Search Results (19)

Active music and movement engagement has been widely integrated in human socialization across history and cultures, and is particularly prevalent in early childhood play and learning. For clinical populations, music therapy is known to support social skills and wellbeing for young children. However, there is less evidence for the value of active music engagement for non-clinical populations in terms of supporting social and behavioral wellbeing in the early years. This study reports results from the Rhythm and Movement for Self-Regulation (RAMSR) program delivered by generalist kindergarten teachers in low socioeconomic communities. This randomized control trial involved 213 children across eight preschools in disadvantaged communities in Queensland, Australia. The intervention group received 16 to 20 sessions of RAMSR over eight weeks, while the control group undertook usual preschool programs. Data was collected through teacher report at pre and post intervention, and again six months later once children had transitioned into their first year of school. Robust mixed models accounting for repeated measures and clustering of children within kindergartens (random effects), evidenced significant intervention effects across the three time points for improved prosocial skills (p = 0.04, n_p² = 0.02), and reduced externalizing (p < 0.01, n_p² = 0.03) and internalizing behavior problems (p = 0.04; n_p² = 0.02), with small to moderate effect sizes. These findings highlight the valuable role that intentional active music engagement in universal settings such as preschool can play in terms of social and behavioral wellbeing. The importance of these results lies in the fact that children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to experience risks to social and behavioral development, requiring additional supports, yet experience inequities in access to high-quality music and movement programs. Full article

In 2023, the authors conducted a qualitative study in five bilingual educational institutions (two general education schools and three kindergartens) in Tartu, Estonia, undergoing a transition to Estonian-medium education. The empirical material for this qualitative research was collected during ten discussion evenings with Russian L1 parents, with around 300 attendees. Given the emotional and political sensitivity of the topic, the discussions were documented through researchers’ handwritten field notes and subsequently reconstructed from these notes for thematic analysis following the principles of qualitative content analysis. This study aimed to map the concerns and fears of Russian L1 parents and to collaboratively explore possible solutions. The broader objective was to understand and interpret Russian-speaking parents’ attitudes toward the shift to Estonian-medium instruction. A further aim was to raise language awareness among parents and to help lay a more positive foundation for the transition process. The theoretical framework draws on the notion that parents’ language attitudes significantly influence their children’s perceptions of the value of the language being learned. Our results show that many Russian L1 parents in Tartu consider it important for both Estonian- and Russian-speaking children to study in a shared, Estonian-medium learning environment. At the same time, parents identified several key challenges, including concerns about a decline in education quality, increased academic pressure and stress for children learning in a non-native language, a lack of suitable learning materials, and parents’ limited ability to assist with homework due to their own insufficient proficiency in Estonian. Full article

Despite the positive impact of culturally responsive social emotional learning (CR-SEL) in enhancing students’ academic achievement and emotional resilience, less is known about how it is employed in rural school settings. We employed a case study design to explore how rural transitional kindergarten (TK) teachers in California practice CR-SEL in their classrooms. Ten TK teachers from seven California rural schools were individually interviewed online. Results of the thematic analysis showed three major themes of CR-SEL practices: multicultural and critical perspective development, inclusive environment, and family engagement. Participants identified different strategies to teach CR-SEL practices in their classrooms. Findings extend our understanding of CR-SEL in practice, and provide practical and research implications for school psychologists, educators, and policymakers. Full article

Cross-sectional research suggests associations between enrichment and cognitive skills in toddlerhood. There are no prospectively designed longitudinal studies that investigate the link between early home literacy activities and subsequent mechanisms that explain the putative cognitive benefits. This study tests long-term associations between toddler literacy enrichment and later student engagement across key academic transitions, from kindergarten to the end of high school. Using the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (QLSCD) population-based birth cohort data, we examined whether parent-reported experiences of shared reading, looking at picture books or illustrated stories, and pretend writing at age 2 years predict later teacher- and self-reported student engagement at ages 6, 12, and 17 years. The results from multiple regression models, stratified by sex and adjusted for pre-existing and concurrent child and family characteristics, revealed significant associations between early literacy enrichment and later engagement. For boys and girls, literacy enrichment in toddlerhood predicted increases in classroom engagement from kindergarten to the end of high school. These findings highlight the lasting influence of early literacy exposure on subsequent learning-related behaviors, both in and beyond the classroom. They underscore the importance of promoting enrichment in early childhood as a family strategy toward individual readiness to learn, a cornerstone of crystalized intelligence. Full article

