Pub Date : 2021-11-25DOI: 10.1177/1476718X211059913
J. Luke, S. Brenkert, Nicole R. Rivera
Interest in social emotional learning (SEL) is higher than ever, as parents, educators, and policymakers recognize that children need more than cognitive skills for later life success. However, most SEL research has been conducted in formal education settings. This article describes results from an empirical study of 4–5 years old SEL in two informal learning settings, including children’s museums and community playgrounds. Members of the Children’s Museum Research Network observed 606 preschool children using the Revised/Shortened Minnesota Preschool Affect Checklist (MPAC-R/S). Findings show that preschool children engaged in SEL in both settings, but that significantly more instances of SEL were seen in children’s museums compared with community playgrounds. We argue that children’s museums may provide an important, peer-to-peer opportunity for children to develop and practice their SEL, one that is unique from the more common teacher-child interactions provided in schools.
{"title":"Preschoolers’ social emotional learning in children’s museums and community playgrounds","authors":"J. Luke, S. Brenkert, Nicole R. Rivera","doi":"10.1177/1476718X211059913","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X211059913","url":null,"abstract":"Interest in social emotional learning (SEL) is higher than ever, as parents, educators, and policymakers recognize that children need more than cognitive skills for later life success. However, most SEL research has been conducted in formal education settings. This article describes results from an empirical study of 4–5 years old SEL in two informal learning settings, including children’s museums and community playgrounds. Members of the Children’s Museum Research Network observed 606 preschool children using the Revised/Shortened Minnesota Preschool Affect Checklist (MPAC-R/S). Findings show that preschool children engaged in SEL in both settings, but that significantly more instances of SEL were seen in children’s museums compared with community playgrounds. We argue that children’s museums may provide an important, peer-to-peer opportunity for children to develop and practice their SEL, one that is unique from the more common teacher-child interactions provided in schools.","PeriodicalId":46652,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Early Childhood Research","volume":"20 1","pages":"229 - 241"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43823478","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-25DOI: 10.1177/1476718x211059907
Nathan Archer
Neoliberal thinking has increasingly shaped global and national policy incursions in early childhood education. Research has highlighted the power effects of such policies with consequences for pedagogy, provision and the professional identities of educators. Less well understood are educator responses to these policies. Whilst literature offers some exploration of resistance movements, little is known from empirical studies about how acts of resistance are enacted individually (and collectively) in the professional lives of early years educators. This article explores how English early childhood educators resist policy constructions of ideal professional identities. Using reconceptualized critical theory, this paper considers both neoliberal shaped demands on early educators and their resistance to these. Employing data from professional life story interviews (n = 16) by early educators in a range of contexts, narratives were constructed which document their responses to ECE policies. This paper draws on three of these narratives. A Critical Narrative Analysis reveals that educator resistances are not always large scale, collective or mobilized but are often expressed in atomized contexts through a dispersed network of actors. Individual responses included ‘micro resistances’ which were often local, quiet and invisible but multiple. The paper offers novel insights into c/overt resistances revealing educators’ complex, nuanced and subversive responses to discursive policy manoeuvres.
{"title":"‘I have this subversive curriculum underneath’: Narratives of micro resistance in early childhood education","authors":"Nathan Archer","doi":"10.1177/1476718x211059907","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718x211059907","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Neoliberal thinking has increasingly shaped global and national policy incursions in early childhood education. Research has highlighted the power effects of such policies with consequences for pedagogy, provision and the professional identities of educators. Less well understood are educator responses to these policies. Whilst literature offers some exploration of resistance movements, little is known from empirical studies about how acts of resistance are enacted individually (and collectively) in the professional lives of early years educators. This article explores how English early childhood educators resist policy constructions of ideal professional identities. Using reconceptualized critical theory, this paper considers both neoliberal shaped demands on early educators and their resistance to these. Employing data from professional life story interviews (<i>n</i> = 16) by early educators in a range of contexts, narratives were constructed which document their responses to ECE policies. This paper draws on three of these narratives. A Critical Narrative Analysis reveals that educator resistances are not always large scale, collective or mobilized but are often expressed in atomized contexts through a dispersed network of actors. Individual responses included ‘micro resistances’ which were often local, quiet and invisible but multiple. The paper offers novel insights into c/overt resistances revealing educators’ complex, nuanced and subversive responses to discursive policy manoeuvres.</p>","PeriodicalId":46652,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Early Childhood Research","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138538898","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-23DOI: 10.1177/1476718X211059662
Maree Stanley, Penny Allen, Terry-Ann Tunks, Melanie G. Davenport, J. Cartmel
Intergenerational playgroups purposively bring older people, young children and their caregivers together to engage in play and develop reciprocal relationships. Intergenerational research focuses on the benefits for participants, with much less known about how these programmes sustain. This paper discusses and explores programme sustainability through the examination of two playgroups established through Playgroup Queensland’s Ageless Play programme. Through qualitative interviewing with playgroup practitioners and participants we aimed to understand how each of these playgroups had sustained beyond 3 years. The findings included the importance of mutual benefit for stakeholders, knowledge and skills of the playgroup facilitator and use of strategies to ensure ongoing interaction and engagement within the group. These findings are important for ensuring the continuation of intergenerational playgroup programmes.
