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Article
Publication date: 14 March 2016

Shulamit Natan Ritblatt

The purpose of this paper is to present the Early Childhood-Socio-Emotional and Behavior Regulation Intervention Specialist (EC-SEBRIS) Certificate Program model integrating…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the Early Childhood-Socio-Emotional and Behavior Regulation Intervention Specialist (EC-SEBRIS) Certificate Program model integrating knowledge and practice. Coursework, videotaping, on-site coaching, and the reflective process facilitate the application of knowledge through the integration of theory and practice supporting young children and families. It is designed to help teachers and early childhood professionals to internalize the skills and competencies needed to address challenging behaviors in their classrooms or at homes so that they can meet the critical social-emotional and behavioral needs of children.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper will provide: research-based information to establish the need for such training programs; the rational to the conceptual framework of the EC-SEBRIS Certificate Program; the depiction of the wraparound training model, which uses triple coaching and mentoring methods: reflective supervision, videotaping, and on-site coaching for teachers; and a preliminary evaluation of the program, and future plans.

Findings

The EC-SEBRIS Certificate Program is at its early implementation stage. The author have graduated four cohorts, for a total of 113, early childhood professionals who have been hired to enhance the behavioral health services provided to young children and families. Overall, results suggest that the students’ knowledge base and confidence improved from time 1 to time 2 for each of the knowledge-based courses.

Research limitations/implications

This is a conceptual paper.

Practical implications

The program bridges the early childhood education (ECE) and early childhood mental health fields, and recognizes the important role that early care and education professionals play in the socio-emotional development of young children. Coursework, videotaping, on-site coaching, and the reflective process facilitate the application of knowledge through the integration of theory and practice in the field supporting young children and families.

Social implications

Challenging behaviors are one of the issues all early childhood educators have to deal within their classrooms. The model, as presented in the manuscript, can be implemented in other higher education institutions to enhance the skill sets of professionals who need to respond to this critical need and support healthy development of young children.

Originality/value

This is an original model emphasizing the importance of training early childhood educators to support emotion and behavior regulation in young children. The paper presents a cutting edge teaching model which integrates knowledge, practice, and reflective practice. This training model focuses on the ECE workforce as the front line to the provision of early childhood mental health support.

Details

The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice, vol. 11 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1755-6228

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 April 2018

Jemimah L. Young, Bettie Ray Butler, Inna N. Dolzhenko and Tameka N. Ardrey

The purpose of this paper is to deconstruct the extant scholarship on quality in early childhood education and to emphasize the importance of extending the literature to explore…

1484

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to deconstruct the extant scholarship on quality in early childhood education and to emphasize the importance of extending the literature to explore the potential influence that a teachers’ educational background may have on kindergarten readiness for African American children in urban early learning settings.

Design/methodology/approach

Research has identified high-quality early education as a significant contributor to the academic success and development of young children. This paper examines current conceptualizations and trends in early childhood education related to the needs of African American children.

Findings

Our assessment indicates that the early learning of African American children in urban settings warrants further consideration by educational stakeholders. Specifically, the process and structural quality of urban early learning environments requires more culturally responsive approaches to policy and practice.

Originality/value

Improving the early learning opportunities of African American students in urban settings has practical and social implications that substantiate the value of the process and structural quality assessments. Recommendations for policy and practice are centered on a growth-based model of opportunities. Policy recommendations include creating urban teacher credentials and sustaining urban education, while practical recommendations include creating opportunities for vicarious experiences, affirming interactions and engaging in multicultural discourse.

Details

Journal for Multicultural Education, vol. 12 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2053-535X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 2020

Mo Wang, Dora Ho, Jiafang Lu and Dongmei Yang

The purpose of this study is to construct a scale that is contextually suitable for measuring early childhood leadership in China.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to construct a scale that is contextually suitable for measuring early childhood leadership in China.

Design/methodology/approach

Following a standard scale development procedure, both qualitative and quantitative research approaches were addressed. Qualitative data was collected from 21 semistructured interviews with formal and informal teacher leaders in Xiamen City, China. Using survey data of 120 respondents and 305 respondents, an exploratory factor analysis was conducted twice to determine the underlying factorial structure of the scale. A further sample of 317 respondents were used to test the latent structure and validity of the scale using confirmatory factor analysis.

