Teaching practices mediating the effect of teachers’ psychological stress, and not physiological on their visual focus of attention

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between teachers’ (N = 53) physiological and psychological stress and their visual focus of attention as well as the mediating effect of teaching practices on this association in authentic classroom settings. Data were collected using multimodal methods of measurement: salivary cortisol levels for physiological stress, a self-reported questionnaire for psychological stress, observed teaching practices during one school day, and eye-tracking video recordings of classroom teachers during one lesson for teachers’ visual focus of attention. The results showed that neither teachers’ physiological nor psychological stress was directly related to their visual focus of attention. However, using more child-centered teaching practices compared with teacher-directed ones was related to a higher number of fixations on students, longer total fixation duration, and more individualized distribution of visual focus of attention on students. Teacher’s teaching practices mediated the effect of teachers’ psychological stress on their fixation counts on students and distribution of visual focus of attention. The results suggest that teaching practices are related to the visual attention teachers’ give to students and that teachers’ stress affects their visual focus of attention through teaching practices. The practical implications of this study suggest that teachers should receive training and support to recognize their stress level and its association with their teaching.publishedVersio

Ohjausvuorovaikutuksen laatu ja esiopettajien työhyvinvointi: kontekstitekijöiden ja työstä palautumisen merkitys

Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää, missä määrin ohjausvuorovaikutuksen laatu ja esiopettajien työhyvinvointi (koettu stressi ja työstä palautuminen) vaihtelevat suhteessa esiopetuksen kontekstitekijöihin eli esiopetuksen toteutuspaikkaan (päiväkoti tai koulu), ryhmäkokoon ja esiopettajan työkokemukseen. Lisäksi selvitettiin, muuntaako esiopettajien työstä palautuminen ohjausvuorovaikutuksen laadun ja koetun stressin välisiä yhteyksiä esiopetusvuoden aikana. Tutkimukseen osallistui 47 esiopettajaa esiopetusvuoden syksyllä ja keväällä. Ohjausvuorovaikutuksen laatua arvioitiin CLASS Pre-K –havainnointityökalun avulla kolmella osa-alueella: tunnetuki, toiminnan organisointi ja ohjauksellinen tuki. Lisäksi esiopettajat arvioivat kyselylomakkeella työhyvinvointiaan. Tulosten mukaan ohjausvuorovaikutuksen kokonaislaatu ja esiopettajien työhyvinvointi olivat riippumattomia kontekstitekijöistä, vaikkakin joitakin yksittäisiä eroja ohjausvuorovaikutuksen laadussa havaittiin. Lisäksi esiopettajien työstä palautuminen muunsi koetun stressin ja ohjausvuorovaikutuksen laadun välisiä yhteyksiä osoittaen työstä palautumisen olevan keskeistä esiopettajien työssä jaksamiselle ja ohjausvuorovaikutuksen laadulle. Tuloksia voidaan hyödyntää esiopettajien ja varhaiskasvatuksen opettajien perus- ja täydennyskoulutuksessa ohjausvuorovaikutuksen laadun parantamiseksi ja työhyvinvoinnin tukemiseksi.The aim of this study was to examine if the quality of teacher-child interactions and preschool teachers’ occupational well-being (stress and recovery from work) differ depending on contextual factors, i.e., location of the preschool group (daycare center or school), group size and teacher’s work experience. Moreover, it was investigated if teachers’ recovery from work moderates the associations between the stress teachers experience and the quality of teacher-child interactions during the preschool year. Preschool teachers (N = 47) participated in the study in autumn and in spring. The quality of teacher-child interactions in the classrooms was assessed with the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS Pre-K) on three dimensions: emotional support, classroom organization and instructional support. Moreover, teachers reported their occupational well-being on questionnaires. The results showed that teachers’ occupational well-being and the overall quality of teacher-child interactions did not differ depending on the contextual factors although some differences were found in the quality of teacher-child interactions. Furthermore, recovery from work moderated the associations between teachers’ stress and quality of teacher-child interactions in the classroom indicating that recovery from work is central to teachers’ well-being and interaction quality. Findings are useful for teachers’ preservice and in-service training to enhance the quality of teacher-child interactions and to support teachers’ occupational well-being

Reciprocal Associations Between Social Competence and Language and Pre-Literacy Skills in Preschool

The present study examined reciprocal associations between children’s social competence and language and pre-literacy skills across the preschool year. Participants were 441 children (six-year-olds; 212 boys, 229 girls) and their teachers. Teachers rated children’s social competence in the autumn and again in the spring, using the Multisource Assessment of Social Competence Scale (MASCS), which produced sum scores for cooperating skills, empathy, impulsivity and disruptiveness. Children were tested by trained investigators on their pre-literacy skills in both the autumn and the spring, and, only in the spring, also on their receptive vocabulary. Parental education, each child’s age and time elapsed between the measurement points were used as control variables. The gender differences in the reciprocal associations were also investigated. The results showed that cooperating skills predicted a higher vocabulary. Associations between social competence and pre-literacy skills varied between boys and girls. For girls, empathy and cooperating skills predicted higher pre-literacy skills, whereas, for boys, pre-literacy skills predicted subsequent empathy. For boys, higher pre-literacy skills were related to lower disruptiveness and impulsivity, whereas, for girls, higher disruptiveness predicted lower pre-literacy skills. The findings highlight the reciprocal association between social-emotional and pre-literacy skills and emphasise the importance of promoting children’s overall development during the preschool year

