Journals.uncc.edu (North Carolina's Urban Research University)
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Spanish-speaking Preschoolers\u27 Conceptual Vocabulary Knowledge: Towards More Comprehensive Assessment
No full textThis study examined Spanish-English preschoolers’ (n = 32) vocabulary performance when using traditional English-only compared to measures that utilize conceptual scoring (i.e., vocabulary knowledge in terms of known concepts independent of whether the label for the concept is known in either Spanish or English) designed for and normed on Spanish-English bilinguals. Children’s performance at the item level on the conceptually scored measures was also examined. In English, receptive and expressive average scores were in the below-average ranges.  However, on the conceptually scored vocabulary measures, the average scores were within the average range, receptively and expressively. Examination of children’s performance at the item level suggests there may be differences by language in bilingual children’s receptive and expressive vocabulary performance. The findings underscore the value of utilizing conceptually scored vocabulary measures, suggesting that their use may have potential for differentiate language difference from language disorder among young bilingual learners
An investigation of attention biases to emotional faces in individuals with ADHD
No full textThe present studies aimed to examine attention capture biases in response to emotional stimuli in adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Individuals with ADHD and matched controls completed an affective priming task with happy, sad, angry, disgust and neutral facial expressions as stimuli. In Study One, individuals who self-disclosed a diagnosis of ADHD showed greater attention capture for angry and happy expressions, though marginally less attention capture for disgusted expressions. In Study Two, individuals who met criteria for child ADHD and/or current diagnosis of ADHD demonstrated greater attention capture for disgusted emotional expressions and less attention capture for angry emotional expressions. Different findings between study One and Two suggest different emotion processing patterns as individuals with ADHD develop into adulthood
CONCEPTUAL VOCABULARY AMONG PRESCHOOLERS
No full textThis study examined Spanish-English preschoolers’ (n = 32) vocabulary performance when using traditional English-only compared to those that utilize conceptual scoring (i.e., vocabulary knowledge in terms of known concepts independent of whether the label for the concept is known in either Spanish or English) designed for and normed on Spanish-English bilinguals. Children’s performance at the item level on the conceptually-scored measures was also examined. In English, receptive and expressive average scores were in the below-average ranges. However, on the conceptually-scored vocabulary measures, the average scores were within the average range, receptively and expressively. Examination of children’s performance at the item level suggests there may be differences by language in bilingual children’s receptive and expressive vocabulary performance. The findings underscore the value of utilizing conceptually-scored vocabulary measures, suggesting that their use may have potential for differentiating language difference from language disorder among young bilingual learners
Early Childhood Teachers\u27 Use of Dual Language Digital Books
No full textThis qualitative study investigated how dual language digital books are used by early childhood teachers working with primarily Alaska Native children and families. In particular, there was a desire to know how the teachers used the books in their classrooms and if the resources were used to foster early literacy and/or to help teach and preserve native languages. The research was situated in six preschool classrooms where the researcher observed the teachers using the books and conducted semi-structured interviews to triangulate the data. Using a qualitative approach to analysis, findings emerged that teachers used the books to introduce in a variety of group settings. Additionally, how they used the books appeared to be in direct response to their students and their needs. Implications for teachers, families, and administrators are shared
CREATING NEW PATHWAYS FOR DIALOGUE: COLLABORATION OF DIVERSE VOICES
No full textEarly Head Start is based on the assertion that all children have explicit needs and benefit from a comprehensive developmental program. Children benefit when families and educators work together to support young children’s development. Yet, research indicates parents and educators often do not collaborate about children’s education and can have negative impact on school readiness. This project studied EHS programs that have utilized narrative observations referred to as, Journey of Discoveries to examine collaboration between parents and teachers. The qualitative case study used interview transcripts from three EHS programs. Findings revealed four central themes: (a) connection, (b) partnership, (c) building of relationship, and (d) the value of shared understanding. Findings showed Journey of Discoveries creates a pathway of collaboration for EHS teachers and parents by capturing children’s learning and development through the sharing of narrative observations
