scholarly journals Transition from Aoga Amata to school: case studies in the Wellington region

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Le'autuli'ilagi Malaeta Faasapisapi Sauvao
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Language Maintenance ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Transition To School ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Performance Tasks ◽  
Sampling Procedures ◽  
The Impact

<p>Background The rapid increase in the number of Samoan children receiving early childhood education in their heritage language through the Aoga Amata movement has prompted the researcher to examine how continuity is being handled during the transition to primary schooling. During 1996-7, I interviewed parents, teachers, principals and children about the transition from Aoga Amata programmes to junior class programmes in fourteen primary schools. In addition, I gathered descriptions of how parents viewed the nature and the quality of Aoga Amata programmes, and how teachers and principals viewed issues of language maintenance. I also asked children to reflect on their Aoga Amata experience and then engage in performance tasks that provided me with an opportunity to gauge their spoken proficiency in Samoan. Aim The primary aim of the study was to gather information from parents, children, teachers and principals about the way the transition to school was organised for Aoga Amata children. Sampling procedures I used a community network approach to gain access to a pool of twenty recent graduates of Aoga Amata and their receiving schools. In addition, I chose six children for case study purposes because of the interesting circumstance each child represented. Thirty-nine parents, fourteen teachers and fourteen principals completed the sample. Procedures I used structured interviews, questionnaire versions of the structured interviews, and performance tasks in order to collect information. I asked about the strategies used to cope with the transition to primary school; the impact of the transition on children, the perceptions of parents about Aoga Amata programmes, perceptions of teachers about the transition to primary school, and the factors thought by stakeholders to be contributing to the maintenance of the Samoan language in school. The procedures used to gather information were carried out using culturally appropriate communication processes that made use of faafeiloaiga faa Samoa (cultural greetings), faaaloalo (respect and supply of food), faamalie ona o ni itu e faalavelavea ai le suesuega (acknowledgement of intrusion) and lauga faafetai/faamavae (speeches of appreciation and farewell). Results Only one Aoga Amata/school partnership had a comprehensive programme where the graduates of the Aoga Amata were received into a bilingual programme taught by a native speaker of Samoan. The Aoga Amata was on the school grounds and this enabled linkages to develop over a period of time between its staff, the teachers at the school, the children, and the children's families. When children were received into schools where there was no continuity of language and curriculum, the transition was perceived as less satisfactory, especially in the early days of the transition. Compared to children who attended other early childhood educational centres, or remained at home, children who had attended an Aoga Amata programme were generally perceived by most teachers and parents as having more developed literacy, numeracy, and social skills. Schools varied in the position they took on language maintenance and on the actions that they were prepared to take. Lack of funding, lack of trained Samoan teachers, and a view that the school's cultural activities were sufficient were all reasons given for absence of language maintenance. Conclusion There is lack of an agreed understanding of what is necessary for successful transition to school in the case of Aoga Amata children. Stakeholders in the children's education will need to target policy, strategies, and standards to guide continuity between home, Aoga Amata, school and community.</p>

scholarly journals Transition from Aoga Amata to school: case studies in the Wellington region

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Le'autuli'ilagi Malaeta Faasapisapi Sauvao
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Language Maintenance ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Transition To School ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Performance Tasks ◽  
Sampling Procedures ◽  
The Impact

<p>Background The rapid increase in the number of Samoan children receiving early childhood education in their heritage language through the Aoga Amata movement has prompted the researcher to examine how continuity is being handled during the transition to primary schooling. During 1996-7, I interviewed parents, teachers, principals and children about the transition from Aoga Amata programmes to junior class programmes in fourteen primary schools. In addition, I gathered descriptions of how parents viewed the nature and the quality of Aoga Amata programmes, and how teachers and principals viewed issues of language maintenance. I also asked children to reflect on their Aoga Amata experience and then engage in performance tasks that provided me with an opportunity to gauge their spoken proficiency in Samoan. Aim The primary aim of the study was to gather information from parents, children, teachers and principals about the way the transition to school was organised for Aoga Amata children. Sampling procedures I used a community network approach to gain access to a pool of twenty recent graduates of Aoga Amata and their receiving schools. In addition, I chose six children for case study purposes because of the interesting circumstance each child represented. Thirty-nine parents, fourteen teachers and fourteen principals completed the sample. Procedures I used structured interviews, questionnaire versions of the structured interviews, and performance tasks in order to collect information. I asked about the strategies used to cope with the transition to primary school; the impact of the transition on children, the perceptions of parents about Aoga Amata programmes, perceptions of teachers about the transition to primary school, and the factors thought by stakeholders to be contributing to the maintenance of the Samoan language in school. The procedures used to gather information were carried out using culturally appropriate communication processes that made use of faafeiloaiga faa Samoa (cultural greetings), faaaloalo (respect and supply of food), faamalie ona o ni itu e faalavelavea ai le suesuega (acknowledgement of intrusion) and lauga faafetai/faamavae (speeches of appreciation and farewell). Results Only one Aoga Amata/school partnership had a comprehensive programme where the graduates of the Aoga Amata were received into a bilingual programme taught by a native speaker of Samoan. The Aoga Amata was on the school grounds and this enabled linkages to develop over a period of time between its staff, the teachers at the school, the children, and the children's families. When children were received into schools where there was no continuity of language and curriculum, the transition was perceived as less satisfactory, especially in the early days of the transition. Compared to children who attended other early childhood educational centres, or remained at home, children who had attended an Aoga Amata programme were generally perceived by most teachers and parents as having more developed literacy, numeracy, and social skills. Schools varied in the position they took on language maintenance and on the actions that they were prepared to take. Lack of funding, lack of trained Samoan teachers, and a view that the school's cultural activities were sufficient were all reasons given for absence of language maintenance. Conclusion There is lack of an agreed understanding of what is necessary for successful transition to school in the case of Aoga Amata children. Stakeholders in the children's education will need to target policy, strategies, and standards to guide continuity between home, Aoga Amata, school and community.</p>

