Latest content added for UNT Digital Library Partner: UNT Librarieshttps://digital.library.unt.edu/explore/partners/UNT/browse/?start=10&fq=dc_rights_access:public&fq=str_degree_discipline:Early+Childhood+Education2015-05-10T06:16:59-05:00UNT LibrariesThis is a custom feed for browsing UNT Digital Library Partner: UNT LibrariesA Comparison Between the Interactions of Multi-Age Constant Caregiver Groups and Same-Age Multiple Caregiver Groups in Day Care Centers2015-05-10T06:16:59-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc504569/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc504569/"><img alt="A Comparison Between the Interactions of Multi-Age Constant Caregiver Groups and Same-Age Multiple Caregiver Groups in Day Care Centers" title="A Comparison Between the Interactions of Multi-Age Constant Caregiver Groups and Same-Age Multiple Caregiver Groups in Day Care Centers" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc504569/small/"/></a></p><p>Interactions of children and adults in two child care groups were observed and examined. Each group was observed as a same-age multiple caregiver group and eight months later as a multi-age constant caregiver group. Twenty indicators were used to evaluate positive interactions. Analysis showed positive interactions occur in multi-age constant caregiver groups. Multi-age constant caregiver groups enhance the interest of caregivers in children and promote development and interaction of language between caregivers and peers. This study indicates a multi-age constant caregiver group is an alternative to meet the needs of young children by increasing and enhancing positive interactions with caregivers and peers.</p>Fantasy-Reality Distinctions of Four- and Five-Year-Old Middle-Income White Children in Relation to their Television Viewing Preferences and Habits2015-05-10T06:16:59-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc504241/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc504241/"><img alt="Fantasy-Reality Distinctions of Four- and Five-Year-Old Middle-Income White Children in Relation to their Television Viewing Preferences and Habits" title="Fantasy-Reality Distinctions of Four- and Five-Year-Old Middle-Income White Children in Relation to their Television Viewing Preferences and Habits" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc504241/small/"/></a></p><p>Methods of study include two questionnaires and eight photographs of television characters used while interviewing sixty children, ages four and five. The data showed that the children actively selected the television programs they watched rather than watching at random. They watched television regularly and named the programs they watched. The children perceived a great amount of parental supervision in their viewing of television. Most children were able to understand the concepts of fantasy and reality, to distinguish between those concepts, and to apply them to specific television program characters and their actions. However, the five-year-olds showed a greater tendency to identify television program characters as make-believe.</p>A Description of the Types, Availability and Teachers' Knowledge of Children's Literature in Six Selected Child Care Centers2015-05-10T06:16:59-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc504121/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc504121/"><img alt="A Description of the Types, Availability and Teachers' Knowledge of Children's Literature in Six Selected Child Care Centers" title="A Description of the Types, Availability and Teachers' Knowledge of Children's Literature in Six Selected Child Care Centers" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc504121/small/"/></a></p><p>Twenty-four teachers completed questionnaires and demographic data forms to describe the types of books they chose most often, where they got them, how they selected them, and how important they felt it was to expose children to good literature. A criteria sheet was used to describe the types and currency of books in each center. The teachers used a variety of sources to select and obtain books. Most teachers knew how literature aids some aspect of development. Every type of book was represented in all collections, but poetry and wordless picture books were least represented.</p>An Evaluation of the Effect of a Specific Perceptual Training Program on Classroom Skills in Kindergarten2015-05-10T06:16:59-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc504399/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc504399/"><img alt="An Evaluation of the Effect of a Specific Perceptual Training Program on Classroom Skills in Kindergarten" title="An Evaluation of the Effect of a Specific Perceptual Training Program on Classroom Skills in Kindergarten" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc504399/small/"/></a></p><p>The purpose of the evaluation was to test effectiveness of a visual, visual-motor, and auditory perceptual skills training program devised by Dr. Jerome Rosner, and to confirm or deny application of this training to improved classroom skills. Subjects were 38 kindergarten children, 20 in the Contrast Group, and 18 in the Experimental Group. Both groups received the same training in the basic curriculum of readiness skills. The Experimental Group also received training in the Visual Analysis and Auditory Analysis Skills programs. Pretests and posttests were administered, tabulated, and analyzed. Differences in raw score means were sufficient to indicate more than a chance factor and all tests demonstrated a plus factor for children in the Experimental Group.</p>Long-Term Effects of Quality Preschool for Disadvantaged Children2015-03-09T08:15:06-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500445/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500445/"><img alt="Long-Term Effects of Quality Preschool for Disadvantaged Children" title="Long-Term Effects of Quality Preschool for Disadvantaged Children" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500445/small/"/></a></p><p>The eleven studies which comprise the Consortium for Longitudinal Studies were described in order to determine long-term effects of preschool education on disadvantaged children. Research methods and results of the studies were evaluated and compared. An historical overview details the sociopolitical milieu from the time the eleven studies began in the 1960s to the present. Theories which impacted the preschool movement in the 1960s were also discussed, particularly those which concern the development of intelligence, the importance of early education and environmental impact on the development of intelligence. Demographic data were used to describe disadvantaged children's needs for quality early intervention programs. The results of the eleven Consortium studies indicate positive long-term effects for disadvantaged children enrolled in quality preschool programs.</p>A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Three Oral Language Systems in Improving the Receptive Language of Kindergarten Children2015-03-09T08:15:06-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500389/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500389/"><img alt="A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Three Oral Language Systems in Improving the Receptive Language of Kindergarten Children" title="A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Three Oral Language Systems in Improving the Receptive Language of Kindergarten Children" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500389/small/"/></a></p><p>This study investigates the differences in receptive language of kindergarten children who are taught by different language systems. This study compares the effectiveness of the three most widely adopted oral language systems in the state of Texas. The systems used were (A) Alpha Time, (B) Beginning Readiness Kit; Beginning to Read, Write, and Listen Kits I and II, and (c) McMillan Series R, Bank Street, Threshold K. S. Analysis of variance techniques were used to analyze statistically pretest and posttest scores derived from the sample. The .05 level of significance was used throughout the statistical analyses for rejection or retention of the null hypotheses. Preliminary analysis of data determined no systematic bias for teacher variability or for within group variability. Hypotheses 1, 2, 3, and 5 were tested using a 2 x 3 analysis of covariance. The pretest was used as the covariant in this analysis. No statistically significant differences in the classroom mean scores were determined between teaching methods, teaching methods with only girls as subjects, teaching methods with only boys as subjects, and boys and girls. Hypothesis 4, concerning the pretest differences between boys and girls, was tested using a t-test for independent samples. No statistically significant differences were found. From the findings several conclusions can be drawn. The receptive language of kindergarten children can be expected to improve when taught by any of the three selected oral language systems. Boys do not need different oral language experiences from girls; therefore the sex of the children need not be a major consideration when an oral language system is selected. Other factors which need not be major considerations in the selection of an oral language system are the race and socioeconomic level of the children.</p>The Developmental Appropriateness of the English Language Arts Essential Elements for Kindergarten2015-03-09T08:15:06-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500973/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500973/"><img alt="The Developmental Appropriateness of the English Language Arts Essential Elements for Kindergarten" title="The Developmental Appropriateness of the English Language Arts Essential Elements for Kindergarten" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500973/small/"/></a></p><p>The developmental appropriateness of the English language arts essential elements for kindergarten children in the State of Texas was evaluated by surveying the opinions of thirty-six kindergarten teachers in one school district. A questionnaire was developed using the essential elements so that respondents could record a yes or no opinion and supply additional comments on each essential element. Ninety-seven percent of the teachers responded. The results indicated rates of agreement for developmental appropriateness by the teachers surveyed to be 100% for language, 95% for listening, 94% for speaking and reading and 81% for writing.