Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Early years'
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Lyndon, Sandra Jacqueline. "Early years practitioners' narratives of poverty in early childhood." Thesis, University of Sussex, 2019. http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/81407/.
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This thesis focuses on Early Years Practitioners who are working with young children and families in early years provision in England. Adopting a narrative approach the study sought to explore how their understandings of poverty in early childhood are shaped by dominant discourses of poverty and professional and personal experiences. Poverty as a concept is multi-dimensional and dynamic including both the experience of poverty as well as absolute and relative understandings. Under the New Labour Government, Early Years Practitioners were positioned as part of a long-term strategy to alleviate child poverty. Successive government policies have resulted in cuts to early years funding under austerity measures and an increasing focus on children and families with the greatest need. Early Years Practitioners hold a contradictory position, being part of a strategy to address poverty in early childhood, whilst at the same, time being part of a workforce which is to a large extent highly gendered, low status and low paid. The research was conducted as a case study in two integrated settings consisting of a maintained nursery school, children's centre and daycare provision in the south-east of England during November 2015 to June 2016. Although the settings were in areas of overall relative affluence, they both served areas of deprivation. Therefore, Early Years Practitioners were working with children and families on low incomes. Thirty-eight Early Years Practitioners took part in focus groups to explore how narratives of poverty might be shaped by dominant discourses of poverty and sixteen Early Years Practitioners took part in follow-up interviews to explore how narratives of poverty might be shaped by their personal and professional experiences. The 'subject' of the case was the Early Years Practitioners and the analysis and theorisation of their narratives of poverty the 'object'. Foucault's concept of regimes of truth was used to explore how Early Years Practitioners' understandings of poverty might be shaped by dominant policy discourses. The concept of 'small stories' was used to explore how Early Years Practitioners' narratives of poverty are co-constructed within interaction, and understandings of how they position themselves in relation to 'other' were explored through I-positions. Five participants took part in a final presentation and discussion of the initial findings, providing an opportunity to comment on and contribute to the analysis of the data.
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McLean, Karen J. "A story of early years educators’ experiences of technology and literacy in early years learning environments." Thesis, Australian Catholic University, 2012. https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/download/dd4f46ac879ce07f85b3f2c5f83de2385f0d0271936caf2601a2c74243439d8e/5238210/02whole__1_.pdf.
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This study sought to explore the relationship between literacy and technology in the early years of education. The purpose of the study was to gain insight into the nexus between literacy centred practice and technology in the practice of early years educators. The study was framed by the question, "What are early years educators'. experiences of the relationship between technology and literacy in early years learning environments?" In particular the study focused on the knowledge, understanding and pedagogical practice of educators and those involved in shaping the learning experiences of children in early learning environments...
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Guariglia, Dana Gemma. "Inclusion in the early childhood years /." Staten Island, N.Y. : [s.n.], 2007. http://library.wagner.edu/theses/education/2007/thesis_edu_2007_guari_inclu.pdf.
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Allingham, Susan. "The early years : lost in translation?" Thesis, University of Sheffield, 2009. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/10337/.
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This thesis asks two questions: 1. What is the connection between Early Years policy development and the lived experience of those professionals implementing it? 2. To what extent do Early Years professionals consider that government policy has contributed to a better understanding of Early Years practice for those implementing it, and towards a consistent national view? Recent years have seen a growing national focus on the Early Years of education, centring on government policy. With this focus has come a wide range of opinion as to what constitutes effective Early Years practice and how successful current policies are in achieving appropriate provision for young children. This thesis first introduces the central themes of policy and lived experience and sets out the rationale for the study. This is followed by an overview of the contribution of six key historical figures in early childhood education. The thesis moves on to discuss policy developments in England since the Plowden report in 1967. The thesis outlines and justifies the life historical methods for the study which involved interviews with eight professionals in order to understand how policy had impacted on their lives and work. Analysis of the data includes the stories of all eight participants and my own story as an Early Years teacher. The experiences of the eight participants were analysed to produce five themes: Personal qualities, Teaching- an art not a process?, Respectful or subversive teachers?, - Views of childhood; Resilience. These are discussed in the light of the participants' experiences and the literature on effective proactive practice and policy. This discussion illustrates professional and personal struggles to 'fit policy to children's needs through appropriate practice. The thesis concludes with an update on policy since the completion of fieldwork and a conclusion, returning to the research questions, which shows two things: first that - so far as the participants in this study are concerned - there is a mismatch between policy development and lived experience, and second, that some Early Years professionals develop government guidance and policy to contribute to a better understanding of Early Years practice.
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Sweeting, Kylie. "Early years teachers’ attitudes towards mathematics." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2011. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/46123/1/Kylie_Sweeting_Thesis.pdf.
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Worldwide, there is considerable attention to providing a supportive mathematics learning environment for young children because attitude formation and achievement in these early years of schooling have a lifelong impact. Key influences on young children during these early years are their teachers. Practising early years teachers‟ attitudes towards mathematics influence the teaching methods they employ, which in turn, affects young students‟ attitudes towards mathematics, and ultimately, their achievement. However, little is known about practising early years teachers‟ attitudes to mathematics or how these attitudes form, which is the focus of this study. The research questions were:
1. What attitudes do practising early years teachers hold towards mathematics?
2. How did the teachers‟ mathematics attitudes form?
This study adopted an explanatory case study design (Yin, 2003) to investigate practising early years teachers‟ attitudes towards mathematics and the formation of these attitudes. The research took place in a Brisbane southside school situated in a middle socio-economic area. The site was chosen due to its accessibility to the researcher. The participant group consisted of 20 early years teachers. They each completed the Attitude Towards Mathematics Inventory (ATMI) (Schackow, 2005), which is a 40 item instrument that measures attitudes across the four dimensions of attitude, namely value, enjoyment, self-confidence and motivation. The teachers‟ total ATMI scores were classified according to five quintiles: strongly negative, negative, neutral, positive and strongly positive. The results of the survey revealed that these teachers‟ attitudes ranged across only three categories with one teacher classified as strongly positive, twelve teachers classified as positive and seven teachers classified as neutral. No teachers were identified as having negative or strongly negative attitudes. Subsequent to the surveys, six teachers with a breadth of attitudes were selected from the original cohort to participate in open-ended interviews to investigate the formation of their attitudes. The interview data were analysed according to the four dimensions of attitudes (value, enjoyment, self-confidence, motivation) and three stages of education (primary, secondary, tertiary).
Highlighted in the findings is the critical impact of schooling experiences on the formation of student attitudes towards mathematics. Findings suggest that primary school experiences are a critical influence on the attitudes of adults who become early years teachers. These findings also indicate the vital role tertiary institutions play in altering the attitudes of preservice teachers who have had negative schooling experiences. Experiences that teachers indicated contributed to the formation of positive attitudes in their own education were games, group work, hands-on activities, positive feedback and perceived relevance. In contrast, negative experiences that teachers stated influenced their attitudes were insufficient help, rushed teaching, negative feedback and a lack of relevance of the content. These findings together with the literature on teachers‟ attitudes and mathematics education were synthesized in a model titled a Cycle of Early Years Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Mathematics. This model explains positive and negative influences on attitudes towards mathematics and how the attitudes of adults are passed on to children, who then as adults themselves, repeat the cycle by passing on attitudes to a new generation. The model can provide guidance for practising teachers and for preservice and inservice education about ways to foster positive influences to attitude formation in mathematics and inhibit negative influences.
Two avenues for future research arise from the findings of this study both relating to attitudes and secondary school experiences. The first question relates to the resilience of attitudes, in particular, how an individual can maintain positive attitudes towards mathematics developed in primary school, despite secondary school experiences that typically have a negative influence on attitude. The second question relates to the relationship between attitudes and achievement, specifically, why secondary students achieve good grades in mathematics despite a lack of enjoyment, which is one of the dimensions of attitude.
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Cullis, Andrew. "Neighbourhood and wellbeing in the early years." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2009. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10007364/.
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The aim of this thesis is to investigate whether compositional and contextual factors relating to neighbourhoods in which children live can explain differences in their wellbeing, over and above factors at the individual and family level. Data collected on young children, sampled from advantaged, disadvantaged and ethnic minority electoral wards within the UK Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) were used to explore the research objectives. 2001 census small area statistics were uniquely utilised to further characterise MCS wards. Multi-level statistical modelling techniques were employed to analyse these data. Findings suggest that individual and family level factors account for most of the differences in cognitive, behavioural and physical wellbeing. Wards in disadvantaged and ethnic minority areas were shown to be negatively associated with children's readiness to start school and their vocabulary abilities. Behavioural difficulties and the body mass index (BMI) of children were also associated with these wards. Alongside these factors, several subjective measures of the local area were associated with children's wellbeing. Poor local safety and problems with litter were negatively associated with school readiness and vocabulary skills respectively. Problems with noise, pollution, lack of places to play and poor access to shops were associated with children having behavioural difficulties. Problems with litter in the vicinity were also related to children having a higher BMI. Furthermore, some 2001 census small area statistics, characterising the demographic composition of each ward were also associated with child wellbeing. Wards with high numbers of children living in them were associated with poor school readiness scores and areas with high numbers of cohabiting childless couples were associated with children having lower vocabulary scores. Wards with high levels of female lone parents who were employed and married couples with children were associated with fewer child difficulties. None of these census factors were associated with BMI.
