Contribution of Parent-Reported Interactive Peer Play in the Home to Social and Academic School Readiness Skills in Head Start

To maximize children's early learning experiences in programs, such as Head Start, research must identify and leverage developmental skills that promote learning, such as peer social competence as observed through peer play. The present study used a strength-based approach to examine interactive peer play as reported by parents to identify profiles of children who display common patterns of play behaviors and examined associations with social and academic readiness skills in a sample of racially and ethnically minoritized children from low-income families (N=209 children, N=23 classrooms). Additionally, interviews were conducted on a subset of families to understand their perspectives on their children's play skills. Three unique profiles groups were identified, Below Average Engagement with Peers, Positive Engagement with Peers, and Behaviors Interfering with Play. Girls were more likely to be classified in the positive engagement group. Findings suggest the group of children exhibiting lower engagement overall were rated higher and scored higher on school readiness skills than the group of children who exhibited the most challenging behaviors, and the group of children who exhibit the most behaviors that interfere with play had higher levels of overactive behaviors in the classroom. Finally, four descriptive themes emerged based on the qualitative interviews with caregivers: Play as a Vivid Memory, Versatility in Play, Playing is Learning, and Pride in Play Prodigies and Personas. Together, the quantitative and qualitative findings provide some understanding of why caregivers perceive play as a part of learning for their children. Implications about the importance of the home context for children's learning and interventions to support parent-teacher relationships in early childhood programs are discussed

Learning Behaviors Mediate Associations between Parent-reported Peer Play Skills and Literacy and Mathematics Skills for Low-income Preschool Children

Research Findings: Peer play interactions are important contexts for supporting early learning both at home and at school for preschool children from low-income backgrounds. The current study used structural equation modeling to examine whether teacher-reported learning behaviors in the classroom mediated the relationship between parent-reported peer play skills in the home and direct assessments of language, literacy, and mathematics skills in a diverse sample of 680 Head Start preschoolers across 53 classrooms. Disconnected and disruptive play skills in the home were negatively associated with learning behaviors and language/literacy and mathematics skills. Additionally, learning behaviors mediated the relationship between disruptive play skills in the home and academic skills. Practice or Policy: Implications for strengthening parent teacher partnerships and program-wide interventions are discussed

A Program-wide Look at Early Identification of Socioemotional and Behavioral Needs in Head Start Programs to Better Serve Children

Early childhood programs, such as Head Start, that serve children at risk can implement programmatic screening procedures to ensure equitable identification of children displaying a range of socioemotional and behavioral needs. We examined administrative records linked to a program-wide mental health screening tool to examine patterns of special needs referral and identification for children within the Head Start program (N=7,301 children). Findings showed that male, Hispanic, and Spanish-speaking Dual Language Learner (DLL) children were identified with a disability at a higher rate compared to female, non-Hispanic, and non-DLL children. Children displaying challenging behaviors such as aggressive, oppositional, or disruptive behavior were identified at higher rates than children displaying shy or socially withdrawn behaviors

An Examination of Children Referred and Identified with Socioemotional and Behavioral Needs in Head Start

This study utilized a population-based approach to examine the prevalence of children identified with disabilities in a large, urban Head Start program serving diverse preschool children living in poverty (N=7,301). In addition, the study examined demographic differences in patterns of screening and identification for disability with respect to socioemotional and behavioral needs. Two administrative data systems were integrated for analysis: program enrollment and demographic records; and a mental health screening assessment database including all children enrolled within the Head Start program. Findings suggested that gender (boys) and ethnicity (Hispanic) were associated with higher rates of identification for disability, including emotional/behavioral disability. In addition, of those children identified with an emotional/behavioral disability, the program-wide social-emotional screening tool showed greater rates of externalizing behavior problems compared to internalizing behavior problems. Implications for policy, future research, and practice within early childhood programs such as Head Start are discussed

