9 research outputs found
Exploring intra- and inter-cultural differences in toddlersâ time allocation in a Yucatec Maya and US community
The extent to which toddlers have opportunities to learn in interactive, observational, and independent contexts is thought to vary by culture. However quantitative assessments of cultural variability and of the factors driving intraâ and interâcultural differences in toddler's time allocation are lacking. This paper provides a comparative and quantitative examination of how toddlers spend their time and with whom (adults or children) in two communities (rural Yucatec Maya, urban United States). Additionally, it considers individual factors that predict time allocation. Results demonstrated that Maya toddlers spent more time in independent contexts compared to US toddlers and spent more time exclusively with other children than did US toddlers. Maya toddlers were more likely than US toddlers to spend time observing other people, however, when given the opportunity to observe others there were no differences in visual attentional allocation across cultures. For Maya toddlers maternal schooling related negatively to both time spent with other children and time spent in interactive contexts. The findings highlight the need for researchers to include diverse populations when considering early social experiences as well as assessing factors that may contribute differentially to variations in early experience across cultures
Literacy Research in Indian Languages (LiRIL): Research report of a Study of Literacy Acquisition in Kannada and Marathi (2013-2016)
The need for longitudinal studies of early literacy in
Indian contexts, especially in contexts of social and
economic disadvantage, emerged as a strong theme
during discussions at the national consultation on
Early Literacy sponsored by Tata Trusts (Tata Trusts,
New Delhi, April, 2011). Shortly thereafter, it was
decided that Tata Trusts, in collaboration with two
Tata Trusts partners and Dr. Shailaja Menon (of Azim
Premji University), would undertake a longitudinal
project on early literacy in Indian languages. Piloting
for the project began immediately thereafter and
continued over the next two years (2011-2013). The
longitudinal data collection for the project began in
September, 2013 in collaboration with two Tata
Trusts partners, QUEST (Wada, Maharashtra) and
Kalike (Yadgir, Karnataka), and continued until March
2016. To arrive at an in-depth, progressive
understanding, it was decided that this project would
track a cohort of students as they moved from
Grades 1-3. Analyses from the three years of data
collection are ongoing.
Rather than being a single study, LiRIL, with its focus
on the aforementioned five areas, is an umbrella
project answering multiple research questions. LiRILâs
work has focused on economically disadvantaged
districts because we have a deep interest in
understanding these contexts, in the hopes of
eventually designing relevant interventions for those
who most need it. The learnings from the project,
therefore, may not be generalizable to the overall
population of these states; nevertheless, they
provide focused points of insight and input into the
strengths and challenges of language teaching in
disadvantaged districts within the states
Powerful reforms in early language and literacy instruction in India
Shailaja Menon and others acknowledge that Indiaâs national literacy rate has gone up significantly since it gained independence in 1947, but make the case that deeply entrenched cultural beliefs and practices surrounding language and literacy, as well as their related curricula and pedagogy, remain unchanged in many Indian classrooms. They then suggest ways in which India could overcome these beliefs and practices
Literacy Research in Indian Languages (LiRIL): Research report of a Study of Literacy Acquisition in Kannada and Marathi (2013-2016)
The need for longitudinal studies of early literacy in
Indian contexts, especially in contexts of social and
economic disadvantage, emerged as a strong theme
during discussions at the national consultation on
Early Literacy sponsored by Tata Trusts (Tata Trusts,
New Delhi, April, 2011). Shortly thereafter, it was
decided that Tata Trusts, in collaboration with two
Tata Trusts partners and Dr. Shailaja Menon (of Azim
Premji University), would undertake a longitudinal
project on early literacy in Indian languages. Piloting
for the project began immediately thereafter and
continued over the next two years (2011-2013). The
longitudinal data collection for the project began in
September, 2013 in collaboration with two Tata
Trusts partners, QUEST (Wada, Maharashtra) and
Kalike (Yadgir, Karnataka), and continued until March
2016. To arrive at an in-depth, progressive
understanding, it was decided that this project would
track a cohort of students as they moved from
Grades 1-3. Analyses from the three years of data
collection are ongoing.
Rather than being a single study, LiRIL, with its focus
on the aforementioned five areas, is an umbrella
project answering multiple research questions. LiRILâs
work has focused on economically disadvantaged
districts because we have a deep interest in
understanding these contexts, in the hopes of
eventually designing relevant interventions for those
who most need it. The learnings from the project,
therefore, may not be generalizable to the overall
population of these states; nevertheless, they
provide focused points of insight and input into the
strengths and challenges of language teaching in
disadvantaged districts within the states