</p>An Assessment of the Effect of a Short-Term Parent-Education Program Upon Parental Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Child Development, Learning, and Behavior2015-03-09T08:15:06-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500530/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500530/"><img alt="An Assessment of the Effect of a Short-Term Parent-Education Program Upon Parental Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Child Development, Learning, and Behavior" title="An Assessment of the Effect of a Short-Term Parent-Education Program Upon Parental Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Child Development, Learning, and Behavior" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500530/small/"/></a></p><p>The purposes of this study were to determine the effect of a short-term parent-education program and to investigate the relationship between parents' knowledge of child development and parents' attitudes toward parent-child relationships. The basic problem under consideration was to assay whether the level of parental knowledge of child development principles makes a difference in the attitudes of the parent in the relationship. Hypothesis I predicted that subjects participating in the training sessions would exhibit a significant gain in knowledge of child development. An analysis of covariance determined the gain to be significant at the .01 level. Hypothesis II stated that a significant relationship would exist between the subjects' knowledge of the defined principles of child development and the subjects' attitudes toward parent-child interactions. A Pearson Product-Moment Correlation of the scores of experimental group and control group on the PARI and the cognitive test revealed a negative correlation of -0.1363. Thus, the second hypothesis that a significant relationship would exist had to be rejected. Hypothesis III projected that a significant difference would exist between the posttest attitudes of the participants of the experimental group and those of the control group. Analysis of covariance was used to determine the significance of the scores on the PARI between the experimental group and the control group. In combining the twenty-three subtests' scores into one score for each group, it must be reported that the test showed no significant differences between the posttest attitudes of the two groups; hence the third re search hypothesis must be rejected. However, analysis of covariance between the experimental and control groups on each of the twenty-three subscales revealed a significant difference in attitudes between the two groups on eleven of the twenty-three scales.</p>Staff Development for Principals to Improve Kindergarten Programs2015-03-09T08:15:06-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500877/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500877/"><img alt="Staff Development for Principals to Improve Kindergarten Programs" title="Staff Development for Principals to Improve Kindergarten Programs" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500877/small/"/></a></p><p>A study was made to determine the views of elementary principals regarding criteria for a quality kindergarten program and to plan a staff development program based upon the data collected. The study was limited to elementary principals in the eight Texas counties of Education Service Center Region 10 with kindergartens on their campuses during the 1973-1974 school year. Principals who had kindergartens on their campuses before the 1973-1974 school year did not perform better on the questionnaire than the principals with kindergartens for the first time during the 1973-1974 school year. Comparisons of individual and composite item scores showed similar responses from both groups, the only exception being on an item pertaining to the appropriateness of wheeled toys on the elementary playground. There was a difference of approximately 15 percent in favor of the more experienced group. Principals who had completed early childhood education courses scored slightly higher than principals who had not completed such courses. An increase in the number of semester hours completed did not appear to improve performance on the questionnaire.</p>An Analytical Study of the Recommendations of Early Childhood Education Authorities with Regard to the Role of the Public Library in Serving Children from Infancy to Six Years of Age2015-03-09T08:15:06-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500757/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500757/"><img alt="An Analytical Study of the Recommendations of Early Childhood Education Authorities with Regard to the Role of the Public Library in Serving Children from Infancy to Six Years of Age" title="An Analytical Study of the Recommendations of Early Childhood Education Authorities with Regard to the Role of the Public Library in Serving Children from Infancy to Six Years of Age" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500757/small/"/></a></p><p>This study investigated the role of the public library in serving children from infancy to age six. The purposes of this research were to obtain recommendations from early childhood education authorities pertaining to the areas of services, programs, materials, physical facilities, and personnel and to utilize these data in the development of guidelines for public libraries. Findings revealed that the majority recommended utilization of volunteers and of early childhood education consultant; preparation of children's librarians in working with adults and young children; provision of services and programs focusing on parent education, led by specialists; preparation of child care personnel in storytelling; programs involving parent and child participation; coordination of public library efforts with those of other community agencies in order to avoid duplication; and services, programs, materials, and physical facilities which facilitate and encourage interest in books and which relate to reading. The minority recommended services, materials, and physical facilities which focus on unstructured recreational play; and services, programs, and materials which focus on formal teaching or testing in cognitive areas.</p>The Identification of Factors Related to Potential Child Abusiveness in Adults2015-03-09T08:15:06-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500687/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500687/"><img alt="The Identification of Factors Related to Potential Child Abusiveness in Adults" title="The Identification of Factors Related to Potential Child Abusiveness in Adults" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500687/small/"/></a></p><p>The purposes of this study were to determine if there are differences between the responses of abusive and nonabusive adults to potentially anger-provoking child behaviors; if there are differences between abusive and nonabusive adults; if there are differences between the children of abusive and nonabusive adults; and if there are combinations of these characteristics of the adults and characteristics of children as well as the behaviors of children which relate to child abusiveness in adults. The basic problem was to determine factors that help identify potentially child abusive adults. Certain factors, such as the limited size of the sample and the initial use of a new instrument, served as limitations to broad generalizations. However, based on the analysis of the data of this study, the following conclusions seem tenable 1. Certain behaviors of children are more upsetting to abusive adults than to nonabusive adults. 2. Characteristics of adults are not necessarily related to child abusiveness in adults. 3. The age of the child and the number of children living in the home are significantly related to child abusiveness in adults. 4. The findings indicate that a predictive model may be developed in conjunction with the Child Behavior Inventory for use in predicting child abusiveness in adults.</p>Sex Differences in Computer Usage by Preschool Children2015-03-09T08:15:06-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500304/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500304/"><img alt="Sex Differences in Computer Usage by Preschool Children" title="Sex Differences in Computer Usage by Preschool Children" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500304/small/"/></a></p><p>The purpose of this study was to determine whether sex differences could be observed in computer use among preschool disadvantaged children. Each of the twenty-two three- and four-year-old children were administered the Bardwell- Sietsema Sex Stereotype Scale to obtain a measure of sex role identification. Subject's choice of a pre-programming or academic-oriented software program as well as actual time at the computer were also carefully recorded over a five week period. Data supports the following: there does not appear to be a relationship between sex role stereotyping and computer use among three and four year old disadvantaged children, stereotypical sex role identification exists between three and four year old disadvantaged children, the amount of time spent at the computer during free choice periods does not differ between boys and girls, and there is no difference between boys and girls in terms of choice of academic or pre-programming software.</p>A Study for Determining the Efficacy of Tape-Recorded Presentations for the Enhancement of Self-Concept in First-Grade Children2015-03-09T08:15:06-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500319/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500319/"><img alt="A Study for Determining the Efficacy of Tape-Recorded Presentations for the Enhancement of Self-Concept in First-Grade Children" title="A Study for Determining the Efficacy of Tape-Recorded Presentations for the Enhancement of Self-Concept in First-Grade Children" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500319/small/"/></a></p><p>The problem of the study was to discover whether the selfconcepts of selected children in the primary grades could be enhanced. The purpose of the study was to determine the feasibility of using tape-recorded stories to enhance the self-concepts of selected primary grade children. A treatment of the Piers-Harris Children's Self Concept Scale for sex differences showed no significant differences for either the experimental or control groups. Some enhancement of the self-concepts of primary grade children may be possible by means of auditory non-teacher directed activities under properly controlled conditions. Several areas should be further investigated. A regular school year study should be designed to produce results applicable to a more general population. Such a study might answer questions regarding peer influences, the relationship between self-concept and academic achievement, the tolerance of primary grade children for prolonged treatment, and teacher attitude toward conducting such activities. Studies should be conducted to determine the relative value of simultaneous visual and auditory presentations for the enhancement of self-concept.</p>Preschool Teachers’ Constructions of Early Reading2015-03-08T17:44:37-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500020/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500020/"><img alt="Preschool Teachers’ Constructions of Early Reading" title="Preschool Teachers’ Constructions of Early Reading" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500020/small/"/></a></p><p>Much of the current discourse surrounding the practice of early reading has emerged from policies that dictate the definition and means by which reading is taught and by which reading success is measured. Although this discourse directly influences the work of preschool teachers, little is known about what preschool teachers think about early reading and how they develop these understandings or constructions. Research concerning preschool teachers’ constructions is useful because of the potential influence on teachers' decisions and classroom behaviors. The purpose of this study is to better understand preschool teachers’ constructions concerning early reading and the process of learning to read. Six preschool teachers, with a variety of personal, educational, and professional experiences, from four diverse early childhood programs in the North Texas area were interviewed over a nine-month period during which each participant was interviewed for approximately three hours. Through systematic, inductive analysis, three themes were identified under an overarching theme of the interdependent and relational nature of early reading influences: out-of-school interactions, in-school interactions, and interactions with text. Without exception, these teachers referred to their life experiences as influencing their approach to teaching in general and to teaching reading in particular. The goals these preschool teachers had for their students and their instructional decisions were indications of their unique and evolving constructions of early reading and are absolutely grounded in their practice – in their life experiences and in their daily interactions with children. This study suggests that stakeholders should remember that these practical experiences are a primary influence on how preschool teachers think about early reading and the process of learning to read.