{"title":"Ageless play: Sustaining intergenerational playgroup programmes","authors":"Maree Stanley, Penny Allen, Terry-Ann Tunks, Melanie G. Davenport, J. Cartmel","doi":"10.1177/1476718X211059662","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X211059662","url":null,"abstract":"Intergenerational playgroups purposively bring older people, young children and their caregivers together to engage in play and develop reciprocal relationships. Intergenerational research focuses on the benefits for participants, with much less known about how these programmes sustain. This paper discusses and explores programme sustainability through the examination of two playgroups established through Playgroup Queensland’s Ageless Play programme. Through qualitative interviewing with playgroup practitioners and participants we aimed to understand how each of these playgroups had sustained beyond 3 years. The findings included the importance of mutual benefit for stakeholders, knowledge and skills of the playgroup facilitator and use of strategies to ensure ongoing interaction and engagement within the group. These findings are important for ensuring the continuation of intergenerational playgroup programmes.","PeriodicalId":46652,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Early Childhood Research","volume":"20 1","pages":"370 - 382"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-11-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47847963","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-12DOI: 10.1177/1476718X211052790
S. Holt, C. Atkinson, E. Douglas-Osborn
Children as young as pre-school are experiencing difficulties related to stress, anxiety and inattention which could be supported through the use of mindfulness. However, there is very little research on how to effectively deliver mindfulness approaches within Early Years (EYs) practice. A year-long action research project was conducted with an EYs setting to explore how EYs practitioners can effectively deliver mindfulness, understanding their perceptions of the impact, facilitators and challenges to successful implementation. Findings revealed various facilitating factors including: developing effective and inclusive mindfulness approaches; reflecting on practice; working collaboratively and creating a supportive community. Challenges included issues related to the school context and delivery of mindful approaches. Findings revealed perceived benefits for the children, staff and the EYs setting. Implications for practice suggest it is feasible for school psychologists to support EYs settings to develop mindfulness practices using an action research approach. Future research and study limitations are discussed.
{"title":"Exploring the implementation of mindfulness approaches in an early years setting","authors":"S. Holt, C. Atkinson, E. Douglas-Osborn","doi":"10.1177/1476718X211052790","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X211052790","url":null,"abstract":"Children as young as pre-school are experiencing difficulties related to stress, anxiety and inattention which could be supported through the use of mindfulness. However, there is very little research on how to effectively deliver mindfulness approaches within Early Years (EYs) practice. A year-long action research project was conducted with an EYs setting to explore how EYs practitioners can effectively deliver mindfulness, understanding their perceptions of the impact, facilitators and challenges to successful implementation. Findings revealed various facilitating factors including: developing effective and inclusive mindfulness approaches; reflecting on practice; working collaboratively and creating a supportive community. Challenges included issues related to the school context and delivery of mindful approaches. Findings revealed perceived benefits for the children, staff and the EYs setting. Implications for practice suggest it is feasible for school psychologists to support EYs settings to develop mindfulness practices using an action research approach. Future research and study limitations are discussed.","PeriodicalId":46652,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Early Childhood Research","volume":"20 1","pages":"214 - 228"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-11-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42381202","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-12DOI: 10.1177/1476718X211052785
K. Johnston, R. Bull
The first 3 years of life are identified as a period where children are primed for mathematical thinking, and a time where significant and critical development occurs. Additionally, mathematical ability in the years before children start school serves as a strong predictor of later achievement. However, many early childhood educators do not recognise the relevance of focussing on numeracy with very young children, and there remains a paucity of research on mathematical thinking and learning with infant and toddler aged children. This study sought to investigate early childhood educators’ perspectives on mathematics for children birth to 5 years of age. Educators were invited to complete an online survey and a mixed methods approach was used to interpret the responses. The findings revealed that even though mathematics was seen as relevant and important across the birth to five age range, these values were not significantly reflected in educator’s preferred or espoused teaching practices. The study also identified a range of factors that positively and negatively influenced educator self-efficacy and dispositions towards mathematics across their lifespans. Practitioner led research projects are suggested as an effective form of professional learning to incorporate into future research projects.