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Kozica, Saida, and Marcus Falk. "Religion Education in the early school years." Thesis, Malmö högskola, Fakulteten för lärande och samhälle (LS), 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-31848.
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Vi tycker det här ämnet är viktigt och passar bra in i vår verksamhetsförlagda tid och i vår utbildning som en framtida lärare. Det är viktigt att vi redan i tidig ålder försöker informera våra elever att vi alla som lever i detta samhälle har fler likheter än olikheter och genom att tala kring detta så kan man få bort begreppen vi och de. Rasism är byggd på fördomar, därför tycker vi det är viktigt att man börjar tala kring religion redan tidigt i åldrarna. Vi anser att genom att vi diskuterar olika religioner i klassrummen så skapar eleverna förståelse till dessa religioner, denna förståelse kan vara väldig väsentlig för dem i deras vuxenliv. I detta arbete försöker vi få fram vad elever anser om religion, vad som intresserar dem. Detta gör vi med hjälp av enkäter, vi har valt två olika skolor som skiljer sig både var de ligger och hur mångkulturell skolorna är. Genom enkäterna så tänkte vi försöka få fram likheter och skillnader mellan de. Vi försöker också få fram hur olika lärare arbetar inom religion och hur de försöker integrera det i undervisningen. För att få fram detta resultat har vi valt att användas av intervjuer, där vi har intervjuat lärare på två olika skolor.
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Dowling, Hannah. "Parental self-efficacy in early years parenting." Thesis, University of Manchester, 2014. https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/parental-selfefficacy-in-early-years-parenting(df531f90-2be5-402c-8f74-6169743fe8ef).html.
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This thesis focuses on parental self-efficacy in early years parenting. Parenting has a key influence on child development. Self-efficacy mediates the relationship between knowledge and behaviour and as such is seen as an important target of many interventions aimed at parents. Paper 1 provides a comprehensive overview of the impact of group-based early interventions on parental self-efficacy in parents of preschool children. Fifteen randomised controlled trials were identified that satisfied the inclusion criteria for the review. The strengths and limitations of the reviewed papers are considered alongside the clinical implications of the findings. Recommendations for future areas of research are provided. Paper 2 provides an exploratory investigation of whether structured parent-infant activities improve parental self-efficacy, bonding, mood and well-being. Six hundred and sixty two parents of infants under 12 months completed a series of questionnaires at two time-points. Whilst such activities did not lead to significant improvements in parental self-efficacy, some support for the notion that such activities improve parental satisfaction in a non-clinical population, and mood and parental anxiety in mildly anxious parents was found. The clinical implications of the study and areas of future research are discussed. Paper 3 provides a critical reflection of the research process as a whole and examines the strengths and limitations of Papers 1 and 2 in turn. Personal reflections on the development and execution of the research are also provided.
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Sharp, L. Kathryn. "Literacy and Meaning Making in the Early Years." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2016. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/4254.
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Cumming, Jennifer Beatrice. "The organic origin of food : the development of a scientific concept in children aged four to eight." Thesis, Durham University, 2002. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3841/.
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Educators have discovered that adolescents commonly hold misconceptions in science which interfere with future learning and are difficult to eradicate. However, although early informal learning experiences have been suggested as the source of these ideas, the process by which young children develop both sound knowledge and misconceptions in science has not been elucidated. This research, which is exploratory in nature, is a study of the development of just one concept in young children in the hope that some apparently contradictory evidence can be reconciled. The empirical enquiry was conducted in two parts: 1. A cross-sectional design was employed with thirty children at each age of four, six, and eight. Semi-structured individual interviews probed children's knowledge of food-related factual items and their understanding that people depend upon plants either directly or indirectly for their food.2. A qualitative enquiry was engaged to discover the experiences of young children, both inside and outside school, which might contribute to their knowledge about the origin of food. Children’s responses indicate an increase in factual knowledge with age. Although this can be linked primarily to their practical experiences, video film and adult explanation rather than books played their part as well. The children themselves frequently mentioned family-based experiences as the source of their knowledge. There was no significant correlation between factual knowledge and understanding, indicating the possible existence of an intervening process linking the two. On many occasions the younger children made statements which could inadvertently mislead the questioner to underestimate the extent of their knowledge. However, early signs of a scientific misconception which is known to cause problems for adolescent learners were found. This was not the result of faulty information provided by adults and could easily be overlooked. Insight from recent developments in cognitive science can help both to explain these findings and also in the design of improved pedagogic strategies.
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Hilton, Catherine. "Risk-taking play in the early years : the experience of four year olds." Thesis, University of East London, 2011. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.550432.
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This research explored risk-taking play opportunities for four year olds in Early Years settings through observing play and eliciting child and staff views of the issue. Previous research has suggested that young children enjoy taking risks in their play and that this type of play offers many benefits (Stephenson, 1999; Gill, 2007). The original contribution of this research relates to a greater understanding of risk-taking play in the Early Years, as no previous research has been published in this area in this country. The research was undertaken from a Social Constructionist perspective. The sample consisted of eight children and four staff members from four different Early Years settings in one Local Authority. All eight children included in the sample were aged four at the time of the data collection. Naturalistic observation was used and each child was observed on three separate occasions. Semistructured interviews were used with children and staff and a series of photographs depicting different types of play provided a visual stimulus. Each data set was subjected to individual thematic analysis which used an inductive and deductive approach. Research outside the UK identified categories of risktaking play and these were used as a starting point for the current research (Sandseter, 2007). The research findings showed that children engaged in a range of risk-taking play and their responses to risk varied. The presence of other people had an impact on their risk-taking play and the children demonstrated an awareness of the need for safety. Interviews with the children revealed different reasons for enjoying risktaking play. The children demonstrated an awareness of safety and placed certain boundaries around whether, where and how they might engage in a risktaking play activity. Staff interviews also revealed that safety was a key consideration, both in terms of keeping the children safe and also teaching them how to keep themselves safe. Factors which staff viewed as limiting and facilitating risk-taking play were identified and the role of the staff was viewed alongside the impact of individual staff views and interpretations of risk. The researcher considered these findings in relation to a behavioural framework and this was incorporated into a set of recommendations for good practice with regard
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Chantrey, Wood Karen. "Hearing voices : the early years practitioner's tale; an investigation into the experience of early years practitioners entering initial teacher education." Thesis, Nottingham Trent University, 2002. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.393592.
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Synodi, Evanthia. "Early childhood education and professionalism : a comparative study of early childhood educators' perspectives in England and Greece." Thesis, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.366539.
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Evans, Linda Mary. "Early years teachers : their lives, work and careers." Thesis, University of Warwick, 1998. http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/3661/.
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This study argues that time is a significant factor for the ways in which early years education is conceptualised and experienced. Three time scales are shown to be important. Firstly, the historical background to early years teaching is examined. In particular, I argue that the way in which women have come to be seen as the most appropriate teachers of young children has implications for how early years teaching is perceived and experienced in the 1990's. Secondly, the life history approach adopted by this study highlights the importance of early years teachers' own histories. The biographical accounts of fourteen early years teachers show how past experiences influence teachers' perceptions, understandings and experiences of their work. Thirdly, the particular time period, contemporary time, in which teachers live and work is shown to influence the way in which early years teachers perceive and experience their work. Of particular importance here are the recent educational reforms and the ways in which early years teachers have responded to them. I examine the role that early years teachers construct for themselves, a role shaped by the responsibility of being children's first school educators, and argue that for many teachers this role conflicts with current educational reforms.
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Shaw, Barbara. "Primary teachers and professional development : the early years." Thesis, University of Warwick, 2006. http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/4075/.
