Editors

DOI: Vol.3(No.0) 2-3, 1997

N/A

Mary Benson McMullen

DOI: Vol.3(No.0) 5-29, 1998

In this study, the role of specialized professional preparation in early childhood education in determining the adoption of developmentally appropriate practices as both a philosophical orientation and as a guide to actual classroom practice is explored. How do those who receive specialized preparation in early childhood differ from their otherwise prepared colleagues? While preschool teachers in general scored higher than elementary school teachers on instruments that measured developmentally appropriate beliefs and practices, teachers with specialized early childhood background preparation, regardless of teaching environment, held significantly more $quot;highly appropriate$quot; beliefs and practiced in ways that were more $quot;highly appropriate.$quot; This research confirms the assumption that teachers` qualifications impact the quality of the early childhood classroom and that it is important to understand early childhood as a unique period of development and to acquire the body of knowledge and skills that define the field.

Soyoun Bae

DOI: Vol.3(No.0) 31-48, 1998

The purposes of this study are (1) to identify novice early childhood teachers` needs on the content of inservice education program and (2) to investigate ideas of directors of kindergartens and daycare centers on the content of inservice education for novice teachers in Korea. Sixty nine novice teachers and 71 directors of kindergartens and daycare centers participated in this study through questionnaire developed by the researcher. Conclusions drawn from the results of this study are as follows: 1) Methods of evaluation, teaching strategies, teaching social relationship, and professionalism should be selected as the essential content area for inservice education program for novice teachers. 2) Inservice education program for novice teachers should be planned and developed considering and reflecting both novice teachers` immediate needs and directors` objective ideas; 3) Further studies need to be done to identify novice teachers` needs in depth and to compare the needs of novice teachers on the content of inservice education program to those of experienced teachers.

Min Ling Tsai

DOI: Vol.3(No.0) 49-66, 1998

As a small but significant response to current Educational Reform in Taiwan, the study initiates a three-way discussion on the forms and contents of classroom interaction among a college associate professor(the observer), a kindergarten teacher and a first-grade teacher to seek ways to create the $quot;real discussion$quot; in classrooms. The researcher (along with two research assistants) observed and videotaped classroom interactions in the two classrooms weekly, showed some portions of the videotapes to the two classroom teachers every month. After four months` fieldwork, the observation was narrowed down to focus on the Chinese lessons in the first-grade classroom and the diary-picture sharing and discussion time in the kindergarten classroom. While both teachers mentioned the difficulties in making the whole class participate in discussion, after the first three-way discussion session, we have observed changes happening in both classrooms. The first-grade teacher had students teach part of the lesson in turn, that is, acting as $quot;small teachers$quot; to lead the discussion. The kindergarten teacher had the children name their peers to ask questions after talking about their diary-pictures. While students are gaining more opportunities to talk and to lead the discussion, there remain some problems to be solved, such as the teachers` overarching concern of keeping up with the curriculum schedule and the children`s ability in extending the contents of discussion. Teachers` prominent $quot;fear$quot; of letting students talk have to be understood from a more distant context, such as the expectation of teacher role and student role in Taiwan`s culture. Nevertheless, the joint sense-making process in which the three teachers inform one another as to how to organize classroom interaction might provide insights to kindergarten-elementary school transition issues in Taiwan.

Olivia N . Saracho, Bernard Spodek

DOI: Vol.3(No.0) 67-76, 1998

A factor analysis was done on the play behavior of preschool children. The subjects were 2400 three-, four-, and five-year-old children attending an early childhood program. Their play behaviors were observed, recorded, and analyzed using the Play Rating Scale. Three factors underlying the play of these children were identified. These factors had strong loadings and a range of items. The factors were (1) Discussion of Ideas in Play activity, (2) Sociodramatic Play Behaviors in Play Activities, and (3) Action Play in Physical Play Activities. These factors manifest the significance of discussing ideas, engaging in sociodramatic play, and using actions in their play activities. These outcomes suggest implications for the study of young children`s play and support the constructs in children`s play (e.g., cognitive, social, emotional development).

Dong Ju Shin

DOI: Vol.3(No.0) 77-93, 1998

This study was conducted to examine the effects of changes in outdoor play environments on children`s cognitive and social play behaviors. The settings for this study were the playgrounds of two childcare centers which were matched in outdoor play environment and the background of children enrolled. One of the playgrounds (named playground A) had a plan to improve its physical environment. 16 five year old children in each childcare center were observed during two observational periods (the total number of subjects was 32 children). Pre-observation was conducted on the two playgrounds before the change in playground A, and post-observation was conducted after the change. The results of the study showed that the increase of play space and materials and the zoning of the play space produced more participation in cognitive/social play and less nonplay behaviors, and as well encouraged children to engage in diverse cognitive play and in higher levels of social play.

Thomas D . Yawkey, Jeong Yoon Kwon

DOI: Vol.3(No.0) 95-106, 1998

With the 1994 passage of legislation for $quot;Goals 2000$quot; and $quot;Improving check refeseures Act$quot;, family involvement is increasing in schools in the Unites States. Although parent and family involvement are not new to the kindergarten programs, emphasis is shfiting to increasing involvement by using a number of modes or ways. These various modes or ways of family involvement also increase positive community understandings of the kindergarten in its unique roles in society. Several of these current modes or forms of family involement used in US kindergartens include: conferense, home visits, family liasons, parent advisory committees, family education, and others. The research base and practical considerations of each family mode are presented with a focus on building family and community and ultimately strengthening society.

Yu Wel Lin

DOI: Vol.3(No.0) 107-126, 1998

This paper explores early childhood teacher preparation in Taiwan, especially focuses on the preparation of kindergarten teachers. It first reviews the history of early childhood teacher preparation in China and in Taiwan, then presents its current status and identifies some of the pressing problems in teacher preparation programs. Finally, suggestions for improving early childhood teacher preparation is presented.

Sook Jah Kim

DOI: Vol.3(No.0) 127-140, 1998

N/A

Emiko Hannah Ishigaki, Ki Sook Lee, Jiasui Lin

DOI: Vol.3(No.0) 141-153, 1998

This study was focused on the `children`s right to play` in $quot;The Convention on the Rights of the Child$quot;, which was published in 1989 from U.N. and has purpose on finding out general knowledge of kindergarten/day care teachers in three countries: Japan, Korea, and China. There were 113 Japanese, 148 Koreans, and 65 Chinese teachers who were given this survey. We have analyzed the 10 most important factors of ensured children`s right to play by time, place, play tools and facilities, friends, teachers, freedom to choose play and freedom to express oneself through play within three places: kindergarten/day care, home, and community. We have asked the teachers to decide whether to include play in their curriculum and tried to analyze what seemed to be the key word for `the right to play` among teachers. As a result of this study, we find out that teachers, in general, have a good knowledge of the ensured children s right to play, despite the few differences among three countries. It shows that Koreans have the highest knowledge in all three fields: kindergarten/day care, home, and community, when Japanese shows the highest in kindergarten and Chinese at home.

Ingrid Engdahl

DOI: Vol.3(No.0) 155-161, 1998

Early Childhood Education and day-care have often been considered two different kinds of activities requiring different organisational arrangements. In Sweden, as in most of the Scandinavian countries, there is a tradition of integrating the two. This has been called the Educare model. The Swedish parliament has recently passed a proposition for a national curriculum for the Early Childhood Education in the preschools. Educare is practised in day-carecentres, day nurseries, preschools for children under school age (Kindergarten), partly at primary school level and in after school supervised activities (leisure centres).