{"title":"Understanding educator attitudes towards and perceptions of mathematics in early childhood","authors":"K. Johnston, R. Bull","doi":"10.1177/1476718X211052785","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X211052785","url":null,"abstract":"The first 3 years of life are identified as a period where children are primed for mathematical thinking, and a time where significant and critical development occurs. Additionally, mathematical ability in the years before children start school serves as a strong predictor of later achievement. However, many early childhood educators do not recognise the relevance of focussing on numeracy with very young children, and there remains a paucity of research on mathematical thinking and learning with infant and toddler aged children. This study sought to investigate early childhood educators’ perspectives on mathematics for children birth to 5 years of age. Educators were invited to complete an online survey and a mixed methods approach was used to interpret the responses. The findings revealed that even though mathematics was seen as relevant and important across the birth to five age range, these values were not significantly reflected in educator’s preferred or espoused teaching practices. The study also identified a range of factors that positively and negatively influenced educator self-efficacy and dispositions towards mathematics across their lifespans. Practitioner led research projects are suggested as an effective form of professional learning to incorporate into future research projects.","PeriodicalId":46652,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Early Childhood Research","volume":"20 1","pages":"341 - 356"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-11-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49298495","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-09DOI: 10.1177/1476718X211052749
H. Ö. Demircan
This article analyzes the perspectives of three preschool teachers on integrative STEM practices and the facilitating and hindering factors in their implementation. The participants were preschool teachers working at public preschools. They volunteered to participate in a 14-hour STEM professional development program and to share their perspectives on the implementation of integrative STEM practice. Here a case-study method is used to conduct an in-depth investigation. Data was collected from teachers through interviews, informal classroom observations, and document analysis. The factors facilitating or hindering the teachers’ implementation of integrative STEM practice were analyzed in three aspects: curriculum, pedagogy, learning environment, and the needs they observed while implementing these practices identified. The findings revealed that though the practices are developmentally appropriate to support active learning and time-effectiveness, teachers find it challenging to integrate STEM into education by their own efforts alone. Daily routines, differences between individual children, and material and storage issues are major hindering factors they faced while implementing integrative STEM practices. According to findings, teachers need the support of administration, parents, and colleagues to implement integrative STEM practices. In the short term and the long term, to see a positive impact of integrative STEM practices, there is a need for a better quality context in the curriculum, pedagogy, and learning environment.
{"title":"“How am I supposed to do this on my own?”: A case study on perspectives of preschool teachers regarding integrative STEM practices","authors":"H. Ö. Demircan","doi":"10.1177/1476718X211052749","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X211052749","url":null,"abstract":"This article analyzes the perspectives of three preschool teachers on integrative STEM practices and the facilitating and hindering factors in their implementation. The participants were preschool teachers working at public preschools. They volunteered to participate in a 14-hour STEM professional development program and to share their perspectives on the implementation of integrative STEM practice. Here a case-study method is used to conduct an in-depth investigation. Data was collected from teachers through interviews, informal classroom observations, and document analysis. The factors facilitating or hindering the teachers’ implementation of integrative STEM practice were analyzed in three aspects: curriculum, pedagogy, learning environment, and the needs they observed while implementing these practices identified. The findings revealed that though the practices are developmentally appropriate to support active learning and time-effectiveness, teachers find it challenging to integrate STEM into education by their own efforts alone. Daily routines, differences between individual children, and material and storage issues are major hindering factors they faced while implementing integrative STEM practices. According to findings, teachers need the support of administration, parents, and colleagues to implement integrative STEM practices. In the short term and the long term, to see a positive impact of integrative STEM practices, there is a need for a better quality context in the curriculum, pedagogy, and learning environment.","PeriodicalId":46652,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Early Childhood Research","volume":"20 1","pages":"93 - 112"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46585582","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-10-24DOI: 10.1177/1476718X211052792
Monica Miller Marsh, Mustary Mariyam, Kathleen Durant, Ilfa Zhulamanova
Preschool teachers have a responsibility to create a sense of belonging for all children and families in their classroom community. Utilizing a funds of identity approach, this study examines how one preschool teacher uncovered the resources emergent bilingual children brought with them from home into school. She used this knowledge to intentionally create a play-based curriculum that strengthened relationships between and among children and provided spaces for the formation of positive social and educational identities. The participatory action research took place in a university laboratory school located in the Midwestern United States of America over a 2-year period. The study illuminates much about the lives of two emergent bilingual boys as they grow and learn in the quotidian space of the communal classroom environment.