</p>Preschool Teachers’ Knowledge of Children’s Mathematical Development and Beliefs About Teaching Mathematics2014-11-08T11:56:31-06:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc407808/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc407808/"><img alt="Preschool Teachers’ Knowledge of Children’s Mathematical Development and Beliefs About Teaching Mathematics" title="Preschool Teachers’ Knowledge of Children’s Mathematical Development and Beliefs About Teaching Mathematics" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc407808/small/"/></a></p><p>Early childhood education emphasizes the need of providing high quality early childhood mathematics programs for preschool children. However, there is little research that examines the importance of preschool children’s mathematical knowledge development and teachers’ beliefs about how to teach mathematics to young children. The purposes of this study were to investigate pre-service and in-service preschool teachers’ knowledge of children’s mathematical development and their beliefs about teaching mathematics in the preschool classroom and also to determine how experience differentiates the two groups. This research employed a non-experimental research design with convenient sampling. Ninety-eight pre-service teachers and seventy-seven in-service preschool teachers participated in the research. The Knowledge of Mathematical Development survey (KMD) and the Beliefs survey were used to investigate possible differences between pre-service and in-service preschool teachers’ knowledge of children’s mathematical development and between their beliefs about teaching mathematics. The findings of this study indicate a statistically significant difference between pre-service teachers and in-service preschool teachers in relation to their knowledge of mathematical development. This finding shows that pre-service teachers’ knowledge of children’s mathematical development is somewhat limited; most pre-service teachers have difficulty identifying the process of preschool children’s development of mathematics skills. A second finding reveals a statistically significant difference between pre-service teachers and in-service preschool teachers in relation to their beliefs about (a) age-appropriateness of mathematics instruction in the early childhood classroom, (b) social and emotional versus mathematical development as a primary goal of the preschool curriculum, and (c) teacher comfort with mathematics instruction. No statistically significant difference was found between pre-service teachers’ and in-service preschool teachers’ beliefs regarding the locus of generation of mathematical knowledge. Both groups believe it is the teacher’s responsibility to intentionally teach mathematics to young children. This result suggests that both pre-service and in-service preschool teachers believe that teachers should play a central role in the teaching of mathematics to preschool children. However, both groups would need appropriate education and training to learn how to teach mathematics to young children. Pre-service and in-service preschool teachers’ varying levels of experiences and different levels of education may help explain why there is a significant difference between their knowledge of mathematical development and beliefs about teaching mathematics.</p>Influence of Computer Use on Attitudes Toward Computers, Motivation to Study, Empathy, and Creativity Among Japanese First- and Second-Grade Children2014-08-27T07:42:59-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc332523/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc332523/"><img alt="Influence of Computer Use on Attitudes Toward Computers, Motivation to Study, Empathy, and Creativity Among Japanese First- and Second-Grade Children" title="Influence of Computer Use on Attitudes Toward Computers, Motivation to Study, Empathy, and Creativity Among Japanese First- and Second-Grade Children" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc332523/small/"/></a></p><p>This study investigated the changes in attitudes of Japanese first and second grade children who were exposed to microcomputers in school. Eight hundred and three first-and second-grade children were selected from six Japanese public schools. Approximately half of the subjects were selected from urban, suburban, and rural schools using computers, while the remaining subjects were from schools not using computers. The Young Children's Computer Inventory was the instrument used for this study. It was derived from a questionnaire originally developed at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, and contained four subscales: Attitudes Toward Computers, Motivation to Study, Empathy, and Creativity. A Japanese language version of the questionnaire was mailed to the principal of each school, where teachers distributed the questionnaires.for the subjects to complete with their parents at home. Ninety-one percent of the students returned completed questionnaires. Demographic information was also collected for each classroom.</p>The Identification of Factors Related to Childrearing Expectations of Korean-American Immigrant Parents of Preschool Children2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331948/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331948/"><img alt="The Identification of Factors Related to Childrearing Expectations of Korean-American Immigrant Parents of Preschool Children" title="The Identification of Factors Related to Childrearing Expectations of Korean-American Immigrant Parents of Preschool Children" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331948/small/"/></a></p><p>The purposes of this study were to determine the childrearing expectations of the Korean—American immigrant parents as measured on the five subsets of the Parent As A Teacher Inventory (PAAT), and to identify the influential factors within the Korean-American immigrant parents as a function of sex of child, family size, sex of parent, age of parent, education, income level, language, cultural aspects, accessibility, length of residence, and racial discrimination (independent variables). PAAT and the Parent Identification Questionnaire (PIQ) were administered to 118 Korean-American immigrant parents, 53 fathers and 65 mothers in North Texas. All subjects had children ages three through five and were natives of Korea. A multiple regression analysis was used to determine which independent variables would be the best predictors of parent expectations using PAAT subset scores and the total score as dependent variables: Creativity, Frustration, Control, Play, and Teaching-Learning; and eleven independent variables.</p>An Analysis of the Peer Relationships of Gifted and Gifted-Creative Primary Students2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331836/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331836/"><img alt="An Analysis of the Peer Relationships of Gifted and Gifted-Creative Primary Students" title="An Analysis of the Peer Relationships of Gifted and Gifted-Creative Primary Students" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331836/small/"/></a></p><p>The purpose of this study was to compare the peer relationships of highly gifted and highly gifted-highly creative primary students in a gifted classroom of a public school. The study was conducted using thirty-one highly gifted first, second, and third graders who had scores of 140 or better on the WISC-R, WPPSI, or Otis-Lennon.
At the beginning of the school year, the Creativity Assessment Packet was administered to the class. The top 20 percent scorers in the class (termed gifted-creative) and those who scored in the bottom 20 percent of the class (termed gifted) on the CAP were targeted for observation. In addition, a sociogram was administered to each student individually for the purpose of determining each child's social status. A bivariate correlation coefficient was employed to express the degree of any relationship between creativity scores and rankings on the class sociogram. Observational anecdotes were used in the discussion of the
sociometric results.
The following findings resulted from the study. The gifted-creative students, as a group, ranked higher on a class sociogram on measures of friendship and choice of academic work partners than did the gifted group. On sociometric measures of choice of creative work partners, there was no significant difference. During observations, the gifted students displayed approximately the same amount of positive verbal behaviors as the gifted-creative students. The gifted students did exhibit more isolated behavior, especially during academic tasks, than.did their gifted creative counterparts. The gifted-creative group displayed much more verbal and physical aggression than the gifted group.
This report concludes that in the gifted classroom under investigation, gifted-creative and gifted pupils differ in their peer relationships thus supporting findings documented in past research. However, information from the sociogram seemed to suggest that the gifted-creative students, as a group, achieved higher social status within this gifted classroom than the gifted students.</p>A Study of the Kodaly Approach to Music Teaching and an Investigation of Four Approaches to the Teaching of Selected Skills in First Grade Music Classes2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331823/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331823/"><img alt="A Study of the Kodaly Approach to Music Teaching and an Investigation of Four Approaches to the Teaching of Selected Skills in First Grade Music Classes" title="A Study of the Kodaly Approach to Music Teaching and an Investigation of Four Approaches to the Teaching of Selected Skills in First Grade Music Classes" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331823/small/"/></a></p><p>This study examined the Kodaly approach to music teaching and investigated four different approaches to teaching first graders in elementary school to sing on pitch, echo (clap) rhythms, audiate tonal patterns, and audiate rhythm patterns. The approaches were the Kodaly approach, the traditional approach, and two eclectic approaches. One emphasized some of the techniques of the Kodaly approach, and the other emphasized some of the techniques of the Orff approach. The sample for this study consisted of one hundred twenty-one students in five classes from four different elementary schools. Two instruments were utilized: the standardized Primary Measures of Music Audiation (PMMA) by Gordon and the Individual Performance Test (IPT) designed by the investigator. The PMMA had two sections of forty examples each and measured the child's ability to audiate tonal and rhythmic patterns. This test was administered to the children as a group and they recorded their answers on an answer sheet. The IPT was tape recorded and administered individually by the investigator and assistants. It had two sections, rhythm and tonal. The children matched pitches and clapped the rhythms they heard. Responses were tape recorded and evaluated. Pretests were given shortly after the school year began and post-test were given eight weeks later. A completely randomized analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data. It was hypothesized that there would be no difference in the achievement of the children in the different classes to perform the selected skills. Findings revealed that the approach to music teaching does make a difference in the musical achievement of first-graders and their abilities to echo rhythms, match pitches, and to audiate rhythm patterns. The approach to music teaching does not make a difference in the musical achievement of the subjects and their abilities to audiate tonal patterns.