrum of income, net worth, education, race, and age characteristics.
109 citations
TL;DR: The authors investigated whether older workers chose partial or full retirement instead of full-time work and found that age and gender had similar effects on the likelihood of partial and full retirement, while full retirement was also influenced by investment assets, pensions, employee health insurance and poor health.
Abstract: The study investigated whether older workers chose partial or full retirement instead of full-time work. Partial or full retirement status was modeled as a combination of self-reported retirement status and change in number of hours worked. The results of multinomial logistic regression using data from the first and fifth waves of the Health and Retirement Study collected in 1992 and 2000 showed that age and gender had similar effects on the likelihood of partial and full retirement. Full retirement was also influenced by investment assets, pensions, employee health insurance, and poor health. The likelihood of partial retirement was also influenced by self-employment, chronic health conditions, and education. Workers who seek partial retirement need working conditions that allow them to make this choice.
100 citations
TL;DR: This paper found that family involvement in schools can be influenced by both school-related and family-related factors, such as ethnicity, prior school experiences, and family work schedules, and teachers who recognize and understand these influences can employ a variety of strategies to facilitate the involvement of families in the school experience of young children.
Abstract: Family involvement in schooling can benefit young children, teachers, and families. Family involvement in schools can be influenced by both school-related and family-related factors. School-related factors include teachers’ attitudes toward families, and school and teacher expectations. Family-related factors include ethnicity, prior school experiences, and family work schedules. Teachers who recognize and understand these influences can employ a variety of strategies to facilitate the involvement of families in the school experience of young children.
95 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss the importance of attending to the social and emotional well-being of very young children as a primary focus of early learning and school success, and incorporate the three principles of promotion, prevention, and intervention within a systems framework.
Abstract: The period of early childhood sets the stage for how well children view themselves, each other, and their world. Shared positive emotional experiences between caregivers and children serve as building blocks for the development of social and emotional well-being in infants and toddlers. Incorporating the three principles of promotion, prevention, and intervention within a systems framework (child–parent–environment) will enable early childhood practitioners to foster the emotional health and well-being of all children and families, especially those individual children who are more vulnerable due to the presence of multiple risk factors. The primary intent of the authors of this paper is to discuss the importance of attending to the social and emotional well being of very young children as a primary focus of early learning and school success.
90 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigate, identify and describe different ways that female and male preschool teachers conceive, understand and experience play, and they find that female preschool teachers tend to value calm play and emphasize the importance of social development while male teachers accentuate the significance of physical development.
Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate, identify and describe different ways that female and male preschool teachers conceive, understand and experience play. The research questions addressed are: What perspectives do female and male preschool teachers have on play? Are there differences in play experiences related to gender? The interview study is inspired by phenomenographical research. The sample consisted of ten female and ten male preschool teachers’. The results show differences between female and male preschool teachers’ play willingness. This study found that male preschool teachers contribute with more playfulness, and this is something that both female and male preschool teachers noticed. Female preschool teachers tend to value calm play and emphasize the importance of social development while male preschool teachers accentuate the significance of physical development. All preschool teachers in the study emphasized that it is important to create inspiring environments for play and outdoor play.
79 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a user-friendly methodology to assess and enhance the emotional intelligence abilities of teachers, and thereby impact the abilities of the young children they teach, which is a new and exciting area of academic research that looks at emotional abilities within the following four domains: perception skills, accessing skills, understanding skills, and regulation skills.
Abstract: A current interest in education is the growing awareness that the development of social and emotional skills in children is critical for the foundation of academic knowledge in the classroom. The early childhood educator is in a position to be a powerful nurturer of the social emotional development in young children. It is important, therefore, to challenge early childhood teachers, particularly veteran teachers, to take a closer look at their own social and emotional skills and to systematically reassess these skills through an emotionally intelligent “lens”. The field of emotional intelligence is a new and exciting area of academic research that looks at emotional abilities within the following four domains: (1) perception skills; (2) accessing skills; (3) understanding skills; and (4) regulation skills. This article presents a userfriendly methodology to assess and enhance the emotional intelligence abilities of teachers, and thereby impact the abilities of the young children they teach.
79 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored and proposed a solution to improve students' achievement in reading and math by introducing or increasing foreign language study in the elementary schools, which has been shown to improve cognitive abilities, positively influence achievement in other disciplines, and results in higher achievement test scores.
Abstract: Educators and policy makers in many countries have been expressing concern about how to improve students’ achievement in reading and math. This article explores and proposes a solution: introduce or increase foreign language study in the elementary schools. Research has shown that foreign language study in the early elementary years improves cognitive abilities, positively influences achievement in other disciplines, and results in higher achievement test scores in reading and math. Successful foreign language programs for elementary schools include immersion, FLES, and FLEX programs.