{"title":"“Do you talk normal?”: Piecing together learning experiences with emergent bilingual preschoolers","authors":"Monica Miller Marsh, Mustary Mariyam, Kathleen Durant, Ilfa Zhulamanova","doi":"10.1177/1476718X211052792","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X211052792","url":null,"abstract":"Preschool teachers have a responsibility to create a sense of belonging for all children and families in their classroom community. Utilizing a funds of identity approach, this study examines how one preschool teacher uncovered the resources emergent bilingual children brought with them from home into school. She used this knowledge to intentionally create a play-based curriculum that strengthened relationships between and among children and provided spaces for the formation of positive social and educational identities. The participatory action research took place in a university laboratory school located in the Midwestern United States of America over a 2-year period. The study illuminates much about the lives of two emergent bilingual boys as they grow and learn in the quotidian space of the communal classroom environment.","PeriodicalId":46652,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Early Childhood Research","volume":"20 1","pages":"185 - 198"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44060747","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-10-24DOI: 10.1177/1476718X211052789
R. P. C. Wijaya, B. N. Bunga, I. Kiling
COVID-19 pandemic has caused young children to be isolated from their neighborhood only interacting with people living under the same roof as them, to avoid spreading the virus. Limited social interaction might have affected young children’s social and emotional development. This study aimed to explore the socio-emotional struggles of young children during the pandemic. Participants in the study were 12 mothers of young children living in West Timor, Indonesia. Data were obtained using the photovoice method. Thematic analysis resulted in four main themes, which are increased use of technologies, lack of social interaction, parents’ concerns, and boredom and increased need for stimuli. Findings in this study encourage mothers and related stakeholders to take extra precautions on maintaining children’s well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.
{"title":"Socio-emotional struggles of young children during COVID-19 pandemic: Social isolation and increased use of technologies","authors":"R. P. C. Wijaya, B. N. Bunga, I. Kiling","doi":"10.1177/1476718X211052789","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X211052789","url":null,"abstract":"COVID-19 pandemic has caused young children to be isolated from their neighborhood only interacting with people living under the same roof as them, to avoid spreading the virus. Limited social interaction might have affected young children’s social and emotional development. This study aimed to explore the socio-emotional struggles of young children during the pandemic. Participants in the study were 12 mothers of young children living in West Timor, Indonesia. Data were obtained using the photovoice method. Thematic analysis resulted in four main themes, which are increased use of technologies, lack of social interaction, parents’ concerns, and boredom and increased need for stimuli. Findings in this study encourage mothers and related stakeholders to take extra precautions on maintaining children’s well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.","PeriodicalId":46652,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Early Childhood Research","volume":"20 1","pages":"113 - 127"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47196005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-10-24DOI: 10.1177/1476718X211052791
L. Kay
School readiness is a dominant discourse in current policy agendas in UK and international contexts, fulfilling a range of goals such as providing children with the ‘best start in life’ by breaking the cycle of poverty, and preparing children for formal learning in compulsory education. Focussing on the school readiness agenda in England, this paper interrogates how the local touchdown of international policy formulations influences policy at country-level. It is argued that the emphasis on teaching Mathematics, Reading and Writing as a way of readying children for school raises concerns over the formalisation of pedagogy and curriculum in the Reception year (aged 4–5), in preparation for the transition to Year One of the National Curriculum. Using Hyatt’s Critical Discourse Policy Analysis Frame (CPDAF) this paper examines how the Office for Standards in Education (OfSTED) report ‘Bold Beginnings’ further strengthens the policy discourse that establishes Reception as a site for school readiness through a discursively constructed narrative of ‘what works’. Based on the analysis, the paper then questions whether the ‘what works’ OfSTED agenda works for teachers and children.