The objective of this study was to examine whether fine motor skills (FMS) and executive function (EF) are unique predictors of school readiness (SR). The sample was 108 preschoolers with externalizing behavior problems (EBP; Mean ± SD = 60.37 ± 3.94 months pre-intervention, 68% male) enrolled in a comprehensive 7-week school readiness summer program open trial. FMS were measured with the Learning Accomplishment Profile Diagnostic Third Edition (LAP-D); EF was measured with the Head–Toes–Knees–Shoulders (HTKS), and SR was measured with the Bracken School Readiness Assessment Third Edition (BSRA-3). All assessments were given pre- and post-intervention. All models controlled for participant age and socio-economic status (SES). Examining data pre-intervention, FMS but not EF uniquely predicted SR, explaining 46% of the variance. At post-intervention, both FMS and EF predicted SR, explaining 33% of the variance. These findings underscore the importance of screening both FMS and EF in preschoolers with EBP as they prepare to transition to kindergarten, as these domains both contribute to characterizing SR. Full article

The transition stage to pre-primary school represents a key event, in which the support received from family and teachers is essential in facilitating the transition and in ensuring an effective adjustment to the school environment. Our study aimed to investigate the impact of mathematical prerequisites on cognitive development, compared to the impact of reading and writing prerequisites, from the perspective of parents and early childhood educators. Thus, we quantified the impact of reading–writing and math prerequisites on children’s transition from kindergarten to school, analyzing the challenges, opportunities, and possibilities that arise. The sample consisted of 685 parents and 188 teachers, using the preschool prerequisites screening standardized questionnaire developed by the company Cognitrom, a questionnaire-survey, and the focus group method. Initially, the fidelity of the research instrument was assessed by calculating Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The data distribution was tested using the skewness and kurtosis coefficients. Subsequently, descriptive analyses were carried out in order to provide an overview of the data collected by performing a multiple linear regression analysis. In addition, the Phi coefficient and V Cramer’s V coefficient were used to analyze the association between the research variables. By corroborating the obtained results, we can state that, from the parents’ and early childhood teachers’ perspective, math prerequisites have a greater influence on children’s cognitive development in the transition process from kindergarten to school compared to reading–writing prerequisites, confirming the general hypothesis. Full article

This study was based on an analysis of some of the qualitative aspects underlying the findings of previous research into the metalinguistic abilities in 160 Italian-speaking, typically developing children aged from 5 to 7 years. This previous research had used six metalinguistic tasks, a nonverbal intelligence test, and two lexical- and grammar-comprehension tests. The outcomes showed a significant improvement in all the dependent variables in the age range considered, measured by a series of ANOVAs, with high correlation between all the variables and a strong homogeneity between the metalinguistic tasks, as revealed by a factor analysis. Using generalized estimating equation (GEE) analysis, the current study analyzed the cognitive levels of response that constituted the total score of each task, at each age (5–6, 6–7, and 7–8 years). Although based on the different distribution of the cognitive levels at each age and in each task, the results of this analysis further confirmed the significance of the developmental changes, and showed different developmental trajectories as a function of the specific task. These results are discussed in light of the different involvement of cognitive processes and literacy skills in the transitional phase between kindergarten and the first two years of primary school. Full article