61 citations
TL;DR: The authors identified time, satisfaction, and demographic variables significantly associated with negative home-to-job spillover for three generational groups: generation Xer's, boomers, and matures.
Abstract: Home-to-job spillover, a source of stress for employed men and women, can be exacerbated by factors that deplete personal time and energy. Household responsibilities and caring for children or the elderly are stressors that may differentially impact employed adults based on lifecycle stage. The present study identified time, satisfaction, and demographic variables significantly associated with negative home-to-job spillover for three generational groups: generation Xer’s, boomers, and matures. Matures spent significantly more time caring for the elderly whereas boomers and generation Xer’s spent more time caring for children. Significantly more boomers reported home-to-job spillover, and there were more predictors of spillover for this group than for members of the younger or older generations.
61 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the informal strategies used by a kindergarten teacher that promoted the use of math language were identified during a 3-month observational period in her classroom at Clinton Elementary (pseudonym) in a low-income neighborhood of a southern city that has a population of approximately 450,000.
Abstract: The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) states that “Communication is an essential part of mathematics and mathematics education” (2000, p. 60). In fact, communication is one of the five process standards emphasized by NCTM. The communication standard highlights the importance of young children communicating their mathematical thinking coherently to peers and teachers. This standard also states that young children should use math language to express mathematical ideas (Baroody, 2000; Ginsburg, Inoue, & Seo, 1999; NCTM, 2000; Rubenstein & Thompson, 2002; Whitin & Whitin, 2003). Teachers must create a link between mathematics and language (Rubenstein & Thompson, 2002; Stigler & Hiebert, 2004). This article focuses on the informal strategies used by Melissa (a kindergarten teacher) that promoted the use of math language. The strategies were identified during a 3-month observational period in her classroom at Clinton Elementary (pseudonym). Clinton Elementary is located in a low-income neighborhood of a southern city that has a population of approximately 450,000. The neighborhood population is predominantly African-American (Davis, 1994).
TL;DR: The authors reported a moderately high degree of consistency overall, however, discloses low to moderate internal consistencies among subscales and found significant response differences to one quarter of comparable items between surveys.
Abstract: Financial education represents an area of popular interest, owing largely to the Jump$tart surveys of financial literacy. However, while the surveys represent indicators of financial knowledge among high school seniors, these measures have not been statistically validated. This article describes an assessment of the surveys’ reliability (internal consistency), and validity. It reports a moderately high degree of consistency overall, however, discloses low to moderate internal consistencies among subscales. It also finds significant response differences to one quarter of comparable items between surveys. The researcher observes challenges to affirming the surveys’ validity and offers statistics suggesting social bias among survey items. He calls for further research into measures of financial literacy.
TL;DR: In this paper, the impact of foreign domestic workers (FDWs) on parental roles and family dynamics of Hong Kong's middle class families is discussed, based on interviews with 15 dual-earner couples in middle class nuclear families employing FDWs.
Abstract: This paper discusses the impact of foreign domestic workers (FDWs) on parental roles and family dynamics of Hong Kong’s middle class families. The increase in married women’s labor force participation in Hong Kong has led to a greater demand for childcare, which has been filled by FDWs. Based on interviews with 15 dual-earner couples in middle class nuclear families employing FDWs, how FDWs affect the mother’s gender role and family dynamics is discussed. Boundary work is used by parents in their daily interaction with their children and their FDWs so as to reconcile the perceived indispensability of these workers on the one hand, and the challenges they pose to the definition of parenthood on the other.
TL;DR: The authors examines the life of Friedrich Froebel, the founder of the kindergarten movement and his first 10 “gifts to children.” The author suggests that Froebels's philosophy of German Romanticism caused the waning use of his methods and concludes that the development of instructional material and structured play-based curricula is worth reexamining during this time for greater accountability and expectation for the early academic success of children.
Abstract: This article examines the life of Friedrich Froebel, the founder of the kindergarten movement and his first 10 “gifts to children.” The author suggests that Froebel’s philosophy of German Romanticism caused the waning use of his methods. He continues to state that Froebel’s development of instructional material and structured play-based curricula is worth re-examining during this time for greater accountability and expectation for the early academic success of children.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors described new trends of leisure consumption in China and analyzed the relationship between leisure consumption and economic growth in China, and proposed a new model for leisure consumption analysis.
Abstract: This paper described new trends of leisure consumption in China.
TL;DR: A review of the literature on the rate, stability, and outcomes associated with externalizing behavior problems prior to kindergarten entry is presented in this paper, where the authors present the factors related to the onset and persistence of behavior problems in young children.