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This study is about teacher development for early career primary teachers, undertaken at a time of particular interest in providing a coherent professional development programme for teachers in the first five years of their career. It was undertaken from my perspective as a primary headteacher with the desire to improve the experience of professional development for these teachers. The research was undertaken by means of questionnaires and interviews and provides a picture professional development provision that is fragmented and lacking in coherence. While enjoying a relatively wide range of activities and experiences overall, early career teachers appear to have a more limited ongoing provision. This seems to be only loosely linked to any personal needs that may have been identified. A lack of rigorous evaluation procedures may well contribute to the situation where there is little clarity about the outcomes of professional development activities and experiences. Teachers are aware of a wide range of outcomes and value those that support them in their teaching. It is their own teaching that appears to be the focus of teachers' attention in relation to professional development rather than children's learning. Teachers, aware of pressures to meet exacting requirements in their work, appreciate opportunities to learn from those who have experience of similar situations. Professional development can result from meeting the challenges that teachers face in the early stages of their career, but the climate in which those challenges are met can be of crucial importance. As a consequence of the research conclusions are drawn which can inform my own practice, and also provide material for the consideration of others who have an interest in, or responsibility for, facilitating and nurturing the professional development of early career teachers.
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Simms, M. C. "Retention of early years practitioners in day nurseries." Thesis, Nottingham Trent University, 2010. http://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/209/.
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This study investigates the attitudes, values and perceptions of early years practitioners, to question what factors cause them to remain in day nurseries when research indicates a general undervaluing of practitioner needs (Cameron, Owen, Moss 2001). The study sits within the broader context of retention at a time when practitioners are constantly affected by change in the sector. The passion of practitioners in the research is evident, so too is the exploitation of it. The importance of the investigation lies in recognising that raising the quality of provision through qualifications pays no regard to the emotional needs of early years practitioners. If, as this study suggests, some practitioners are stressed at work, this has the potential to affect colleagues and children. If the only time we pay heed is when allegations of malpractice surface, we will have to wait for more children and practitioners to suffer before anything is done to address the situation. The wellbeing of early years practitioners has been brought into question through this investigation. I suggest that the absence of professional wellbeing negates any attempt to recruit or retain early years practitioners to work in day nurseries. Those of us who are concerned with the welfare and education of children should focus for a moment on the welfare of practitioners who provide their education and care. Those who are able must be proactive in offering funded creative opportunities for reflective practice with the aims of assuring practitioners that we value them and care enough to help safeguard their wellbeing.
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Devis-Rozental, Camila. "Developing socio-emotional intelligence in early years scholars." Thesis, Bournemouth University, 2017. http://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/29594/.
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This doctoral thesis aimed to explore socio-emotional intelligence within the context of Higher Education, in order to inform the creation of a learning development tool. It specifically explored how Early Years students studying a Foundation Degree (Fda) in Early Years, developed their socio-emotional intelligence whilst completing this Higher Education programme. In order to achieve this, fourteen qualitative interviews with ten Early Years students and four Early Years lecturers who were or had been involved with the programme, were undertaken. Findings from these interviews created by carrying out a thematic analysis, suggested that although these students had an understanding of socio-emotional intelligence, there was a need for further development as there were some misunderstanding and in some cases difficulty in relating socio-emotional intelligence to their own experience. To clarify some of these issues, within this thesis there is a developed definition of socio-emotional intelligence which takes into account relevant theory as well as findings from this doctoral programme. Within the interviews it was also identified that there was a need to provide a space without time constrictions for these students to reflect on their own socio-emotional intelligence and that the environment in which learning takes place can affect how these students develop some areas of their socio-emotional intelligence. Additionally, the most significant finding from this doctoral programme, was that an Early Years lecturer knowledgeable in socio-emotional intelligence and able to model it and apply it in their practice, was significant to the socio-emotional development of these students. Based on these findings and also taking into account the preferred type of development support that was needed, a blog called the socio-emotional scholar was developed. This blog aims to create a learning community of students and lecturers (academics) where areas of socio-emotional intelligence are explored and resources are shared, developed and created with the purpose of continuing developing socio-emotional intelligence for both of these types of scholars and others that may be interested in the subject and the blog.
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Britton, Wesley A. (Wesley Alan). "The Atheism of Mark Twain: The Early Years." Thesis, North Texas State University, 1986. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500523/.
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Many Twain scholars believe that his skepticism was based on personal tragedies of later years. Others find skepticism in Twain's work as early as The Innocents Abroad. This study determines that Twain's atheism is evident in his earliest writings. Chapter One examines what critics have determined Twain's religious sense to be. These contentions are discussed in light of recent publications and older, often ignored, evidence of Twain' s atheism. Chapter Two is a biographical look at Twain's literary, family, and community influences, and at events in Twain's life to show that his religious antipathy began when he was quite young. Chapter Three examines Twain's early sketches and journalistic squibs to prove that his voice, storytelling techniques, subject matter, and antipathy towards the church and other institutions are clearly manifested in his early writings.
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Willocks, Lorna Jane. "The early years of the Edinburgh HIV epidemic." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 1994. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/30733/.
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The aim of this thesis is to document the early natural history of HIV infection. A medical clinic for the care of HIV infected patients was established in Edinburgh in October 1985. By November 1989, 409 patients had attended this clinic and most were under regular follow up. Most patients were injection drug users (IDUs) accounting for 78% attenders, 12% were homosexual men, 7% were infected heterosexually, 1% from blood products and in 2% there were no documented risk factors. Most of the IDUs acquired HIV infection between September 1983 and June 1984 and are a unique cohort for prospective natural history studies. The other clinic attenders provide a valuable comparison group. The first four years of the clinic were chosen as the cut off point for early natural history, being six years after the introduction of HIV into the IDU population of Edinburgh. Morbidity was assessed by hospital admissions. All hospital admissions by HIV positive patients in Edinburgh were analysed. These included admissions to the designated HIV unit and to all other general and psychiatric hospitals in Edinburgh. All deaths before November 1989 were analysed, whether they occurred in hospital or at home and all post mortem results were obtained. By November 1989, 910 admissions were recorded. Although 612 of these were to the designated HIV unit, 298 were to other hospitals in Edinburgh. IDUs accounted for 702 (77%) admissions, homosexual men for 136 (15%), patients with heterosexually acquired HIV infection for 62 (7%) and recipients of blood products for 10 (1%). The most frequent admissions were for conditions directly related to drug use. These comprised overdose, trauma, injection injuries and detoxification and accounted for 220 admissions. From comparisons with published data this number is in excess of what would be expected in a historical cohort of HIV negative IDUs. Most days in hospital were used by patients with respiratory conditions (187 admissions). These were the single commonest reason for admission to the designated HIV unit. The majority (97) were for bacterial chest infections (BCIs) and only 48 were with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP). Of these 48 admissions, seven had a concomitant BCI. Differentiating BCIs and PCP clinically was difficult, as was the diagnosis of PCP in IDUs. A clinical algorithm was therefore drawn up for the management and investigation of IDUs presenting with respiratory symptoms and a separate study of the use of induced sputum techniques was conducted. This latter study confirmed the value of these techniques, obviating the need for bronchoscopy, the usual "gold standard". Thirty four deaths were recorded before November 1989, of which 19 were due to AIDS, two to liver disease and 13 were ascribed to drug use. Post mortem examination revealed that one of the deaths in the latter category was due to a florid meningoencephalitis. Despite the prevalence of bacterial infections, no deaths were attributable to this. Multiple pathology was detected in all patients dying of AIDS, with unexpected findings in eight of the nine patients who had post mortem examinations. These findings demonstrate a high level of morbidity and mortality even in the early years of HIV infection. Most previously published studies have focused on homosexual men and patients with advanced HIV disease and AIDS. This thesis has the advantage of documenting disease in patients hitherto not the focus of research, namely women, IDUs and patients with early stage HIV infection. It also provides a complete picture of an epidemic in one city, having studied all hospital admissions and deaths. The preponderance of bacterial infections as a cause of morbidity is important for prevention and prophylaxis. The documentation of health care utilisation is vital for planning of future resources.
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Douglas-Osborn, Erica. "Early investment : the role of Educational Psychologists in supporting an early years setting." Thesis, University of Manchester, 2015. https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/early-investment-the-role-of-educational-psychologists-in-supporting-an-early-years-setting(80214edf-77d9-47b2-94e8-de901c742317).html.
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Background: Present literature highlights early years as an important phase of child development. Whilst Educational Psychologists have a role within early years, there is little research to state what this looks like and how it is conducted in practice. Therefore, this research considers the role an Educational Psychologist could take within an early years setting and explores the variety of work they could conduct. Participants: One early years setting from the researcher’s current Local Authority was used for this research. A total of 33 participants were involved including 11 early years staff, eight Educational Psychologists, 13 parents/carers and a Health Visitor. Methods: This study describes an academic year long Action Research (Tripp, 2003) project with the use of a Research and Development in Organisations framework (Timmins, Shepherd & Kelly, 2003). This included pre-model questionnaires, interviews with early years staff, a focus group with Educational Psychologists and a further focus group with early years staff in order to develop an initial model of educational psychology practice. Work was then completed by the researcher as part of the model of practice. Discrete pieces of work were evaluated via questionnaires, while the project as a whole was evaluated via post-model questionnaires, focus group, interview and researcher diary. Analysis/Findings: Quantitative data were summarised using descriptive statistics and qualitative data were transcribed and a thematic analysis applied. Within this study, the researcher developed a model of practice based on the needs of the setting that included being more frequently involved with casework and conducting work specifically aimed at supporting staff and parents/carers. Additionally, there were discrepancies found in the value placed by participants upon the different pieces of the work as well as the overall approach taken. Conclusion/Implications: This research suggests that there is a greater role for Educational Psychologists within early years, involving more than conducting casework but through providing a more holistic and intensive approach to supporting staff and parents/carers. This supports the existing limited literature as well as advocating a more extensive role for them within early intervention services.