Leveraging the Developmental Strengths of Young Children in Context

Approximately 44% (10.1 million) of our nation’s children under 6 years of age live within 200% of the federal poverty level, and 21% (4.8 million) live at or below the federal poverty level (National Center for Children in Poverty, 2016). Poverty and its associated ecological risks to health, well-being, and educational success disproportionately affect many young children, particularly those from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds (Crosnoe et al., 2010; Duncan & Magnuson, 2011; Gillanders, Iruka, Ritchie, & Cobb, 2012) and are associated with inequities in early learning opportunities. However, despite experiencing elevated risks associated with living in poverty, many young children sho

Teacher–Child Interaction Quality Buffers Negative Associations Between Challenging Behaviors in Preschool Classroom Contexts and Language and Literacy Skills

Guided by an ecological model, we tested whether teacher–child interaction quality buffered the negative associations between challenging behavior within preschool classroom contexts and language and literacy skills. Associations were examined for a sample of children enrolled an urban Head Start program ( N = 304 children across 53 classrooms). Findings from multilevel models supported direct associations between challenging behaviors within preschool learning contexts and language outcomes. Higher instructional support was associated with higher language and literacy outcomes for all children within classrooms regardless of behavioral risk. Higher classroom organization was directly associated with higher classroom literacy skills. Emotional support moderated associations between challenging behaviors in teacher contexts and literacy outcomes. Implications for future research, policy, and practice are discussed

Early childhood teacher workplace stress and classroom practices

Teaching is a stressful profession given teachers' competing demands. Due to COVID-19, teachers struggle to balance maintaining a safe classroom environment and the traditional child-directed focus of early education. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an adaptation of Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) on reducing teachers' stress and examine associations between teacher stress and classroom practices. Measures were collected at baseline (T1) and 6-months post-intervention (T2) using the Childcare Worker Job Stress Inventory, an observational measure of classroom practices (Health Environment Rating Scale), and teacher-child interaction quality (Classroom Assessment Scoring System). Regression analyses revealed that teacher-reported Job Resources were associated with higher Classroom Organization at T2. Findings suggested that providing mental health consultation may be an important first step in improving quality classroom practices, particularly those practices that support children's social-emotional and behavioral development

Teacher-child interaction quality moderates social risks associated with problem behavior in preschool classroom contexts

Guided by an ecological model, the study examined the extent to which domains of teacher-child interaction quality moderated associations between early problem behavior within preschool classroom contexts and social competence. A series of multilevel models were estimated using data from a sample of ethnically and linguistically diverse children from low-income backgrounds (N = 937, children across 53 classrooms). Findings from multilevel models supported direct associations between problem behavior within classroom structured learning, teacher, and peer contexts, and social competence outcomes. Higher classroom organization was directly associated with reductions in disruptive peer play in the classroom at the end of the year. However, cross-level interactions indicated that both higher organizational and instructional support were beneficial in buffering the risks to social competence for children entering preschool exhibiting problem behavior within the peer context. Implications for future research, policy, and practice are discussed. •Classroom problem behavior assessed in ecological context.•Early teacher-rated problems in context associated with peer play outcomes.•Teacher-child interaction quality direct and indirect associations with peer play.•Classroom organization associated with lower play disruption.•Classroom organization and instructional support moderated associations between peer problems and negative play outcomes

Impact of a Culturally Responsive Professional Development Program in Assistive Technology for Latinx Teachers

Very few studies have examined how to culturally and linguistically (CL) adapt professional development (PD) programs in assistive technology (AT) for Latinx teachers serving young children with disabilities. The purposes of this article are (a) to present an iterative design of a CL-adapted PD program, (b) to examine the impact of this program on teachers’ use of AT practices to support young children with disabilities in early childhood classrooms, and (c) to evaluate the usefulness of program adaptations through the lens of bilingual Latinx practitioners. The Ecological Validity Model (EVM) was used as a framework for both the development and assessment of the program’s CL adaptations. Quantitative results indicated significant changes in teachers’ AT use pre- to post-intervention, while qualitative findings revealed the program’s alignment with the language, persons, metaphors, and context dimensions of the EVM. In addition, three themes provided rich descriptions of the program’s responsiveness to practitioners and classrooms. This study supports the CL adaptation of AT interventions as an equitable practice, supporting young children across a range of disabilities, cultures, and contexts while empowering the diverse practitioners who serve them