Given the increasing ethnic and language diversity within the United States, this study examined practices that acknowledge and promote diversity in pre-Kindergarten classrooms. Findings indicate that acceptance of diversity is a component of positive environments for young children, particularly in classrooms with high poverty levels where there…

Given the increased enrollment in pre-K programs coupled with a lack of teacher education that consistently links to child development, this study examines a new course developed to support early childhood professionals in implementing effective teacher-child interactions. Findings suggest that an effective course can be scaled-up and used in…

This study examined associations between classroom quality, amount of instruction in Spanish, and academic learning of Spanish-speaking 4 years-olds. Findings suggest that gains in reading and math were larger when children received more instruction in Spanish in classrooms with more responsive and sensitive teachers. It is possible that…

This study examined teachers' emotional support in classrooms and how it relates to children's outcomes in preschool and kindergarten. Findings suggest that more consistent emotional support was related to better academic and social outcomes, emphasizing the potentially important role of consistency in children's school experiences. [This research…

This study investigated associations between enrollment in preschool special education and school readiness skills for children with mild to moderate delays. Findings indicated that on average, children who received preschool special education services had lower scores in reading and math in kindergarten than similar children who did not receive…

Researchers investigated whether the Classroom Assessment Scoring System[TM] reliably characterized prekindergarten classrooms having varying ethnic and language compositions across the instrument's three domains (Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, and Instructional Support). They also examined whether the instrument predicted children's…

This study compared universal (available to all children) and targeted (offered only to children with specific risk factors) Pre-Kindergarten programs. Results showed that two aspects of structural quality (e.g., hours per day and teacher education) were higher in universal programs, but process quality (e.g., child interactions and feedback) was…

This study found that teachers who were randomly assigned to take a 14-week course on effective teacher-child interactions demonstrated significant changes in beliefs and knowledge about effective practices and provided more stimulating and engaging interactions in the classroom. [This research brief is based on: Hamre, B. K., Pianta, R. C.,…

This study offers a glimpse into the feasibility and potential benefits of offering a common course across multiple institutions of higher education. The research-based course was designed to enhance students' knowledge and beliefs regarding intentional teaching practices in language and literacy instruction. Researchers found evidence that a…

Studies consistently show that high quality pre-kindergarten (pre-k) programs make a positive difference for preschooler's success in kindergarten. Little is known, however, about how "individual children spend their time in pre-k programs." To find out, this study explored how children's use of time in pre-k varied based on three…

Improving children's preparation for school success has become a national priority. For decades, researchers have tried to identify the characteristics of early childhood education (ECE) classrooms that can make the greatest difference for participating children. To date, however, the research hasn't offered clear guidelines for how best to…

How good does an early childhood program have to be in order to achieve school readiness outcomes for children? This is known as the "threshold question," and policy makers and others have wanted an answer to this question since the onset of public investments in early care and education (ECE) programs. With expansion of Head Start and…

Interest in children's success as readers has existed for a long time. With growing attention to our nation's global competitiveness, school success with math and science is joining reading as important topic areas for children's early learning. As a result, new research is exploring predictors of school success with math and science as well as…

Differences between home and school environments are a topic of longstanding interest and often of concern. The "match" between home and school in terms of child-rearing beliefs and socialization practices can affect the ease with which children adapt to school and ultimately their success in meeting school expectations. With growing numbers of…

With growing public interest in children's success in kindergarten, more studies are examining prekindergarten (pre-k) classroom characteristics and their relationship to children's school readiness. These studies, for the most part, have focused on classroom environment characteristics associated with overall program quality, especially as…