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Dyer, Mary A. "What does it mean to be an early years practitioner? : an investigation into the professional identity of graduate early years practitioners." Thesis, University of Huddersfield, 2018. http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/34584/.
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This study explores the impact of government-driven change (DfEE, 198; DfES, 2006, DCSF, 2008; DfE, 2017b), within a sector largely comprising privately owned and managed organisations, on how individual practitioners understand their role and their professional identity. Workforce reform strategies included the introduction of sector-endorsed degrees to promote the use of critical reflection to raise the quality of practice, a skill understood to develop confidence, autonomy and agency in practitioners (Moss, 2006; Osgood, 2010), for which a personal vision of practice (Dyer and Taylor, 2012) is required. This raises a potential tension between the empowering nature of reflection, and expectations of compliance with government-led standards and practice guidance. This study explores how this shapes graduate practitioners’ understanding and articulation of professional identity, and their understanding of their professional status and agency. 23 semi-structured interviews were conducted, within which participants shared narratives of their practice experience, discussing what they considered to be strong and weak practice, and how they prioritised the different aspects of their role. These were analysed using the Listening Guide (Doucet and Mauthner, 2008), an approach selected for its effectiveness in drawing attention to the voice and the stories of narrators, to understand how they perceive their world and themselves within it. The data analysis draws on literature exploring the nature of early years practice, power relations within the sector, and the formation of professions. This study shows that these participants understand professionalism and their role in terms of the relationships they form within their own organisations, privileging interpersonal skills over abstract, high level knowledge, and presenting these as personal values rather than professional ethics. By using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model of development (Bronfenbrenner, 1979; 1986), this study identifies that these participants engage with their sector largely within the micro-and meso-systems of early years practice, limiting their agency as a professional workforce. It is isolation, rather than lack of knowledge, that restricts their agency, from other practitioners within the workforce, from the politics that drive change within the sector, and also from the research community that produces the knowledge they use to underpin their practice. This study concludes with curricular and pedagogic implications for professional educators within the sector, and also identifies how the workforce itself might more closely engage with the wider systems that impact on their sector.
22
Martin, Carolyn Douglas. "Ideas of early childhood and their interface with policy and practice in early years work in Scotland." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/8044.
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Assumptions are made by policy makers, service planners and providers that their aspirations for early childhood are shared by professionals, parents and children. Policy makers consistently use words such as holistic, integration, partnership and collaboration to describe the ways they wish early years practitioners to engage with children and families. In order to explore these assumptions and expectations this thesis utilises data from early years settings themselves (focus groups/interviews with parents and staff and child based activities) to critically examine the connections between participants’ ideas of childhood, Scottish Government policies and staff roles/responsibilities. It specifically utilises the experiences of staff, parents and children in selected early years settings in Scotland to critique the Scottish Government’s key policy document, the Early Years Framework (2008). In this thesis I identify four main themes from the data. These relate to early childhood experience: • in the home and the impact of work on family life • in the community and a child’s ability to participate • living independent lives with peers and the ability to take risks • in the inner life of the child and the impact of commercialism on her self image. I conclude that there was a measure of shared aspiration for young children between participants in my research and the Framework document in relation to the importance of building family and community based experiences. However, there were also wide differences in expectations relating to existing capacities of families and communities to support young children. In particular there was a lack of recognition in the Framework of the considerable pressures experienced by families and communities from wider economic and social forces driven by a neo-liberal marketised economy. This finding enabled the illumination of gaps and mismatches between policy objectives relating to family and community strength and the lived experiences of children, families and communities in Scotland. I identify in the thesis how such mismatches impact significantly on the ways in which services are organised and the ways in which practitioners understand their roles and responsibilities. Current professional responses are based in an assumed power and authority emanating from a restricted sense of professional identity. As such, they may act in a detrimental way on the development of collaborative, strengths based relationships between staff and parents and children. The thesis contributes to knowledge in this field by exposing, for the first time, the policy, practice and experience divides relating to creating strength and resilience in young children and their families in Scotland, and in discussing the implications for theoretical and policy based understandings of the relationships between the four themes identified above and professional responses.
23
MacKinnon, Rhona I. "Practising power : parent-teacher consultations in early years settings." Thesis, University of Stirling, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/1893/19849.
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This research explores parent-teacher consultations in a range of early years settings. Data were collected from eighteen audio-recorded parent-teacher consultations from six different settings and from follow up interviews with parents and teachers. The data related to the consultations and participants’ direct experience of these and revealed the practices of power within these consultations. Using a Foucauldian approach to analysis, the exercise of power and its impact on the parent-teacher relationship was explored. The analysis revealed the ways in which surveillance, normalising judgements and the ‘examination’ of all involved in the reporting process to parents, constitutes an exercise of power. Within the consultation parents, teachers and children are positioned as subjects who are homogenised and judged accordingly. Conversely, the presentation of observations and assessment information leads to the individualisation of children, allowing classifications and comparisons to be made in relation to a particular set of ‘truths’ about what it is to be a child, a parent and a teacher. Throughout the consultations parents and teachers assert and defend their positions and in doing so, attempts at resistance are evident. The findings of the research open up new possibilities for challenging existing modes of practice in parent-teacher consultations. These include implications for initial teacher education and CPD programmes, in order to develop awareness of the way in which power is exercised through parent-teacher interactions and the effects it can have. The need for policy makers to take greater account of the exercise of power when developing policies in relation to partnership with parents, and indeed in evaluating the impact of existing policy is also identified.
24
Lilley, Patricia Rosemary. "Implementing local education authority policy : four year olds in school." Thesis, University of Hertfordshire, 1998. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.302244.
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Fraser, Val. "Literacy begins at home : a case study approach to the examination of the storybook interactions between parents and their pre-school children." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.324720.
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Avornyo, Esinam Ami. "Investigating play and learning in the Ghanaian early years classroom : a mixed methods study." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2018. https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/285704.
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This study examined the meaning and role of play in Ghanaian early years settings, focusing on the beliefs of stakeholders, the expression of play in the Ghanaian early years curriculum and classroom practices. Framed within a sociocultural theory of play, this study followed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, which involved the initial collection of quantitative data followed by a qualitative data. In the initial quantitative phase, a survey scale, referred to as the Early Years Play and Learning Perception Scale (EYPLPS), was developed and used to collect data from 292 stakeholders (147 parents, 105 teachers and 40 head teachers). A preliminary comparison of the mean differences among the stakeholders using ANOVA indicated that the teachers and head teachers perceived play as a form of learning more favourably than the parents. This difference was further explored using cluster analysis to determine whether the stakeholders' education status might be a factor in explaining the group means differences. The cluster analyses revealed five distinct clusters characterized by participants' status and level of education - highly educated parents, teachers and head teachers; moderate educated teachers and low educated parents. The five clusters were compared on the play-learning belief score using ANOVA. The results revealed that the scale score was statistically significantly lower for low-educated parents compared to high-educated teachers, high-educated head teachers and high-educated parents, indicating low-educated parents were less likely to associate play and learning than these other groups. There was, however, no statistical significant difference between the scale scores of low-educated parents and moderate-educated teachers. The results suggest the significance accorded play depends on the stakeholder's level of education, with stakeholders reporting higher levels of education endorsing play as an opportunity for learning and acquiring social skills as well as academic skills. With the EYPLPS scores providing the basis for sample selection, four early years settings were selected as cases for in-depth qualitative inquiry using interviews, observations, photographs and analysis of curriculum. An analysis of the curriculum revealed that the curriculum does not emphasise play-based learning. It does, however, support the idea of children learning by doing. Therefore, the curriculum promotes activities that involve children's participation as an effective approach to teaching and learning. Interviews revealed that play first of all resonated with fun and happiness in stakeholders' perceptions. The majority of those interviewed perceived play as a way of maintaining children's interest in lessons, and as a break from learning. Classroom practices that emphasise teacher-directed academic activities and the stakeholders' unanimous appreciation of the use of rhyme and song in classrooms illustrate this point. Rhymes and songs were used at the beginning of lessons and also as an interlude when children appeared tired and bored during lessons. Other examples of how stakeholders perceived play included play as storytelling, a way of keeping children occupied, as a recess activity and as a form of learning. The findings are discussed from a sociocultural perspective, drawing a picture of the cultural meanings attributed to the model of childhood, play and learning in Ghana.
