We investigated the predictive value of a new kindergarten assessment of handwriting readiness on handwriting performance in first grade as evaluated by the Systematic Screening for Handwriting Difficulties (Dutch abbreviation: SOS). The kindergarten assessment consisted of the Writing Readiness Inventory Tool In Context (WRITIC), the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (Beery™VMI) and the Nine-Hole Peg Test (9-HPT). The WRITIC evaluates in kindergarten children (aged 5-6 years) prewriting skills, the Beery™VMI and 9-HPT evaluate visual motor integration and fine-motor coordination, all elements important for handwriting readiness. In kindergarten, 109 children (55 boys; mean age 70 months, SD 4.8 months) were tested with the WRITIC, Beery™VMI and 9-HPT and one year later in first grade (mean age 85 months, SD 4.5 months) with the SOS. A multivariable linear mixed model was used to identify variables that independently predict outcomes in first grade (SOS): baseline scores on WRITIC-TP, Beery™VMI, 9-HPT, 'sustained attention,' 'gender,' 'age' and 'intervention' in the intermediate period. The results showed that WRITIC-TP, Beery™VMI, and 9-HPT, 'sustained attention,' 'gender' and 'intervention' had all predictive value on the handwriting outcome. Thereby WRITIC-TP was the main predictor for outcome of SOS-Quality, and Beery™VMI and 9-HPT were the main predictors of SOS-Speed. This kindergarten assessment of WRITIC-TP, Beery™VMI, and 9-HPT contributes to the detection of children at risk for developing handwriting problems.
DOCUMENT
This study utilized the Dutch translation of the Adjustment Scales for Early Transition in Schooling (ASETS), assessed in 323 kindergarten children across 30 regular schools in the Netherlands. Culturally-tailored, context-informed assessments are essential to address childhood adaptation challenges in early schooling. The analysis included EFA and CFA, revealing three behavioral problem categories: Aggressive/Oppositional (α = .86), Withdrawal/Low energy (α = .87), and Hyperactive/Attention seeking (α = .92). In addition, three situational contexts were identified: Contexts Requiring Discipline (α = .84), Contexts of Teaching and Learning (α = .85), and problems in Contexts Requiring Engagement (aka Disengagement) (α = .80). The 3-factor situational model demonstrated a good fit, RMSEA = .056, CFI = .97, and Pearson correlations highlighting distinct associations between behavioral dimensions and situational requirements.
DOCUMENT
Introduction: Writing Readiness Inventory Tool In Context (WRITIC) is an activity-based assessment tool to evaluate which kindergarten children are at risk of developing handwriting difficulties. WRITIC-assessment is valid, reliable, feasible, predictive, and norm-referenced. Broad international interest in translating WRITIC-assessment exists.Objectives: Making WRITIC available to professionals internationally to enable participation in handwriting at school. Methods: Composing translation teams with universities in different countries, back- and forth translation, cross-cultural assessment adaptation, carrying out feasibility and validation studies, starting courses for training the professionals.Results: Translation teams have been started in different countries resulting in an English, Portuguese and Slovenian translation, validation studies in Flanders, UK, Portugal and Slovenia and translation projects in Greece, Bulgaria, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. A Figshare environment was developed to safely store, exchange the data and to support international research. An international digital platform has been constructed to sell e-manuals, share e-learning and support people worldwide.Conclusion: The translation and cross-cultural adaptation in different languages and the international digital platform made WRITIC-assessment accessible to children’s therapists around the world with the same results: enabling school participation of all children in contributing to inclusive education.
MULTIFILE
For the first time in the Netherlands, the Adjustment Scales for Early Transition in Schooling (ASETS) have been applied to kindergarten and first-grade elementary school. A study was conducted to examine the relation between the different behavioral (phenotypes) and situational dimensions (situtypes) of the ASETS and learning performance on standardized language and numeracy tests. Results show that a proportion of children experience socioemotional and behavioral problems. Among boys, in particular, emotional or behavioral problems are significant. Furthermore, results show that these problems translate into a fairly consistent pattern of negative correlations with language and numeracy performance. These outcomes support the assertion that some children are not yet ready for school. It therefore seems important that the structured academic approach that is central to many methods used in early childhood education undergoes critical reflection, as by no means all target group children are ready for this approach.
DOCUMENT
The (pre)school environment is an important setting to improve children’s health. Especially, the (pre)school playground provides a major opportunity to intervene. This review presents an overview of the existing evidence on the value of both school and preschool playgrounds on children’s health in terms of physical activity, cognitive and social outcomes. In addition, we aimed to identify which playground characteristics are the strongest correlates of beneficial effects and for which subgroups of children effects are most distinct. In total, 13 experimental and 17 observational studies have been summarized of which 10 (77%) and 16 (94%) demonstrated moderate to high methodological quality, respectively. Nearly all experimental studies (n = 11) evaluated intervention effects on time spent in different levels of physical activity during recess. Research on the effects of (pre)school playgrounds on cognitive and social outcomes is scarce (n = 2). The experimental studies generated moderate evidence for an effect of the provision of play equipment, inconclusive evidence for an effect of the use of playground markings, allocating play space and for multi-component interventions, and no evidence for an effect of decreasing playground density, the promotion of physical activity by staff and increasing recess duration on children’s health. In line with this, observational studies showed positive associations between play equipment and children’s physical activity level. In contrast to experimental studies, significant associations were also found between children’s physical activity and a decreased playground density and increased recess duration. To confirm the findings of this review, researchers are advised to conduct more experimental studies with a randomized controlled design and to incorporate the assessment of implementation strategies and process evaluations to reveal which intervention strategies and playground characteristics are most effective. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-11-59 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited.
