Stacey Neuharth-Pritchett

Asthma and the School Teacher: The Status of Teacher Preparedness and Training

The increasing number of children with asthma in the nation’s schools necessitates an examination of the preparedness of teachers in the care and management of children with asthma. This article reports the findings of a random sample of 291 public elementary school teachers regarding the knowledge and perception of the training they have received on asthma and its management. Data from this study suggest that teachers are not adequately prepared to assist children with the management of asthma in the classroom. Implications for school nurses on assisting teachers with asthma management are provided.

PAVEd for Success: An Evaluation of a Comprehensive Preliteracy Program for Four-Year-Old Children.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of PAVEd for Success, comprehensive preliteracy program guidelines to support the development of foundational preliteracy skills in 4 year olds. Prekindergarten teachers received professional development on variables of the program that included a summer institute, after-school workshops, and classroom support from preliteracy specialists. Children were assessed at prekindergarten entry, following the implementation period and at the end of the school year. Vocabulary knowledge, phonological awareness, and alphabet knowledge were assessed during the prekindergarten year, and early literacy indicators and early decoding skills were assessed at the end of the kindergarten year. While all experimental variables showed some benefits to the development of childrens preliteracy skills, only the full program benefited children who entered the prekindergarten program at risk for reading difficulties. The program participants benefited in early literacy and decoding skills when compared to controls. Implementation by teachers with support and sustainability of program features without support was also evaluated. Teachers were most likely to implement and sustain program features which shared consistency with some prior literacy focus and when they were able to integrate program features across the curriculum. This research suggests that long-term change in the literacy skills of young children will involve complex and multifaceted approaches to preliteracy development.

Knowledge and Attitudes of Early Childhood Preservice Teachers Regarding the Inclusion of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Limited research exists on what preservice teachers know and believe about children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and their inclusion in general education classrooms, especially in early childhood education. In this preliminary study, knowledge and attitudes of 15 early childhood preservice teachers at a large southeastern university were surveyed using a modified version of the Autism Inclusion Questionnaire (Segall, 2008); four of these participants also engaged in subsequent in-depth interviews. Results indicated preservice teachers lacked knowledge and held basic misconceptions about ASD and the needs of children with ASD in inclusive classrooms. While participants wanted to learn more in this area and were generally supportive of inclusion, they had mixed attitudes about inclusion of children with more severe disabilities and their own future roles in an inclusive classroom. Implications for both collegiate and noncollegiate preparation and in-service training of early childhood educators are discussed.

Classroom practices for vocabulary enhancement in prekindergarten: Lessons from PAVEd for success

Contents: Preface. M.L. Kamil, E.H. Hiebert, Teaching and Learning Vocabulary: Perspectives and Persistent Issues. Part I: Perspectives on How Vocabulary Is Learned. W. Nagy, Why Vocabulary Instruction Needs to Be Long-Term and Comprehensive. A.E. Cunningham, Vocabulary Growth Through Independent Reading and Reading Aloud to Children. J.A. Scott, Creating Opportunities to Acquire New World Meanings From Text. Part II: Instruction and Interventions That Enhance Vocabulary. S.A. Stahl, Four Problems With Teaching Word Meanings and What to Do to Make Vocabulary an Integral Part of Instruction. M. Calderon, D. August, R. Slavin, D. Duran, N. Madden, A. Cheung, Bringing Words to Life in Classrooms With English Language Learners. M.S. Carlo, D. August, C.E. Snow, Sustained Vocabulary-Learning Strategy Instruction for English-Language Learners. P.J. Schwanenflugel, C.E. Hamilton, B.A. Bradley, H.P. Ruston, S. Neuharth-Pritchett, M.A. Restrepo, Classroom Practices for Vocabulary Enhancement in Prekindergarten: Lessons From PAVEd for Success. J.F. Baumann, G. Font, E.C. Edwards, E. Boland, Strategies for Teaching Middle-Grade Students to Use Word-Part and Context Clues to Expand Reading Vocabulary. Part III: Perspectives on Which Words to Choose for Instruction. I.L. Beck, M.G. McKeown, L. Kucan, Choosing Words to Teach. A. Biemiller, Size and Sequence in Vocabulary Development: Implications for Choosing Words for Primary Grade Vocabulary Instruction. E.H. Hiebert, In Pursuit of an Effective, Efficient Vocabulary Curriculum for Elementary Students.