</p>Childrearing Attitudes of Mexican-American Mothers Effects of Education of Mother2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc332060/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc332060/"><img alt="Childrearing Attitudes of Mexican-American Mothers Effects of Education of Mother" title="Childrearing Attitudes of Mexican-American Mothers Effects of Education of Mother" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc332060/small/"/></a></p><p>The purpose of this study was to identify childrearing attitudes of Mexican-American mothers with children ages three to five years of age. Specifically the first purpose of this study was to determine childrearing attitudes of Mexican-American mothers with ten years of education or fewer and Mexican-American mothers with eleven years of education or more as identified by the Parent As A Teacher Inventory (PAAT). The second purpose was to identify the relationship of the following demographic variables to childrearing attitudes: mother's age, mother's marital status, family income, sex of child, age of child, access to child, generational status, mother's language and mother's ethnicity. The PAAT and the Parent Information Questionnaire were administered to 112 Mexican-American mothers; 54 Mexican- American mothers with ten years of education or fewer and 58 Mexican-American mothers with eleven years of education or more. The population from which these subjects were drawn were mothers from Mexican-American communities in a North Texas county. Responses on the sample were analyzed using multivariate statistics. Based on the analysis of the data, the following conclusions seem tenable. 1. The Mexican-American mothers with eleven years of education or more have childrearing attitudes which are more positive than the Mexican-American mothers with ten years of education or fewer. 2. Control and teaching-learning are related to the mother's educational level, income, generational status and language. The mothers with more education and a higher income, who are third generation and who prefer English usage, tend to allow their children more independence. 3. Agreement may be expected between the childrearing attitudes of the Mexican-American mothers with ten years of education or fewer and Mexican-American mothers with eleven years of education or more toward creativity, frustration, and play.</p>A Study of the Relationship Between Selected Learning Styles and Achievement of Kindergarten Language Arts Objectives in a Local School District2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc332096/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc332096/"><img alt="A Study of the Relationship Between Selected Learning Styles and Achievement of Kindergarten Language Arts Objectives in a Local School District" title="A Study of the Relationship Between Selected Learning Styles and Achievement of Kindergarten Language Arts Objectives in a Local School District" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc332096/small/"/></a></p><p>The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a relationship between the learning style of a kindergarten child and the level of achievement in language arts. The study was done at the request of the school district of a small community in north Texas, and it incorporated the total public school kindergarten population, 110 subjects. Instruments were the Learning Style Inventory: Primary by Perrin, the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills, and an achievement test developed by the regional education service center. The LSI:P was administered to all students by one person while the two achievement tests were administered by individual teachers to their own classes. The children were divided into groups according to their rating on the LSI:P, using the Prescription Circle by Dunn and Dunn as modifier. ANOVA and chi square analysis were utilized to compute frequencies and percentages at the .05 level to determine relationships between learning styles' group membership and attainment in language. A definite relationship was found between a child's learning style and achievement on the language arts objectives. Indications were that the elements of motivation, persistence and responsibility, and perceptual mode preferred by the learner had strong relationship to success in achievement. It was concluded that a relationship exists between the ability to conduct successful word analysis and a child's learning style. It was also determined that children of kindergarten age can self-report learning style as measured by the Learning Style Inventory: Primary. It is recommended that longitudinal studies be conducted to discover if learning styles change with maturity. Other studies could be done on subgroups of the kindergarten population to find what impact preschool experiences, English as a second language, or sex of the child may have on the relationship between a child's learning style and achievement in language arts.</p>An Exploratory Study of Curiosity in Three-, Four- and Five-Year-Old Children2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331562/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331562/"><img alt="An Exploratory Study of Curiosity in Three-, Four- and Five-Year-Old Children" title="An Exploratory Study of Curiosity in Three-, Four- and Five-Year-Old Children" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331562/small/"/></a></p><p>This study investigated the development of curiosity in young children. A previous study by Kreitler, Zigler, and Kreitler had identified five specific types of curiosity, manipulatory curiosity, perceptual curiosity, conceptual curiosity, curiosity about the complex, and adjustive-reactive curiosity. The basic problem was to describe the development of these five types of curiosity in three-, four-, and five-year-old children. A secondary problem was to determine if children follow a predictable pattern in their development of the five types of curiosity. Five tasks, measuring nineteen variables of curiosity, were administered individually to thirty three-year-olds, thirty four-year-olds, and thirty five-year-olds by a trained rater. Mean scores for each variable and each type of curiosity were calculated for each group.</p>Resistance to Temptation in Five-Year-Old Children2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331535/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331535/"><img alt="Resistance to Temptation in Five-Year-Old Children" title="Resistance to Temptation in Five-Year-Old Children" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331535/small/"/></a></p><p>This study measured the resistance to temptation of five-year-old children as related to their sex, Sunday school attendance, and mothers' working status; analyzed the mothers' parenting attitudes as influenced by work, church attendance, and family structure; and examined relationships between children's resistance to temptation and mothers' parenting attitudes.</p>Selected Childrearing Beliefs and Practices of Parents and Caregivers in Family Day Care2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331536/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331536/"><img alt="Selected Childrearing Beliefs and Practices of Parents and Caregivers in Family Day Care" title="Selected Childrearing Beliefs and Practices of Parents and Caregivers in Family Day Care" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331536/small/"/></a></p><p>The purposes of this study are to examine the reported childrearing beliefs and practices of family day home caregivers, to examine the reported childrearing beliefs and practices of parents whose children are in a family day home, and to determine the congruency of the reported childrearing beliefs and practices between caregivers and parents. The childrearing beliefs and practices selected for the study are in the areas of discipline, sleeping, feeding-eating, toilet training, sex-role development, and selected home activities.</p>A Comparative Study of Children's Intensity of Task-Involvement in a Selected Nursery School2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331217/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331217/"><img alt="A Comparative Study of Children's Intensity of Task-Involvement in a Selected Nursery School" title="A Comparative Study of Children's Intensity of Task-Involvement in a Selected Nursery School" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331217/small/"/></a></p><p>The problem of this study was a comparison of young children's intensity of task—involvement in child—selected activities. A group of 23 children, four to six years of age, was selected as the subjects from a university affiliated child development laboratory school. These children were observed during child-selected activities for five consecutive weeks. The instrument utilized to collect the data was the Intensity Of Involvement Scale, composed of seven categories of intensity from "Unoccupied" to "Complete." To obtain reliable data, two observers were involved in the observation and a carefully planned procedure of observation was followed accurately. The comparison of children's intensity of task-involvement among child-selected activities, using statistical methods of mean and standard deviation, yielded a similar result among various groups of children. The learning centers in which children were involved most intensely were water play, family living, manipulative, and art centers. The children, however, were involved in the reading, block, and writing centers less intensely. In comparing children's intensity of task-involvement between age-groups and sex-groups, the analyses of two-way t-test revealed that age-differences were significant (p<.05) but sex-differences were not significant in children's overall intensity of task-involvement. Also, the results showed that the significance of differences in children's intensity of task-involvement in each child-selected activity depended more upon the age than the sex of children. In addition, individual differences in children's intensity of task-involvement were examined using mean, frequency distribution, and range. The finding was that children differed from one another in their degrees and variability of intensity of task-involvement in child-selected activities.