Findings

Based on the results from reliability and validity tests, this study indicates that the scale demonstrates sound psychometric properties. A three-factor model was determined, including staff management and development, peer learning and support and communication with parents.

Originality/value

The scale is the first of its kind for measuring early childhood leadership in China.

Details

Journal of Educational Administration, vol. 58 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-8234

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 October 2022

Md. Ismail Hossain, Iqramul Haq, Md. Sanwar Hossain, Md. Jakaria Habib, Fiza Binta Islam, Sutopa Roy and Mofasser Rahman

Early literacy and numeracy development among children may be the best measure of a child's well-being. The purpose of this research was to examine the impact of child factors…

Abstract

Purpose

Early literacy and numeracy development among children may be the best measure of a child's well-being. The purpose of this research was to examine the impact of child factors, quality of care and household factors, and community factors in early childhood on the development of literacy and numeracy skills of children in Bangladesh.

Design/methodology/approach

For this study, the authors used data from Bangladesh's 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey. The association between response variables and selected covariates was examined using the chi-square test. To determine the risk factors for early child literacy and numeracy development, the authors applied two-level logistic regression models.

Findings

Among the total of under five children (n = 9,449), in general, 29.1% of the children were growing in the development early childhood literacy and numeracy in Bangladesh. Children (36–47 months), male children, children with moderate stunting, children with severe and moderate underweight status, mothers without education and primary education, and mothers from the poorest, poorer, middle and richer households were less likely than their counterparts to develop children's early literacy and numeracy skills. In contrast, women from the eastern and central regions, children who read at least 3 books, and early childhood education had higher odds of children's literacy and numeracy skills development than their counterparts.

Originality/value

The results from this study suggest that children's, community, quality of care and household level significant factors should be considered when trying to improve children's literacy and numeracy skills development in Bangladesh.

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 50 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 August 2021

Alexandra Martiniuk, Julia Challinor, Ramandeep S. Arora, Sri Andini Handayani and Catherine Lam

Globally, cancer represents an increasing proportion of child mortality as progress against infectious causes is made. Approximately 400,000 children will develop cancer, each…

Abstract

Purpose

Globally, cancer represents an increasing proportion of child mortality as progress against infectious causes is made. Approximately 400,000 children will develop cancer, each year, around the world. Only about half of these cancers will ever be diagnosed. In high-resource settings, 80% of children will survive, but only about 30% will survive in low-resource settings. Digital solutions have a valuable role in increasing health professional knowledge, skills and empowerment to diagnose, treat and otherwise care for children and adolescents with cancer. This review sought to identify digital resources that support the training and development of the paediatric oncology workforce in resource -poor settings.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents a narrative descriptive review of peer-reviewed publications and digital platforms that contribute to health professionals' education and training regarding paediatric oncology, particularly in rural and other low-resource settings.

Findings

Digital solutions were identified for building communities of practice, facilitating access to information and support and providing access to training, education and supervision specifically for paediatric oncology health professionals. A total of 33 resources are discussed in depth. A quality assessment of the digital resources is provided using the Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy and Purpose (CRAAP) tool and suggestions to improve the quality of resources are discussed.

Practical implications

The authors anticipate that this summary of digital resources for the global paediatric oncology professional community will inform digital health investments and design of digital innovations to meet emerging needs and will have an impact on the workforce in the real world. Ultimately, this work will contribute to an improvement in the diagnosis and treatment of children and adolescents with cancer in resource-poor settings.

Originality/value

This is the first discussion and summary of digital education platforms which educate, train and offer support to health professionals with respect to paediatric oncology. These digital platforms are often aimed at, and are essential for, health professionals in rural and other low-resource settings.