{"title":"‘What works’ and for whom? Bold Beginnings and the construction of the school ready child","authors":"L. Kay","doi":"10.1177/1476718X211052791","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X211052791","url":null,"abstract":"School readiness is a dominant discourse in current policy agendas in UK and international contexts, fulfilling a range of goals such as providing children with the ‘best start in life’ by breaking the cycle of poverty, and preparing children for formal learning in compulsory education. Focussing on the school readiness agenda in England, this paper interrogates how the local touchdown of international policy formulations influences policy at country-level. It is argued that the emphasis on teaching Mathematics, Reading and Writing as a way of readying children for school raises concerns over the formalisation of pedagogy and curriculum in the Reception year (aged 4–5), in preparation for the transition to Year One of the National Curriculum. Using Hyatt’s Critical Discourse Policy Analysis Frame (CPDAF) this paper examines how the Office for Standards in Education (OfSTED) report ‘Bold Beginnings’ further strengthens the policy discourse that establishes Reception as a site for school readiness through a discursively constructed narrative of ‘what works’. Based on the analysis, the paper then questions whether the ‘what works’ OfSTED agenda works for teachers and children.","PeriodicalId":46652,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Early Childhood Research","volume":"20 1","pages":"172 - 184"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43493896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-10-24DOI: 10.1177/1476718X211052797
L. Woodfield, Allison Tatton, Tony D. Myers, E. Powell
The physical activity (PA) of young children is critical to their future activity, health and development, however, little is known about how the organisation of early years foundation stage (EYFS) settings impacts upon children’s PA. This study aimed to measure the PA of children in Nursery and Reception classes and to explore their PA according to learning context. Participants were 191 EYFS children (boys = 89; girls 102; Mean age M = 4.6, SD = 0.7 years) from six schools in the West Midlands, UK. Systematic observation was used to record children’s PA, learning context, adult interaction and location throughout the EYFS day. A total of 8740 observed intervals occurred. Children spent two thirds of their time being stationary (65.8% and 69.8% for Nursery and Reception respectively). Results of beta regression revealed the strongest predictors of vigorous PA (VPA) to be the learning contexts of ‘role play’, ‘physical’, ‘construction’ and being ‘outside’. Adult interaction had a negative association with moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA), and girls have 16.36% lower odds of engaging in VPA and 19.4% higher odds of engaging in stationary behaviour than boys. In order to support children’s learning and development, teaching strategies and the organisation of the EYFS environment should be adapted to increase children’s, especially girls’, active learning and to reduce sedentary time.
{"title":"Predictors of children’s physical activity in the early years foundation stage","authors":"L. Woodfield, Allison Tatton, Tony D. Myers, E. Powell","doi":"10.1177/1476718X211052797","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X211052797","url":null,"abstract":"The physical activity (PA) of young children is critical to their future activity, health and development, however, little is known about how the organisation of early years foundation stage (EYFS) settings impacts upon children’s PA. This study aimed to measure the PA of children in Nursery and Reception classes and to explore their PA according to learning context. Participants were 191 EYFS children (boys = 89; girls 102; Mean age M = 4.6, SD = 0.7 years) from six schools in the West Midlands, UK. Systematic observation was used to record children’s PA, learning context, adult interaction and location throughout the EYFS day. A total of 8740 observed intervals occurred. Children spent two thirds of their time being stationary (65.8% and 69.8% for Nursery and Reception respectively). Results of beta regression revealed the strongest predictors of vigorous PA (VPA) to be the learning contexts of ‘role play’, ‘physical’, ‘construction’ and being ‘outside’. Adult interaction had a negative association with moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA), and girls have 16.36% lower odds of engaging in VPA and 19.4% higher odds of engaging in stationary behaviour than boys. In order to support children’s learning and development, teaching strategies and the organisation of the EYFS environment should be adapted to increase children’s, especially girls’, active learning and to reduce sedentary time.","PeriodicalId":46652,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Early Childhood Research","volume":"20 1","pages":"199 - 213"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44299707","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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