Teacher–child interactions as a context for developing social competence in toddler classrooms

The present study investigates the quality and variability of teacher–child interactions in relation to children’s social competence in Finnish toddler classrooms. The participants included 242 toddlers (114 girls, 128 boys) and their teachers (N = 42). The quality of teacher–child interactions (i.e., emotional and behavioral support; engaged support for learning) was observed using the CLASS-Toddler observation instrument (La Paro et al., 2012), and the average amount of within-day variability was calculated from the observed cycles. Teachers rated toddler’s social competence with the Multisource Assessment of Social Competence Scale (MASCS; Junttila et al., 2006) in relation to the toddlers’ cooperation, empathy, impulsivity, and disruptiveness. The results revealed that observed engaged support for learning was positively associated with the classroom average level of empathy in the spring when accounting for previous levels of empathy in the fall. In addition, a higher variability in engaged support for learning was negatively related to the empathy. The results emphasize the importance of active facilitation, well-timed feedback, and verbally rich support by teachers in promoting toddlers’ empathy throughout one’s daily activities, hence attesting to both the quality and consistency of such practices. The results are particularly useful for initial teacher training and in-service training.The present study investigates the quality and variability of teacher–child interactions in relation to children’s social competence in Finnish toddler classrooms. The participants included 242 toddlers (114 girls, 128 boys) and their teachers (N = 42). The quality of teacher–child interactions (i.e., emotional and behavioral support; engaged support for learning) was observed using the CLASS-Toddler observation instrument (La Paro et al., 2012), and the average amount of within-day variability was calculated from the observed cycles. Teachers rated toddler’s social competence with the Multisource Assessment of Social Competence Scale (MASCS; Junttila et al., 2006) in relation to the toddlers’ cooperation, empathy, impulsivity, and disruptiveness. The results revealed that observed engaged support for learning was positively associated with the classroom average level of empathy in the spring when accounting for previous levels of empathy in the fall. In addition, a higher variability in engaged support for learning was negatively related to the empathy. The results emphasize the importance of active facilitation, well-timed feedback, and verbally rich support by teachers in promoting toddlers’ empathy throughout one’s daily activities, hence attesting to both the quality and consistency of such practices. The results are particularly useful for initial teacher training and in-service training

Longitudinal associations between third-grade teaching styles and sixth-grade reading skills : a 3-year follow-up study

Background Most previous studies of teaching styles and reading skills have been cross-sectional. Longitudinal research is needed to clarify the direction of effects. The present longitudinal study examined the degree to which differences in teaching styles in the third grade predict the sixth-grade reading performance. The consistency of the findings was addressed by comparing results across students in two countries (Finland and Estonia). Methods A total of 1,057 students (50.9% boys) were followed from the third to sixth grade. Teaching styles of third-grade teachers (N = 70) were examined as predictors of the development of reading (i.e., third-grade to sixth-grade reading fluency and comprehension). Results Five patterns of third-grade teaching practices were found across two countries: child-centred style, teacher-directed style, child-dominated style, extreme child-centred style, and mixed child-centred and teacher-directed style (mixed teaching style). The mixed teaching style and the child-centred style in the third grade were related to the greatest increases in reading fluency from the third to sixth grade, over and above the contribution of age, gender and maternal education. Conclusions The findings underscore the importance of the flexible use of child-centred and teacher-directed practices, which are both linked to the development of reading fluency during late primary school years.Peer reviewe

Patterns of dialogic teaching in kindergarten classrooms of Finland and the United Arab Emirates

© 2018 Elsevier Ltd The present study explored patterns of dialogic teaching in kindergarten classrooms across two countries with different educational systems and cultural backgrounds: Finland and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In each country, transcripts of thirteen learning sessions were analyzed by identifying episodes of educational dialogue and categorizing them with regard to previously identified patterns of dialogic teaching. Results showed that teachers, rather than students, initiated dialogue. Further, teacher-initiated teaching dialogue of high quality was the dominant dialogue pattern. Comparisons across countries revealed less educational dialogue and more teacher-initiated questions in classrooms in the UAE, while more open space for sharing thoughts was found in kindergarten classrooms in Finland. The findings suggest variations in the structure of educational dialogue and instructional practices in kindergarten classrooms across contexts

Longitudinal Associations of First-grade Teaching with Reading in Early Primary School