Details

Health Education, vol. 122 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-4283

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 September 2010

Denise Hevey

Early years policy and services have been subjected to substantial and rapid reform over the past 20 years. This article provides a brief overview of legislative and policy…

Abstract

Early years policy and services have been subjected to substantial and rapid reform over the past 20 years. This article provides a brief overview of legislative and policy changes over this period, with a particular focus on regulation and workforce issues, and traces the enduring influence of the Children Act 1989 to the present. It identifies a paradigm shift in early years services from a world view based on public health and care and on devolution of responsibility, to one in which promoting children's learning and development is core and centralised regulation and national standards are seen as essential. This is reflected in changed responsibilities at government department and regulatory body level. Despite these major changes, the article concludes that the key principles of the Act ‐ in terms of children's rights, parents' responsibilities, listening to children and inter‐agency co‐operation ‐ are still apparent.

Details

Journal of Children's Services, vol. 5 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-6660

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 February 2021

Katie Swart, Reem Muharib, Kristi Godfrey-Hurrell, Mark M. D’Amico, Bob Algozzine, Vivian Correa and Kate Algozzine

This paper aims to survey and interview parents of young children with disabilities to document their perspectives on what professionals working with their children need to know…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to survey and interview parents of young children with disabilities to document their perspectives on what professionals working with their children need to know. Rather than comparing opinions over time or as part of an outcome study, this paper met with participants at a single point in time for a conversation addressing two questions with implications for training, program development and continuing research, namely, to what extent do families believe the Advancing Community College Efforts in Paraprofessional Training (ACCEPT) standards and topics are important to include in educational programs preparing professionals to work with young children with disabilities in inclusive settings (survey)? How satisfied or dissatisfied are families with the practices of early childhood educators working with their children with disabilities in inclusive and other settings (focus group)? What knowledge and skills do families recommend are important for the preparation of early childhood educators working with children with disabilities in inclusive and other settings (focus group)?

Design/methodology/approach

An exploratory design was used to gather information for use in future research and program development and research efforts. Descriptive statistics were compiled for the survey data and focus group interviews were content-analyzed for themes consistent with the project’s eight standards and topics.

Findings

Analyzes of survey and focus group interview data indicated that parents/caregivers held consistent views about information and skills needed to prepare teachers and others to work with children with disabilities in inclusive settings. Parents/caregivers were asked to complete a brief survey prioritizing the importance of the eight ACCEPT standards and topics when preparing early childhood educators for working with children with disabilities in inclusive settings. They all (n =21) rated each standard and topic as “very important” (4) and provided 184 comments during follow-up interviews that represented positive examples, negative examples and recommendations distributed across the eight focusing standards.

Originality/value

This research identified the need for educators to understand the high value and importance of communication with parents of children with disabilities. This study further suggests the need for teachers to value each child’s individual needs and differences for their relationships with children and families to thrive.

Details

Journal of Children's Services, vol. 16 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-6660

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 November 2019

Kay E. Sanders, Monica Molgaard and Mari Shigemasa

This study aims to examine the interplay between culturally relevant materials, child racial ethnic classroom composition and positive emotional climate in regard to high levels…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the interplay between culturally relevant materials, child racial ethnic classroom composition and positive emotional climate in regard to high levels of peer play in low-income, urban preschools located in African-American and Mexican immigrant/Mexican-American communities in the USA.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample includes state or city subsidized child care programs in the USA which were traditionally African-American programs that experienced an influx of Latino immigrant enrollment. Instruments included structured observations of classroom peer play and cultural artifacts. Hierarchical multiple regression was run to determine whether cultural artifacts and child ethnic composition within classrooms contributed to the prediction of high-peer play over positive emotional climate alone.

Findings

The final model indicates that cultural artifacts reflective of African-American culture positively predict high levels of peer play, while Mexican-American cultural items are negatively predictive. In classrooms with a majority African-American population, predicted high-peer play is 7.994 greater than that predicted for majority of Latino classrooms.

Research limitations/implications

Positive emotional climate in these programs was not very high, and it is not clear whether the findings discussed in this report would hold in contexts that exhibit much higher levels of positive emotional climate. It is also not clear that the inclusion of cultural artifacts in contexts in which African-American children are the minority or in racial-ethnically heterogeneous classrooms would lead to the same findings.

Practical implications

ECE classroom should make specific choices as to what culturally relevant materials to include in early childhood classrooms. Teachers of young children of color must facilitate children’s engagement with these materials by ensuring that they are representative of the children’s cultural experiences and by supporting children’s engagement with peers through the formation of emotionally positive classroom climates.