Separation anxiety disorder (SAD) is a prevalent psychological disorder among preschoolers, characterized by excessive fear or anxiety related to separation from a primary attachment figure. The COVID-19 pandemic likely exacerbated the problem due to the transition to online schooling. While some attention has been given to treating SAD, most current solutions are non-technical and based on behavior analytic research which can be costly and time-consuming. Mediated social touch, which uses technology to simulate physical touch and deliver it remotely, has been extensively studied for its potential to promote wellbeing, enhance social connectedness, and improve affective experiences in various contexts. However, no research has focused on the use of such technology to manage SAD in preschoolers. To address this gap, this work presents the design, development, and evaluation of a novel mediated social touch system aimed at managing separation anxiety in preschoolers. Specifically, the study investigates the effectiveness of using IoT in huggable interfaces and game-based applications in improving children’s emotional state and adaptation to the kindergarten environment. Through experiments conducted on a sample of nearly 30 preschoolers, the results have shown that the system is effective in helping preschoolers adapt to kindergarten, with the best results achieved when using the huggable interface and the developed game together. The implications of this study may be beneficial to parents, educators, and mental health professionals who work with preschoolers who experience SAD. Full article

The transition from kindergarten to primary school involves preparing students for a more structured classroom-based learning environment, which is typically different from the play-based model in kindergartens. Building on the Forest Room concept, which connects restless and disengaged students to nature as a calming medium, this case study describes the design of a combined storybook and augmented reality application to provide a literacy primer that integrates this concept. The design case study is presented relative to three frameworks that review the support for educational content, motivation and engagement mechanisms, and features of the AR application. This serves to validate the design process relative to these criteria and identifies opportunities for enhancement, including opportunities for meaningful interaction. The resulting application demonstrates appropriate design strategies to support its target age group and focus. It provides a stimulating and flexible learning activity that can be readily integrated into the classroom and that supports the kindergarten transition to appropriate classroom behaviour by encouraging active engagement and collaboration, blending aspects of both outdoor and classroom-based activities. Full article

District heating systems are gaining global recognition as an essential tool for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to a low-carbon-energy future. In this context, heat pumps are becoming an important technology, providing an effective solution for improving energy efficiency and reducing the reliance on fossil fuels in heating systems. Therefore, this study is focused on the optimal selection of heat pump systems for different types of buildings considering technical, economic, environmental, and social factors. This paper proposes a novel methodology based on mixed-integer nonlinear programming and multi-objective optimization that minimizes total costs and reduces CO₂ emissions for heat production and supply systems over a desired period. The methodology is applied to various building types, including renovated and unrenovated apartment buildings, schools, kindergartens, and a supermarket. The study analyzes various types of heat pumps and electric heaters for space heating and domestic hot water production. Optimization results showed that the optimal heating system includes air-to-water heat pumps and electric heaters. Furthermore, for schools and a supermarket, these systems are combined with hybrid heat pumps. The goal of making the heating system neutral in terms of CO₂ emissions was achieved for eight out of eleven buildings analyzed. The most profitable investments were in the heating systems of renovated five-story and unrenovated nine-story apartment buildings due to their low energy costs (0.0831 EUR/kWh), short payback periods, and high returns on investment. Full article

The transition from early childhood to primary education is a process of changes that students undergo. Recent studies indicate that it is necessary to involve all actors in research: teachers, families, and students. Nevertheless, some researchers point to an “adult-centred” view, justified by the lack of linguistic communication among 5–7-year-olds. This study aims to describe the methods used in research on the transition from Early Childhood Education to Primary Education and to evaluate which methods support the participation of all actors involved. We conducted a systematic review of empirical studies between 2016 and 2021. The data show, on the one hand, that students of such a young age are not usually included in these studies. However, there has been an increase in studies that rely on students’ opinions and perceptions. On the other hand, studies that include all actors involved in the transition are a minority. Students of such a young age are not usually included in these studies. When they are included, adapted information collection tools are used. Only by having the students and triangulating the information among all participants is it possible to provide complete information on the process. In addition, there is a lack of action research designs to offer comprehensive and practical improvement actions. Full article