27
Ewers-Rogers, Jennifer. "Very young children's understanding and use of numbers and number symbols." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2002. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10007376/.
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Children grow up surrounded by numerals reflecting various uses of number. In their primary school years they are expected to grasp arithmetical symbols and use measuring devices. While much research on number development has examined children's understanding of numerical concepts and principles, little has investigated their understanding of these symbols. This thesis examines studies of understanding and use of number symbols in a range of contexts and for a variety of purposes. It reports several studies on the use of numerals by children aged between 3 and 5 years in Nursery settings in England, Japan and Sweden and their understanding of the meanings of these symbols. 167 children were observed and interviewed individually in the course of participating in a range of practical activities; the activities were designed for the study and considered to be appropriate and interesting for young children. The results are discussed in terms of how they complement existing theories of number development and their relevance to early years mathematics education.
28
Klavins, Elizabeth Ellen. "Repositioning the leadership in Early Years contexts : motivating staff to lead practice developments through practice based research within an Early Years setting." Thesis, University of Leicester, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2381/36025.
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This thesis explores, documents and analyses the actions of a leader, sustained by the belief that developments in Early Years practice are more successfully embedded when practitioners are part of a learning community within which they are able to critically explore, test and apply theories, concepts and strategies. It is based upon the pedagogical observation that those involved in leading the learning need to be active participants in the process, surfacing and collaboratively exploring their tacit knowledge through practice-based research as part of everyday practice. This qualitative, case-study research project examines a leadership approach within a multifunctional Children’s Centre with a multiprofessional team over six and a half years. Action-based research - defined by Reason & Bradbury (2001) as a process in which individuals work co-operatively in order to find solutions for issues pertinent to them - has been used to study the development of Systemic Leadership through engaging practitioners in practice-based research. ‘Practice-based research’ is used in this study to describe practitioners’ engagement as action researchers, engaging with theory and becoming involved in developing theory through actively researching their practice. Leadership is viewed as a continuous process of learning from action based research, and as such it: • explores a commitment to developing and sustaining a learning organisation in which staff are supported to reflect individually and cooperatively about their work with children, families and the community in order to be aware of themselves and their learning capacity as individuals and as part of a team • analyses and documents the experience and learning of a leader in a complex and value-driven organisation, seeking to develop a democratic, systemic leadership model of collaborative practice-based research • explores the complexities of the organisation and the implications of maximising practitioners’ capacities to be curious about their work and open to feedback, using practice-based research groups to explore their inner worlds and review their values and assumptions • analyses individual and organisational shifts in values, self-awareness and self-knowledge, including practitioners’ capacity to theorise and weave theory into practice • assesses the impact of co-operative practice-based research on professional development.
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Altiparmak, Sevil. "Parental Perceptions On Emerent Literacy In Early Childhood Years." Master's thesis, METU, 2010. http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12612271/index.pdf.
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The aim of the study is to investigate parents&rsquoperceptions on emergent literacy. More specifically, the present study examined the perceptions of parents on emergent literacy and the frequency rates of the home literacy activities that parent engage in spending with their children at home to encourage emergent literacy through a questionnaire, which was developed by Nebrig (2007). Translation and reliability checks and a pilot study were implemented before the actual study was conducted. Parents were asked to complete the &ldquo
Home Literacy Activities&rdquo
questionnaire which consisted of 45 home literacy activities that parents can engage in or provide for their children to encourage emergent literacy. Participants of the study were 677 parents who had children between zero to seven years old were reached through home visits and schools. And who were living in Ankara. Results of this study revealed that the majority of participants believed that home literacy activities were important for emergent literacy development of their children. It was reported that parents gave more importance to the structured activities, such as using new and interesting words in conversations with the child more than unstructured activities that can be arranged during daily routines such as pointing out different types of printed materials around the house and in the community. Parents did not prefer spending time in rhyming and phonological awareness related activities as much as the other types of home literacy activities.
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Parris, Carrie. "The Crimes Club : the early years of our society." Thesis, University of East Anglia, 2016. https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/59228/.
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This Life Writing research thesis is a ‘biography’ of a private dining society, popularly known as the Crimes Club, that was founded in 1903 by a group of professional men who were fascinated by the Law and the psychology of criminals. ‘Our Society’ is the group’s official name, and it boasted among its early members such notable figures as Professor John Churton Collins, Arthur Diósy, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir Edward Marshall Hall, Sir Travers Humphreys, H. B. Irving, Arthur Lambton, William Le Queux, A. E. W. Mason, Samuel Ingleby Oddie, Sir Max Pemberton, Bertram Fletcher Robinson, George R. Sims, Sir Bernard Spilsbury, P. G. Wodehouse and Filson Young. These barristers, actors, academics, journalists, authors, and scientists were fascinated by the criminal mind, and over regular dinners discussed notable villains such as ‘Jack the Ripper,’ Charles Peace, the Tichborne claimant, Kate Webster, Neill Cream, Dr. Crippen, George Joseph Smith and many others. Inspired by famous crimes and trials of the late Victorian era when they had been young men, the members of the Crimes Club came together in the early years of the twentieth century, at a time when both criminals and the justice system were becoming more professionalised. Members were able to use their influence to help with cases of injustice, and campaigned on behalf of Adolf Beck, George Edalji, and Oscar Slater. Their actions helped to bring about the Court of Criminal Appeal Act 1907. Drawing on material from published memoirs, biographies, newspapers and journals, public and private archives; this thesis explores how the members of Our Society, although they met in private, came to shape the public’s understanding of crime, justice, and forensic science at the beginning of the twentieth century.
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Wang, Baorong, and 汪宝荣. "Lu Xun's fiction in English translation: the early years." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2011. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B46969081.
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Hodges, Jill. "Adolescent development following institutional care in the early years." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 1991. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10018510/.
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This thesis reports the development in mid-adolescence of a group of children raised in institutions until at least 2 years of age, then adopted or restored to a biological parent. These children were previously followed up at four and a half and at eight years of age. They were compared with a group of individually matched adolescents who had never been in institutional care. IQ depended largely on the type of family placement, and did not appear to be adversely affected by institutionalisation, at least so long as this did not extend beyond age four and a half. The experience of multiple changing caregivers during the period of institutionalisation did not necessarily prevent the children from forming strong and lasting attachment relationships to parents once placed in families, but this too depended on family environment, being much more common in adoptive families. However, some long-term effects of early institutionalisation were apparent. Ex-institutional adolescents showed more behaviour and emotional difficulties than matched comparisons, according to teacher questionnaires and interviews with the adolescents and their parents. They also showed greater orientation towards adult attention, and had more difficulties with peers and fewer close or confiding peer relationships than comparison adolescents, again indicating some long term effects of early institutional experience.
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Bradbury, Alice. "Learner identities, assessment and equality in early years education." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2011. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10007314/.
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This thesis is concerned with issues of policy and equality in early years classrooms in England. It explores the impact of an assessment system introduced in 2003, the Foundation Stage Profile, on Reception classes of four- and five-year-old pupils. A theoretical framework influenced by poststructural conceptions of discourse and identity, feminist and postcolonial studies and Critical Race Theory is employed to examine how circulating discourses reinforced by the Foundation Stage Profile prescribe a particular notion of 'learning' and the 'learner' which works to exclude some groups of children from positions of educational success. Ethnographic studies of two Reception classrooms in inner London are used to explore how the Foundation Stage Profile and the practices associated with it contribute to the perpetuation of inequalities in attainment in terms of several axes of identity, including gender, race, class, religion, language and urban/rural location. An intersectional analysis is used to explore how individual children are constituted through discourse as particular kinds of learners (their learner identities). It is argued that these young children in inner city schools are constituted as a whole as a "difficult intake", incommensurable with high attainment, at the very beginning of their school careers. Discourses relating to class, parenting and race are used to contrast these children with an idealised 'White middle-class' norm. However, some children in very specific intersectional positions are intelligible as good learners through complex webs of discourses relating to their identities. The practices of assessment are discussed in detail, with a focus on how the Foundation Stage Profile legitimises a conception of 'teacher knowledge' as objective and factual, and how assessment results are influenced by the school management and local authority's expectations. I conclude that current assessment policy, classroom practices and discourses relating to educational 'underachievement' in Reception work to produce and maintain inequalities in early years education.
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Stirrup, Julie. "Early Years Learning (EYL) and embodiment : a Bersteinian analysis." Thesis, Loughborough University, 2015. https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/17275.