The present study examined the longitudinal associations between first-grade teaching practices and children's reading skills development from Grade 1 to Grade 3. Using the Early Childhood Classroom Observation Measure (ECCOM), the teaching practices of 32 Finnish teachers were observed in Grade 1. Students' (N = 359) word recognition and sentence reading skills were assessed yearly from Grade 1 to Grade 3. The person-oriented analysis identified three profiles of teaching practices in Grade 1: child-centred teaching style, teacher-directed teaching style, and a mixed child-centred and teacher-directed teaching style. Furthermore, the results showed that children whose Grade 1 teachers used the mixed child-centred and teacher-directed style showed faster reading skills development than those who were taught with the teacher-directed style. These findings provided evidence that teachers' use of both child-centred and teacher-directed practices in the first school year promotes the best development of children's reading skills in early school years.Peer reviewe

Process quality in toddler classrooms in four european countries

Research Findings: This study examined whether teacher-child interaction quality varied as a function of type of activity in toddler classrooms in four European countries (Finland, Netherlands, Poland, and Portugal). It also investigated whether specific activity settings, namely levels of adult involvement, use of whole group, and children’s engagement with materials, explained differences in teacher-child interaction quality across activities. Participants were 129 toddler classrooms and their lead teachers, specifically, 28 in the Netherlands, 40 in Finland, 31 in Portugal, and 30 in Poland. Process quality was measured with the CLASS Toddler (La Paro et al., 2012) and the Activity Setting Measure was used to characterize adult levels of involvement, group organization, and children’s engagement with materials. Findings indicated that there were important variations across activities in all countries. Positive associations were found between higher levels of adult facilitation and both Emotional and Educational Support. Other activity settings partially explained differences across activities in interaction quality, although patterns varied by country. Practice or Policy: CLASS scores were conditional on the content and format of the activities. Greater attention to activity types and settings may be a means to increase the precision of quality assessment.peerReviewe

Kindergarten pre-reading skills predict Grade 9 reading comprehension (PISA Reading) but fail to explain gender difference

One of the aims for compulsory education is to diminish or alleviate differences in children's skills existing prior to school entry. However, a growing gender gap in reading development has increasingly been documented. Regrettably, there is scant evidence on whether differences between genders (favouring girls) have their roots in pre-reading skills or whether determining mechanisms are related to factors to do with schooling. We examined the extent to which pre-reading skills assessed in Kindergarten (age 6) predict reading comprehension in Grade 9 (age 15) and, whether the gender difference in reading comprehension can be explained by gender differences in the Kindergarten pre-reading skills. A sample of 1010 Finnish children were assessed on letter knowledge, phonological awareness, rapid naming, vocabulary, and listening comprehension in Kindergarten and on reading comprehension using PISA Reading tasks in Grade 9. Path models showed that gender as well as Kindergarten pre-reading skills except for phonological awareness were significant predictors of reading comprehension in Grade 9 accounting for 28% of the variance. There were gender differences in most of the measures, but the prediction model estimates were similar for boys and girls except that for boys, letter knowledge was a somewhat stronger predictor of reading comprehension than for girls. The gender effect on reading comprehension was only partially mediated via pre-reading skills. The findings suggest that Kindergarten pre-reading skills are powerful predictors of reading comprehension in Grade 9, but the gender difference found in PISA Reading in Finland does not appear to be pronounced in Kindergarten but rather emerges during the school years

Vanhempien hiljaisia ääniä: Vanhemmuuden uupumuksen ja työuupumuksen alaryhmät koronapandemian aikana

Koronapandemialla on esitetty olevan pitkäkestoisia seurauksia erityisesti haavoittuvassa asemassa oleville perheille, mutta tällaisten vanhempien hyvinvoinnista koronapandemian aikana on vain vähän tutkimustietoa. Osana laajempaa EduRESCUE-hanketta toteutetussa hiljaisten äänten tutkimuksessa tarkastelimme vanhemmuuden uupumuksen ja työuupumuksen perusteella muodostettuja vanhempien alaryhmiä koronapandemian aikana sekä sitä, onko alaryhmien välillä eroja lasten erityistarpeissa, vanhemman kokemassa sosiaalisessa tuessa ja resilienssissä eli kyvyssä palautua vastoinkäymisistä. Tunnistimme neljä vanhempien alaryhmää:1) ei uupuneet (53 %)2) lievästi vanhempana uupuneet (19 %)3) työssä uupuneet (18 %)4) vanhempana ja työssä uupuneet (10 %). Vanhempana ja työssä uupuneilla vanhemmilla oli ei uupuneita useammin erityistarpeisia lapsia ja he kokivat saavansa muita vähemmän sosiaalista tukea. Lisäksi he kokivat resilienssinsä ei uupuneita vanhempia heikommaksi. Tutkimus tuo uutta tietoa vanhemmuudessa ja työssä uupumisen yhdistelmistä koronapandemian aikana sekä kuvastaa uupumusoireiden kasaantumista ja mahdollista pitkittymistä erityisesti heikosti voivien vanhempien keskuudessa. Tuloksia voidaan hyödyntää, kun suunnitellaan vanhempien uupumuksen ennalta ehkäisyä ja perheiden tukitoimintaa sekä kehitetään resilienssin vahvistamiseen liittyviä interventioita