Teacher Capability and School Resource Scale for Asthma Management

This paper presents the design and evaluation of the Teacher Capability and School Resource Scale for Asthma Management. Based on a sample of 589 kindergarten to eighth grade teachers, the scale yielded two factors: the Teacher Capability in Social and Emotional Aspects of Asthma Management factor (α = 0.83) and the School Resources/Institutional Capability for Asthma Management (α = 0.86). This scale fills a needed gap in the literature regarding assessment tools for school-based asthma management that focus on teacher efficacy.

Calming Rough Waters: Teacher Strategies for Smoothing the Transition to Middle School

I n the United States, 88% of young adolescents experience a critical developmental milestone: the transition from elementary to middle school (National Middle School Association [NMSA] & National Association of Elementary School Principals [NAESP], 2002). While all grade transitions can be challenging, the move from elementary to middle school is particularly difficult. Young adolescents encounter more of everything in middle school: more space to navigate, more people with whom to interact, and more choices to make in terms of classes, friendships, and activities. Couple this with the rapid physical, cognitive, and emotional changes associated with early adolescence (Rice & Dolgin, 2005), and the middle school transition becomes a complex life experience requiring careful navigation. Advocates for young adolescents suggest that having a developmentally appropriate school climate is key to meeting the needs of middle school students and facilitating a positive transition experience (Jackson & Davis, 2000; NMSA, 2003). Developmentally appropriate middle schools are characterized by a relevant and rigorous curriculum, learning related to the lives of students, and acknowledgment of students’ individual learning needs (Hester, Gable, & Manning, 2003; Jackson & Davis, 2000; Manning, 2000; NMSA, 2003). However, in the present educational context, influenced by an unprecedented emphasis on high-stakes testing, schools instead offer heavy doses of drill and practice, fact memorization, test preparation, and teacher-centered instruction designed to “cover” content for standardized tests (Solley, 2007). The resulting contrasts between the needs of young adolescents and their middle school environments may lead to not only poor school transitions (Eccles et al., 1993), but also a host of negative long-term outcomes, such as drug abuse, delinquency, and dropping out of school (Anfara & Schmid, 2007; Davis, Davis, Smith, & Capa, 2003; Galbo, 1989; Murdock, 1999; Murdock & Miller, 2003). Given the educational landscape, it is both timely and appropriate for educators to revisit the topic of middle school transition and reconsider their role in the transition experiences of young adolescents. When informed by the research literature, middle school teachers are positioned to play a positive role in young adolescents’ transition experiences. In building a Advocates for young

Parents' Interactions with Preschoolers during Shared Book Reading: Three Strategies for Promoting Quality Interactions.

Research shows that home environments play a critical role in developing childrens early literacy skills. Given the importance of developing early literacy skills to bolster childrens chances for subsequent academic success, this article highlights the role of parent-child shared book reading. Summarizing research on different types of parent-child interactions during shared book reading, it unveils strategies that parents may use to maximize the benefits of these experiences. The strategies have implications across cultures to enhance understanding of and appreciation for home-based practices in building supportive literacy environments for preschoolers.

Teacher Asthma Management and Information Seeking Scale

This article presents the design and evaluation of the Teacher Asthma Management and Information Seeking Scale. Based on a sample of 593 kindergarten to eighth grade teachers, the scale yielded two factors: the Asthma Management (= 0.90) and the Information Seeking Factor (= 0.71). This scale fills a needed gap in the literature regarding assessment tools for school-based asthma management that focus on teacher behavior.

Meaning-Related and Print-Related Interactions Between Preschoolers and Parents During Shared Book Reading and Their Associations With Emergent Literacy Skills

This study examined interactions between preschool children and parents during shared book reading by analyzing parental self-report data. Using confirmatory factor analytic procedures and structural equation modeling, this study developed a scale measuring meaning-related and print-related reading interactions and examined their associations with children’s emergent literacy skills. Based on a sample of 242 participants, this study confirmed a two-factor model of shared book-reading interactions: meaning- and print-related interactions. The study also demonstrated that meaning-related interactions were significantly related to children’s receptive and expressive vocabulary and that print-related interactions were significantly associated with their letter-name knowledge. Additional findings indicated that while reading together, parents and their preschool children reported a greater focus on the contents of the story than on the printed letters or words. Compared to less educated mothers, mothers with higher levels of education reported engaging more frequently in meaning-related interactions with their children during shared reading. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Parental Involvement Routines and Former Head Start Children's Literacy Outcomes.

This study examined the relationship between parental involvement routines and former Head Start children’s literacy outcomes. Former Head Start children (n = 3, 808) from the National Head Start/Public School Transition Demonstration Research Project comprised the sample. Family routines and literacy outcomes in kindergarten were examined, revealing routines at home and school to be beneficial to literacy outcomes in kindergarten.