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This thesis is concerned with developing our understandings and knowledge of children within Early Years Learning (EYL) and the importance of movement and play in processes of social class and cultural (re)production. The ways in which parents from different social classes are involved and invest in their children s education and physical activity have been researched quite extensively. This research therefore looks at the nature of transactions and interactions within EYL settings and the influence social class and parental investment has on children s embodiment, knowledge construction and learner identities. The study pays particular attention to how social inequalities are produced and reproduced within EYL through differences in its organisation, curriculum structures, pedagogical interactions and transactions. Data were collected over a ten month period of sustained critical ethnography in three socially and culturally diverse EYL settings in central England through observations and informal conversations. The collected data were first analysed ethnographically to determine the organising categories and concepts of the setting, while second order analyses brought into to play the researcher s sociological interests in questions of equity, social reproduction and control, imposing another layer of questions on the study. A Bernsteinian theoretical lens was adopted to interrogate the transactions within EYL settings in relation to power and control, while those of others (namely habitus , physical capital and the corporeal device - pace Bourdieu, Shilling, Evans and Davies respectively) were used to embellish such understandings and bring processes of embodiment to the fore. The findings illustrate the complexity of the discourses and practices that children negotiate when re-contextualising knowledge and constructing their learner identities within EYL settings. They also reveal how children learn about their own and others bodies through the various forms of play that feature in EYL settings and that these processes are profoundly class related. At the heart of the thesis lies the claim that extant social class hierarchies and ability differences are sustained rather than eroded or lessened through the structure, organisation and transactions of EYL settings. Finally, recommendations are made as to how UK Government policy relating to EYL might begin to promote pedagogies that enhance the potential for greater social mobility in the UK.
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Houen, Sandra Leanne. "Talk and web searching in an early years classroom." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2012. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/54617/1/Sandra_Houen__Thesis.pdf.
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Recent Australian early childhood policy and curriculum guidelines promoting the use of technologies invite investigations of young children’s practices in classrooms. This study examined the practices of one preparatory year classroom, to show teacher and child interactions as they engaged in Web searching. The study investigated the in situ practices of the teacher and children to show how they accomplished the Web search. The data corpus consists of eight hours of videorecorded interactions over three days where children and teachers engaged in Web searching. One episode was selected that showed a teacher and two children undertaking a Web search. The episode is shown to consist of four phases: deciding on a new search subject, inputting the search query, considering the result options, and exploring the selected result. The sociological perspectives of ethnomethodology and conversation analysis were employed as the conceptual and methodological frameworks of the study, to analyse the video-recorded teacher and child interactions as they co-constructed a Web search. Ethnomethodology is concerned with how people make ‘sense’ in everyday interactions, and conversation analysis focuses on the sequential features of interaction to show how the interaction unfolds moment by moment. This extended single case analysis showed how the Web search was accomplished over multiple turns, and how the children and teacher collaboratively engaged in talk.
There are four main findings. The first was that Web searching featured sustained teacher-child interaction, requiring a particular sort of classroom organisation to enable the teacher to work in this sustained way. The second finding was that the teacher’s actions recognised the children’s interactional competence in situ, orchestrating an interactional climate where everyone was heard. The third finding was that the teacher drew upon a range of interactional resources designed to progress the activity at hand, that of accomplishing the Web search. The teacher drew upon the interactional resources of interrogatives, discourse markers, and multi-unit turns during the Web search, and these assisted the teacher and children to co-construct their discussion, decide upon and co-ordinate their future actions, and accomplish the Web search in a timely way. The fourth finding explicates how particular social and pedagogic orders are accomplished through talk, where children collaborated with each other and with the teacher to complete the Web search.
The study makes three key recommendations for the field of early childhood education. The study’s first recommendation is that fine-grained transcription and analysis of interaction aids in understanding interactional practices of Web searching. This study offers material for use in professional development, such as using transcribed and videorecorded interactions to highlight how teachers strategically engage with children, that is, how talk works in classroom settings. Another strategy is to focus on the social interactions of members engaging in Web searches, which is likely to be of interest to teachers as they work to engage with children in an increasingly online environment. The second recommendation involves classroom organisation; how teachers consider and plan for extended periods of time for Web searching, and how teachers accommodate children’s prior knowledge of Web searching in their classrooms. The third recommendation is in relation to future empirical research, with suggested possible topics focusing on the social interactions of children as they engage with peers as they Web search, as well as investigations of techno-literacy skills as children use the Internet in the early years.
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Sharp, L. Kathryn. "Vocabulary, Academic Language, and Meaning Making in the Early Years." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2013. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/4265.
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Miller, Linda Kathleen. "Literacy development in the pre-school years." Thesis, University of Hertfordshire, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.365930.
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Stevenson, Kara. "READING ASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTION IN THE EARLY YEARS: DIAGNOSING AND ADDRESSING EARLY READING PROBLEMS." Master's thesis, Temple University Libraries, 2011. http://cdm16002.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p245801coll10/id/149051.
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Urban EducationEd.M.
The purpose of this thesis is to look at effective reading instruction and assessment in the early years of education to determine appropriate forms of assessment and practice for identifying struggling readers. Many American students are struggling with reading problems. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 31% of fourth graders in America were reading proficiently in 2005. To determine a potential cause of reading problems, particularly in comprehension, I look at what is considered to be best practice in teaching children to read. I then evaluate how elementary assessment, which relies heavily on fluency, can contribute to an overemphasis of fluency instruction. I argue this overemphasis of fluency instruction and lack of instruction in comprehension could be a cause of students' reading difficulties not being recognized until later grades. To avoid assessing students purely on fluency, I look at other forms of assessment, that include measures of comprehension assessment, which could provide a clearer picture of students' reading proficiency. I then examine intervention programs and practices that may be most appropriate for remediation. I argue interventions are best when they are tailored to the specific needs of the individual student, and so, schools should avoid purchasing packaged programs. Finally, I discuss a need for more research on seeing if there is a causal connection between a shift in practice to include more comprehension instruction in the early elementary years and fewer reading problems in the secondary years.
Temple University--Theses
39
Hryniewicz, Liz. "An examination of the development and nature of professional identity in five Early Years Professionals/Early Years Teachers in England : a phenomenological study." Thesis, Canterbury Christ Church University, 2016. http://create.canterbury.ac.uk/16255/.
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This research project investigates the lived experience of professional identity of five Early Years Teachers, formerly Early Years Professionals (EYPs), working in a variety of early years settings in England. Early Years Teacher Status is a government-funded, standards-based graduate status for the birth to five sector, which replaced Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) in 2013. All EYPs are now entitled to call themselves Early Years Teachers. Both are part of a continued drive to professionalise the early years workforce, raise outcomes for children from birth to five and ensure children are ready for school. Concerns have been raised in the sector about the parity of pay, working conditions and status of Early Years Teachers when compared to those with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). The research study uses an in-depth phenomenological approach and an innovative data gathering method, Learning Walks, to investigate how five EYPs, rebranded as Early Years Teachers, have made meaning of their new identity while working in a variety of early years settings: a pre-school, children's centre, home child-minding setting, Higher Education and nursery. Issues of identity, pedagogical leadership, power, agency and status are examined through the perspectives of the participants using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The findings emphasise the unique experiences of these Early Years Teachers, which are contextual to their workplace and influenced by personal experience and belief systems. Their confidence in a multi-disciplinary pedagogical approach is very visible, embedded within their previous identity as an EYP. However, the study underlines some of the tensions, issues and challenges which come from an imposed shift of professional identity from EYP to teacher, without the same pay and working conditions as QTS, and situated within a traditionally complex and marginalised workforce beset by notions of hierarchy and status. It provides new insight into the reality of such an abrupt, imposed and regulated identity change within a shifting policy field, which is reconceptualising early years education and care as preparation for school.
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Flores, Maria Assunção Flores. "Learning, development and change in the early years of teaching : a two-year empirical study." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2002. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.247125.
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Hodgeon, Julia. "Tracing the patterns : boys and their literacy in the early years." Thesis, Open University, 2003. http://oro.open.ac.uk/49392/.
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The purpose of this ethnographic study is to uncover relationships between the development of masculinities, the acquisition of early literacy and classroom processes. These processes include the early stages of the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy. The focus of the study is to examine literacy experiences in the early years classroom with reference to current anxieties about the progress and achievements of boys. The setting is a medium-sized primary school in the North of England. Data are drawn from participant and non-participant observation of adults and children, informal interviews and conversations with adults and the use of a questionnaire as the basis for informal interviews with children. Evidence is presented which suggests that boys in the class are already beginning to develop negative attitudes to literacy; possible factors to account for this are considered. These include administrative organisation, differential teacher expectations of boys and girls, the development of masculine subjectivities into resistance and boys' avoidance of literacy experiences through coping strategies. The impact of the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy on the gendered acquisition of early literacy is given detailed consideration. Findings indicate that all these factors do have considerable influence on differences in children's confidence in their approach to literacy attainment. The paper concludes that, with regard to future school policies, there is scope for greater co-operation between teachers in exploring the connections between gender, literacy attainment and classroom processes. It proposes that such explorations should be focused on both girls and boys. It explores ways in which such discussions might be begun. It proposes some ways in which practice might be modified. Suggestions for further classroom research are also made.