scholarly journals Impact of Early Childhood Education on Pupils’ Learning in Primary Schools in Kenya

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 52
Author(s):  
Jacinta R. M. ◽  
Rotich K. S.
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Simple Language ◽  
Descriptive Survey ◽  
The Impact

<p>The research focused on the impact of Early Childhood Education (ECE) in the learning of pupils in primary schools in Kenya. The study employed descriptive survey design. The target population of the study was 616 teachers in the 32 public primary school in Starehe Division of Nairobi County. The sample comprised of 210 randomly selected primary school teachers. Data were gathered by use of questionnaire. Findings revealed that pupils who had gone through the ECE were able to acquire skills in basic counting, mathematics and speaking. Pupils who had not attended ECE classes had problems with grasping simple counting skills and simple language skills. They were not able to interact well with other pupils. The findings also revealed that pupils who had attended ECE classes were able to interact with the teachers better than those who had not attended ECE. Findings indicated that pupils who had attended the ECE classes had usually lower scores at the beginning in class one. Attending ECE classes enabled pupils become fluent in reading and in recognizing numbers in mathematics. The study concluded that ECE classes had prepared pupils to join primary school by enabling them learn some basic counting and speaking skills. The study recommended that parents should be sensitized on the need to take their children to the ECE centers before taking them to formal primary schools.</p>

scholarly journals IMPACT OF MODELLING TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION FOR OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME LEARNING ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

2020 ◽  
pp. 292-299
Author(s):  
Dr. Thadei A. Kiwango
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Technology Integration ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Government ◽  
Arusha Region ◽  
Primary School Pupils ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Out Of School

This paper determines the impact of modelling technology integration for of out-of-school (OST) learning on academic achievement in primary schools. The research was conducted in Arusha Region, specifically in Meru District. The paper adopted the experimental design, involving experimental and control groups. Each of the two groups comprised three (3) schools, making a total of six (6) schools. The experiment was conducted using Digital Video Disks (DVDs), mobile phones, notebooks and home assignment booklets. The tools were further supplemented by a list of perceived best practices, and examination papers. The findings reveal a statistically significant difference in mean scores between the control and experimental groups as confirmed by 95% confidence level whereby, F (1, 180) = 28.63, p=0. Based on the findings, null hypothesis was rejected, leading to the conclusion that the proposed model for OST technology integration is attributed to significant improvements in academic achievement for primary school OST learners. The implication of these findings is for researchers, and other educational stakeholders, including the government to invest in devising contextually relevant model, and mobilizing parents, teachers and learners with a view to hastening technology integration in order to improve academic achievements for primary school pupils. There is also a need for studies that further explore technology integration opportunities, and associated challenges in a bid to addressing poor academic performance among primary school pupils.

Curricular Physical Activity and Academic Performance

1997 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy J. Shephard
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Academic Performance ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Psychomotor Development ◽  
Release Time ◽  
Positive Health ◽  
School Students ◽  
The Impact

Advocates of quality daily physical education for prepubescent children frequently encounter the argument that such initiatives will harm academic progress. The impact of daily physical education upon the academic performance of primary school students is thus reviewed with particular reference to studies conducted in Vanves (France), Australia, and Trois Rivières (Québec). When a substantial proportion of curricular time (14–26%) is allocated to physical activity, learning seems to proceed more rapidly per unit of classroom time, so that academic performance matches, and may even exceed, that of control students. Children receiving additional physical education show an acceleration of their psychomotor development, and this could provide a mechanism for accelerated learning of academic skills. Other potential mechanisms include increased cerebral blood flow, greater arousal, changes in hormone levels, enhanced nutrient intake, changes in body build, and increased self esteem. Academic teachers may also favor the enhanced physical education program, creating “halo” effects, and the resulting release time may enhance their academic teaching. Irrespective of mechanisms, the implication for public policy is that daily required physical education can be introduced when a child enters primary school without compromising academic development. Given the importance of establishing positive health habits from an early age, school boards should be encouraged to follow a policy of required daily physical activity in primary schools. Evidence of specific benefit in students with learning disabilities remains less convincing.