This study examined changes in physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), screen time, sleep, and executive function among Japanese preschoolers between COVID-19 pre-pandemic and pandemic periods, using cross-sectional and longitudinal data. Accelerometer data from 63 children aged 5–6 years were collected from three kindergartens in Tokyo, Japan, in late 2019 (pre-COVID-19). This was compared to the data of 49 children aged 5–6 years from the same kindergartens, collected in late 2020 (during COVID-19). Sixteen children in the pre-COVID-19 cohort also participated in the 2020 survey and provided data for the longitudinal analysis. The mean minutes of PA, SB, screen time, and sleep duration, as well as executive function, were compared between the pre- and during COVID-19 cohorts. After adjusting for school, sex, and accelerometer wear time, there were no significant differences in any of the measured outcomes between the two cohorts. However, the analysis of longitudinal data revealed significant increases in time spent in SB and on screens, and a decrease in light-intensity PA and sleep duration during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period. Results suggest that, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, young children’s activity levels and SB did not significantly differ from pre-pandemic levels. However, school-aged children’s SB, light PA, and sleep time were affected, although this cannot be disentangled from the effects of the transition to school. Full article

The object of this study is the development of metalinguistic abilities in an age range—5 to 7 years—where an important turn takes place in education, namely the transition between kindergarten and primary school. Based on the literature starting from the 70’s of the last century, embryonic forms of awareness of how language variation can be manipulated to convey variation in meaning are widely attested in preschoolers. These forms, however, denote an intuitive and implicit level of awareness and will attain a “meta-level”, based on more systematic and explicit reflectiveness, later in development in correlation with cognitive, linguistic, and educational factors. To measure the development of these abilities across the above age range, we recruited 160 native Italian-speaking children from 5 to 7, with comparable numerosity at each age, gender balance, average socio-cultural background, and no cognitive nor neuropsychological impairment. We used 6 metalinguistic tasks, the Raven’s CPM, a lexical and grammatical ability tests. The results showed a significant increase in all the measures across the span considered and correlations between all the measures. A factor analysis on the metalinguistic tasks showed that a single factor accounted for a large part of the common variance. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has promoted a big change in the educational sector. Suddenly, teachers, professors, and students had to migrate from presential classes to the online system without prior notice or a training course. This paper aimed to verify how the need of a rapid change to the online system in response to the impossibility of keeping the presential system due to the mandatory social distancing imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic has affected relationships and performance of teachers, professors, and students, as well as review the technologies and procedures adopted by them to innovate and achieve sustainable education. To address the empirical side of this exploratory research, the authors of this paper sent an email questionnaire to kindergarten, elementary and high school teachers in the City of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), as well as to professors of the top 197 Brazilian universities. To address theoretical side of this exploratory research, an investigation was carried out through scientific databases. The data were analyzed with SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences), version 22.0, and with Microsoft Excel 2007. As a result, this paper showed that social isolation and transition to the online system greatly affected the work conditions of teachers and professors, as well as the learning process of students. Anyway, sustainable actions were taken to overcome these challenges. Furthermore, this paper proposed a framework that might support the development of new studies, filling the literature gap on the subject. Full article

The five-to-fifteen (FTF) questionnaire is a screening tool completed by parents that is able to distinguish developmental disorders in children aged 5 to 15 years old. The current study aimed to characterize the developmental difficulties by gender and school age (kindergarten and first grade) of children in their transition to primary school, using the Spanish-language version of the FTF questionnaire. The participants were 541 parents of typically developed children from kindergarten and first grade in public schools in Chile. Developmental difficulties were revealed, showing that boys displayed significantly more difficulties in their social skills when compared to girls, and that kindergartners displayed significantly more developmental difficulties than first graders. The children’s developmental difficulties in executive functions, social skills, and emotional/behavioral problems exhibited interactions between gender and school age. The findings were discussed in terms of current conceptualizations of both executive functions and self-regulatory processes. These processes and functions are configured early in development, are gradually consolidated over the course of school age, and can be strengthened or weakened by conditions experienced in childhood. Early screening of developmental difficulties from the parents’ perspective would facilitate early detection of problems, as early as in kindergarten, and considering the normal adaptable development of children. Full article