Abstract: This paper will review the literature on the rate, stability, and outcomes associated with externalizing behavior problems prior to kindergarten entry. Bronfenbrenner’s (The ecology of human development. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press) ecological framework will be used to present the factors related to the onset and persistence of externalizing behavior problems in young children. Behavior problems prior to school entry are somewhat developmentally appropriate and most can be resolved within the classroom or child care setting. Intervention for children with moderate to severe behavior problems in early childhood is crucial because behavior problems are likely to persist into elementary school leading to a variety of social and academic concerns. Steps will be presented to help teachers determine whether or not a referral to a specialist is needed and locate an appropriate specialist.
TL;DR: This paper examined patterns of work engagement among three cohorts of African-American fathers and explore how they shape transitions in family residence and dynamics of family life, finding that most fathers nested residence in households within sporadic spells of employment.
Abstract: Few studies explore linked transitions in work and family life for low-income African-American men. I examine patterns of work engagement among three cohorts of fathers and explore how they shape transitions in family residence and dynamics of family life. Establishment of a household was considered a shared project with partners and extended kin networks. Findings indicated that most fathers nested residence in households within sporadic spells of employment. Younger cohorts were less able to secure stable work and family arrangements at early ages, in comparison to older and middle cohorts. Implications for social policy include recognition of family formation beyond marital status, including negotiation of household establishment and arrangements for multiple providers in extended kin networks.
TL;DR: The authors examines ways that teachers can both implicitly and explicitly teach children about language and its functions in primary classrooms through the environment, connections to literature, developmentally appropriate oral language activities, and engaging curricula.
Abstract: The development of oral language in classrooms has been an incidental occurrence historically. The amount of oral language that children have is an indicator of their success or struggle in school. To meet the needs of these children, teachers can make oral language development a primary focus for instruction. This article examines ways that teachers can both implicitly and explicitly teach children about language and its functions in primary classrooms through the environment, connections to literature, developmentally appropriate oral language activities, and engaging curricula.
TL;DR: An overview of pre-kindergarten mathematics as related to national standards can be found in this paper, where the authors describe the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics principles and standards, fundamental concepts developed and learned in early childhood, and naturalistic and informal instructional examples.
Abstract: This article provides an overview of prekindergarten mathematics as related to national standards. Included are descriptions of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics principles and standards, the fundamental concepts developed and learned in early childhood, and naturalistic and informal instructional examples. Each concept is connected to the matching standard.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors analyzed the parental decision to borrow and, for borrowers, the level of borrowing for dependent children's college education, using the 1992-1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study, with the 1997 follow-up.
Abstract: Using the 1992–1993 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study, with the 1997 follow-up, the parental decision to borrow and, for borrowers, the level of borrowing for dependent children’s college education was analyzed. Parents with smaller household size and those being college graduates borrowed greater amounts. White parents borrowed greater amounts than their non-White counterparts. The age of the student, dependent students’ income and parents’ cash and savings each had a significant negative impact on the amount parents borrowed, while home equity was a significant positive factor. Greater college costs significantly increased parents’ decision to borrow, as well as the borrowed amount. Greater amounts of grants significantly reduced the amount borrowed.
TL;DR: In this article, an observational study examines teachers' discussions of emotions in three child care centers and concludes that children learn to identify emotion-related words, understand the causes of emotion, and to provide them with constructive means of emotion regulation.
Abstract: Teachers have the opportunity to discuss the emotions of children as they occur in the context of the classroom. As such, teachers play an important role in the socialization of emotions of young children. This observational study examines teachers’ discussions of emotions in three child care centers. The findings suggest that child care centers are important social contexts for learning about feelings because of ongoing interaction between teachers and children. Teachers in child care centers use various strategies with children to discuss their emotional expressions. They help children learn to identify emotion-related words, to understand the causes of emotion, and to provide them with constructive means of emotion regulation. The implications for teacher-training programs focusing on methods of facilitation of emotional competence and appropriate emotional socialization are presented.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue that to be successful in planning and implementing a technology curriculum, we cannot only consider only the technological aspects, but also need to take into consideration the social and cultural factors.
Abstract: We are living in a fast-changing, technology-driven world, where technology affects the daily lives of every person, directly or indirectly. While the importance of providing young children with technological knowledge and experience has been well-recognized, how the curriculum should be developed deserves greater study. Using early childhood education in Hong Kong as a case study, this paper argues that to be successful in planning and implementing a technology curriculum, we cannot consider only the technological aspects. We also need to take into consideration the social and cultural factors. Among various social and cultural factors, this paper focuses on: (a) the background of the students and their parents, (b) society’s perceptions of technology, and (c) society’s expectations of children who learn about technology, and (d) the approach and method of teaching and learning technology.