</p>A Study of the Relationship between Field-Independent and Field-Dependent Cognitive Styles and Social Behaviors during Free-Play of Preschool Children2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331292/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331292/"><img alt="A Study of the Relationship between Field-Independent and Field-Dependent Cognitive Styles and Social Behaviors during Free-Play of Preschool Children" title="A Study of the Relationship between Field-Independent and Field-Dependent Cognitive Styles and Social Behaviors during Free-Play of Preschool Children" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331292/small/"/></a></p><p>The problem of this study was to discover the relationship between field-independent and field-dependent cognitive styles and social behaviors during free-play of preschool children in a school setting. This study also compared the field-independent and field-dependent cognitive styles and social behaviors during free-play between age-groups and sex-groups. Thirty-six children from a university child development laboratory were subjects. They were selected from a 3-year-old classroom and a 4-year-old classroom. The research instrument, the Preschool Embedded Figures Test, was utilized to measure field-independent and field-dependent cognitive styles. The children's social behaviors were observed during free-play for four consecutive weeks. The nine categories of social behavior were solitary, parallel, and group play; .unoccupied, onlooker, transitional, and aggressive behaviors; and conversations with teachers and conversations with peers. Correlations between field-independent and field-dependent cognitive styles and social behaviors indicated that field-independence/field-dependence was related to social orientations in preschool children and also related to the choice of play activity. Field-dependent children tended to engage in conversations with teachers more often than field-independent children. Four-year-old children who were field-independent tended to spend more time in solitary play than 4-year-old children who were field-dependent. Four-year-old boys who were field-independent tended to play more often in the manipulative learning center than 4-year-old boys who were field-dependent. There were significant differences between age-groups but not significant differences between sex-groups in field-independence/field-dependence. Some social behaviors were significantly different between age-groups and sex-groups. Three-year-old children participated significantly more in physically aggressive behavior and less in conversations with peers than 4-year-old children. Boys engaged significantly more in aggressive behavior than girls.</p>A Comparison of the Reading and Writing Performance of Children in a Whole Language Pre-First-Grade Class and a Modified Traditional First-Grade Class2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331120/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331120/"><img alt="A Comparison of the Reading and Writing Performance of Children in a Whole Language Pre-First-Grade Class and a Modified Traditional First-Grade Class" title="A Comparison of the Reading and Writing Performance of Children in a Whole Language Pre-First-Grade Class and a Modified Traditional First-Grade Class" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331120/small/"/></a></p><p>This study examined differences in literacy development between five students attending whole language pre-first-grade classes and five students eligible for pre-first-grade classes but attending modified traditional first-grade classes. Differences between whole language pre-first-grade classes and modified traditional first-grade classes in use of literacy materials, teaching procedures, and amount of time spent on literacy were also examined. The procedures involved testing the subjects on reading and writing skills, observations of the pre-first-grade and first-grade classes, and analysis of subjects' writing samples.</p>A Comparison of Student Achievement, Student Self-Concept, and Parental Attitude Toward Traditional and Montessori Programs in a Public School Setting2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc330730/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc330730/"><img alt="A Comparison of Student Achievement, Student Self-Concept, and Parental Attitude Toward Traditional and Montessori Programs in a Public School Setting" title="A Comparison of Student Achievement, Student Self-Concept, and Parental Attitude Toward Traditional and Montessori Programs in a Public School Setting" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc330730/small/"/></a></p><p>This study investigates differences in academic achievement and self-concept of students enrolled in a traditional public school program and a public school Montessori program. The attitudes of parents of students are also compared. The population includes 182 experimental and control kindergarten, first-, second-, and third-grade students in a Texas metropolitan school district.</p>The Relationship Between Maternal Parents' Musical Experience and the Musical Development of Two- and Three-Year-Old Girls2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc330865/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc330865/"><img alt="The Relationship Between Maternal Parents' Musical Experience and the Musical Development of Two- and Three-Year-Old Girls" title="The Relationship Between Maternal Parents' Musical Experience and the Musical Development of Two- and Three-Year-Old Girls" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc330865/small/"/></a></p><p>The purpose of this study was twofold; to investigate the relationships between the musical development of two- and three-year-old girls and their mothers' musical backgrounds and the music in their home environments; and to investigate the significance of the differences in the musical development of two- and three-year-old girls with reference to their socio-economic status (SES) and ethnicity. The relationships between the musical development of all subjects and music in the home environment were positive, rendering correlation coefficients that were statistically significant. These statistical inferences indicated that the musical home environment (the product of the mother, the father, and other adults, and the availability of musical items and activities) has the strongest relationship to the musical development of the young child. This influence begins before the age of two and continues during the third year. It was also hypothesized that there would be a significant difference in the musical development of the two- and three- year- old girls with reference to SES and ethnicity. Analysis of variance was employed to ascertain these differences. The subjects remained in age groups and were statistically regrouped by SES and ethnicity for these analyses. From the inferences rendered by these analyses, neither SES nor ethnicity made statistically significant differences in the musical development of these young girls.</p>A Descriptive Analysis of Parent Involvement Programs in Follow Through2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc330820/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc330820/"><img alt="A Descriptive Analysis of Parent Involvement Programs in Follow Through" title="A Descriptive Analysis of Parent Involvement Programs in Follow Through" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc330820/small/"/></a></p><p>This study investigated the successful outcomes and practices, the problems and the system of evaluation of the Parent Involvement program of the Follow Through models. The purposes of this research were to describe parent involvement in Follow Through and to utilize these data to formulate an ideal parent involvement program for an early childhood center. One instrument, a questionnaire, was developed to collect the data. The questionnaire consisted of 37 items with two main sections on successful outcomes and practices, and problems in parent-child relationships, parent-school relationships, and in parent-community relationships, and evaluation of parent involvement. Findings reveal that parent involvement in Follow Through has been successful. Successful outcomes in parent-child relationships, successful outcomes in parent-school relationships, and successful outcomes were found in parent-community relationships.</p>A Comparison Among Selected Groups of Day Care Directors Examining Their Levels of Death Anxiety and Responses to Simulated Death Situations2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc330826/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc330826/"><img alt="A Comparison Among Selected Groups of Day Care Directors Examining Their Levels of Death Anxiety and Responses to Simulated Death Situations" title="A Comparison Among Selected Groups of Day Care Directors Examining Their Levels of Death Anxiety and Responses to Simulated Death Situations" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc330826/small/"/></a></p><p>This study compared three groups of day care directors with regard to their levels of death anxiety and their responses to situations involving death that affect children in the day care center. In addition, the study compared the variables of age, years of experience in day care, parental status, and self-reported degree of religiosity with the directors' levels of death anxiety and their responses to simulated death situations. A possible relationship between the levels of death anxiety of the directors and their responses to simulated death situations was also investigated.</p>A Comparison of the Roles and Needs of Middle and Lower Class Thai Parents in Helping Their Children's Reading Development2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc330614/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc330614/"><img alt="A Comparison of the Roles and Needs of Middle and Lower Class Thai Parents in Helping Their Children's Reading Development" title="A Comparison of the Roles and Needs of Middle and Lower Class Thai Parents in Helping Their Children's Reading Development" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc330614/small/"/></a></p><p>The problem of this study was a comparison of the roles and needs of middle and lower class Thai parents in helping their children's reading development. The sample was selected from the parents of the preprimary schools in Bangkok, Thailand, in the fall of 1986. A total of 366 parents, including 185 from middle class and 181 from lower class, participated in this study.