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Savage, Janet Elizabeth. "The role of informal assessment in teachers' practical action." Thesis, University of Exeter, 1998. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.244981.
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Becker, Paul Frederick. "A study of German Lutheran communion hymnody the early years /." Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN), 1988. http://www.tren.com.
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Jones, Caroline A. "Special educational needs : identification and assessment in the early years." Thesis, University of Warwick, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.340549.
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Byrd, P. P. "Establishing a positive emotional climate in an early years setting." Thesis, University of Worcester, 2012. http://eprints.worc.ac.uk/2338/.
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This qualitative study provides new insight into how the sensitive management of the emotional climate of an early years setting contributes to a beneficial context for child development by focusing on enhancing the emotional well-being of the workforce. This action research centred on the experiences of staff employed to care for young children and explored the wide range of skills and responsibilities that are required of managers and staff teams in settings that provide day care and early education. It also considered the extent to which the needs and best interests of children are being adequately addressed. This enquiry contributes to the ongoing debate over how well young children are served by the use of early childcare and education settings and whether some young children may be at risk of emotional neglect if relationships and interactions in the setting are not sensitive and responsive to the emotional needs of the children and their carers. This research approach provides insight into how management actions and organisational practices in early years settings can impact on children’s well-being, learning and development, and draws on many viewpoints using a variety of research tools. After an initial survey of early years staff and managers of a range of settings in the East Midlands, the focus moves to data gathering activities arising in one main setting based in the region. The findings from the preliminary survey and the main setting raise important questions about the experiences of young children. Reflective management tools have been developed and successfully piloted in the main study setting. The findings demonstrate a significant link between the implementation of beneficial organisational practices in early years settings and the development of a positive emotional climate through addressing issues affecting the staff and children’s well-being. Although this study is located in one region with data collected from one main setting in particular, the research tools and findings have relevance to the organisational practices in other early years settings v Personal well-being and team morale of early years staff are shown to contribute to the quality of interactions that impact on children’s well-being. The issue of ‘being valued and appreciated’ is revealed as a key factor to be addressed in order to raise and maintain staff morale. Practitioners in the main setting identified positive leadership and management behaviours as contributing to feeling valued and appreciated. The development of a management style that empowers and motivates staff, is recognised here as compensatory in overcoming the inherent low pay and the sense of being undervalued often associated with early years work. A nurturing management style is shown to contribute to a positive emotional climate by improving staff retention and team stability. A positive emotional climate is described as an environment that supports children’s emotional development, cognitive development and subsequent educational achievement and social integration. The task of providing early years care and education at a level that promotes children’s emotional well-being is one that requires training in an holistic approach to care and development and high professional standards for those with a leadership responsibility. A young child’s positive emotional well-being is identified as a major factor in helping children to establish themselves as life-long learners and this study concludes that the development of critical reflective management skills is essential if early years settings are able to provide an environment in which children can thrive. The concept of a beneficial childhood is defined and the study recommends that a focus on child emotional well-being is the top priority that underpins local and national policy. The teamwork skills of staff are extended to include the child’s parents or main carers such that the adults collectively take responsibility for creating a coherent and consistent community of practice within which the children can thrive. The development of an identifiable and supportive group culture is regarded as the responsibility of the most senior person involved in the setting and this research identifies that this role requires assistance and support from others internal and external to the setting. The overall conclusions and recommendations focus on the following areas: · Recognition of the impact of adult well-being on children’s experiences; · Description of a beneficial leadership style for early years settings; · Clarification of specific organisational practices to be developed; · Consideration of parental involvement and shared responsibility for childhood; · Proposal of specific training activities to support development of practice.
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Gabi, Josephine. "Rhizomatic cartographies of belonging and identity within early years education." Thesis, Manchester Metropolitan University, 2013. http://e-space.mmu.ac.uk/528248/.
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Set in two primary schools in Manchester, England and drawing on personal reflections, my pursuit of what it means to belong within the early years takes me through a myriad of personal stories, inner struggles, crisis points and glimpses of hope. A significant feature running through this thesis is my own biography and my own rhizomatic journey where belonging and identity oscillate with the experience of the young participants. The main philosophical underpinning is Deleuze and Guattari’s work where specifically concepts such as majoritarian/minoritarian and the rhizome, which is symbolic of both theory and research that allows for multiplicities, interconnection and fluidity, have the effects of destabilising my common sense understanding of what it means to belong. This work takes a multidisciplinary qualitative positioning to make sense of, as well as critique taken-for-granted assumptions of both researching and conceptualising belonging and identity. Drawing from art, I utilise Hellman’s notion of pentimento to illustrate the fluidity and multilayeredness of human experience as well as the complex nature of ‘seeing’ where ‘each layer mixes with the other and renders irreversible influences on our perceptions of it’ (Donald, 2004:24). I may, therefore, never come to a conclusive understanding of the ‘pure’ ‘original’ beginnings of children’s sense of belonging and identity as there are as multiple explanations as there are ways of knowing, neither will I determine the end. In this regard, ‘tracing’ pure origins of children’s belonging and identity is a futile endeavour. Rather ‘mapping’ allows for connections that are not ‘readily perceptible to the normative subjects of dominant reality’ (Lorraine, 2003:269). The purpose is not to provide definitive answers or assertions, but rather to illuminate the materialisation of belonging and identity within the early years context. It utilises observations and discussions whilst capturing the complex ways in which bodies, both human and nonhuman connect. In a minimal way, it also makes use of pictorial data to enhance the description of the geographical contexts of the two schools. This study affirms that children’s sense of belonging and identity is dynamic, always in process and, therefore, constantly mutating. This has consequences for the ways in which we activate relations with children particularly in relation to language and special educational needs. Like a mirage, attempting to pin down what it means to belong and the determination of identity remains elusive. Therefore, we are left with moments-in-time of manifestations of belonging and identity in a spectrum of infinity where ‘tracing’ the beginning is as futile as reaching out to the end. Thus, this work questions what the repercussions are in terms of these fleeting glimpses of manifestations.
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O'Hara, Mark. "ICT in the early years : young children's experiences and capabilities." Thesis, Sheffield Hallam University, 2006. http://shura.shu.ac.uk/3195/.
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This research investigated the capabilities and experiences of Foundation Stage children (3-5 years old) in the maintained sector in relation to ICT. The research explored children's capabilities and experiences in four early years classrooms in two schools using observations and interviews. In the process it considered the reliability and validity of the relevant Early Learning Goals as guides for practitioners. The research also examined the experiences of children outside of the nursery / classroom by surveying and interviewing parents. The purpose was to learn about the extent and characteristics of the technological dimension to childhood for the children involved. The thesis argues that children in the nursery and reception classes in both locations were able to learn about, and through, ICT where it was used appropriately but that ICT seemed to be underutilised in some areas of early learning. The thesis also suggests that some young children's experiences of, and capabilities with, ICT are not adequately described by the existing statements contained in the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. While a high degree of congruence existed across both locations in terms of the incidence of ICT there were some differences in the characteristics of children's interactions with these technologies in the home. The thesis makes recommendations concerning the role of practitioners, curriculum documentation, partnership arrangements with parents and possible areas for further research.
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Mourão, Sandra Jones. "English picturebook illustrations and language development in early years education." Doctoral thesis, Universidade de Aveiro, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10773/9180.