TL;DR: In this article, the author articulates key stressors in the lives of families who are homeless and presents strategies for helping homeless families overcome these barriers and related issues, such as lack of job opportunities and insensitive professionals.
Abstract: The author articulates key stressors in the lives of families who are homeless. These stresses often combine with barriers such as lack of job opportunities and/or insensitive professionals. Strategies for helping homeless families overcome these barriers and related issues are presented.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors identify the personal, family, and job characteristics associated with low-wage employees' job-family role strain and find that structural factors associated with managing work and family responsibilities may more accurately measure job role strain for this worker population.
Abstract: This exploratory study aimed to identify the personal, family, and job characteristics associated with low-wage employees’ job–family role strain. Data were collected from both English and non-English speaking workers at one hotel site. Multivariate data analyses revealed that different sets of circumstances create job–family strain for employees. Supervisor support was independently associated with two of the three job–family strain variables while other job factors emerged as significant when interacting with demographic variables. Findings suggest that structural factors associated with managing work and family responsibilities may more accurately measure job–family role strain for this worker population. The study provides further evidence that the concept of job–family role strain is inherently complex, warranting further investigation, especially for employees in low-wage earning jobs.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the relationships among business tensions, relationship conflict quality, and satisfaction with spouse for 206 farm business-owning couples and found that for both husbands and wives, locus of control was negatively related to business tensions.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among business tensions, relationship conflict quality, and satisfaction with spouse for 206 farm business-owning couples. The Sustainable Family Business Model and the Family FIRO (Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation) model guided the path analysis. For both husbands and wives, locus of control was negatively related to business tensions; decision involvement discrepancy was positively related to relationship conflict quality; and business tensions were negatively related to relationship conflict quality. For husbands, relationship conflict quality was positively related to satisfaction with spouse; for wives, business tensions were negatively related to satisfaction with business-owning spouse.
TL;DR: The strongest predictors of transportation hardship were the presence of children in the household, low income, driving less reliable vehicles, and the unavailability of transportation assistance from someone outside the household as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Growing evidence demonstrates the importance of transportation in improving family economic well being. This article sheds light on the hardship that one important transportation asset, private vehicles, may exert on families. Data from the Iowa Transportation and Employment Survey provided a unique opportunity to understand how vehicle access enables households to meet their basic needs, but may exacerbate their problems through the creation of additional demands on resources. Approximately 26% of the sample reported having experienced transportation hardship. The strongest predictors of transportation hardship were the presence of children in the household, low income, driving less reliable vehicles, and the unavailability of transportation assistance from someone outside the household. How to help families meet their transportation needs in light of this evidence remains open to debate.
TL;DR: The authors developed a logit model to predict employment for low-income mothers, including individual, family environment, and community variables, and found that lack of family resource management was a significant impediment to employment.
Abstract: Recognizing that mothers continue to bear the primary responsibility for household production, comprehensive logit models are developed to predict employment for low-income mothers. The models include a wide array of possible employment impediments, including individual, family environment, and community variables. Lack of family resource management, a variable not previously investigated in employment prediction, is found to be a significant impediment to employment. Under welfare reform, low-income mothers must balance family and work demands under severe resource constraints. Family resource management appears to play a crucial role in this balancing process. In addition, the local unemployment rate is found to be a significant predictor of employment.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors provide a framework for supporting families in becoming active in their children's development of empathy. And they also provide strategies that help parents and family implement empathy development.
Abstract: Families can help prevent violence through nurturing empathy in their children. This article provides the framework for supporting families in becoming active in their children’s development of empathy. Strategies are provided that help parents and family implement empathy development.
TL;DR: In this paper, the theory of multiple intelligences in relation to working with young children and young children with disabilities is discussed and a rationale for the use of the multiple intelligence is discussed as well as practical suggestions on how they can be incorporated into early childhood programs.
Abstract: The theory of the multiple intelligences are discussed in relation to working with young children and young children with disabilities. A rationale for the use of the multiple intelligences is discussed as well as practical suggestions on how they can be incorporated into early childhood programs.
TL;DR: Specific scaffolding procedures that can be used by parents and early childhood educators to enhance music development in two areas of his musical development, vocal improvisation and song acquisition are outlined.
Abstract: One of the central concepts in Vygotsky’s theory of child development is the Zone of Proximal Development. This article identifies how Jack moves through the Zone of Proximal Development in two areas of his musical development, vocal improvisation and song acquisition, from the ages of 24 to 36 months, with scaffolding provided by me, his father. The article outlines specific scaffolding procedures that can be used by parents and early childhood educators to enhance music development in these areas.