Early childhood teachers’ beliefs about children, classroom quality and children’s early language

• In Event: Exploring the Connection Between Preschool Teacher Beliefs, Responsiveness and Child Learning Outcomes

Abstract

Background & Objectives:
Although research has enhanced our knowledge of the type of classroom quality that young children need to support their language skills (e.g., frequent sensitive and responsive teacher child interactions; Justice et al., 2018; Sawyer et al., 2018), there is evidence showing that some preschool children experience poor quality classrooms (e.g., lacking in rich materials that support child-initiated exploration; Sawyer et al., 2018). To enhance the quality of classrooms, it is important to learn about teachers’ individual characteristics to understand how to better support teachers in building quality learning environments. We examined how preschool teachers’ beliefs about children (child-centered vs. teacher-centered) are associated with children’s language gains and the extent to which classroom quality moderates any observed relations.

Data & Methods:
The study included two parallel data subsets – National Center for Early Development and Learning and Multi-State Study of Pre-Kindergarten and the NCEDL-NIEER State-Wide Early Education Programs Study. Only teachers who were in the classrooms over in fall and spring, and who did not change classes were included. Majority of teachers (98.51%) were female, predominantly White (68.78%), mean age 41 years and had a mean of nine years’ teaching experience. Children’s mean age (M = 4.6, SD = .313) in the fall and boys formed 49.17%. Classroom quality was assessed using classroom assessment scoring system (CLASS) and the children were directly assessed in the fall and spring on receptive and expressive vocabulary using PPVT/TVIP and OWLS respectively. Teachers’ beliefs about children were measured using the Modernity Scale (Schaefer & Edgerton, 1985).

Multiple regression analysis was used to establish how the level of education and years of experience predict teachers’ beliefs about children. Multilevel linear modeling was used to examine how early childhood teachers’ beliefs about children associate with children’s early language gains over an academic year while accounting for between-classroom effects.

Results & Implications:
Beliefs about children were negatively and significantly associated with emotional and instructional climate. Beliefs significantly predicted emotional and instructional climate. Beliefs were negatively and significantly associated with both receptive and expressive vocabulary in fall and spring. Emotional and instructional climate were positively and significantly associated with receptive and expressive vocabulary in fall and spring. Instructional climate significantly predicted expressive vocabulary gains. Emotional climate significantly predicted receptive vocabulary gains.

There is a need to give attention to teachers’ beliefs about children in both pre-service and in-service training. Enhancing child-centered beliefs about children may foster classroom quality. Teacher training and professional learning should emphasize the importance of adaptive child-centered beliefs in preschool. The teachers can also be trained to understand the dimensions of effective teacher-child interactions and to be sensitive and responsive to children through professional guidance, modeling, and one-on-one feedback. There is a need to recruit and retain highly qualified and experienced preschool teachers.

Author

• Jamlick Bosire, University of Missouri