Gary E. Bingham

Ethnicity and Student Engagement

The underachievement of African American, Latino, and American Indian students in the United States has been partially attributed to poor engagement in school (e.g., Connell, Spencer & Aber, 1994; Steele, 1997). In this chapter, we consider the role of ethnicity in student engagement. A number of factors have been posited to influence minority students’ engagement in school. Okagaki (2001) conceptualized these factors into three broad domains: the roles of the student, the family, and the school. We begin with a discussion of factors within the student, such as students’ ethnic identity beliefs, experiences with discrimination, and bicultural efficacy, and the relations of these factors to students’ engagement in school. In the second section, we examine the role that parents’ beliefs, expectations, and behaviors play in ethnic minority students’ engagement in school, paying particular attention to beliefs and values that can be attributed to parents’ cultural models of education (Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001; Lareau, 1996). Third, we consider how factors associated with teachers, peers, and friends relate to ethnic minority students’ engagement in school. In particular, we focus on students’ access to same ethnic teachers and peers, the quality of relationships with teachers and friends, and pedagogical practices that may facilitate ethnic minority students’ engagement in school. Finally, we identify the need for stronger empirical research around the identification and amelioration of the discontinuities between home and school cultures.

American Indian College Students' Ethnic Identity and Beliefs about Education.

Sixty-seven American Indian and 96 European-American undergraduate students responded to questions about their educational and ethnic beliefs and their perceptions of their mother’s and father’s support for education. The American Indian participants completed some additional items regarding their ethnic beliefs and their perceptions of their parents’ cultural beliefs and practices. American Indian students placed greater value on the instrumental importance of education, more strongly affirmed their ethnic identity, and felt closer to their ethnic group than did European American students. For American Indian students, perceptions of mother’s socialization of cultural beliefs and practices were strongly related to students’ ratings of ethnic identity achievement, ethnic practices and belonging, and importance of ethnic identity. Belief in one’s bicultural efficacy was positively correlated with American Indian students’ ratings of academic identity and belief in the instrumental importance of school.

Systematic and Engaging Early Literacy: Examining the Effects of Paraeducator Implemented Early Literacy Instruction

This study examined the effect of explicit and engaging supplemental early literacy instruction on at-risk kindergarten children’s literacy development. Sixty-three kindergarten-aged children who had been ranked in the lowest 20th percentile on basic literacy skills participated in this study (38 treatment). Results reveal that children who received engaging and explicit supplemental instruction from a paraeducator performed significantly better on rhyming, alliteration, letter knowledge, letter-sound association, spelling, and blending tasks than children who received one-on-one instruction through a tutoring program. Findings highlight the important role that paraeducators can play in implementing explicit and engaging literacy curriculum that positively affects children’s development of early literacy skills.

How Do Linguistically Diverse Students Fare in Full- and Half-Day Kindergarten? Examining Academic Achievement, Instructional Quality, and Attendance

Research Findings: This study investigated the effects of full- and half-day kindergarten programs on classroom instructional quality and childrens academic achievement. Considerations were given for how the length of the school day, language status (English language learner [ELL] and non-ELL), and childrens attendance patterns influenced achievement. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected concurrently and were interpreted to note the convergence (or lack thereof) of the findings. Quantitative results revealed no difference in the quality of instruction being offered in full- and half-day classrooms. Additionally, full-day kindergarten positively impacted childrens academic achievement in literacy but not in mathematics, regardless of childrens language status. In regard to language development, ELL children benefited more from full-day kindergarten than did their English-speaking peers, whereas all (ELL and non-ELL) children enrolled in full-day kindergarten made greater language gains when they missed fewer than 10 school days. Practice or Policy: Findings from this study have significant policy and practice implications related to the overall quality, availability, and cultural and developmental appropriateness of kindergarten programming in the United States.

Early Language and Literacy Achievement of Early Reading First Students in Kindergarten and 1st Grade in the United States

Early literacy intervention programs are predicated on the understanding that childrens early literacy performance in preschool is one of the most important early predictors of subsequent school success. As the largest U.S.-funded early literacy intervention program, Early Reading First (ERF) sought to advance the language and literacy outcomes of economically disadvantaged preschool children by improving the quality of language and literacy instruction these children received. To date, however, little research exists on the longitudinal outcomes of children who participated in ERF programs. This study examined the long-term language and literacy developmental trajectories of 75, primarily African American, children who participated in an ERF program as prekindergartners. Results reveal that children in kindergarten and 1st grade were performing at average levels on standardized reading measures. In addition, children significantly improved their oral language skills in prekindergarten, and these effects were maintained through kindergarten and 1st grade.