Impact of Challenging Behavior on Marginalized and Minoritized Caregivers of Children With Disabilities

2021 ◽  
pp. 027112142110520
Author(s):  
Nicole B. Adams ◽  
Stacy N. McGuire ◽  
Hedda Meadan ◽  
Melanie R Martin ◽  
Adriana K. Terol ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Challenging Behavior ◽  
Mexican American ◽  
Children With Disabilities ◽  
Common Occurrence ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Cultural Interpretation ◽  
Young Children With Disabilities ◽  
The Impact

Challenging behavior (CB) is a common occurrence in early childhood and frequently occurs in young children with disabilities. CB is also culturally perceived and includes differences in how caregivers understand and define the topography of CB. Despite the cultural interpretation, CB is known to impact the child and their family but there has been little exploration of what marginalized caregivers perceive as the impact of the CB that their young children with disabilities exhibit. We used semi-structured interviews to explore the perceptions of 24 caregivers, who identified as Black, Mexican American, and White, about the impact of their child’s CB. Caregivers shared how the CB impacted themselves, their families, their child, and others. Although much of the impact was similar among caregivers, we discuss nuanced differences across ethnic groups.

The Perceptions of Principals on their Leadership Role in Pre-primary

1998 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 26-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Stamopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Developmentally Appropriate ◽  
School Principal ◽  
Leadership Role ◽  
Early Childhood Professional ◽  
Childhood Professional ◽  
Appropriate Practices

The incorporation of pre-primary centres into Western Australian government primary schools has shifted the responsibility for leadership from the kindergarten director to the primary school principal. Concerns have been raised that principals who are responsible for appraisal of pre-primary teachers are providing inadequate educational leadership to these teachers because of their lack of theoretical and practical background in early childhood. They have not been provided with professional development to adequately support them in this role. However, to date, it seems that principals have not been asked for their views about their capacities concerning the pre-primary sector. For these reasons this study investigated the question: How do primary school principals perceive they fulfil their administrative, managerial and educational roles in respect to pre-primary centres? The majority of principals in the district surveyed indicated that they considered administration/management to be their most important role in relation to pre-primary education. A greater number of principals indicated inadequate performance in dealing with educational issues. The majority of principals said the system should require pre-primary training for principals, provide each school with materials that outline developmentally appropriate practices; and provide early childhood professional development courses for principals.

scholarly journals INFLUENCE OF TEACHERS’ TEACHING EXPERIENCE ON TEACHING OF LITERACY SKILLS AMONG GRADE ONE PUPILS IN MOMBASA, KENYA

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emelda Juma Olando ◽  
Margaret Mwangi
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Extensive Experience ◽  
Head Teachers ◽  
Experience Teaching ◽  
Grade One

<p>Early childhood years are crucial in children’s literacy development since the development of language and literacy begins at birth and is a lifelong process. For early childhood education to be a success, teacher experience is imperative for teaching literacy. The teachers’ experience informs the necessary literacy skills for the child which include writing, reading, speaking, listening and drawing. Policies governing basic education in Kenya do emphasize the importance of skilled, experienced teachers in the classroom, including early childhood settings. However, such requirements have not been adhered to and therefore numerous early childhood teachers lack experience in children literacy issues. This study sought to determine how teacher’s experience influences the teaching of literacy skills in primary school in Mbaraki Zone, Mombasa County, Kenya. Descriptive survey design was adopted in the study. The target population for the study comprised of 20 head teachers, 800 Grade one pupils and 40 Grade one teachers of all the twenty primary schools in Mbaraki Zone, Mombasa County, Kenya. Purposive sampling approach was used to obtain the sample for the primary school head teachers and Grade one teachers because they are relatively small. Three learners were sampled randomly from each class that had a participating teacher. The study findings revealed that majority of teachers had more than five years of experience teaching literacy skills. The inferential analysis revealed that the teaching experience had a statistically significant influence on reading (p 0.014), speaking (p 0.021), listening skills (p 0.038) as well as basic skills (p 0.019). The study calls on the ministry of education and the schools to ensure that teachers assigned to grade one should have extensive experience teaching literacy skills to promote teaching of literacy skills in the classes.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0975/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

scholarly journals Epistemological and didactic aspects of elearning. The role of electronic models in teaching/learning

