So Many Books They Don’t Even All Fit on the Bookshelf”: An Examination of Low-income and Ethnic Minority Mothers’ Home Literacy Practices, Beliefs, and Influencing Factors

Given the need to enhance the academic language and early literacy skills of young children from low-income homes and the importance of the home literacy environment (HLE) in supporting children’s development, the purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand the HLE of low-income African-American and Latino mothers of preschool children living in the United States. Specifically, research aims were to examine HLE practices, beliefs and influential factors as well as to compare the HLE of African-American and Latino, specifically Puerto Rican, families. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 African-American and 10 Puerto Rican mothers. Data were analyzed using the consensual qualitative research method. Twelve themes were identified: provision of educational materials, engagement with books, focus on print, implicit language opportunities, focus on other pre-academic skills, social interactions with books, influence of school, influence of other adults, parent reading interest/ability, child reading interest, parent commitment to child’s success, and family stressors. Few differences emerged between African-American and Puerto Rican mothers. Implications for language and literacy intervention development are discussed

Depression, Control, and Climate: An Examination of Factors Impacting Teaching Quality in Preschool Classrooms

This study investigated the relationship of preschool teachers’ self-reported depressive symptomatology, perception of classroom control, and perception of school climate to classroom quality as measured by the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS Pre-K). The sample consisted of 59 urban preschool classrooms serving low-income and linguistically diverse students in the northeastern and southeastern United States. Results of hierarchical linear modeling revealed that teachers’ individual report of depressive symptomatology was significantly and negatively predictive of their observed instructional support and classroom organization quality domains. The findings of this study have implications for increasing access to mental health supports for teachers in an effort to minimize depressive symptoms and potentially improve classroom quality

Los padres como promotores del desarrollo de lenguaje de bebés prematuros: propuesta de intervención temprana

Cualquier programa de intervención puede beneficiarse de la participación de los padres, pero es necesario darles información de cómo pueden estimular el lenguaje de sus hijos. El objetivo fue entrenar a los padres acerca de lo que debían esperar del desarrollo del lenguaje de sus hijos y brindarles técnicas de estimulación de este para evitar secuelas. Se estudiaron 21 bebés prematuros mexicanos y se comprobó que, después del entrenamiento, los padres se sentían más capaces de estimular a sus hijos. A los bebés se les aplicó una prueba de lenguaje al año y a los tres años de edad; en ambas obtuvieron puntajes normales para su edad. Se concluye que los padres son buenos promotores del lenguaje en bebés prematuro

sj-docx-1-jei-10.1177_10538151221131514 – Supplemental material for Voces de la Gente: Spanish-Speaking Families’ Perspectives on Early Childhood Special Education

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-jei-10.1177_10538151221131514 for Voces de la Gente: Spanish-Speaking Families’ Perspectives on Early Childhood Special Education by Lillian Durán, Lauren M. Cycyk and Ruby Batz in Journal of Early Intervention</p

sj-docx-2-jei-10.1177_10538151221131514 – Supplemental material for Voces de la Gente: Spanish-Speaking Families’ Perspectives on Early Childhood Special Education

Supplemental material, sj-docx-2-jei-10.1177_10538151221131514 for Voces de la Gente: Spanish-Speaking Families’ Perspectives on Early Childhood Special Education by Lillian Durán, Lauren M. Cycyk and Ruby Batz in Journal of Early Intervention</p

Code-Switching and Language Proficiency in Bilingual Children with and Without Developmental Language Disorder.

Purpose This study examined the frequency of code-switching by Spanish-English-speaking children as a function of language proficiency in each language and diagnosis (developmental language disorder [DLD] or typical language development [TLD]). Method Sixty-two Spanish-English-speaking children, 5-7 years of age, participated in this study (24 with DLD and 38 with TLD). Language samples were used to determine the level of language proficiency in each language as a continuum of performance. Correlational analyses were conducted to evaluate the relationship between Spanish and English language proficiency and the frequency of code-switching considering the total number of code-switched words, intrasentential code-switching (i.e., number of sentences/C-units with code-switched parts), and intersentential code-switching (i.e., code-switched sentences/C-units). Negative binomial and zero-inflated Poisson regressions were conducted to evaluate whether the frequency of code-switched words, code-switched parts, and code-switched sentences is different across children with DLD and their peers with TLD, controlling for Spanish and English proficiency. Results When Spanish was the target language, lower proficiency in Spanish was associated with higher frequency of code-switches to English for the group with DLD, but not for their peers with TLD who code-switched to English regardless of their Spanish and English proficiency. There were no statistically significant effects of diagnosis on the frequency of code-switches. Conclusion Results indicate that code-switching occurs similarly across children with DLD and their peers with TLD; therefore, the frequency and type of code-switches should not be used as an indicator of DLD