Social implications

This study points to interesting relationships between what teachers have in classrooms and children’s engagement with each other within those contexts. The findings from this study also exemplify that a one-size-fits-all approach toward childhood development may be counterproductive. Children bring with them ethnic and cultural heritages, which when combined with the preschool culture, create unique experiences for them that should not be ignored or controlled for analysis, but rather, understood.

Originality/value

This study provides a unique analysis of seldom considered contexts by examining the use of culturally relevant materials in urban, early childhood contexts. Teachers of young children have been found to consider a focus on race and ethnicity as unnecessary or to engage in a colorblind approach with young children. This study demonstrates how paying careful consideration to the cultural environment in classrooms also supports children’s exploration and play quality.

Article
Publication date: 12 June 2020

Angeliki Kallitsoglou

Despite their documented benefits, evidence-based practices (EBPs) for early childhood social learning are not systematically implemented. Teachers are key players in the…

Abstract

Purpose

Despite their documented benefits, evidence-based practices (EBPs) for early childhood social learning are not systematically implemented. Teachers are key players in the implementation process of intervention programs and instructional practices. This is a viewpoint about teachers’ attitudes towards EBPs and their role in the successful implementation of EBPs for early childhood social learning.

Design/methodology/approach

The viewpoint draws on theoretical models of intervention implementation and innovation adoption to explore the importance of individual factors for EBPs implementation and to inform the understanding of the relationship between teachers’ attitudes and EBPs implementation in the context of early childhood social learning. Additionally, it is informed by the literature on research-informed teaching to identify novel opportunities of cultivating positive views towards EBPs for early childhood social learning.

Findings

According to implementation science, in addition to macro-level social and organisation factors, micro-level individual factors that pertain to professionals’ attitudes towards EBPs are related to successful adoption and implementation of EBPs in organisations. Hence, it is important that the investigation of the adoption and implementation of EBPs for early childhood social learning considers the role of teachers’ attitudes towards EBPs. A conceptual model is proposed to explain that research-informed teaching could contribute to fostering positive attitudes towards EBPs for early childhood social learning by raising awareness of the value and potential of research to transform pedagogy.

Originality/value

This viewpoint draws on EBPs implementation science to identify important factors of EBPs adoption and implementation for early childhood social learning that have not been considered extensively and offers a conceptual framework to help understand how research-informed teaching could be an innovative avenue of promoting EBPs implementation in education.

Details

Journal of Children's Services, vol. 15 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-6660

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 11 June 2019

Kristen E. Darling, Deborah Seok, Patti Banghart, Kerensa Nagle, Marybeth Todd and Nadia S. Orfali

The purpose of this paper is to examine Conscious Discipline’s (CD) Parenting Education Curriculum (CD PEC), the parenting component of CD’s research-based social and emotional…

8058

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine Conscious Discipline’s (CD) Parenting Education Curriculum (CD PEC), the parenting component of CD’s research-based social and emotional learning program. CD aims to change child behavior by changing how adults understand and manage their own behaviors and emotions. Researchers explored CD PEC’s association with improved parenting skills, parent–child relationships and child behavior and emotion management.

Design/methodology/approach

During pre- and post-site visits, parents in four Head Start programs completed the Attentive Parenting Survey (n=25) and interviews (n=19); and 20 staff were also interviewed.

Findings

Parents reported that CD PEC shifted their perspectives and practices for managing children’s challenging behaviors, improved parent–child relationships and resulted in decreased child behavior problems.

Research limitations/implications

The study was correlational, based on self-report, and had a small sample with no comparison group.

Practical implications

This study supports CD PEC as a means of shifting parenting practices, relationships and child behavior by focusing on adult social-emotional skills and self-regulation.

Social implications

This study provides preliminary evidence that addressing the social-emotional needs of adults is a viable step to helping children improve their social skills, emotion regulation and general behavior, which have all been linked to later academic and life success.

Originality/value

The paper studies improvements in parents’ emotion recognition and self-regulation before disciplining their children.

Details

Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning, vol. 12 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2397-7604

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 5000