MULTIFILE
Early detection of reading problems is important to prevent an enduring lag in reading skills. We studied the relationship between speed of word recognition (after six months of grade 1 education) and four kindergarten pre-literacy skills: letter knowledge, phonological awareness and naming speed for both digits and letters. Our sample consisted of 178 pupils divided over seven classes. In agreement with the literature, we found that all four kindergarten tests were related to speed of word recognition in grade 1. We also performed a multiple regression analysis with a set of background variables and the four kindergarten tests. The model explained 53% of the variance in speed of word recognition. However, only letter knowledge and naming speed for digits had a significant direct effect. Our conclusion is, nevertheless, that all four kindergarten tests should be used to identify children at risk for reading problems.
LINK
Under the premise that language learning is bidirectional in nature, this study aimed to investigate syntactic coordination within teacher-student interactions by using cross-recurrence quantification analysis (CRQA). Seven teachers’ and a group of their students’ interactions were repeatedly measured in the course of an intervention in early science education. Results showed changes in the proportion of recurrent points; in case of simple sentences teachers and students became less coordinated over time, whereas in case of complex sentences teachers and students showed increasing coordination. Results also revealed less rigid (more flexible) syntactic coordination, although there were no changes in the relative contribution of teacher and students to this. In the light of the intervention under investigation this is an important result. This means that teachers and students learn to use more complex language and coordinate their language complexity better in order to co-construct science discourse. The application of CRQA provides new insights and contributes to better understanding of the dynamics of syntactic coordination.
DOCUMENT
No summary available
DOCUMENT
Background: Practicing handwriting is important for learning reading and spelling. The Writing Readiness Inventory Tool In Context (WRITIC) is an occupation-based assessment that enables early identification of kindergarten children at risk for developing handwriting difficulties. For children with non-handwriting readiness based on the WRITIC we developed a classroom group program with emphasis on engagement and motivation to practice paper-and-pencil tasks and improve handwriting readiness.Objective: We performed a proof of concept study to evaluate effectiveness and feasibility of the classroom group program.Methods: A within-group comparison design was used. Twenty-four children, 5-6 years old (score below the 15th percentile on WRITIC), participated. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test evaluated the difference in scores on the WRITIC before and after the classroom group program. Feasibility was tested by interviewing.Results: A significant difference was found on the WRITIC assessment (Z=-4,3; p<0,001). The classroom group program was feasible in the existing educational program.Conclusions: This proof of concept study shows that the classroom group program is effective and feasible within kindergarten education. This program contributes to the handwriting readiness of kindergarten children and provides them a good start for learning handwritings skills important for their further school career and self-esteem.
DOCUMENT
In het boek Schools that learn (2012, p. 76) van Peter Senge staat een mooi citaat: ‘A boy of five, on the first day of kindergarten, asked his teacher, ‘When am I going to learn how to read? She said, a bit absently (for there was a lot going on), ‘Oh, that won’t happen until next year, in first grade.’ He didn’t say anything, but an hour or so later, she noticed that he had slipped away when no one was looking. He walked out of the room and continued home (which fortunately was only a few blocks away). He went up to his startled mother and said, ‘ I’ll go back next year…when they’re ready to teach me to read.’ Deze vijfjarige leerling heeft duidelijk niet de leeromgeving waar hij behoefte aan heeft. Hij wil graag leren lezen maar ‘de school is daar nog niet klaar voor’. Het aansluiten bij de leerbehoeften van de lerende is binnen alle onderwijstypes en op alle onderwijsniveaus van belang. Een leeromgeving zou altijd een krachtige leeromgeving moeten zijn. Zelfsturing is één van de kenmerken daarvan. In dit artikel wordt ingegaan op een krachtige leeromgeving voor gezondheidsprofessionals in opleiding van de Faculteit voor Gezondheid, Voeding & Sport van De Haagse Hogeschool. Op basis van literatuur wordt beschreven aan welke criteria een dergelijke leeromgeving moet voldoen. Vervolgens worden resultaten beschreven van een onderzoek onder studenten en docenten van de Faculteit voor Gezondheid, Voeding & Sport van De Haagse Hogeschool. Doel van dit onderzoek was om in kaart te brengen hoe studenten en docenten praktijkgericht, zelfgestuurd en interdisciplinair leren ervaren, wat deze manier van leren precies van student en docent vraagt en wat dit oplevert met betrekking tot competentie-ontwikkeling van studenten. De volgende vragen stonden centraal: • Hoe ervaren studenten en docenten dergelijke leeractiviteiten? • Wat vraagt een krachtige leeromgeving van de student en docent? • Wat levert de krachtige leeromgeving volgens hen op?
DOCUMENT