</p>The Relationship of Parent Involvement in Head Start to Family Characteristics, Parent Behaviors and Attitudes, and Preschool Inventory Scores2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc332361/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc332361/"><img alt="The Relationship of Parent Involvement in Head Start to Family Characteristics, Parent Behaviors and Attitudes, and Preschool Inventory Scores" title="The Relationship of Parent Involvement in Head Start to Family Characteristics, Parent Behaviors and Attitudes, and Preschool Inventory Scores" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc332361/small/"/></a></p><p>The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between family characteristics and parent involvement in Head Start, and the differences between parents who participated in Head Start parent involvement activities and parents who did not participate, as to their behaviors and attitudes concerning education, their children, their communities, and their children's academic achievement. This study analyzed existing data collected for a national parent involvement study. The sample consisted of 2,051 parent-child pairs (1,443 Head Start and 606 non-Head Start). Findings indicated a significant relationship between numerous family characteristics and parent involvement in Head Start, with variables related to a higher level of education of the mother or primary caregiver being the most dominant. Significant differences were found between the parents who participated in Head Start activities and parents who did not participate. The involved parents felt more strongly about teachers needing knowledge of their children's families, parents having knowledge worthy of sharing with their children's teachers, and parents wanting advice or input from their children's teachers. They reported a higher frequency of behaviors such as talking, reading, and playing with their children, trying to teach their children basic concepts, and having materials available for their children's use. Involved parents rated their level of participation, acceptance, and influence in their communities to be greater than did the uninvolved parents. Also, they had higher expectations concerning their children's education. The involved parents and the non-Head Start parents had heard of the resources available in their communities more than the uninvolved Head Start parents had; however, both groups of Head Start parents had used the resources more than the non-Head Start parents had. The children of the involved parents and the non-Head Start parents scored significantly higher on the Preschool Inventory than did the children of the uninvolved Head Start parents.</p>The Relationship Between One Aspect of Morality of Young Children and Parental Attitudes Toward Child-Rearing, Gender, Employment Status and Socio-Economic Status2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc332443/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc332443/"><img alt="The Relationship Between One Aspect of Morality of Young Children and Parental Attitudes Toward Child-Rearing, Gender, Employment Status and Socio-Economic Status" title="The Relationship Between One Aspect of Morality of Young Children and Parental Attitudes Toward Child-Rearing, Gender, Employment Status and Socio-Economic Status" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc332443/small/"/></a></p><p>This study examined the relationship between the resistance to temptation of three-, four-, and five-year-old children and parental attitudes toward child-rearing. Other variables explored included gender of the children, employment status of mothers, and socio-economic status of families. Fifty-two three-, four-, and five-year-old children from two centers were tested to determine their levels of resistance to temptation as measured by Grinder's Bean Bag Instrument. Parental attitudes toward child-rearing were measured by Schaefer and Bell's Parental Attitude Research Instrument (PARI). To determine the difference between the resistance to temptation scores and socio-economic status, gender, and employment status of mothers, Jt tests were employed. No significant differences were found with regard to these variables. Factor analysis of the PARI resulted in three primary factors: Hostility-Rejection, Authoritarian- Control, and Democratic-Attitude. To determine the difference between the Hostility-Rejection scores, Authoritarian-Control scores, and Democratic-Attitude scores of the mothers and socio-economic status, _t tests were employed. There were no significant differences between mothers of a lower socio-economic level and their Hostility- Rejection and Democratic-Attitude scores. However, mothers of a lower/upper socio-economic level showed significantly higher levels of Authoritarian-Control than mothers of an upper socio-economic level. To determine the difference between the Hostility-Rejection scores, Authoritarian- Control scores, and Democratic-Attitude scores of the mothers and employment status of the mothers, t_ tests were employed. No significant differences were found regarding these variables. To determine the relationship between the Hostility-Rejection scores, Authoritarian-Control scores, and Democratic-Attitude scores of the mothers and resistance to temptation scores of the children, a Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was employed. Results indicated that there was no significant relationship between the Hostility-Rejection scores and the Authoritarian-Control scores of the mothers and the resistance to temptation score of the children. A significant relationship was found between the Democratic-Attitude scores of the mothers and the resistance to temptation score of the children.</p>The Written Production of Four Kindergarten Children in a Whole Language Classroom: Frequency, Function, and Form2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc332432/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc332432/"><img alt="The Written Production of Four Kindergarten Children in a Whole Language Classroom: Frequency, Function, and Form" title="The Written Production of Four Kindergarten Children in a Whole Language Classroom: Frequency, Function, and Form" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc332432/small/"/></a></p><p>The problem of this study was to describe, analyze, and compare the effects of learning centers and curricular themes upon the writing production of four children within a kindergarten classroom which followed the whole language approach. This study was conducted in a public school. Four subjects were identified from the administration of the Book Handling Knowledge Task. Using the qualitative research method of case studies, the teacher-researcher kept observational notes concerning the writing behavior of the subjects. The written compositions of the subjects were collected daily throughout the school year and were assigned a context, learning center and curricular theme. The compositions were then coded as to writing frequency, function, and form. The following findings resulted from the study: writing occurred most frequently in the art center followed by dramatic play, language, sand, science, social studies, "other," eyes and hands, mathematics, and library-listening; writing occurred most frequently during the curricular theme of Christmas followed by self-concept, shapes and colors, farm animals, Thanksgiving, Winter, transportation, nursery rhymes, patriotic, Valentine, food and nutrition, Halloween, Spring, wild animals, community helpers, gingerbread man, Summer, Easter, and pets; all five functions of language were used in the art center, four in the language, dramatic play, social studies, and "other" centers, and three in all other centers; all five functions were used during the Valentine curricular theme, four during self-concept, transportation, Spring, and farm animals, three during food and nutrition, and nursery rhymes, two during eleven other curricular themes, and only one during Easter and pets; and gains were made in form by the end of the study. Writing was often in the last stage of spelling development and more print concepts were in evidence. The conclusions made were that some learning centers and curricular themes prompt more frequent writing and the use of more language functions.</p>Differential Attitudes Toward Adult Behaviors, as They Relate to Child Abuse2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331900/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331900/"><img alt="Differential Attitudes Toward Adult Behaviors, as They Relate to Child Abuse" title="Differential Attitudes Toward Adult Behaviors, as They Relate to Child Abuse" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331900/small/"/></a></p><p>This study explored the attitudes of four professional groups toward selected adult behaviors in order to gain an insight into their definitions of abuse and neglect. A sample was drawn from the population of pediatricians, psychologists, teachers, and social workers employed in a large metropolitan area of North Central Texas. A total of 190 subjects participated. The instrument used to quantify the attitudes of the respondents was a five-point rating scale, the ABTC Rating Scale. The rating scale was composed of thirty-six adult behaviors selected from the "gray areas" of child abuse and neglect. Participants rated the thirty-six behavior items according to how harmful they perceived each behavior to be for a five-to-six year old child. It was concluded that of the variables tested, those that appear to have the most influence on the differences in responses are professional membership and sex. It is possible that the differences found are due as much to the sex of the respondent as to professional membership. Teachers and females may react more strongly to the behaviors almost universally.</p>A History of Day Care Licensing Standards in Texas From Development and Promulgation of the First Standards to the 1976 Revisions2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331276/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331276/"><img alt="A History of Day Care Licensing Standards in Texas From Development and Promulgation of the First Standards to the 1976 Revisions" title="A History of Day Care Licensing Standards in Texas From Development and Promulgation of the First Standards to the 1976 Revisions" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331276/small/"/></a></p><p>The history of day care licensing standards in Texas was traced from the beginnings in voluntary welfare organizations to the 1976 revisions. The jurisdictional foundations of day care licensing was presented in a summary of the related legislation passed in Texas during the years from 1848 to 1975. Categories of licensing requirements in the different sets of standards promulgated in Texas were compared. The attempt was made to derive a contextual milieu of social, political and educational factors which influenced Texas day care legislation and the development of licensing standards. It was recommended that funds are essential to adequate enforcement of licensing standards. In addition, to facilitate acculturation of day care licensing, consultation and training efforts should expand proportionately to the expansion of day care. The fact that issues related to specific requirements surfaced repeatedly in the different decades studied, a need for carefully controlled research to validate the individual requirements was indicated.