Early Childhood Education

Congruence Between The Early Childhood Education

Last Updated Aug 20, 2008 02:04 PM

The results indicate that high quality programs with careful design and supervision, using a variety of strategies, can be effective, and that these various strategies can be effective for different types of lowincome children. This gives program planners the flexibility to be responsive to local needs and parental inputs in designing programs which build on strengths and abilities of the families they serve. (p. 65)

Half-Day Versus Full-Day Kindergarten. What about the half-day/full-day kindergarten issue? Full-day kindergarten programs were originally developed to increase the school readiness of disadvantaged children, thus improving their chances for success throughout their school years. But do full-day programs actually achieve this goal?

Most researchers have found that disadvantaged children do reap greater short-term benefits from full-day programs than from traditional half-day kindergarten (Chicago Public Schools 1985; Herman 1984; Nieman and Gastright 1981; Karweit 1988). Findings are less conclusive regarding long-term benefits, although the evidence suggests that full-day kindergarten graduates experience many of the same benefits as those who attend preschool. Indeed, Neiman and Gastright found that disadvantaged children who attend preschool and full-day kindergarten outperformed their counterparts who did not attend preschool and attended only half-day kindergarten.


** CONGRUENCE BETWEEN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION **
** RESEARCH AND THE EFFECTIVE SCHOOLING RESEARCH **
The findings regarding effective practices in early childhood programs are congruent with those effective schooling research findings that have relevance for young children. Both bodies of literature identify the following as critical components of effective schooling:

Matching instructional resources and teaching activities to the developmental levels of the children
Holding high expectations for all children and taking steps to insure that they will be prepared for success at their next level of education
Making sure that activities flow from previous activities and learnings and into future ones; explaining these connections to the children as part of the activity
Previewing lessons, giving clear directions, and checking student understanding
Allowing children plenty of opportunity for guided and independent practice with new concepts and skills
Monitoring student activities and providing help as needed
Communicating warmth and caring to children
Building good continuity across grade levels and making sure teachers know where their curriculum fits into the overall school curriculum
Allocating and making use of time in ways that meet program goals
Providing staff development opportunities with an emphasis upon skill building
Engaging the involvement of parents, providing them an array of involvement opportunities, and building teachers' capacity to work effectively with parents
Well-designed educational programs for young, economically disadvantaged children can clearly affect their lives for the better, both during their school years and beyond. These programs also enhance the development of other children, particularly the handicapped. Economic analyses indicate that providing such programs is an excellent investment in the future of our society (Barnett and Escobar, 1987). All that is required is the willingness to take action, as noted by the Consortium for Longitudinal Studies in its

1983 report:

Perhaps, if we are sufficiently insistent, our society will one day be willing to make long-range investments in our children and in the quest for ways to improve their ability to succeed in life.
(p. 466)

KEY REFERENCES

Barnett, W.S., and Escobar, C.M. "The Economics of Early Intervention: A Review." Review of Educational Research 57(1987): 387-414.


Reviews the empirical evidence regarding the costbenefit relationship of early childhood education. Identifies the structure, participants, and student outcomes of a variety of preschool programs. The economic benefits of early childhood programs have not been extensively nor rigorously studied, but a few studies do provide strong evidence that early intervention for disadvantaged children can be a sound economic investment.
Berrueta-Clement, J.R.; Barnett, W.S.; and Weikart, D.P. "Changed Lives--The Effects of the Perry Preschool Program on Youths Through Age 19." In Education Studies Review Annual, Volume 10, edited by L.H. Aiken and B.H. Kehrer. Beverly Hills, CA: SAGE Publications, 1985, 257-279.