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Doutoramento em Didáctica e FormaçãoEste estudo investiga a influência da interação imagem-texto de três álbuns ilustrados de língua inglesa no desenvolvimento do repertório linguístico de crianças pré-leitoras. Numa metodologia de estudo de caso, adotando uma abordagem qualitativa e socio construtivista num contexto real de educação pré-escolar, três grupos de crianças portuguesas foram filmados ao longo de várias sessões de leitura repetida em voz alta e em inglês, e de sessões de recontos trabalhados em pequenos grupos. Após a transcrição das gravações, o corpus resultante foi analisado com base numa teoria fundamentada de compreensão literária e em escalas de leitura emergente. Os resultados mostraram que as crianças adotaram uma postura fortemente analítica face aos álbuns, direcionando as suas respostas para as ilustrações e usando-as como apoio na construção de significados. Os resultados mostraram também que cada interanimação visual e verbal ofereceu diversas oportunidades para o uso das línguas em presença, o português e o inglês, tendo o formato e a estrutura inerentes a cada álbum contribuído de forma muito relevante para as respostas das crianças. Contudo, os álbuns com uma dinâmica imagem-texto mais complexa proporcionaram um maior envolvimento das crianças, provocando mais discussão em torno das ilustrações e criando mais oportunidades para mediação do uso da segunda língua. Os resultados revelaram ainda a importância da interação durante as leituras repetidas, na compreensão e na análise narrativa, num processo de desenvolvimento da linguagem. Com base nestes resultados, apontam-se conclusões, com implicações para os contextos educativos, quer ao nível da língua materna, quer ao nível da segunda língua, nomeadamente em relação: à seleção de álbuns e à valorização das ilustrações e ainda à importância de leituras repetidas em voz alta e à discussão realizada pelas crianças.
The purpose of this study was to investigate how the picture-word dynamic within three English picturebooks affected childrenʼs linguistic repertoire and language development. Using a qualitative case study approach and adopting a socio-constructivist stance in a naturalistic setting, three groups of pre-literate Portuguese children were filmed during whole class repeated read alouds in English and small group retells. Upon transcription, the resulting corpus was analysed using a grounded theory of literary understanding and emergent reading scales. The findings showed that children took an overwhelmingly analytical stance towards the picturebooks, directing their responses to the illustrations and using them to support meaning making. It was found that each visual and verbal interanimation provided distinct opportunities for language use, and furthermore that the format and structure inherent within each picturebook contributed to the childrenʼs responses. However, the picturebooks at the more complex end of the picture-word dynamic afforded a more active involvement from the beholder, provoking more discussion around the illustrations and increased opportunities for the childrenʼs linguistic repertoires to mediate second language development. In addition, the results revealed the importance of interaction during repeated readings in supporting childrenʼs analysis of narrative and language development. Assertions are made based on these results, with implications in both mother tongue and second language classrooms, in relation to picturebook selection and valuing the illustrations, the importance of repeated read alouds and child-initiated discussion.
El objetivo de esta tesis fue investigar cómo la dinámica imagen-palabra de tres libros álbum en inglés influyó en el al repertorio lingüístico y en el desarrollo del lenguaje de los niños. Se trata de un estudio de caso con enfoque cualitativo para el que se adoptó una perspectiva socio-constructivista en un entorno naturalista. Se filmó a tres grupos de niños portugueses de preescolar durante la hora de clase en la que se realizaron repetidas lecturas en voz alta y una actividad consistente en volver a contar el cuento ilustrado en pequeños grupos. Tras la transcripción de las grabaciones, se analizó el corpus resultante mediante teorías de comprensión literaria y niveles de lectura emergente. Los resultados mostraron que los niños adoptaron una postura abrumadoramente analítica hacia los libros álbum, haciendo uso de las ilustraciones para apoyar sus respuestas. Se encontró que cada intercambio visual y verbal brindaba diferentes oportunidades para el uso del lenguaje, y más aún, que el formato y la estructura inherente de cada libro álbum influía en las respuestas de los niños. Además, los libros álbum que contenían una dinámica de imagen-palabra más compleja provocaron una participación más activa del espectador, provocando más debate en torno a las ilustraciones y aumentando las oportunidades de los repertorios lingüísticos de los niños para desarrollar una segunda lengua. Además, los resultados revelaron la importancia de la interacción durante las lecturas repetidas para el análisis de la narrativa y para el desarrollo del lenguaje de los niños. Estas afirmaciones se fundamentan en los resultados del estudio y tienen implicaciones pedagógicas tanto para la clase en lengua materna como en segundas lenguas, tales como la selección de libros álbum y la valoración de las ilustraciones; la importancia de la lectura repetida en voz alta; y las discusiones iniciadas por los niños.
Cette étude a comme objet de recherche les effets de lʼinteraction entre lʼimage et le texte de trois albums illustrés en langue anglaise sur le répertoire linguistique dʼun groupe dʼenfants portugais. Dans le cadre dʼune étude de cas, tout adoptant une approche socioconstructiviste dans un contexte réel dʼéducation, trois groupes dʼenfants portugais en phase de pré-alphabétisation ont été filmés au cours de plusieurs séances de lectures répétées, en voix haute, en anglais, ainsi que de contes/racontages travaillés en petits groupes. Après avoir transcrit les enregistrements vidéo, le corpus a été analysé a partir dʼune théorie fondée sur la compréhension littéraire avec une grille dʼanalyse des niveaux de lecture émergente. Les résultats obtenus ont démontré que les enfants ont adopté une attitude analytique face aux albums, en conduisant leurs réponses vers les illustrations et en sʼy appuyant pour la construction du sens. Les résultats ont aussi montré que chaque inter-animation visuelle ou verbale a offert des opportunités distinctes dʼutilisation des langues en présence, le portugais et lʼanglais. Le format et la structure inhérents aux albums semblent avoir aussi contribué aux réponses des élèves. Néanmoins, à un niveau plus complexe de la dynamique image-texte, les albums permettent une interaction plus active de lʼenfant, tout en incitant à une discussion plus élevée autour des illustrations et à une médiation de lʼusage de la deuxième langue. De plus, les résultats ont révélé lʼimportance des interactions entre les enfants, pendant les lectures répétées, pour la compréhension et lʼanalyse narrative. Lʼanalyse des résultats de lʼétude conduit à dʼimportantes implications éducatives, soit au niveau de la langue maternelle, soit au niveau dʼune deuxième langue, notamment par rapport à la sélection des albums et à la valorisation des illustrations; à lʼimportance de lectures orales répétées et à lʼinitiation des enfants à la discussion.
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Rooke, Eliza. "Dialogic space during mother-child interaction in the early years." Thesis, Open University, 2016. http://oro.open.ac.uk/47122/.
Full textAbstract:
The co-construction of meaning-making during mother-child activity around the concepts of colour and size is considered through the lens of socio-cultural theory. The metaphor of scaffolding is critiqued in relation to its utility for explaining interactions between parent and child in problem-solving activity. Specifically, this thesis offers an investigation of the extent to which Wegerif’s (2011b) notion of ‘dialogic space’ can inform a better understanding of the processes of meaning-making that take place between a mother and her pre-school child. An exploratory, inductive case study was conducted in a pre-school setting with 13 mother-child dyads. The children were 30-36 months old. The dyads were observed while engaged in activities that involved sorting blocks according to their colour and size. Video-recordings of the observations were transcribed and the transcriptions were then subject to a thematic Socio-Cultural Discourse Analysis (SCDA). Also mothers took part in semi-structured interviews, incorporating Video-Stimulated Reflective Dialogue (VSRD). These were used to shed light on the mothers’ perspectives of the activity and informed my analysis of the transcriptions. The theoretical benefits of this thesis include extended theorising about dialogic space by considering the context of parent and pre-school children’s dialogues. It provides significant contributions to educational theory by evidencing how pause and physical and psychological resources can be mobilised by interlocutors to resource their construction of dialogic space during activities with young children. Implications for practice arising from this study include the need for practitioners to be alert to how the theory of dialogic space can inform a better understanding of how young children can be creatively engaged in dialogue in asymmetrical interactions that harness their understanding of colour and size.
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Davey, Helen Margaret. "Investigating factors which promote metacognitive development in early years children." Thesis, Durham University, 2016. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/11596/.
Full textAbstract:
This study investigates the development of metacognition in Early Years children. The results indicate that early metacognitive knowledge and skills can be observed in children as young as four years old. Three Foundation Stage Two Classes were used for the first year of this project and children from across Foundation Stage Two, Year 1 and Year 2 for further research in the second year. All the children were part of one Primary School. The data was collected through a range of Pupil Interviews and Classroom Observations of the adults who work with them. The data was analysed in four strands; whether children use the term learn and what factors influence that use, where children perceive learning to take place, whether children have a concept of what learning is and finally whether children demonstrate metacognitive knowledge and skills when encountering a problem. Consideration was given to the cognitive level of development of the child, to the influence of the class teacher on the child’s perceptions of classroom life and to the use of language by adults and whether this factor impacts on the child’s ability to verbalise their understanding. The findings indicated that, with these Early Years children, cognitive development was not a significant factor in their demonstration of aspects of metacognition. However, the impact of the adults who teach the children can clearly be seen in all parts of the research, whether that is the language they use, where they position themselves in the classroom, the importance the children perceive they place on certain activities, or the way they present and talk through learning with children. In the final strand of the research, children aged four to seven were able to talk about strategies they use when encountering a problem in their learning. These strategies have been transferred between activities and found to be successful and in some cases clearly demonstrate metacognitive knowledge.