How do Students Learn and Retain New Information? A Response to the Deans for Impact Report, The Science of Learning
No full textThis article explores the second Key Question and provides a review of the 11 pieces of literature the Deans for Impact used to support their second question, “How do students learn and retain information?†in the Science of Learning article. This article determined that literature used to support the Deans for Impact article is appropriate and validates their position. This review does reveal that the bulk of the supporting studies were conducted on students at post-secondary schools which may have influenced the data. A wider range of subject ranges may have made the report more applicable to the intended audience
Scaffolding Preschoolers’ Acquisition, Maintenance, and Generalization of Phoneme Segmentation Skills Using Sound Boxes
No full textThe purpose of this article is to describe a study that examined the effects of a supplemental instructional method called sound boxes on the phoneme segmentation performance of a sample of preschoolers enrolled in a Head Start program. The sound box intervention was implemented using most to least prompting procedures as a way to scaffold children’s acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of phonemes. Findings revealed that all children improved their performance on phoneme segmentation tasks during the implementation of the sound box intervention. Results also showed that all children were able to maintain their high phoneme segmentation performance levels after prompts were removed. Additionally, children were able to generalize segmenting a fair percentage of phonemes when they were presented within words that were not directly taught during intervention sessions. Limitations of the study and directions for future research as well as implications for Head Start educators who may be interested in implementing this intervention are provided
Multi-tiered Narrative Intervention for Preschoolers: A Head Start Implementation Study
No full textThis implementation study examined the efficacy and feasibility of a multi-tiered narrative intervention when Head Start teachers and teaching assistants delivered all of the interventions and progress monitoring probes. In six Head Start classrooms, 105 children were assigned to receive the intervention or to receive their typical instruction. Children who attended the three classrooms that implemented the multi-tiered intervention showed significantly better story retelling and language comprehension skills than the children who attended preschool in the control classrooms. Additional questions addressed the feasibility of a multi-tiered system in Head Start classrooms. Findings indicate that Head Start teachers and teaching assistants can deliver large group, small group, and individual lessons with adequate fidelity; they can administer brief progress monitoring probes with fidelity and score children’s retells reliably. Furthermore, as teachers and teaching assistants become more comfortable with the procedures, they report greater self-efficacy, and overall, greater feasibility of a multi-tiered model in their classrooms
Promoting Partnerships with Parents in Preschool Programs: Does the Number of Classroom Sessions a Day Matter?
No full textPositive parent-teacher relationships are associated with positive child outcomes (Minke, 2010). Teachers’ work contexts, such as the number of children/families each teacher serves each day/week and a teacher’s self-efficacy may influence teachers’ abilities to build those relationships. Participants in this pilot study included families of children enrolled in publicly- funded preschool programs and their teachers. To assess their perceptions of self-efficacy regarding parent-teacher relationships, preschool teachers completed the Teacher Efficacy for Promoting Partnerships Scale (Moen, Sheridan, & White, 2016). Findings suggest that preschool programs using a single all-day session model with fewer children and families assigned per teacher, may permit teachers to more quickly establish partnerships with parents, or at least establish a confidence in working with parents sooner in the relationship than teachers assigned to teach to double (two half-day) sessions each day.Â
Teachers Can Untangle the Truth from Myth in the Classroom: Using an Interdisciplinary Approach to “Developing the Brain.†An Application of Deans for Impact (2015)
No full textAn interdisciplinary partnership between cognitive scientists, neuroscientists, college professors, and professional educators conducting research and implementing best practices in the classroom may potentially enhance the science of developing and nurturing the brain, the science of learning. This article discussed three practical implications: (a) understanding and teaching with learning differences in mind; (b) recognizing student interest and motivation; and (c) assessing and building prior knowledge to influence positive outcomes. In conclusion, examples of current cohort model research and opportunities for collaboration between neuroscientists, cognitive scientists, and classroom teachers are highlighted