Research and Practice in Early Childhood Education

This document contains summaries of two research articles on early childhood education. The first article explores the characteristics that preschoolers need to be ready for school, while the second article investigates how Australian educators view the use of home language by Chinese children in early childhood settings. The implications of these findings for practice are also discussed.

RESEARCH AND PRACTICE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
RESEARCH AND PRACTICE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Name of the University
Author Note

RESEARCH AND PRACTICE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
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Article 1
Piker, R.A. & Kimmel, M. (2016). Preparing young dual language learners for school
success: early childhood teacher beliefs regarding school readiness, Early Child Development
and Care
Research question
What does the childhood teachers in the United States of America considers to be the
essential characteristics, for the preschoolers, to be ready for the school?
Location of the study
California Department of Education
Participants
Fifty-two early care and the education teachers across the country responded for
participating to an online survey related to the important characteristics and the skills
required for the children before the admission to a kindergarten. At the end 26 participants
participated I the demographic survey. A qualitative research method has been used.
Sampling strategy
An electronic survey link was sent to the former and the current graduate students of
the Early Childhood Education Master of Arts programme and to the faculties placed across
the country. Snowball sampling approach used (Piker & Kimmel, 2016).
Major findings
As per the finding of the survey, the educators think that it is the social characteristics,
physical and the social emotional skills that are greater than literacy, language and numeracy

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that has to be emphasized upon before the admission to a kindergarten. Other factors involves
physical characteristics and minimum communication skills that a child should possess.
Implications for practice
The findings would help the parents and the educators to understand about school
readiness and what has to be worked on in the pre-school classrooms rather than focusing on
the conventional, instructional curriculum.

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Article 2
Hu, J., Torr, J. & Whiteman, P. (2014). ‘Parents don’t want their children to speak their home
language’: how do educators negotiate partnerships with Chinese parents regarding their
children’s use of home language and English in early childhood settings?, Early Years, 34:3,
255-270.
Research question
How does the Australian educators view the use of the home language by the Chinese
children and the way they respond to the Chinese parents, who may have different ideas for
addressing the issues?
Location of the study & the participants
Five early childhood educators and five Chinese families have been recruited to
participate in the study. The study is part of the larger research project investigating on the
perception of the Chinese parents and the attitude of the Australian educators regarding
language and the development of the Chinese children.
Sampling strategy
A qualitative study has been done. Random stratified sampling used. The educators recruited
were monolingual English speakers having experience in working with the English children.
Semi-structured interviews were used as the mode of data collection as per the convenience
and the timings of the participants. (Hu, Torr & Whiteman, 2014).
Major findings
 Many Chinese parents expected that their children would only use English language in
the early childhood settings that did not align with the educators, who believed in the
autonomy of the children.

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Using home language in early care settings assists the social, emotional, confidence
and feelings of belonging among the children. (Hu, Torr & Whiteman, 2014).
Implications for the practice
This study would help to understand the differences in perception of the parents and
the educators regarding the usage of home language. This would help the educators to take up
strategies for better communication with the children and the parents.

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References
Hu, J., Torr, J. & Whiteman, P. (2014). ‘Parents don’t want their children to speak their home
language’: how do educators negotiate partnerships with Chinese parents regarding
their children’s use of home language and English in early childhood settings?, Early
Years, 34:3, 255-270.
Piker, R.A. & Kimmel, M. (2016). Preparing young dual language learners for school
success: early childhood teacher beliefs regarding school readiness, Early Child
Development and Care