Presents findings from the large-scale longitudinal study of the effects of the Perry Preschool Program in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Reports findings in many schoolrelated and nonschool areas and concludes that the program has been extremely effective in improving participants' life experiences. Includes an economic analysis of the program.
Bronfenbrenner, U. A Report on Longitudinal Evaluations of Preschool Programs, Vol. II: Is Early Intervention Effective? Washington, D.C.: Office of Child Development, DHEW, 1974. (ED 093 501)


Reviews twelve studies on the effects of early intervention with children ranging in age from one to six. Children were found to show cognitive gains, but these declined progressively after program completion. The children from the most deprived backgrounds showed the smallest gains. Home intervention appeared crucial to program success for very young children.
Bronson, M.B.; Pierson, D.E.; and Tivnan, T. "The Effects of Early Education on Children's Competence in Elementary School." In Evaluation Studies Review Annual, Vol. 10, edited by L.H. Aiken and B.H. Kehrer. Beverly Hills, CA: SAGE Publications, 1985, 243-256.


Investigates the effects of the Brookline Early Education Project (BEEP) on the classroom behavior of a socioeconomically heterogeneous population of children. Experimental children outperformed controls on observational measures of mastery skills, social skills, and use of time.
Casto, G., and Mastropieri, M.A. "The Efficacy of Early Intervention Programs: A Meta-Analysis." Exceptional Children 52(1986): 417-424.


Reviews 74 research studies which have investigated the effectiveness of early intervention with handicapped preschoolers. Such intervention was found to be extremely beneficial; and longer, more intensive programs were found to be most beneficial.
Chicago Public Schools. Meeting the National Mandate: Chicago's Government Funded Kindergarten Programs. Chicago, IL: Chicago Public Schools, 1985.


Reports findings from an evaluation of 110 kindergarten programs in the Chicago Public Schools during 1983-84. Most participants were disadvantaged black children. The report discusses the effects of class size; compares full- and half-day programs; and discusses inservice, parent involvement, time use, teacher perceptions, and student achievement.
Consortium for Longitudinal Studies. As the Twig is Bent...Lasting Effects of Preschool Programs. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers, 1983.


Investigates the long-term effects of participation in a variety of preschool programs. Effects of individual programs are accompanied by an analysis across a dozen different preschool program studies. Preschool was found to produce lasting cognitive and affective benefits.
Cotton, K., and Green, K.R. Parent Involvement in Education. Portland, OR: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 1988 (draft).


Reviews research on the effects of parent involvement on the cognitive and noncognitive development of students of various ages and socioeconomic backgrounds. Concludes that parent involvement is extremely beneficial and the more extensively parents are involved, the more positive are the effects on students and families.
Featherstone, H. "Preschool: It Does Make a Difference." Principal 65(1986): 16-17.


Reviews several recent studies which focused on the short- and long-term effects of preschool participation on cognitive and social outcomes. While corroborating the findings of previous research about IQ and achievement test scores (preschool boosts these scores only temporarily), recent researchers have identified an array of cognitive and social benefits produced by preschool participation. Beneficial effects on parents are also noted.
Gersten, R. "Response to ‘Consequences of Three Preschool Curriculum Models through Age 15.'" Early Childhood Research Quarterly 1(1986): 293-302.


Critiques the methods used in a recent longitudinal study of preschool effects and the conclusions drawn by the authors of that study. The previous study, which indicated that Distar preschoolers had more social problems later in life than other students, is criticized in this article on grounds of small sample size, misleading criteria for statistical significance, the extensive use of self-reports, etc.
Gray, S.W.; Ramsey, B.K.; and Klaus, R.A. From 3 to 20: The Early Training Project. Baltimore, MD: University Park Press, 1982.


Describes the project and offers findings from a study of its long-term effects. The project served lowincome children and was designed to enhance
perceptual/cognitive and language development through the use of carefully sequenced materials and activities. Project children outperformed controls on intellectual performance through grade four and surpassed them on measures such as special education referrals and retentions.
Herman, B.E. The Case for the All-Day Kindergarten. PDK Fastback 205. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation, 1984.

See also Early Childhood Education 467 1 - 10