</p>The Impact of Teacher Experience on the Achievement of Third-Grade Students in Inner-City Schools2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331638/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331638/"><img alt="The Impact of Teacher Experience on the Achievement of Third-Grade Students in Inner-City Schools" title="The Impact of Teacher Experience on the Achievement of Third-Grade Students in Inner-City Schools" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331638/small/"/></a></p><p>This study investigated the impact of the years of teaching experience of classroom teachers on the achievement of third-grade students in inner-city Title I Schools; on the achievement of those third-grade students who were defined as high achievers, average achievers, and low achievers; and on the achievement of boys and girls in the third grade of inner-city Title I schools. An analysis and interpretation of the data revealed that there were no significant differences in reading and mathematics achievement of the third-grade students when the number of years of experience of the teacher was examined. Reading achievement of third-grade boys and third-grade girls did show significant differences. The more-experienced teacher appeared to have the greater increase in reading scores of the students. In addition to data concerning the hypotheses, information about other teacher variables was collected through a teacher self-report questionnaire. One hundred per cent of the teachers in the participating schools responded to the questionnaire. Data were tabulated by frequency of response in groups according to years of teacher experience. Variables included years of teaching experience in Title I schools, classroom size, and demographic data. Analysis of the data indicated that teachers having more years of experience in Title I schools appeared to have a greater increase in the reading and mathematics scores of students. Students in larger classes appeared to show greater gains than students in smaller classes in reading and mathematics. The majority of the teachers indicated that they felt the teacher, parent involvement, and class size had the most impact on achievement of students and staff development had the least impact.</p>Kindergarten Children and Their Concepts About Print: A Developmental Study Based on Bloom's Theory of School Learning2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331857/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331857/"><img alt="Kindergarten Children and Their Concepts About Print: A Developmental Study Based on Bloom's Theory of School Learning" title="Kindergarten Children and Their Concepts About Print: A Developmental Study Based on Bloom's Theory of School Learning" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331857/small/"/></a></p><p>This study describes the developmental movement of kindergarten children from oral language toward written communication. The study describes and documents evidence of a sample of kindergarten children as they interact with print concepts in a kindergarten environment. The subjects were thirty kindergarten students randomly selected from three specific kindergartens identified as implementing the Key Vocabulary approach of Sylvia Ashton-Warner. The classrooms were public school kindergartens located in a suburban area of North Central Texas. From the findings several conclusions can be drawn. The learning of kindergarten children can be documented and a profile of that learning can be developed that will have possible future use in the learning career of the child. Kindergarten children may perceive the reading of a story to the group differently from the teacher. The perception of the process of writing by kindergarten children may be different from that of adults. There was evidence of children's writing in their movement from oral language toward print.</p>Teaching Concerns of Early Childhood Graduates in Their First Five Years of Teaching2014-08-22T18:00:56-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331830/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331830/"><img alt="Teaching Concerns of Early Childhood Graduates in Their First Five Years of Teaching" title="Teaching Concerns of Early Childhood Graduates in Their First Five Years of Teaching" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331830/small/"/></a></p><p>The purposes of this study were to identify the teaching concerns expressed in their early years of teaching by the graduates of the Early Childhood Education program in a church related teacher education institution, and to determine the relationship between teaching concerns and the variables of years of teaching experience and grade level taught.</p>Development of Place-Value Numeration Concepts in Chinese Children: Ages 3 through 92014-03-26T09:30:20-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc279231/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc279231/"><img alt="Development of Place-Value Numeration Concepts in Chinese Children: Ages 3 through 9" title="Development of Place-Value Numeration Concepts in Chinese Children: Ages 3 through 9" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc279231/small/"/></a></p><p>This investigation examined Chinese children's development of place-value numeration concepts from ages 3 through 9, compared the development of place-value understanding of these Chinese children with that of American and Genevan children whose performances had been described in the literature, and examined the influence of adult assistance during Chinese children's performances on some of the place-value tasks.</p>Comparison of Childrearing Attitudes Between Church-Related Korean American Immigrant Parents and Korean Parents2014-03-26T09:30:20-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc279088/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc279088/"><img alt="Comparison of Childrearing Attitudes Between Church-Related Korean American Immigrant Parents and Korean Parents" title="Comparison of Childrearing Attitudes Between Church-Related Korean American Immigrant Parents and Korean Parents" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc279088/small/"/></a></p><p>The purposes of this study were to compare the childrearing attitudes of church-related Korean American immigrant parents and Korean parents as measured by the Parent As A Teacher Inventory (PAAT), and to identify relationships between the PAAT childrearing subsets and demographic variables including sex of child, sex of parent, education of parent, family income level, maternal employment, accessibility to the child, language of parent, and length of residence in America.</p>Multiple Measures of the Effectiveness of Public School Montessori Education in the Third Grade2014-03-26T09:30:20-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc278832/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc278832/"><img alt="Multiple Measures of the Effectiveness of Public School Montessori Education in the Third Grade" title="Multiple Measures of the Effectiveness of Public School Montessori Education in the Third Grade" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc278832/small/"/></a></p><p>The problem of this study was to measure the effectiveness of a public school Montessori program. The purpose of this study was to measure and compare student academic achievement and self-concept, attendance and promotion rates, and level of parental involvement in the schools of students enrolled in public school Montessori and traditional programs. The 95 subjects in this study were third-grade subjects selected from the student populations in Montessori and traditional school sites. The Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) was used as the pre-test scores, and the Norm-referenced Assessment Program for Texas (NAPT) was used as the post-test scores to compare academic achievement in reading and mathematics. Multiple regression was used to compare the levels of academic achievement and self-concept. Multiple regression was also used to test for possible relationship between the Montessori and traditional programs and gender and ethnicity.</p>Self-Assessment of Literacy Growth in Young Children2014-03-26T09:30:20-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc278828/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc278828/"><img alt="Self-Assessment of Literacy Growth in Young Children" title="Self-Assessment of Literacy Growth in Young Children" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc278828/small/"/></a></p><p>In this study, 78 kindergarten and first-grade children were interviewed about their writing to identify indicators of self-assessment. Writing samples for each participant were saved over a three month period, then compared and discussed by the child. Results indicated that these young children did engage in self:-assessment behaviors. The classroom teachers were asked to place the participants in their classes along a writing continuum known as a Writing Band. Graphs were presented to show the writing levels of the children by classroom. In addition, each classroom was surveyed to document events which promote literacy development within the framework of an integrated curriculum. Writing samples for each child were collected and kept in a portfolio. Participants were interviewed regarding the contents of the portfolio. Children in two of the kindergarten classes were interviewed using 5 samples collected over a 2 1/2 month time period, and all other participants were interviewed using 6 writing samples collected over a 3 month period. Findings indicated that not only did these young children recognize growth in their writing, but they also assessed that growth based on outward, physical features of their writing. The writing ability of each child at the beginning of the study did not appear to affect the child's ability to self-assess writing growth. Children on the first 4 Writing Bands, A, B, C, and D self-assessed using similar criteria. Additional findings suggested that many of these young children knew there was a thought process involved with choosing topics to be written about. The results of this study suggested implications for continued investigations into using self-assessment with young children. For example, it was proposed that varying the learning environment may change the criteria that children use for self-assessment. Further research was recommended that would identify student and teacher behaviors that enhance self-assessment.</p>The Relationships Between Leadership Styles and Personality Types of Texas Elementary Administrators2014-03-26T09:30:20-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc278813/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc278813/"><img alt="The Relationships Between Leadership Styles and Personality Types of Texas Elementary Administrators" title="The Relationships Between Leadership Styles and Personality Types of Texas Elementary Administrators" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc278813/small/"/></a></p><p>The purposes of this study were to explore the leadership styles and personality types of Texas elementary administrators. The Leader Effectiveness and Adaptability Description-Self (LEAD-Self) assessed the leadership style and adaptability of the administrators. The four identified styles were Telling/Directing, Selling/Coaching, Participating/Supporting, and Delegating. The MBTI measured 16 combinations of 4 personality types which included Extrovert or Introvert, Sensing or Intuition, Thinking or Feeling, and Judging or Perceiving.
The sample was 200 Texas elementary administrators: 100 with early childhood certification and 100 without early childhood certification. A chi-square test of independence was utilized.