Mothers' and fathers' parenting challenges, strategies, and resources in toddlerhood

This study examined mothers’ and fathers’ parenting challenges and strategies/resources used when parenting toddlers. Through a qualitative interview protocol, implemented with mothers and fathers separately at a university laboratory, this study found that both fathers and mothers appeared to be transitioning from traditional gender roles towards co-parenting practices. Thirty-eight, mostly Caucasian and middle-class, mothers and fathers of toddlers reported many similarities in parenting challenges, coping strategies, and resource use. Common sources of parenting stress for both mothers and fathers were developmental and behavioural concerns about their toddler and time management concerns in balancing between various responsibilities. Some fathers reported difficulty and less perceived competence in taking care of children during daily routines than did mothers. Mothers used a greater variety of emotion regulation strategies than fathers did. These strategies, which included support-seeking from more diverse sources (e.g. families, friends, books), were used to reduce their stress. Implications for the content and delivery methods of co-parenting and parenting education programmes are discussed.

Examining the Relationship Between Emergent Literacy Skills and Invented Spelling in Prekindergarten Spanish-Speaking Dual Language Learners

The purpose of the present study was to examine associations among English and Spanish emergent literacy skills of prekindergarten (pre-K) Spanish-speaking dual language learners in relation to their English invented spelling. Study participants included 141 Spanish-speaking 4-year-old children enrolled in state-funded pre-K programs in a large urban city located in the Southeast. All children were receiving English-only instruction. Children’s Spanish and English receptive vocabulary and code-related skills were assessed in the fall and spring of their pre-K year, but their invented spelling was assessed only in the spring. Research Findings: Analyses revealed significant correlations among children’s English and Spanish receptive vocabulary as well as English and Spanish early code-related skills in the fall and spring of the school year. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed direct contributions of children’s English vocabulary and growth in Spanish code-related skills across the year to children’s English invented spelling in the spring of the school year. This analysis also revealed that associations between children’s English code-related skills and invented spelling appear to work through Spanish code-related skills. Practice or Policy: In order to promote young dual language learners’ English invented spelling skills, early childhood educators should seek to support children’s English vocabulary and English and Spanish code-related emergent literacy skills.

Child Maltreatment in United States: An Examination of Child Reports and Substantiation Rates

Child maltreatment represents a serious threat to childrens rights and is a grave problem in the US and around the world. It is the second leading cause of death for children in the US. Each year, hundreds of thousands of reports are made to child protective services across the US. A fraction of these reports are made by the alleged victims of child maltreatment. While research into maltreatment reporting has generally focused on adult reporters, research on reports made by children themselves has been largely ignored. Data from a national child maltreatment reporting system were analyzed to first describe and then compare reports of maltreatment made by the alleged child victim to other adult reporters. Results indicated that a minority of self-reports are substantiated by child protective services and that the type of maltreatment most often reported by the alleged child victim differed significantly from other adult reporters. Differences related to the gender, race and ethnicity of the child reporter were also found.

Dialogic Reading: Language and Preliteracy Outcomes for Young Children With Disabilities.

Dialogic reading is an evidence-based practice for preschool children who are typically developing or at-risk; yet there is limited research to evaluate if it has similar positive effects on the language and preliteracy skills of children with disabilities. This quasi-experimental study examined the effects of dialogic reading, with the incorporation of pause time, on the language and preliteracy skills of 42 preschool children with disabilities. Following random assignment of students at the classroom level, participants were equally distributed into an intervention (n = 21) and a comparison group (n = 21). Children received either dialogic reading or typical storybook reading for 10 to 15 min per day, 3 days per week, for 6 weeks. Children in the intervention group scored significantly higher on receptive and expressive near-transfer vocabulary assessments. This occurred both for words that were specifically targeted during dialogic reading, and for additional vocabulary words in the storybook.

Culturally and Linguistically Relevant Readalouds.

The teacher readaloud is an instructional tool established in its ability to foster childrens language and literacy development. Increasing cultural and linguistic diversity and changing standards place pressure on teachers to provide literacy and language instruction relevant to childrens everyday lives and learning. This article presents a framework for conducting culturally and linguistically relevant readalouds within two essential components, talk and text, in terms of developing cultural competence, maintaining high academic expectations, and fostering a critical stance. Particular attention is given to the interactive nature of these readalouds and how they can be used to promote childrens active co-construction of textually-based meaning.