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 156-167
Author(s):  
Nicoleta Sămărescu
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Mathematical Thinking ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Scientific Practical ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
The Impact

The eLearning instruments that have been researched in the last few years represent a necessity for the Romanian primary school also within the development of the alternative learning sources. These cognitive instruments as D.H. Jonassen names them, are utilized in the USA and are researched in other countries, too (France) in order to be implemented. The aim of this article is to implement and to recommend the utilization of electronic models: text and image processing sheets, presentation sheets, spreadsheets in the teaching­learning process in primary school. According to this aim, the research hypothesis has been issued in keeping with which we anticipate to be able to offer a well thought training in the eLearning field by updating the teaching and learning process with the help of the implementation of a set of electronic models which will increase the intercepting coefficient, the motivation, stimulation, imagination and enthusiasm degree for the learning actors and will redefine the teacher-pupil relation. The main objectives which derive from the hypothesis of our study confine to establishing the impact of electronic models of the eLeaming Set that has been proposed to be implemented on the actors primary school in the teaching-learning process; rendering the teaching-learning process efficient by implementing cognitive models with electronic support; working out an operational guide that contains scientific-practical recommendations and lesson models that utilize PeL; enriching the mathematical thinking. The study sample covers a population that wishes to know, to participate in the implementing of the new technologies. The sample was composed as follows: 121 teachers in primary schools, most of them students of the University in Pite

scholarly journals Factors Affecting Technology Integration in EFL Classrooms: The Case of Kuwaiti Government Primary Schools

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Maha Bader Alghasab ◽  
Anaam Alfadley ◽  
Amel M. Aladwani
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Parental Support ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Efl Teachers

Previous Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) research has shown that technology is beneficial for promoting language learning, but some teachers neither use technology as an assisted tool nor integrate it into their language classrooms. It has also been argued that the integration of technology has been unsuccessful in Kuwait. This study aims to explore the factors influencing teachers&rsquo; use of technology in English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom in Kuwaiti government primary schools. More specifically, it aims to highlight factors promoting and hindering EFL teachers&rsquo; use of technology. For the purpose of this study, 55 questionnaire responses were collected from different primary school teachers in Kuwait, followed up with 15 semi-structured interviews. The study findings show that Kuwaiti primary school EFL teachers who participated in the current study demonstrated positive attitudes towards using technology and acknowledged the implementation of some cutting-edge technologies in their classrooms. Enhancing students&rsquo; language learning, innovation and school support were the main factors that encouraged the participating teachers to use technology. Other factors hindered the use of technology; particularly those related to lack of parental support, personal expenses and health problems, teachers&rsquo; lack of skills and training, poor classroom infrastructure, and time constraints/workload. The findings also reveal that the lack of professional development training workshops provided by the Ministry of Education led the Kuwaiti teachers to rely more on informal training in which they worked and learnt together with their colleagues in small sub-groups to improve their use of technology. The study findings have implications for policymakers and other stakeholders intending to integrate technology in Kuwaiti primary schools.

scholarly journals Assessing Stress Factors and Coping Strategies among Primary Schools Adolescents in Moshi District, Tanzania

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (7) ◽  
pp. 4900-4911
Author(s):  
Edith Mwananzila ◽  
Muteti Catherine Mueni
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Stress Factors ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
And Coping

The purpose of the study was to determine factors attributed to primary schools adolescents’ stress and common stress coping strategies they use. Four research questions guided this study. The study employed mixed research approach. Descriptive cross-sectional design was used. Participants were 225 primary schools’ adolescents and 15 primary class teachers and five primary heads of schools. Data were collected through structured questionnaire, semi structured interviews and focus group discussion. Data were analysed using both content and thematic analysis. The findings of the study reveal that, most of adolescents had experienced stress even though some of them were not sure whether they were stressed or not due to lack of knowledge regarding stress and the sources of stress. Furthermore, the study found that two thirds of primary school adolescents often experienced symptoms of stress implying that they had high stress levels. Similarly, the study found that majority of the pupils often employed positive coping strategies. The study concludes that primary school adolescents in Moshi municipality were subjected to high levels of stress which affects their psychological wellbeing although they had not been able to address the sources of stress. Adolescents lacked the awareness of signs and symptoms of stress which increased the level of stress among them. Moreover, the pupils reported nervousness, anger, anxiety, sickness and lack of concentration during class hours. Primary schools adolescents were not able to device relevant coping strategies against stress. The Ministry of Education should put more emphasis on the issue of stress and coping strategies in primary schools by introducing well-structured formal support systems. The family should learn to support and be helpful for adolescents faced with stress, no matter how they are adapting to the stress. Moreover, schools should pay attention to students’ trouble with learning and apply appropriate strategies to enhance their learning effectiveness

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