Teacher Beliefs and Misconceptions Regarding Dual Language Learners in Head Start: An Opportunity for Enhancing Professional Development

Knowing Head Start teachers’ existing beliefs can help to tailor the professional development they receive on topics surrounding DLL development and best practices. Teachers who have access to accurate information that strengthens best practices and dispels their misconceptions related to DLLs may be better equipped to provide a quality preschool experience to DLLs in their classrooms. Twenty-three female teachers working in Head Start preschool centers were interviewed on their beliefs regarding DLLs, their development, and DLLs’ instructional practices. Modified consensual qualitative analysis was completed as an inductive, multi-step analysis process to summarize the beliefs of the participating teachers. Six major themes emerged. These themes included: (1) definition of DLL; (2) value of DLLs’ home culture and language; (3) ease of learning English (4) primary classroom language; (5) home language use in the classroom; (6) language difference versus language delay or disorder. Implications and recommendations for professional development will be discussed

Revista de logopedia, foniatría y audiología

Resumen basado en el de la publicaciónTítulo, resumen y palabras clave también en inglésLa interacción temprana madre-hijo es crítica para el desarrollo adecuado del lactante; sin embargo, la interacción de los padres con los lactantes prematuros presenta una dificultad particular por las circunstancias que acompañan un nacimiento prematuro, como son los factores de riesgo de daño cerebral, y la necesidad de estimulación temprana tanto motora como cognitiva que demandan estos bebés. Se ha observado que los programas educativos tienen efectos positivos en los padres de lactantes prematuros ya que mejoran los resultados de sus hijos en evaluaciones motrices, cognitivas y del lenguaje. Se examina el efecto de un programa de educación para padres para estimular el desarrollo de las habilidades comunicativas de los lactantes prematuros. Se examina además cómo cambió la interacción padres-hijo después del programa de intervención.Biblioteca de Educación del Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte; Calle San Agustín, 5 - 3 Planta; 28014 Madrid; Tel. +34917748000; [email protected]

Teachers' Beliefs Regarding Dual Language Learners in Head Start

Knowing Head Start teachers existing beliefs can help to tailor the professional development they receive on topics surrounding DLLs language development and best practices for DLLs in their classrooms. Teachers who have access to accurate information that strengthens their practices and dispels their misconceptions related to DLLs may be better equipped to provide a quality preschool experience to DLLs in their classrooms. Twenty-three female teachers working in Head Start preschool centers serving DLLs were interviewed on their beliefs regarding DLLs, DLLs language development, and appropriate instructional practices for DLLs. Modified consensual qualitative analysis was completed as an inductive, multi-step analysis process to summarize the beliefs of the participating teachers. Six major themes emerged. These themes included: (1) definition of DLL; (2) value of DLLs home culture and language; (3) ease of learning English; (4) primary classroom language; (5) home language use in the classroom; (6) language difference versus language delay or disorder. Implications and recommendations for professional development are discussed

Preschool Teachers’ Language and Literacy Practices with Dual Language Learners

he purposes of this study were to (a) examine the degree to which teachers used linguistically responsive practices to support the language and literacy development of Spanish-speaking Dual Language Learners (DLL) and (b) to investigate the associations between these practices and select teacher-level factors. The sample consisted of 72 preschool teachers. Observational data were collected on practices. Teachers self-reported on language and culture beliefs, Spanish-speaking ability, and classroom composition. Results indicated that teachers, including those who spoke Spanish, used few linguistically responsive practices to support preschool DLLs. Only Spanish-speaking ability was related to practices. Implications for targeted professional development are discussed