Findings included: (a) A majority of Texas elementary administrators in both groups had a Selling/Coaching or Participating/Supporting leadership style; (b) Leadership adaptability scores of both groups were equivalent; (c) Most Texas elementary administrators had Introvert/Sensing/Thinking/Judging and Extrovert/Sensing/Thinking/Judging personality types; (d) Administrators with early childhood certification had a higher percentage of Intuitive personality types, while administrators without early childhood certification had a predominance of Sensing types; (e) A large percentage of administrators which had Participating/Supporting leadership styles had Feeling personality types; (f) No significant relationship between leadership styles and personality types was found in either group; and (g) No significant relationship between leadership adaptability and personality types was found in either group. Recommendations included: (a) further study to investigate the role of gender in leadership style and personality type; (b) further study to determine if elementary administrators have higher adaptability scores than secondary administrators; (c) further study to determine if elementary administrators have different leadership styles than secondary administrators; (d) further study to determine if elementary administrators have different personality types than secondary administrators; (e) further study to determine if leadership adaptability scores accurately portray an administrator's effectiveness; and (f) provide opportunities for future and practicing administrators to assess their leadership style, leadership adaptability, and personality type.</p>Young Children's Construction of Physical Knowledge on Swings in the Outdoor Play Environment2014-03-26T09:30:20-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc278750/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc278750/"><img alt="Young Children's Construction of Physical Knowledge on Swings in the Outdoor Play Environment" title="Young Children's Construction of Physical Knowledge on Swings in the Outdoor Play Environment" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc278750/small/"/></a></p><p>This investigation examined the development of young children's behaviors on swings in the outdoor play environment and their emerging understanding of the physics principles associated with those behaviors. The children's language interactions were also examined in an effort to determine the relationship between language and cognitive development in their construction of physical knowledge. The procedures involved observing the children's behaviors and collecting samples of their spontaneous language interactions during their swinging activities. Informal interviews were also conducted with individual and groups of children. The findings indicate that young children's swinging behaviors develop in eight hierarchical stages. As these behaviors develop, children experiment with the physics principles of balance, gravity, force, resistance, and resonance. Children's swinging behaviors develop in a social context. Many early behaviors are acquired through observing and modeling other children. Language provides the medium for more-experienced peers to assist novice swingers through encouragement and direct instruction. The stage development of swinging behaviors is compared to Cratty's Theory of Perceptual-Motor Development and Harrow's Taxonomy of the Psychomotor Domain. Children's cognitive processing and language interactions are discussed in the context of Piagetian and Vygotskian theories of development. Implications for instruction and suggestions for further research are discussed.</p>A Study of Korean Kindergarten Teachers' Concerns2014-03-24T20:07:29-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc277702/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc277702/"><img alt="A Study of Korean Kindergarten Teachers' Concerns" title="A Study of Korean Kindergarten Teachers' Concerns" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc277702/small/"/></a></p><p>The problem of this study was to identify some concerns of Korean kindergarten teachers at different points in their careers, based on the conceptual framework of Katz's (1972, 1977, 1985) theory of preschool teacher development. This study also described the variations in these concerns on the basis of some teacher characteristics including teaching experience, certification, educational background, inservice training, and teaching assignment. The subjects for this study were 174 volunteers who were Korean kindergarten teachers in Seoul, Korea. The concerns of the teachers were expressed through the Kindergarten Teacher Concerns Questionnaire, consisting of two parts: (a) background information, and (b) the Kindergarten Teacher Concern Rating Scale (KTCRS), consisting of a list of 54 items developed by Tsai (1990), reflecting the four areas of concerns—Survival, Consolidation, Renewal, and Maturity—formulated by Katz. A Likert type 5-point scale indicating the degree of concerns was used in the questionnaire as the scoring system. The following conclusions were drawn from this study: 1. The concerns of the Korean kindergarten teachers were developmental in nature in terms of preoccupation with a specific area of concerns at different points in the teachers' careers. This result tended to follow a sequence of stages as posited by Katz (1972, 1977, 1985). 2. The sample characteristics of this study strengthened the belief that the qualifications for Korean kindergarten teachers need to be raised for the sake of development of early childhood education in Korea. 3. Certification and inservice training might enhance the teachers' job awareness and expectation level of job performance. The findings implied that preservice and inservice education need to be based on teacher concerns. The recommendations for future research included (a) replicating this study with a nationwide sample for a broader generalization, and (b) tracing the processes of change in Korean kindergarten teacher concerns through qualitative research such as longitudinal studies, case studies, or intensive interviews.</p>Early Childhood Educators' Beliefs and Practices about Assessment2014-03-24T20:07:29-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc277624/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc277624/"><img alt="Early Childhood Educators' Beliefs and Practices about Assessment" title="Early Childhood Educators' Beliefs and Practices about Assessment" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc277624/small/"/></a></p><p>Standardized tests are being administered to young children in greater numbers in recent years than ever before. Many more important educational decisions about children are being based on the results of these tests. This practice continues to escalate despite early childhood professional organizations' calls for a ban of standardized testing for children eight years of age and younger. Many early childhood educators have become dissatisfied with multiple-choice testing as a measure of student learning and are increasingly using various forms of alternative assessment to replace the more traditional testing formats. Teachers seem to be caught in the middle of the controversy between standardized testing and alternative assessment. This research examined what early childhood educators in one north Texas school district believe about assessment of young children and what assessment methods they report using in their classrooms, as well as factors which influence those beliefs and practices. The sample for this study was 84 teachers who taught prekindergarten through third grade. An eight-page questionnaire provided quantitative data and interviews and the researcher's journal provided qualitative data.</p>A Descriptive Study of Parenting Styles and Behaviors of 4-Year-Old Children When Parents Participate in a Parenting Education Program2014-03-24T20:07:29-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc277677/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc277677/"><img alt="A Descriptive Study of Parenting Styles and Behaviors of 4-Year-Old Children When Parents Participate in a Parenting Education Program" title="A Descriptive Study of Parenting Styles and Behaviors of 4-Year-Old Children When Parents Participate in a Parenting Education Program" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc277677/small/"/></a></p><p>This study described and explored perceptions of the context and behaviors of seven 4-year-old children whose parents attended a parenting education program. The problem was to explore a group of 9 volunteer parents' perceptions of their parenting styles and perceptions of their 4-year-old children at home while the parents participated in, and completed, a minimum of 4 out of 6 Active Parenting Today parenting education classes. Volunteer parents were recruited during public school registration for prekindergarten. In addition, perceptions of 4 teachers and 4 classroom educational aides in regard to behaviors of the 4-year-old children whose parents participated in and completed the Active Parenting Today program were explored.</p>Home Literacy Portfolios: Tools for Sharing Literacy Information and for Assessing Parents' Awareness of and Involvement in their Prekindergarten Child's Literacy Development2014-03-24T20:07:29-05:00https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc278132/<p><a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc278132/"><img alt="Home Literacy Portfolios: Tools for Sharing Literacy Information and for Assessing Parents' Awareness of and Involvement in their Prekindergarten Child's Literacy Development" title="Home Literacy Portfolios: Tools for Sharing Literacy Information and for Assessing Parents' Awareness of and Involvement in their Prekindergarten Child's Literacy Development" src="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc278132/small/"/></a></p><p>This qualitative study investigated parents' awareness of and involvement in their prekindergarten child's literacy development. In addition, the feasibility of parents using a home literacy portfolio for the purpose of exchanging literacy information with teachers at a parent/teacher conference was examined. Participants included six parent/child dyads, who qualified for a Texas public school prekindergarten program by meeting the requirements for either free or reduced lunches or for the English-as-a-Second Language program. Research tools included audiotaped interviews with parents and with teachers; observations at parent/child workshop sessions, which were also videotaped; and work samples, including a home literacy portfolio from each child. Findings indicate that parents are involved in their children's literacy development. Also, at home, children participate in both open-ended literacy activities and drill-oriented literacy activities, with most of the activities falling into the open-ended category. According to the findings, all of the parents were more aware of their child's literacy achievements after attending the parent/child workshop and developing a home literacy portfolio. In addition, the home literacy portfolio proved to be a useful tool for sharing information at parent/teacher conferences. Parents and teachers exchanged literacy information at the parent/teacher conference. In the process of explaining the portfolios, the parents shared information about their child's drawing development, writing development, and reading development. In contrast, the teachers shared some literacy information with the parents, but much of the information teachers shared reflected the child's participation in class or general information about the child. The findings suggest that the parent/child workshop is a cost-effective vehicle for directly involving parents in their child's education. Moreover, developing a home literacy portfolio provides a means of involving parents with their child and of helping parents' become more aware of their child's literacy development.</p>